I’ve read several explanations but they all go over my head. I can’t seem to find an actually decent explanation as to what a “commission” is in a military setting.
In: 1343
It has to do with how militaries traditionally worked, when they transitioned from a feudal system where local lords have their own personal armies, to a national system where the armies are part of an overarching nation.
A “commission” is an authorization from the leader (king, president, whatever) to form and lead an army. It’s literally a letter. Traditionally, this is something that only noblemen get, and would often have to be purchased. A Captain’s commission allows the holder to form a company, in the case of the army, or command a ship, in the case of the Navy, as well as recruit and train soldiers. Often, officers would start their careers as a lieutenant (which is an assistant to the captain). As armies started getting bigger and needing higher level organization, they added ranks above captain (colonel, general, etc). In the Navy, it’s a bit of the opposite: the complexity of operating a ship and of naval combat required more assistants, and to delegate more power, thus the Navy has more ranks under captain.
A non-commissioned officer is specially appointed by an officer to conduct more complex, to help the officer manage the soldiers. Traditionally, these are sergeants. The term “officer” is because they hold an office and can do clerical duties, such as managing the armory, or supervising training. These non-commissioned officers do not have a letter authorizing them to form their own companies and recruit their own men.
Today, when people join the military, they can apply to become officers or soldiers. Soldiers can be promoted to non-commissioned officers, but not to officers.
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