Posted on Jun 15, 2021
Can you take Company command without ever being a Platoon leader?
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I'm aware that being a Platoon leader is very important and helps a lot in the future when you become a Company Commander but is being a Platoon leader a requirement prior to taking a Company Command?
Posted in these groups: 
Company Commander
Platoon Leader
Company Commander Platoon Leader
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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No, you do not have to have been a platoon leader. AR 600-20. It’s based on rank and seniority.
Could you? Yes. Should you? Yikes, steep learning curve. Do you have to? Yes.
"2–5. Command of installations, activities, and units
a. Responsibility. The senior regularly assigned Army officer present for duty normally has responsibility for the command of units, platoon level and above, except as shown in paragraphs 2–8a, 2–15, and 2–16."
Where this gets fuzzy is an HHC coded for an O3 or an HHD coded for a 1LT by MTOE/TDA. In practice, the HQ Staff is separate from the HHC/HHD proper.
Could you? Yes. Should you? Yikes, steep learning curve. Do you have to? Yes.
"2–5. Command of installations, activities, and units
a. Responsibility. The senior regularly assigned Army officer present for duty normally has responsibility for the command of units, platoon level and above, except as shown in paragraphs 2–8a, 2–15, and 2–16."
Where this gets fuzzy is an HHC coded for an O3 or an HHD coded for a 1LT by MTOE/TDA. In practice, the HQ Staff is separate from the HHC/HHD proper.
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Yes, not all MOSs have Platoon Leader positions available to them. However, I would think that a LT would need to be KD complete before they could go to CCC and subsequently take command. In the artillery, KD positions include fire direction officer and fire support officer, so we can become KD complete without ever being a PL.
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LTC Jason Mackay
CPT (Join to see) is CCC a current MACOM requirement or something enumerated by Army policy? AR 600-20 para 2-25 doesn't say that. I've seen people Command without being a Captain or attending CCC. Not talking temporary command, talking about assumption of command, change of command inventory, etc.
FORSCOM had a policy when I was a Commander that you had to be CCC and CAS3 complete to be eligible for command. Waiver authority was at the GO level.
FORSCOM had a policy when I was a Commander that you had to be CCC and CAS3 complete to be eligible for command. Waiver authority was at the GO level.
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CPT (Join to see)
The only KD position for company grade officers in some AOC's is Command itself. QM for example.
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Be sure you don't take command until:
1) You are an actual CPT
2) You have finished CCC
3) You have taken the Pre-Command course
There's no rush. Otherwise the USAR wouldn't be taking 4 years to promote 1LT's to CPT.
1) You are an actual CPT
2) You have finished CCC
3) You have taken the Pre-Command course
There's no rush. Otherwise the USAR wouldn't be taking 4 years to promote 1LT's to CPT.
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CPT (Join to see)
CW3 Matt Tait - So I had CWO's in my company under my command "acting" as PL's, but on their Eval they were straight up evaluated as their property duty assignment. I guess that is the key to countering the situation.
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Suspended Profile
Thank you for the input. My PL time was in a proper MTOE slot. Until recently the UAS platoon leader in an intelligence company, by MTOE, was a CW3. I was under grade but otherwise correctly slotted. Thankfully the Army added an LT slot recently. I was happy to hand over the PL duties to her give more time to the "technical expert" aspects of the job.
LTC (Join to see)
I don't think I would make any of these recommendations. CCC doesn't really do anything to prepare you for command. As someone who commanded very late as a CPT I would say command when you can, inventory and sub hand receipt everything.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I took command as a 1LT(P) and pinned while in command. Because my task force commander changed command midway through, I got two good OERs from it. At the time people were telling me that this command would not count because I had not been to CCC and pinned as a lieutenant. They lied. As long as you are rated as a captain, it absolutely counts. When I left CCC, I took two KD jobs in a row and ended up fully KD complete with about three years left before going to the first Major board.
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