Commission (document)

A commission constitutes documentary authority that the person named is vested with the powers of that office and is empowered to execute official acts.

[citation needed] Here is an example from Canada: CHARLES THE THIRD, by the Grace of God, King of Canada and His other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth To ........ ......... hereby appointed an Officer in His Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces With Seniority of the .... day of ......... .... WE reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and Integrity do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you to be an Officer in our Canadian Armed Forces.

[citation needed] Here is an example of the Royal Canadian Navy's Commission from pre-1968: ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

WE reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and Integrity, do by these Presents Constitute and Appoint you a Sub Lieutenant, Royal Canadian Navy, Willing and Requiring you from time to time to repair on board and to take upon you the Charge and Command of Sub Lieutenant in any ship or Establishment to which you may hereafter at any time be duly appointed, or the charge and Command of any other Rank to which you may be promoted or appointed, strictly Charging and Commanding all the Officers and company of the said Ship or Establishment subordinate to you to conduct themselves jointly and severally in their respective employments with all due Respect and Obedience unto you, and you likewise to observe and execute the Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Royal Canadian Navy and such Orders and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from Naval Headquarters or from your Superior Officers.

Officers in the Swedish Armed Forces have not received written commissions since 1982 when a new employment structure was instituted by law.

Charging and Commanding you in that rank or in any higher rank to which you may be promoted to observe and execute the Queen's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions for the Government of Her Majesty's Naval Service and all such Orders and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from Us or from your Superior Officers for Her Majesty's Service.

Similarly the following is the wording of a Lieutenant's Commission from 1800: By the Commissioners for executing the Office of the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland &c and of all His Majesty's Plantations &c. To Lieut.

Strictly Charging and Commanding all the Officers and Company belonging to the said ship subordinate to you to behave themselves jointly and severally in their respective Employments with all the Respect and Obedience unto you their said Lieutenant; And you likewise to observe and execute as well the General printed Instructions as what Orders and Directions you shall from time to time receive from your Captain or any other your superior Officers for His Majesty's service.

The commission of a newly commissioned officer reads [citation needed]: The President of the United States of America To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know Ye that, reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of .................., I do appoint ["him" or "her"] a ["Second Lieutenant" or "Ensign"] in the [name of service] to rank as such from the .... day of ........ ......

This commission is to continue in force during the pleasure of the President of the United States of America for the time being, under the provisions of those Public Laws relating to Officers of the Armed Forces of the United States of America and the component thereof in which this appointment is made.

Done at the City of Washington, this .... day of ........ in the year of our Lord ................ and of the Independence of the United States of America the .......... By the President: At higher grade levels (Major or Lieutenant Commander and above in the Regular components and Colonel or Captain and above in the Reserve components), appointments and promotions require Senate confirmation, and the wording of the commission reflects that fact: "...

I have nominated and, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, do appoint..." The Constitutional requirement mentioned above, that the President commission all officers of the United States, includes a wide range of civilian officials, including justices of the Supreme Court and other federal judges, the heads of executive departments, subcabinet level officials down to the level of assistant secretary, U.S. attorneys and marshals, diplomatic representatives, and members of the Foreign Service, among others.

A typical commission for a Presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian official in the Executive Branch would read: [Name of the President] President of the United States of America To all who shall see these presents, Greeting: Know ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in the Integrity and Ability of [name of appointee] of [home state], I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint [him/her] to be[name of office]and do authorize and empower [him/her] to execute and fulfil the duties of that Office according to law, and to have and to hold the said Office, with all the powers, privileges, and emoluments thereunto of right appertaining, unto [him/her] the said [name of appointee] during the pleasure of the President of the United States for the time being.

In testimony whereof, I have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the [executive department concerned] to be hereunto affixed.

For certain positions, other characteristics such as "prudence" (for ambassadors) or "wisdom, uprightness, and learning" (for judges) may be used in addition to or instead of "integrity and ability."

If a position is for a fixed term of years or "during good behavior," the appropriate wording replaces the clause beginning "during the pleasure of the President."