I just found out my commander is a government contractor. Can someone explain this to me?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 00:47:15 -0400

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 2 at 2017 12:48 AM

SN Greg Wright — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 00:48:10 -0400

You're going to have to give more details if you expect any answers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 1:37 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 01:37:43 -0400

Why do you think they just "made any civilian an officer"? Do you think someone waved a magic wand and put Captain's bars on a person and said "now you are a company commander"? Do you have any reason to believe the commander didn't go through a commissioning program and training? Many reserve units have non full time people as company commanders. It's a reserve unit, that's the point of them.

Response by SGT David T. made Aug 2 at 2017 7:49 AM

SGT David T. — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 07:49:41 -0400

It's quite simple really. Your commander works for a company that has contracts with the government for their day job. They do work for the government but are not government employees.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 7:56 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 07:56:12 -0400

As stated very few units have full time commanders, most of the AGR's are usually NCO's at the company level, the training NCO, Operations NCO, Supply NCO, and if you have a maintenance platoon that is usually an AGR slot. Officers in AGR slots usually start at the battalion level or higher, every once in a while there is a commander slot that is AGR and the only reason for that is so AGR's can get command time. Out side of that every one is a citizen soldier.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 9:39 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 09:39:19 -0400

Because that is your Commanders civilian job. As to being an Officer....obviously your Commander went thru the proper process and was properly vetted and earned their commission.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 12:39 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:39:57 -0400

I am a govt contractor. I was a company CO twice. In my last guard unit our BN Training Officer was an AGR and they put her in as CO of one of the Companies so she could get command time but that's the only time I've ever seen an AGR Company CO. I've never even seen a Guard/Reserve BN CO that was AGR.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 1:25 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:25:16 -0400

if he/she is a reservist than its all good. its getting paid by the hour if I'm not mistaken.

Response by AA Joseph Moody made Aug 2 at 2017 8:28 PM

AA Joseph Moody — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 20:28:46 -0400

Federal Employee here, but one of the most significant things you get while enlisted is a security clearance. And it is not uncommon for people to double dip as it is sometimes called, to be in the reserves while in some form of federal service.

On a pragmatic level of it, many civilian jobs have a lukewarm at best track record when it comes to maintaining reservist positions when they are deployed ( although keep in mind, just because something is illegal, that does not mean there is someone to enforce the law). And federal contractors and federal service both have very good track records for making sure that when you return that there is a place for you, maybe not always the same place you left, but you will return to a paycheck.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2017 10:44 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 10:44:10 -0400

Most of the above comments are the reason junior Soldiers do not come to leader's. Not everyone understands the difference.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Aug 4 at 2017 11:05 AM

Sgt Wayne Wood — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 11:05:12 -0400

Nothing prevents ANY soldier from being an entrepreneur and selling to the gov't... as long as they don't use their position to influence the acquisition process...

My $0.02

Response by COL William Oseles made Aug 5 at 2017 5:11 PM

COL William Oseles — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 17:11:36 -0400

In upper level commands it is common for civilians to rate officers and enlisted.
I was lucky in my Individual Mobilization Augmentee position in that the head of the staff section I was assigned to was a Reserve COL who understood the military.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 4:04 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 16:04:32 -0400

You are so vague, why dont you explain it to us? I dont know your commander or you, how can I explain your situation to you?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2019 4:07 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 16:07:49 -0400

This is the life of civilian work & military work. The life or the reserves & NG.

Response by CDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2020 4:27 PM

CDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:27:48 -0400

Happens more often than you know. When I an O-5 Commander and was stationed at AFRICOM back in 2010-2012, I had a GS-15 government civilian that was my boss.