1. Basic Command and Staff Principles
(Unit 1, Chapter 1, Lesson 9)
Inquire: Imagine you are a military leader……Commanding a man Air Assault Battalion, a Combined Arms Battalion (Tanks and Bradley’s) of over 1,000 men. You are the commander….one person, responsible for everything that unit does or fails to do
How do you run that unit?
You are the CEO of Delta Airlines…..over 75K employees worldwide. How do you run your company?
You own a lawn cutting business with 50 employees….How do you run your business?
IT IS ALL THE SAME! Different procedures, job titles, processes, but at the MACRO Level, it is all pretty much the same.
It will be the same here in the SPARTAN BN.
Project: Team up with the person at the table with you. On a sheet of paper, write down everything you know about Command and Staff Principles. You have four minutes.
Go around the room and have them bring up some points they wrote down.

2. Lesson Objectives
PS-LE3-1: Cadets will demonstrate command and staff principles while performing the duties of an earned leadership position within the Cadet Battalion organization.
Describe the staff responsibilities and three common procedures used to coordinate staff actions
b. Compare the three types of staffs and their relationship to the commander
c. List the nine step sequence of command and staff actions in the correct order
d. Clarify the scope and purpose of the commander’s estimate
e. Define key words: Coordinating Staff, Courses of Action, Echelon, Personal Staff and Special Staff
Review OBJs
Review all the objs.
You know the deal on these……
.But we are going to dig deeper.
Take notes…..take very good notes. You will have a quiz the week going into Fall Break.

3. Basic Command and Staff Principles
The commander/leader can not do everything
- Same in the military and civilian environment
- Skilled people with authority/responsibilities assist the leader
Cadet Battalion Organization
- Same structure utilized on Active Duty
- The staff assist the commander with daily operations to run the
Battalion
Spartan Battalion Organization
- Three Companies
- One Staff
- Five Specialty Teams
The command carries a lot of responsibility and burden. Not enough time in the day to do everything a commander is responsible for.
The commander CAN NOT do it all!!!!! He/she needs help.
Where do you think they will get that help?
FROM THEIR STAFF
Spartan BN will use the same staff structure as the Army at the Battalion level
The staff assist the commander with daily operations and task.
I want you to understand the Spartan Battalion structure……copy this down.

4. Basic Command and Staff Principles
BN CDR
BN CSM
BN Staff
A Co CDR
B Co CDR
C Co CDR
1st PLT
2nd PLT
1st PLT
2nd PLT
1st PLT
2nd PLT
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
1st SQD
2nd SQD
3rd SQD
This is how we are organized this year.
All companies have four squads organized into one platoon.
Know this. Copy it. Be able to draw it and/or explain it.
Specialty Teams
Color Guard
Drill Team
Raiders
Rifle Team
Saber Team

5. Basic Command and Staff Principles
The Army General Staff established in 1903 is the basis for our Army’s present
staff system
Command Authority and Responsibilities:
- Command Authority: authority lawfully exercised over subordinates
by rank or assignment
- With authority comes responsibility
- Command Responsibility: moral and legal accountability over
subordinates
The Commander alone is responsible for all that their unit does or fails to do!!
The Commander holds their subordinates responsible for all the their unit does
or fails to do
How does the Commander run the Battalion????? by using their subordinate
commanders and the staff
Armies have always had some form of a staff since the earliest days. Not structured, centralized nor coordinated.
In 1903, the Army General Staff established the basis of what our present day staff structure. Broken down by BOS (Battlefield Operating Systems)
The Commander has ways to command his unit…….
Command Authority and Responsibility:
Authority: authority lawfully exercised over subordinates by rank or assignment. Policies, Regulations, etc. Command automatically gives you this authority …UCMJ as a company Commander
Responsibility: moral and legal accountability over subordinates
Remember this: The commander is responsible for everything their unit does or fails to do!!!!
Team activity…..three minutes to coordinate staff actions for the following.
The commander tells you to plan for the Spartan Battalion to march in a Christmas parade in Dallas this December.
list all things that you need to happen to accomplish this mission.

6. Basic Command and Staff Principles
The Battalion is the lowest level which the Army structure authorizes a staff
Battalion Commanders utilizes a staff to PLAN, COORDINATE and EXECUTE
training
- The commander delegates authority
- S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, CSM
- The commander can NEVER delegate their Responsibility
- Frees the command to focus on essential aspects of command
Commander Organize their staffs to:
- Be responsive to the needs of the command
- Remain abreast of the situation and to ensure that they consider all
pertinent factors
- Reduce the time needed for control, integration, and coordination of
task
- Minimize the possibility of error
- Minimize the requirements for detailed supervision
Battalion is the lowest organization/unit that is authorized a staff
Commander uses the staff to Plan, Coordinate and Execute training and operations
He does this by delegating his authority to his staff officers.
THE COMMANDER NEVERS DELEGATES THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
CPT Crawley story as a LT.
Commanders organize their staff to do the following :
Cover the list Page 6 of your book

7. Basic Command and Staff Principles
Staffs are not in the Chain of Command….they have NO command authority
Staffs must be professional and have a full understanding of the unit’s mission
Effective staffs can take the commanders guidance and run with it
Staffs must continually coordinate within the staff and outside the unit
Three types of Staffs
- Coordinating: principle staff assistants to the commander. Each will
specialize in one field of interest
- Special Staff: staff officers who assist the commander in professional,
technical, and other functional areas (Medical, Chaplain, Commo)
- Personal Staff: staff officers who work under the immediate control
of the commander (CSM, Inspector General, Staff Judge Advocate)
Staffs are not part of the Chain of Command…..They work for the commander – not for the subordinate commanders.
Staff have to know their organization and mission. Hence staff officers being from the same branch. Me as an S4 twice in Infantry Battalions.
Staff formulate the commanders guidance into operations/training.
Staff must coordinate across the staff and outside of the unit.
Three types of staffs
Cover them
What type do you think we use in the Spartan Battalion
Coordinating staff

8. Basic Command and Staff Principles
The Executive Officer directs, coordinates, and supervises the staff
XO = Chief of Staff
Battalion Staff Primary Responsibilities
- S1: Personnel and Administrative Actions
- S2: Intelligence and Security
- S3: Operations and Training
- S4: Logistics/Supply
- S5: Public Relations
- S6: Special Projects
Common Staff Procedures used to coordinate staff actions:
- Visits
- Conferences
- Briefings (Command and Staff Meeting)
- Reports
- Inspections
XO is the Chief of Staff……XO supervises the staff. He is the conductor of the staff band.
Staff Primary Responsibilities: Know these. S1 S2 S3 S4 S5
How does a staff know if plans are working......they following up! How
Cover the list and elaborate.

9. Basic Command and Staff Principles Joint Program Accreditation

10. Basic Command and Staff Principles
Two channels through information flows:
- Command Channel: Commander to Commander
- Staff Channel: Staff officer to comparable staff elements
The Staff can never tell a commander NO!
Staffs take the commanders guidance and develop plans
Staff utilize the 9-Step Decision Making Process
(Test/Quiz Hint: You will need to know this by heart)
Step 1: Mission – what do you have to accomplish?
- 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where and Why
Step 2: Information Available

11. Basic Command and Staff Principles
Step 3: Planning Guidance – Commanders give their guidance to the staff
for planning
Step 4: Staff Estimates
Step 5: Commander’s Estimate and Decision
Step 6: Preparation of Plans and Orders
Step 7: Approval
Step 8: Publication of Plans and Orders
Step 9: Command and Staff Supervision

12. LET IV Selection
IAW AR 147-2, the SAI is to sole selector of 4th-year Cadets
Basic Criteria:
Grades……….must be academically proficient
Performance: assessed from entire time in JROTC
Maturity – competent, responsible and reliable
Behavior – “nuff said”
Drugs/Alcohol – any confirmed incidents “on or off campus”
Only looking for per year
Review OBJs
Review all the objs.
You know the deal on these……
.But we are going to dig deeper.
Take notes…..take very good notes. You will have a quiz the week going into Fall Break.