commander-in-chief
Top military authority
A commander-in-chief is the supreme commander of a nation's military forces.
In the United States, the president serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, a role established by the Constitution.
The term emphasizes civilian control over military power: The commander-in-chief ordered the withdrawal of troops.
Plural: commanders-in-chief.
Elected leader of nation
- executive powerGovernment's enforcement capacity
- executive orderBinding directive from leadership
- constitutional authorityPower granted by supreme law
- vetoOfficial refusal to approve
war powers · national security · cabinet · administration · federal · mandate · jurisdiction · sovereignty
Widespread, not specialized
- admiralSenior naval commander
- marshalArrange in proper order
- strategistExpert in planning campaigns
- tacticianSkilled planner of action
warlord · campaign · battlefield · operations · warfare · logistics · deployment · mobilization
Required moral task
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- oath of officeFormal vow for public duty
congressional oversight · impeachment · public trust · answerability · leadership · war crimes · rules of engagement · civilian control
Military personnel collectively
- armyOrganized land-based military
- navyMaritime military force
- air forceMilitary aviation branch
- marinesNaval infantry soldiers
special forces · infantry · cavalry · artillery · battalion · regiment · brigade · division
International relations strategy
- summitPeak or diplomatic gathering
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- allianceFormal union of parties
- NATOWestern defense organization
bilateral · ambassador · statecraft · negotiations · peacekeeping · sanctions · coalition · détente
president
Elected leader of nation
- executive powerGovernment's enforcement capacity
- executive orderBinding directive from leadership
- constitutional authorityPower granted by supreme law
veto · war powers · national security · cabinet · administration · federal · mandate · jurisdiction · sovereignty · supremacy
general
Widespread, not specialized
- admiralSenior naval commander
- marshalArrange in proper order
- strategistExpert in planning campaigns
tactician · warlord · campaign · battlefield · operations · warfare · logistics · deployment · mobilization · theater
duty
Required moral task
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
oath of office · congressional oversight · impeachment · public trust · answerability · leadership · war crimes · rules of engagement · civilian control
troops
Military personnel collectively
marines · special forces · infantry · cavalry · artillery · battalion · regiment · brigade · division · squadron
foreign policy
International relations strategy
NATO · bilateral · ambassador · statecraft · negotiations · peacekeeping · sanctions · coalition · détente · armistice
- presidential powersexecutive order, executive power, executive orders, vetoes, pardon
- emergencies911, ambulance, emergency, emergency room, ER
- British India Armysepoy, Gurkha, Indian Mutiny, cantonment, Khyber Pass
- Vice-RegalGovernor General, lieutenant governors, royal assent, ceremonial duties, investiture
commander-in-chiefprivate
Restricted to certain parties
enlisted soldier · foot soldier · buck private · grunt · junior officer
commander-in-chiefinfantryman
Ground-based combat soldier
cannon fodder · ground troops · boots on the ground · civilian · pacifist
chief, command, commander, chiefly, chiefs, chieftain, chieftaincy, chiefdom, chieftains