Commander-in-chief
A commander ( OB) is a military or civilian superior, the
- An army, an army group, a strike force,
- Allied forces several branches of the armed forces or a military alliance leads,
- Or he is a national owner of the command and command authority ( IBuK ) of the Armed Forces of his country.
Commonly, the term is also commander in chief. On the other hand, a distinction was made in the German Reichswehr between command and command authority, and leadership skills between the Reich President were divided as Commander in Chief and the Chief of the Army Command and the Naval Command as commander in chief.
Moreover, in some cases Generalissimo as a designation for a commander in use. Often, a Head of State shall perform the duties of the Commander.
Germany
The Bundeswehr has no major units of the magnitude army or army group. The commanders of the three armed forces Army, Air Force and Navy are called inspectors. The inspector of the Army, Air Force Chief of Staff, the Chief of Navy, the Chief of Medical Services and the inspector of the armed forces base are the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr under the direct.
In times of peace has in Germany, according to Article 65a of the Basic Law of the Defense Minister, the command and command authority held. The internal name is therefore also IBuK (owner of the command and command authority ). The Defence Minister is advised by the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr.
Once under Article 115a of the Basic Law of the defense case is determined according to Article 115b is the basic law of command authority to the / the Chancellor / in over.
Austria
According to Article 80 of the Federal Constitution in Austria is the Federal President Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. But he has no direct command and authority.
Switzerland
In the peace of the head of the army leads the Swiss Army. He holds the rank of Lieutenant General and is elected by the Federal Council. In the defense case, the United Federal Assembly on the recommendation of the Federal Council a chief commander in the rank of General who leads the army for the duration of the war.
NATO
In the translation of descriptions of NATO commanders the exact name by the executive level within the NATO command structure is based.
Until the enactment of the currently valid structure differed between Major NATO Commanders ( Supreme NATO commander ), Major Subordinate Commanders ( Commander in Chief ) and Principal Subordinate Commanders ( Commander ) was.
In the current structure, Supreme NATO commander found on the ( military ) strategic level with the Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( Supreme Allied Commander Europe - SACEUR ) and the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation ( Supreme Allied Commander Transformation - SACT ).
The leaders of the alliance (eg SACEUR ), the Allied regional forces ( Joint Forces Commands ), consisting of large associations of the three armed forces and the multinational armies and army groups, consisting solely of large associations of the armed force ( CC -AIR, CC- Mar, CC country ) are commander in chief. The Supreme Allied Commander of NATO is often referred to as commander in chief.