A commissioned officer is one who has been given authority by a government to complete specific tasks. The commissioning process often contains training and passing tests to show that the individual is able to do what they are assigned. On contrary, non-commissioned officers are enlisted personnel in military organizations who may or may not have received some kind of training.
The difference between commissioned and non-commissioned officers can be confusing for many people, but it’s essential to understand what each offers so that you know how best to utilize them in your organization!
Commissioned Officers
The difference between commissioned and noncommissioned officers can be made clear. In the United States, commissioned officers are members of the armed forces who have an official commission. These commissions are obtained via specific channels. The three by which commissions are almost always obtained are a Service Academy, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), or an Officer Candidate School. There are various locations and institutions that represent these channels. The United States Military Academy is a good example of a well-known Service Academy.
A typical graduate of a Service Academy, such as West Point, will attend their institution of choice for at least 4 years. During this time they will be supposed to be on Active Duty. They become commissioned upon graduation, becoming part of a group that makes up roughly 20% of the US Armed Forces. These commissioned officers then become the commanding officers of the Armed Forces.
Non-Commissioned Officers
Noncommissioned Officers enter the service through other channels, such as recruitment. They are advanced from the general ranks to positions of prominence due to demonstrating excellence in their duties and among their peers. Specific examples of how noncommissioned officers rank in different branches of the United States Armed Forces vary from branch to branch. For instance, in the US Army, all corporals and sergeants are examples of highly ranked noncommissioned officers.
These deal closely with the activities of lower-ranked members of the general forces. Noncommissioned officers have typically a pay level of E-4 or higher. They will also have finished courses on the leading of troops. Commissioned officers have achieved statuses from O-1 all the way up to the level of General.
Graduates from such programs as the ROTC and West Point will enter the service at the level of second-lieutenant. A serviceman is known as a noncommissioned officer when he or she has attained the level of Specialist or Corporal. An NCO’s career could potentially lead to a position as high as Sergeant Major. However, it should not be assumed that every soldier’s career progresses along each step one at a time (corporal to sergeant, sergeant to staff sergeant, etc). Some soldiers will be advanced directly from Specialist to Sergeant, or any other higher level.
Both commissioned and noncommissioned officers can enjoy long and fruitful military careers. For those who distinguish themselves, both paths can lead to high levels of promotion, job security, and pay grade advancement. Not everyone will be in a position to enter the military through the academic route, or through general enlistment. However non-commissioned and commissioned officers alike to enjoy challenging and dynamic positions as well as the respect of their fellow servicemen and their country.
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