Today i am going to write a summarization on Chapter 2 of FM 7-22. 7 Duties, Responsibility, And Authority of the NCO. As a noncommissioned officer, it is your responsibility to know what authority you have as a leader, you must know what authority you have and where it comes from. When exercising your authority you are expected to use good judgement. The Army defines authority as this ( found in FM 7-22. 7 ) Authority is the right to direct soldiers to do certain things, Authority is the legitimate power of leaders to direct soldiers or to take action within the scope of their position.
Military authority begins with the Constitution, which divides it between Congress and the President. The president as commander in chief, commands the armed forces, including the Army. The authority from the Commander-in-Chief extends throughout the chain of command, with the assistance of the NCO support channel, to the squad, section or team leader who then directs and supervises the actions of individual soldiers. The Army has separated authority into two basic types of authority Command authority and general military authority.
Command authority is the authority leaders have over soldiers by the virtue of rank or assignment. Command authority originates with the President and may be supplemented by law or regulation. even though it is called command authority it is not limited to officers, you have command authority in you leadership position as a tank commander or team leader. So in other words if you are appointed as a leader of soldiers whether it be team leader, squad leader and have the rank of a non commissioned officer you have inherent the command authority with the job position to direct and control soldiers.
Leading soldiers includes the authority to organize, direct and control your assigned soldiers so that they accomplish assigned missions, this includes authority to uses assigned equipment and resources to accomplish you mission. For example while Staff Sergeant Taylor the S-3 platoon sergeant was in class Staff Sergeant Tinker was appointed the platoon sergeant to be in charge and run the S-3 while SSG Taylor was in class. SSG Tinker had the command authority over the S-3 until he was relieved from that responsibility.
We as the S-3 soldiers would follow his orders as if he was the platoon sergeant due to his position. The second authority is General military authority wish is the authority extended to all soldiers to take action and act in the absence of a unit leader or other designated authority. It originates in the oaths of office, law, rank structure, traditions and regulations. This broad base authority also allows leader to take approbate corrective actions whenever a member of any armed service, anywhere, commits and act involving a breach of food order or discipline.
For example if you were to see a soldier doing something wrong and he is not in you platoon, company, battalion etc. you have the general military and authority to correct that soldier. General military authority exists whether you are on duty or not. in uniform or in civilian clothes , regardless of your location. For example you are on block leave and go to the commissary and notice that a soldier in uniforms pants are unbloused you have the right to make the on the spot correction.
As an Noncommissioned officer you have both the duty , responsibility, and general military authority to enforce standards of AR 670-1 and the Fort Campbell Blue Book. You can find you authority to enforce these regulations in AR 600-20. If you neglect your duty you can be held accountable. If the soldier refuses to listen to you have to right to ask the soldiers name and unit and can make the appropriate phone call to his or her chain of command. An officer and NCO may also delicate their authority this is called delegation of authority.
Which is just that delegation of authority, to meet the organizations goals, officers delegate authority to NCOs in the NCO support channel who may further delegate that authority. For example there is a big meeting going on during pt hours all ncos and officers must be at after first formation an NCO can appoint a promotable E-4 or high spend E-4 to run pt during the absence of the leadership. The E-4 will have the responsibility and duty of an NCO while running pt.
This is my summarization of NCO authority if you would like to learn more on the subject look up Chapter 2 of FM 7-22. 7. Remember the military authority stems from the combination of the chain of command and the NCO support channel. Orders and policies that pass throughout the chain of command or the NCO support channel automatically provide the authority necessary to get the job done. With such broad authority given to all commission officers and noncommissioned officers, the responsibility to use mature, sound judgement is critical.
The chain of command back the NCO support channel by legally punish those who challenge the NCO's authority. But it does so only if the noncommissioned officers actions and order are sound, intelligent and based on proper authority. To be a good leader you should learn what types of authority you haver and where it comes from. When is doubt, ask. Once you're confident that you know the extent of your authority, use sound judgement in applying it. then you will be a leader respected by both your soldiers and superiors.
