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Armed forces operational officer: Job description and activities

Job description

Operational officers in the armed forces lead the fighting arms. They direct and operate technically advanced fighting systems on land, at sea and in the air and command people in the front line of battle. The Army calls them combat officers, and the Royal Navy uses the term warfare officers.

Responsibilities cover the training, fitness, operational effectiveness and welfare of everyone in the unit, so they reach and maintain a high level of competence and readiness to fulfil their defence and peacekeeping purposes. The officer's primary responsibility in operations - which are often dangerous, fast-moving and confused - is to command, lead and inspire service personnel.

Typical work activities

An operational or combat officer in the armed forces is first and foremost a leader who must lead and manage a team of fighting specialists, developing their skills to a very high level of competence and readiness. Typical activities include:

Generally:

• taking responsibility for the welfare, morale and motivation of subordinates;
• communicating effectively with one's unit, colleagues with other roles and responsibilities, and professional and community groups, both orally and in writing, through briefings, operational reports and presentations;
• taking responsibility for one's own personal and professional development.

At base or on exercise:

• training and developing subordinates of all ranks and bringing them to a high state of operational readiness;
• training new recruits in basic skills;
• instructing personnel of other ranks and preparing them for promotion;
• assessing the effectiveness of training.

In battle and other operations:

• identifying objectives and assessing ways of achieving them;
• motivating and leading subordinates to achieve objectives, often in difficult and dangerous conditions;
• preparing or modifying operational strategies and plans;
• allocating equipment, manpower and resources effectively to achieve objectives;
• keeping ships, aircraft, vehicles, weapons and other equipment operational.

AGCAS

Written by Paul Brown and Rebecca Brown, University of St Andrews/AGCAS

Last updated:

November 2008

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