The Chain of Command and You, Rev. 1, March 21

[size=18][b]THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND YOU[/b][/size]

The graph above may seem intimidating and complex at first glance, and that’s because it is. However, this graph is what keeps the P.A.I.D. running smoothly. With it in place, there is always direct leadership for every individual unit; all questions and orders are directed to whomever you report to directly. For a deeper understanding of where you lay in the chain of command, refer to the descriptive list of each rank below.

[b]R1: Private[/b]
Privates are the rank-and-file fresh recruits of the P.A.I.D. They have yet to show any amount of loyalty or skills in any role, and can advance by proving their worth. Privates are at the bottom of the chain, and refer directly to Sergeants first. As a Private, you cannot choose a department to specialize in yet.

[b]R2: Private First Class[/b]
Privates First Class are merely Privates who have proven their loyalty. They have shown interest in remaining in the P.A.I.D., and are rewarded with a promotion. They have some small command over basic Privates, but both Privates and Privates First Class refer to Sergeants first. As a Private First Class, you may not choose a department to specialize in yet,

[b]R3: Sergeant[/b]
Sergeants have been proved tried and true, and are considered proper soldiers. Sergeants have a lot of opportunity for advancement, as they can now specialize in a department, and their career can go anywhere from this first step. Sergeants directly answer to Lieutenants first.

[b]R4: Sergeant First Class[/b]
Sergeants First Class are Sergeants who have proven themselves exemplary, and are rewarded with a promotion. They, alongside Sergeants, report to Lieutenants first.  As well as this, they also report, through an NCO line of command, to the Sergeant Major. However, through indirect command, Sergeants First Class do have some influence over basic Sergeants.

[b]R5: Master Sergeant[/b]
Master Sergeants have shown themselves worthy of a leadership role, and now have advanced significantly through the chain. They report to Sergeant Majors first, and Lieutenants second.

[bR6: Sergeant Major[/b]
Sergeant Majors are extraordinary Master Sergeants. They have proven themselves as good leaders, as well as dedicated members of the P.A.I.D. forces. They answer directly to Lieutenants first, and give orders to Master Sergeants. As well as this, through an NCO line of command, they act as the Command Sergeant Major’s right-hand-men.

[b]R7: Command Sergeant Major[/b]
The Command Sergeant Major is considered the spearhead of all combat, training, and personnel-related operations. He answers to the General and only the General. He is connected, through an NCO line, to all Sergeant Majors. Thusly, through indirect command, he has control over Sergeant Majors and all lesser units.

[b]R8: Lieutenant[/b]
Lieutenants are department elites, the best of their class. They are specialists, and are priority units for whatever task their department requires. They can be chosen by the Colonel of their department, and answer directly to that Colonel. However, through an XO line of command, Lieutenants also act as assistants to the Major.

[b]R9: Major[/b]
Majors are part of the General’s personal board of advisors. They answer to him, and only him. They have XO command over Lieutenants, but their influence can be vetoed by that Lieutenant’s Colonel, if a veto is seen as necessary.

[b]R10: Colonel[/b]
Colonels are department leaders. They are the best of the best in their field, and are tried and true specialists with real leadership skills. They answer directly to the General, and only to the General. They have direct control over Lieutenants, and thusly, an indirect line to everyone in their department.

[b]R11: General[/b]
The General is the overall commander of the P.A.I.D. He has a direct chain of command to every unit within its forces, and his influence overrides all other positions.

Now that that’s cleared up, a brief further explanation is required  You may wonder “What on earth do NCO and XO mean?” I personally wonder how you joined the military without this knowledge. I’ll have to fire the Colonel Instructor later. At any rate.

NCO means “non-commissioned-officer.” It simply means that you do not specialize, and work as a general ranked soldier. The NCO line of command goes back to the Command Sergeant Major, as he controls all standard non-commissioned officers. NCO command typically deals with things such as combat, training, and other basic tasks.

XO means “Executive officer.” As an Executive officer, you are expected to primarily handle logistics. Lieutenants are assistants to the Majors in this way, offering logistical and statistical information. XOs are always specialists, and are expected to be at their Major’s beck and call.

However, a brief note: The direct line of command always supercedes the NCO and XO lines. If the Command Sergeant Major wants a Sergeant Major to assist with training, he is expected to. However, if that Sergeant Major is eminently required elsewhere by a Colonel, the Colonel gets priority, as his line is direct. Thus, it overrides the NCO line. Likewise, if a Sergeant Major requires the assistance of a Sergeant First Class, he would do as the Sergeant Major said. However, this can be overridden by the Command Sergeant Major, via NCO line, or by a Lieutenant, via direct line.

Hopefully that makes a bit more sense. Now, you, Private and Sergeant alike, you can now advance through the ranks, pick your career path, and follow your heart. Good luck out there, soldier! The nation of Panau, and its people, are all depending on you!

[i][size=5]This message has been brought to you by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO © 2013) as part of the Harden Every Ally and Recruit (HEAR © 2014) programme, a P.A.I.D. initiative. Written by Detective General Terra Xanthis, all rights reserved.[/size][/i]