Duty officer
Encyclopedia
Duty officer is the name of a rotating position
assigned to a junior military officer
in a duty
or watch system. The duty officer is charged with responsibility for a military unit and acts as the commanding officer
's representative. The duty officer attends to menial tasks for the commanding officer such as being at the scene of an incident
and being on call during the night. This duty is in addition to the officer's normal duties.
The duty officer's tour is generally 24 or 48 hours, after which he will be relieved by the oncoming duty officer listed on the roster or watchbill. The offgoing duty officer will turn over relevant data and documentation to his relief about the previous day's happenings, before returning to his normal duties (or going on liberty
if his duty ends on a weekend
or other non-work day).
In the Indian Army
, the duty officer is in charge of maintaining discipline and order in an Indian Army Unit. He is also in charge of the guards on duty, and conducting inspections of the quarter guard
at any time of day or night. A duty officer also has a duty JCO
and a duty NCO
to assist him in discharging his duties. The duty JCO and duty NCO would be wearing a brassard
or an arm band with the words "duty JCO" and "duty NCO" marked on them.
In the United States armed forces
, the duty officer is generally in charge of a unit headquarters in the absence of the commander. His duties include inspection of soldiers on guard duty (also called watchstanders
in the Navy), being in charge of quarters at the company and battery level and staff duty NCOs at the battalion level, inspection of the arms rooms, motor pool and unit dining facilities
. The duty officer will contact the commander and senior NCOs if emergency messages are sent to the unit. The duty officer usually carries a notebook and briefcase with a series of phone lists and checklists put together by the unit adjutant to guide the officer through his tour of duty.
In the Finnish armed forces, the duty officer (päivystäjä in Finnish), usually a conscript NCO, is responsible for maintaining the order in the unit, monitoring persons entering and leaving it and keeping count of its weapons. His tour is 24 hours long and he has two assisting officers, usually privates, who relieve him during lunch, dinner, a recreation break and during the night. The duty officer is stationed behind a desk at the unit's main entrance which should be manned at all times.
In various navies
, a similar position called the "officer of the Day
" or "officer of the deck
" (OOD) also exists. Some commands
have both an OOD and a duty officer simultaneously with a delineation in duties while in others only one exists.
Job rotation
-Introduction:Job rotation is a management technique that assigns trainees to various jobs and departments over a period of a few years. Surveys show that an increasing number of companies are using job rotation to train employees...
assigned to a junior military officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in a duty
Duty
Duty is a term that conveys a sense of moral commitment to someone or something. The moral commitment is the sort that results in action and it is not a matter of passive feeling or mere recognition...
or watch system. The duty officer is charged with responsibility for a military unit and acts as the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
's representative. The duty officer attends to menial tasks for the commanding officer such as being at the scene of an incident
Incident management
Incident Management refers to the activities of an organization to identify, analyze and correct hazards. For instance, a fire in a factory would be a risk that realized, or an incident that happened...
and being on call during the night. This duty is in addition to the officer's normal duties.
The duty officer's tour is generally 24 or 48 hours, after which he will be relieved by the oncoming duty officer listed on the roster or watchbill. The offgoing duty officer will turn over relevant data and documentation to his relief about the previous day's happenings, before returning to his normal duties (or going on liberty
Liberty
Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
if his duty ends on a weekend
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
or other non-work day).
In the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
, the duty officer is in charge of maintaining discipline and order in an Indian Army Unit. He is also in charge of the guards on duty, and conducting inspections of the quarter guard
Quarter guard
The quarter guard is a military depot in an Indian Army unit. The quarter guard is the main point of security arrangements for the army camp/garrison. The regimental colours, the armoury and the treasury would be kept in this building...
at any time of day or night. A duty officer also has a duty JCO
Junior Commissioned Officer
Junior commissioned officer is a term describing a group of military ranks found in the Indian Army, Pakistan Army, Bangladesh Army and Nepal Army. Those soldiers holding JCO rank receive a commission from the President,...
and a duty NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
to assist him in discharging his duties. The duty JCO and duty NCO would be wearing a brassard
Brassard
A brassard or armlet is an armband or piece of cloth or other material worn around the upper arm, used as an item of military uniform to which rank badges may be attached instead of being stitched into the actual clothing...
or an arm band with the words "duty JCO" and "duty NCO" marked on them.
In the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, the duty officer is generally in charge of a unit headquarters in the absence of the commander. His duties include inspection of soldiers on guard duty (also called watchstanders
Watchstanding
Watchstanding, or watchkeeping, in nautical terms concerns the division of qualified personnel to operate a ship continuously around the clock. On a typical sea going vessel, be it naval or merchant, personnel keep watch on the bridge and over the running machinery...
in the Navy), being in charge of quarters at the company and battery level and staff duty NCOs at the battalion level, inspection of the arms rooms, motor pool and unit dining facilities
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
. The duty officer will contact the commander and senior NCOs if emergency messages are sent to the unit. The duty officer usually carries a notebook and briefcase with a series of phone lists and checklists put together by the unit adjutant to guide the officer through his tour of duty.
In the Finnish armed forces, the duty officer (päivystäjä in Finnish), usually a conscript NCO, is responsible for maintaining the order in the unit, monitoring persons entering and leaving it and keeping count of its weapons. His tour is 24 hours long and he has two assisting officers, usually privates, who relieve him during lunch, dinner, a recreation break and during the night. The duty officer is stationed behind a desk at the unit's main entrance which should be manned at all times.
In various navies
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, a similar position called the "officer of the Day
Officer of the day
At smaller military installations where no provost marshal has been assigned, the officer of the day is a detail rotated each day among the unit/post's commissioned officers to oversee security, guard, and law enforcement considerations...
" or "officer of the deck
Officer of the Deck
Officer of the deck is a position in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard that confers certain authority and responsibility. The officer of the deck on a ship is the direct representative of the captain, having responsibility for the ship.-Overview:In port, the OOD is stationed on...
" (OOD) also exists. Some commands
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
have both an OOD and a duty officer simultaneously with a delineation in duties while in others only one exists.