- Battlefield commission
A battlefield commission is given to
enlisted soldiers who are promoted to the rank of Commissioned officer for outstanding leadership on the field ofbattle .The granting of a battlefield commission has its historical ancestor in the medieval practice of the
knighting orennoblement of a plebeian combatant on the battleground for demonstration of heroic qualities in an exceptional degree. In the medieval context, this martial achievement was often one of the main restricted pathways into the sword-bearing feudalaristocracy .United States
Normally, enlisted men or
non-commissioned officer s cannot attain the rank of commissioned officer through regular promotion. Starting in 1917, duringWorld War I , theUnited States Army started giving battlefield commissions to soldiers to replace the "Brevet Officer" system (the promotion of an enlisted man to a commissioned officer without an increase in pay). TheMarine Corps started giving battlefield commissions in place of the Brevet Medal, which was second only to theMedal of Honor . From World War I to the Vietnam conflict, over 31,200 soldiers, Marines, and airmen have been awarded battlefield commissions.The most significant difference between battlefield commissions and regular commissions is that with the latter one must attend the officer candidate school of their respective service. Battlefield commission eliminates this step.
ee also
*
Knight banneret
*Military ranks
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