Essay on Chain of Command
In the literature, military documents, media propaganda, in conversations, in official documents dealing with military matters, we can constantly meet the terms – military unit, company, battalion, army, the chain of command, etc. Of course, all the terms are clear and simple for the military people because they immediately understand what is going on when they hear all those words. But all these terms are not fully clear for ordinary civil people, while the concept of the chain of command may confuse them. Thus, the main aims of the assignment are to explore the chain of command in the military and to explain why the use of the concept is so important.
To begin, it is necessary to define the meaning of the concept of the “chain of command” because it will help to plunge into the issue with more details in further discussion. In a military context, taking into account a presence of strict military discipline and the system of military relations associated with the hierarchy, the chain of command is the certain line of authority and responsibility when orders are passed within a certain military unit and between different military units (Laver and Matthews, 2008). It means that the chain of command is also a kind of the route of communication, when the military unit is working as a team and all the information goes into two directions, one kind of information goes up the Chain, as well as other kind of information, including instructions and commands go down the Chain. To be more specific, Coakley explained that “Orders are transmitted down the chain of command, from a higher-ranked soldier, such as a commissioned officer, to lower-ranked personnel who either execute the order personally or transmit it down the chain as appropriate, until it is received by those expected to execute it” (Coakley, 1992). Such an approach was formed historically, and it was considered to be the most effective way of communication a long period ago because it allows not only to control all the process within the area of military service but also to provide all the information timely in both directions.
Dwelling on the importance of the chain of command, it is good to note that the chain of command distinguishes the relationship of juniors and seniors within the military organization. It goes without saying that an effective chain of command is important to all varieties of military services, including navy because it helps to carry out the mission. Moreover, the chain of command established by delegation of authority is the hallmark of every big organization and military structure. For instance, European chain of command starts with the commander in chief of U.S. forces in Europe, General of the Army, who is located in NATO Headquarters in Brussels and still stands as the supreme commander of the allied forces of NATO.
In conclusion, we have observed the concept of the “chain of command” from various perspectives and demonstrated that in the military, all formal communication should be sent to the chain of commands. Anyone who has a problem can not be accessed through the head of his immediate supervisor to senior executives on this issue. Also senior executive can not issue orders to lower-level soldier, bypassing intermediate levels. Of course, due to the power and informal relations, people sometimes manage to bypass the chain of command even in the armed forces, where this principle rigidly enforced, but such cases are so rare that they need no additional mentioning.
Do you like this essay?
Our writers can write a paper like this for you!
(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
Loading...