skyman06

This may be the wrong forum for this question, but I am writing a novel that involves a military outpost. I was wondering what the official rank and title of the head of the oustpost would be. If anyone knows or has an idea, could you please tell me? Thanks

PS (it takes place in a fictional world)

bluntpencil

C.O., or Commanding Officer? Anyone of any rank can command an outpost if he/she is designated and given the power to do so, by the appropriate military authority.

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Banzai

Any particular kind of military rank? Air Force? Navy? Land-based Army?
I suppose, depending on the size of the installation, it could range from a rank of Colonel (or perhaps even Lieutenant-Colonel) to General (through Brigadier- to straight General). But yes, CO would probably be used in some contexts.

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Banzai

Here, this might help.

US Officer ranks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Ar..._rank_insignia

British Officer ranks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British..._rank_insignia

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"Who is the third who walks always beside you?
When I count, there are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you"
-"The Wasteland" by T.S. Elliot

skyman06

Thanks, everybody! One more thing, though--would one address the Commanding Officer as Commanding Officer, CO, or their actual rank outside of the outpost (captain, colonel, etc.) Thanks!

Yaphee

Probably CO.

Banzai

I'd disagree. I'd say either by rank, or just as sir/ma'am.
I can't imagine people calling someone CO or Commanding Officer. It might just be me.

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"Who is the third who walks always beside you?
When I count, there are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you"
-"The Wasteland" by T.S. Elliot

Mike C

Address him as sir if he's an officer, introduce him by rank, refer to him as the CO.

Rank will depend on size of outpost, permanency and circumstances. It's a fictional outpost on a fictional world, it can work any way you want it to.

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HarryG

Banzai

Now there's a concept

__________________
"Who is the third who walks always beside you?
When I count, there are only you and I together
But when I look ahead up the white road
There is always another one walking beside you"
-"The Wasteland" by T.S. Elliot

AirborneRooster

Sir would be how you would actually address him. But CO has a lot of different meanings. A soldier can be in command of anything, so a low rank would probably refer to his company commander as the CO, while that same commander could refer to his brigade commander as the CO. Lower rank soldiers would refer to a base commander in conversation as either his name (Did you hear that General Johnson is ordering some high-speed Oakley Boots for 2nd Brigade?) or his title (Why the hell is the Post Commander so anal about ASP Guard?). Higher ranking officers would usually use his rank when they are speaking to him directly.

That might have been confusing, but i hope you can pick something out of that

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Mike C

Only if they worked for Scotland Yard, I suspect.

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Shawn

Watch Zulu for God's sake.

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