Commandant

Commandant (/ˌkɒmənˈdɑːnt/ or /ˌkɒmənˈdænt/; French: [kɔmɑ̃dɑ̃]) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy.

The commandant serves as the head of any military or merchant navy training institutes or unit.

Conversely, in Canadian English, the word commandant is used exclusively for the commanding officers of military units that provide oversight and/or services to a resident population (such as a military school or college, a long-term health care facility or a detention facility.

In contrast to the governor, the fortress commandant of the Imperial German Army or the Wehrmacht never had higher but only lower jurisdiction.

In Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol, the head of the volunteer fire brigade is called the Kommandant.

Irish Army commandants can sometimes be referred to as major if serving overseas under the umbrella of the United Nations or the European Union to alleviate misunderstanding.

[5] The rank was not used by the South African Police, who continued with lieutenant colonel [luitenant-kolonel].

The rank insignia for a Commandant (Afrikaans: Kommandant) was initially a crown over a five-pointed star.

[a][8] Recently, use of the term has followed the standard practice, i.e. the commanding officer of a training institute.

The equivalent term for operational units is 'commander', such as commander of the Joint Force Headquarters New Zealand.

In Russia and prior to that in the Soviet Union and Imperial Russia the position of commandant was widely used and may have various meanings: In the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC), the position of Commandant is given to a Singapore Police Force officer who heads NPCC.

It is also the title of the de facto vice-chancellor of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, usually an officer of two-star rank.

[11] Colonel-commandant was an appointment which existed in the British Army between 1922 and 1928, and in the Royal Marines from 1755 to some time after World War II.

The colonel-commandant is also the ceremonial head of some Army corps and this position is usually held by a senior general.

Commandant was also the appointment, equivalent to commodore, held by the director of the Women's Royal Naval Service between 1951 and 1993.

In the Army Cadet Force, a colonel is customarily the most senior commissioned officer in charge of an ACF county.

Formerly, commandant was the usual title for the head of the Special Constabulary within a police force.

Commandant is also the title of the ranking officer in charge of each War college of the United States military, and is responsible for the administration, academic progress and success of the civilians and military officers assigned to the college.