Hello everyone.
I’m quite convinced that in the olden days (I am under 30) that Adjutant position was normally held by by next ranking officer etc.
I’ve been “informed” recently that there is a CI out there telling fellow adjutants that in bosses absence, they are the stand-in squadron commander.
Am I meant to be taking commands off a CI then? As an officer coming up on his first service extension?! :woohoo:
They’re a CI, you’re an officer. Tell them (politely) to stick it where the sun don’t shine and review the chain of command.
Was exactly the answer that I was expecting.
I believed it was more of an administrative responsibility, not that when the OC is away on leave or duty or MIA, that the mighty CI adjutant rises to the top.
^That.
They may take on more paperwork to cover for the bos but the next most senior officer would be A/OC (I think)
Here was me thinking I could sit in the corner drinking tea and pleading ignorance!
Go for it, just remember that its your head that will roll if things go pear shaped whilst the boss is on leave 
The Adjutant is usually the boss’s gopher. 2IC is a totally different role/office, although it could be held by the same bloke ‘double hatting’.
Using the infantry battalion example (which is much neater for explanation purposes):
The CO (Commanding Officer) is a Lieutenant Colonel (Wing Commander equivalent)
His Adjutant is a Captain (Flight Lieutenant equiv), who is considered senior to all other Captains in the battalion. His job is to be a sort of shadow/gopher to the boss, although historically he would have been in charge of admin (which is now the responsibility of the Regimental Admin Officer) and in wartime would be the Operations Officer (although this is now a seperate role)
The OC (Officer Commanding) the first rifle company should be the senior Major (Squadron Leader equiv) in the battalion and thus next down from the CO in terms of seniority.
Obviously, the above is how it should work rather than how it does (and there are plenty of examples of things going differently, ie: Goose Green). It also doesn’t really help with the differences at ATC squadron level, but it does illustrate how Adj isn’t really a ‘command role’ and isn’t the same as 2IC.
i would agree or at leats go as far as the Adj has the second most senior position (note position not rank) but i wouldnt say is the next ranking officer
this is certainly not true with us
we have
two Flt Lts, one the CO
two Fg Offs, one the Adj and 2IC
we also have a Flt Lt Ret’d
and a former WWO
in both cases now as CIs
Pretty much in line with above…
Adj = admin bitch. This may be the next senior officer but it may not.
2 i/c (or whatever you want to call whoever deputises for the OC when he’s away) will either be the next senior officer on the squadron or whoever the OC nominates (you could for instance have an old bold Flt Lt marking time before retirement who doesnt want the hassle, yet an up and coming Fg Off who has the wearwithal to hold on to the reins).
Common sense wins! :worthy:
[quote=“Perry Mason” post=1393]Adj = admin bitch.[/quote]This is certainly how I see it at our unit where I am Adj and there are 3 officers who can mess with the command buts above me. It doesn’t mean that I don’t regularly make executive decisions (though some of them are waived past an officer for approval )
[quote=“Perry Mason” post=1393](you could for instance have an old bold Flt Lt marking time before retirement who doesnt want the hassle, yet an up and coming Fg Off who has the wearwithal to hold on to the reins).[/quote]You’ve been watching my squadron, haven’t you!?
a similiar situation to what i indicated.
in fact our “old boy” is the CO, but his Flt Lt is a former CO of a seperate Sqn and doesnt have any burning desire to take command, fancied a change of location and came to us.
our 2IC is the best placed officer for the role of CO given family/personal commitments and the like and so the logical appointment
Up until August I had a Cdt FS doing the Adj job, I’m sure she would have been happy to take command while I was away!
[quote]Using the infantry battalion example (which is much neater for explanation purposes):
[/quote]???
What on earth relevance has that to anything. Sqn Cdr away, senior Flt Cdr deputises.
exmpa
[quote=“exmpa” post=1409][quote]Using the infantry battalion example (which is much neater for explanation purposes):
[/quote]???
What on earth relevance has that to anything. Sqn Cdr away, senior Flt Cdr deputises.
exmpa[/quote]
Funnily enough, I explained that at the bottom of the post…
[quote=“exmpa” post=1409][quote]Using the infantry battalion example (which is much neater for explanation purposes):
[/quote]???
What on earth relevance has that to anything. Sqn Cdr away, senior Flt Cdr deputises.
exmpa[/quote]Why the senior Flt Cdr? I’m the senior Flt Cdr on my unit, but I’m 3rd in charge.
It’s the senior officer or other appointed deputy, as Perry points out.
Solve the problem by getting the OC to EXPLICITY state the command and seniority structure on the squadron. No confusion then!
(For what its worth, my OC is a Warrant Officer, I’m a time served Flt Lt hanger-on, and the Adj is a Plt Off and knows a damn sight more about the squadron than I do. Do I have a problem with that? Nope…)
Surely it’s who the OC says it is, given that the majority of squadrons won’t have the structure, plus it stops any urinating up the wall exercises.
The problem is on an ATC sqn the CO and nominated deputy could be off. I think that you end up having deputy’s deputy, deputy deputy’s deputy etc etc etc.
I think the CI in the OP needs to be advised I’d love to meet a pompous ass like that, just for the sport.
If the OC was to be away for an extended period, surely they would nominate who is to act on their behalf whilst absent. The OC in reality is only going to be away on leave, so we are talking about 2 weeks here.
If a major issue came up during this period, such as safeguarding that would normally go to the OC, i would infact raise it with the Sector Commander.
In terms of running a parade night, it would depend on the pre-arranged training programme, whilst the most senior officer/nominated 2OC would take final parade. Seems quite simple really!! If we have no uniformed staff then the CWO takes parade, still giving the staff the opportunity to give any notices.