Editing Commanding officer (section)

==United States==
[[File:Schwarzkopf speaks with troops 1992.jpg|thumb|250px|right|General [[Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.]] speaks with American troops during the [[Gulf War]].]]
In the [[United States]], the status of commanding officer is duly applied to all commissioned officers who hold lawful command over a military unit, ship, or installation.

===Army===
The commanding officer of a [[company (military unit)|company]], usually a [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]], is referred to as the [[company commander]] (or the [[Artillery battery|battery]]/troop commander for [[artillery]]/[[cavalry]]) units. The commanding officer of a [[battalion]] (or [[squadron (army)|squadron]] of [[cavalry|cavalry/armored cavalry]]) is usually a [[lieutenant colonel]]. The commanding officer of a [[brigade]], a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]], is the [[brigade commander]]. At the [[Division (military)|division]] level and higher, however, the commanding officer is referred to as the [[general officer|commanding general]], as these officers hold [[general officer]] rank.

[[Warrant officer (United States)|Warrant officers]] in the [[United States Armed Forces]] are single career-track officers that can, and occasionally do, hold command positions within certain specialty units, i.e. [[Special Forces (United States Army)|Special Forces]] and [[United States Army Aviation Branch|Army Aviation]]. However, warrant officers usually do not command if a commissioned officer is present; normally they serve as [[executive officer]] ([[second-in-command|2IC]]).

===Marine Corps===
[[File:Dark Horse Battalion welcomes new commanding officer DVIDS420318.jpg|thumb|250px|[[3rd Battalion, 5th Marines|Dark Horse Battalion]] welcomes new commanding officer]]
The commanding officer of a [[company (military unit)#Marine Corps|company]], usually a [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]], is referred to as the [[company commander]] or the [[Artillery battery#United States Marine Corps|battery]] commander (for [[List of United States Marine Corps battalions#artillery battalions|field artillery]] and [[List of United States Marine Corps battalions#low altitude air defense battalions|low altitude air defense units]]). The commanding officer of a [[Battalion#United States Marine Corps|battalion]] or a [[United States Marine Corps Aviation#Squadrons|squadron]] ([[United States Marine Corps Aviation|Marine aviation]]), is usually a [[lieutenant colonel]]. The commanding officer of a [[Regiment#United States Marine Corps|regiment]], [[United States Marine Corps Aviation#Groups|aviation group]], or [[Marine air-ground task force#Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)|Marine Expeditionary Unit]] (MEU) is a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]]. At the [[Marine air-ground task force#Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB)|Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] (MEB), [[List of United States Marine Corps logistics groups|Marine Logistics Group]] (MLG), [[List of United States Marine Corps divisions|Marine Division]] (MARDIV), [[United States Marine Corps Aviation#Wings|Marine Aircraft Wing]] (MAW), [[Marine air-ground task force#Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)|Marine Expeditionary Force]] (MEF), and [[Fleet Marine Force]] (FMF) levels; however, the commanding officer is referred to as the [[general officer|commanding general]], as these officers hold [[general officer]] rank.

===Navy and Coast Guard===
In the [[United States Navy]] and [[United States Coast Guard]], commanding officer is the official title of the commander of a ship, but they are usually referred to as "[[Sea captain|the Captain]]" regardless of their actual rank: "Any naval officer who commands a ship, submarine or other vessel is addressed by naval custom as 'captain' while aboard in command, regardless of their actual rank."<ref>America's Navy: Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet: Navy Officer Titles: Captain, [https://archive.today/20170302062327/http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/Pages/Navy-Officer-Titles.aspx] </ref> They may be informally referred to as "Skipper", though allowing or forbidding the use of this form of address is the commanding officer's prerogative.

A prospective commanding officer (PCO) is a U.S. Navy officer who has been selected for his/her own command.  The term is used in correspondence or in reference to the officer before they assume command of the unit (ship, squadron, unit, etc.).

If the sailor in command of a unit is an enlisted member, rather than a commissioned or [[warrant officer]], he or she is referred to as the "officer in charge" rather than "commanding officer".  In the Coast Guard it is common for smaller cutters to be commanded by a [[chief petty officer]].

===Air Force===
In the [[United States Air Force]], the commanding officer of a unit is similarly referred to as the unit commander, such as [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]] commander, [[Group (military aviation unit)|group]] commander, [[Wing (military aviation unit)|wing]] commander, and so forth. Squadron commanders (the base unit of the United States Air Force) are usually majors or lieutenant colonels. Group commanders (made up of two or more squadrons) are usually colonels, while wing commanders may be colonels (typical wings) or generals (larger wings).