What is a non-commissioned officer?
Q: What is a non-commissioned officer?
A: A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not been given a commission.
Q: How do NCOs obtain their position of authority?
A: NCOs usually obtain their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks.
Q: Which grades of military officers fall under the category of NCO?
A: NCOs usually include all grades of corporal and sergeant; in some countries, warrant officers also do the same things as NCOs.
Q: Do all grades of petty officer count as NCOs?
A: Depending on the country, some or all grades of petty officer may be counted as NCO's in the navy.
Q: Are all NCOs of the same rank?
A: No, there are different classes of non-commissioned officer, including junior non-commissioned officers (JNCO) and senior (or staff) non-commissioned officers (SNCO).
Q: What is the difference between JNCO and SNCO?
A: JNCO stands for junior non-commissioned officers, while SNCO stands for senior (or staff) non-commissioned officers. JNCO has a lower rank than SNCO.
Q: Is NCO the same as a commissioned officer?
A: No, NCO is different from a commissioned officer as NCO has not been given a commission. Commissioned officers are officers who have received a commission from the military.
