Commander - Definition and Overview

Commander is a military rank used in many navies but not generally in armies or air forces. It is below Captain and above Lieutenant-Commander. The rank evolved in the 18th and early 19th centuries and was originally known as was Master and Commander.

A commander in the Royal Navy is equivalent in rank to a lieutenant-colonel in the British Army.

A Commander in the U.S. Navy commands a Frigate, Destroyer, Submarine or shore installation, or is second in command to a Captain. A Commander who commands a unit may be referred to as "Captain".

Sometimes the term kommandant or Commandant is used.

In the highest levels of U.S. military command structure, "commander" refers to what used to be called commander-in-chief or CINC until October 24, 2002 (CINC is still used in casual speech). This is usually referred to with the area they are commander of. For instance, General Tommy Franks was CENTCOM commander until July 7, 2003.

British police rank

Commander is also a senior police rank in the United Kingdom, . However it is only used by the two London police forces, the City of London Police, and the Metropolitan Police Service. It is senior to Chief Superintendent and junior to Deputy Commissioner (in the Metropolitan Police) or Assistant Commissioner (in the City of London Police).

In Fiction

• The fictional James Bond holds the rank of Commander in the Royal Navy.
• In Star Trek, Spock, William T. Riker, Deanna Troi, Beverly Crusher, and many secondary characters have held the rank of Commander in Starfleet. Chakotay, though called 'commander', was actually a Lieutenant Commander.

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• U.S. Navy Officer Rank Insignia

British commissioned officer ranks
	Student Officer	OF(D)	OF-1	OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9	OF-10
Royal Navy:	OCdt	Mid	SLt	Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Adm	Admiral of the Fleet
Royal Marines:	OCdt		2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen
Army:	OCdt	OD	2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	Field Marshal
Royal Air Force:	OCdt	OD	PO - FO	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	ACdre	AVM	AM	ACM	MRAF