Chain of Command

This is the Document Release Information
Article Number:	7CAV-R-001
Scope:	Chain of Command
Version:	1.0
Effective Date:	27JAN24
Last Modified Date:	27JAN24
Approving Authority:	Regimental Commanding Officer
Point of Contact:	Regimental Adjutant General

Introduction

As a gaming community based on military simulation and tactical realism, the 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment follows a customized military chain of command structure that all members must follow. Our chain of command and structure are loosely modeled on the United States Army, and adapted to meet the needs of our gaming community.

Definition

The 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment’s Chain of Command (CoC) is a series of positions in order of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed. This structure ensures clear lines of authority and communication, allowing for effective command and control, administration, and reporting relationships within the Regiment.

Purpose

The purpose of the Chain of Command (CoC) is to promote morale, maintain discipline, unity of effort, and mission success. The CoC works by ensuring that authority flows down from the top, and information and feedback flow up. This structure enables clear decision-making, coordination of resources, and effective communication. It also establishes accountability, as individuals at each level are responsible for the tasks and orders they receive from their superiors. Violating the CoC can lead to confusion, inefficiency, and a loss of communication and accountability.

Structure

The 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment is structured and organized into hierarchical sub-units that are each supported by different levels of the CoC. It typically consists of the following line-unit or combat unit structure, whose primary purpose is to provide a unit level organization to support our games:

Regiment > Battalion > Company > Platoon > Section

Each of the above line-units are supported by their respective levels of the CoC by primary billet:

General Staff (Regimental CO, XO, CoS, other Generals, CSM) > Battalion Staff (Battalion CO, XO, SGM) > Company Staff (Company CO, XO, 1SG) > Platoon Staff (Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant) > Section Staff (Section Leader, Assistant Section Leader) > Trooper

It also typically consists of the following support department or secondary department structure, whose primary purpose is to advise the Regimental CO and to manage administrative functions:

Regiment > Department > Sub-Department

Each of the above departmental support units are supported by their respective levels of the CoC by secondary billet:

General Staff > Department HQ (Departmental 1IC, 2IC) > Lead > Senior > Clerk/Trooper

Structure & CoC Flowchart

Billets within the 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment

Billets are positions used to track the responsibilities, duties, and obligations of personnel in the 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment. The 7th Cavalry has two types of billet:

• Primary
• Secondary

Primary Billet

Primary Billets are those that are considered the main responsibilities, duties, and obligations of 7th Cavalry personnel.

Types of Primary Billet

• Combat Units
  • 1st Battalion
  • 2nd Battalion
  • Auxiliary Combat Detachment
• Regimental Headquarters
  • Security Operations Department
  • Recruitment Oversight Office
  • Special Projects Division
  • Information Management Office

Secondary Billets

Secondary Billets are responsibilities, duties, and obligations 7th Cavalry personnel can take on in addition to their Primary Billet. They are often considered voluntary and are intended to help support the administrative functions of the entire Regiment and each of our games. This is why it’s called a secondary billet.

Types of Secondary Billets

• Regimental Support Departments
  • S1 - Personnel Administration
  • S2 – Intelligence and Security
  • S3 – Operations
  • S5 - Public Affairs
  • S6 – Regimental Information Management Systems
  • S7 - Training
• Regimental Secondary Departments
  • Wiki Admin Group
  • Military Police
  • Judge Advocate General Corps
  • Regimental Recruiting Department
  • Recruit Training Command
  • Officer Development School
  • Non-Commissioned Officer Academy
• Battalion Support Staff

Secondary Billets as a Primary Billet

In some cases, the work being done within a Secondary Billet by a particular individual may be more than what would be considered an additional duty. As such, a particular individual may request that their Secondary Billet become their Primary Billet, and transfer into such a position.

Requesting a Secondary Billet as a Primary Billet

In order to request a Secondary Billet to become a Primary Billet for a particular individual, said individual will need to submit a request to the department's 2IC, 1IC, and General Staff oversight, with ultimate responsibility and decision making authority with the appropriate General Staff oversight . Such personnel can be found on the department's respective WIKI pages.

Removal of a Secondary Billet as a Primary Billet

General Staff may remove personnel that are in a Secondary Billet as a Primary Billet at any time. Personnel will be then transferred back into an available and appropriate Primary Billet, as listed above, of their choice. If they fail to transfer to any suitable position within fourteen days they will be discharged/retired as applicable.

Scope, Delegation of Authority, and Orders

All responsibilities and authority originate from the Regimental Commanding Officer billet. All unit commanders (Battalion CO, Company CO, Platoon Leader, and Departmental 1IC’s) are considered command authorities within their own scope of command. All reasonable orders and tasks from a superior are expected to be carried out by their subordinates in the CoC.

Orders & the Wiki

Anything that is not in writing as policy/SOP on the 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment Wiki should be delegated to the discretion of the appropriate command authority and/or sent up the appropriate Chain of Command for review. All staff/leaders (decision making authorities/command authorities) are encouraged to exercise their discretion and best judgment within the bounds of the 7th Cavalry Code of Conduct, General Orders, and Chain of Command, when no written SOP exists for a particular situation. Reasonable orders should always be followed by subordinates. Otherwise, all active written Regimental policy and SOP should be followed and enforced by all members on this Wiki.

Regimental SOP always supersedes SOP or policy from a lower unit. Additional criteria can always be added to Regimental SOP for the use of a lower unit by appropriate command authorities, but the Regimental SOP is always the minimum standard.

Right of Review

All personnel who are higher in billet in their respective CoC have the right to undertake a review of any level below their billet and within their scope of command. The Regimental Commanding Officer has the authority to review any billet and member across the Regiment.

The intent behind this directive is to declare that every higher billeted level is delegating responsibility and authority to every lower billeted level they directly or indirectly supervise through subordinates.

An example of the order of authority in the CoC is:

1. Regimental CO to the Regimental Chief of Staff
2. Chief of Staff to Battalion Staff
3. Battalion Staff to Company Staff
4. Company Staff to Platoon Staff
5. Platoon Staff to Squad/Section Leadership
6. Squad/Section Leadership to Trooper

Chain of Command Escalation

When submitting an issue to your CoC each level will have three (3) calendar days to take appropriate action on said issue. If three (3) days pass and the issue has not been dealt with to the satisfaction of the originator, the originator may then send it to the next level in their CoC.

An Example

Originator, PFC.Trooper.A, sends an issue to the Section Leader (SL). SGT.Sierra.B doesn't get around to answering it in three (3) days so PFC.Trooper.A sends it to 2LT.Papa.C. 2LT.Papa.C reviews it and tells PFC.Trooper it will never get passed and doesn't send it up. Three days pass and PFC.Trooper.A sends it to MAJ.Charlie.D. MAJ.Charlie.D concurs and sends it to LTC.Bravo.E who is on vacation. Three days pass with no notification from LTC.Bravo.E so again PFC.Trooper.A can now send it to the General Staff who will offer final say on the issue.

The order of escalation would be as such:

1. Originator: PFC.Trooper.A
2. SL: SGT.Sierra.B
3. PL: 2LT.Papa.C
4. CO: MAJ.Charlie.D
5. Battalion CO: LTC.Bravo.E
6. General Staff: GEN.Star.F (this is the final level)

Intent

The intent behind this directive is to give every level adequate time to address an issue as well as give the trooper who has an issue or new idea a speedier process to get it addressed.

Billet Sections

Unfilled billets should be opened to application so members can be made aware, apply, and go through a selection process before a final decision is made by the appropriate command authority. What is required to be stated in Letters of Recommendation or Letters of Interest is at the discretion of the Staff overseeing the selection process.

Applications

This SOP outlines the requirements for position openings for Section Staff, Platoon Staff, Company Staff, and Battalion Staff, as well as Departmental 1IC and 2IC positions. All positions need to be advertised with a relevant position opening and must include the following details:

• Overview of the position including duties and responsibilities.
• Minimum requirements.
• The outlined application process, including an interview.
• Deadlines for application.
• Deadlines for interviews to be complete and when the position will be announced.
• Whom the application should be submitted to and what it should include.

Assistant Section Leader

Listed below is the process for billet selection for ASL for all Troopers across the Regiment.

• Be in good standing with no active negative actions.
• Maintained MOS for a minimum of 30 days prior to selection.
• Be at the minimum rank of Specialist (E-4) or higher upon recommendation.
• Letter of Recommendation from SL to Platoon Staff for review.
• Letter of Interest from Trooper to Platoon staff for review.
• Platoon Staff reviews all candidates and their letters.
• Company Staff is the appointing authority for the position but can delegate to Platoon Staff.

Section Leader

Listed below is the process for billet selection for SL for all Troopers across the Regiment.

• Be in good standing with no active negative actions.
• Maintained the MOS for 30 days.
• Maintained the MOS billet of ASL for a minimum of 30 days prior to selection or submit an application as a Trooper.
• Be at the minimum rank of Corporal (E-4) or higher prior to selection.
• Submit an application upon position opening and following the application process unless Company/Platoon Staff select an ASL to fill the role.
• Candidates reviewed by Platoon and Company Staff.
• Company Staff is the appointing authority for the position but can delegate to Platoon Staff.

Platoon Sergeant

Listed below is the process for billet selection for PSG for all Troopers across the Regiment.

• Be in good standing with no active negative actions.
• Maintained the MOS billet of SL for a minimum of 30 days prior to application.
• Be at the minimum rank of Sergeant (E-5) or higher upon application.
• Submit an application upon position opening and following the application process.
• Applications reviewed by Company Staff.
• Company Staff is the appointing authority for the position but can delegate to the Platoon Leader.

Platoon Leader

Newly commissioned officers, and thus Platoon Leaders, are appointed by the Regimental Chief of Staff or their delegate. For more information on this process, please see:

• Rank_Promotion and Reduction Guidelines
• [Leadership - Officer_Development_School]]

Battalion Staff - CO/XO

• Be in good standing with no active negative action
• Be at the minimum rank of Captain (O-3)
• Letter of interest from applicant to the Regimental Chief of Staff and their designate(s) for review
• Final selection is approved by the Regimental CoS

Battalion Staff - SGM

• Be in good standing with no active negative action
• Be at the minimum rank of Sergeant First Class (E-7)
• Letter of interest from applicant to the Regimental Command Sergeant Major, Regimental CoS, and their designate(s) for review
• Final selection is approved by the Regimental CoS

Company Staff - CO/XO

• Be in good standing with no active negative action
• Be at the minimum rank of First Lieutenant (O-2)
• Letter of interest from applicant to Battalion CO, Regimental CoS, and their designate(s) for review
• Final selection is approved by the Battalion CO

Company Staff - 1SG

• Be in good standing with no active negative action
• Be at the minimum rank of Sergeant (E-5)
• Letter of interest from applicant to Battalion CO, Battalion SGM, Regimental CSM, and their designate(s) for review
• Final selection is approved by the Battalion CO

Departmental Staff - 1IC/2IC

• Be in good standing with no active negative action
• Be at the minimum rank of:
  • Second Lieutenant (O-1) for Officers
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2 (W-2) for Warrant Officers
  • Sergeant (E-5) for Non-Commissioned Officers
• Letter of interest from applicant to the relevant General Staff departmental oversight
• Final selection is approved by the relevant General Staff departmental oversight

Minimum time to serve

Once an assignment has been announced, the successful applicant must serve a minimum of 6 months in the assigned billet. Therefore, they will not be permitted to transfer to a lateral position (XO to XO, CO to CO) if they are within 6 months. However, they are permitted to be promoted inside their normal chain of command (A/1-7 XO to A/1-7 CO). Additionally, a waiver for special circumstances may be issued by the Regimental CoS.

Transfer Priority

After six months in their position, staff may make applications for lateral transfers (i.e, Company XO to another Company XO slot). These applications will receive first review priority and will be granted the transfer if otherwise qualified for the position.

Minimum qualifications to be deemed as qualified are as follows:

1. Be in good standing with no active negative action
2. Posses the minimum training and skills required for the MOS/billet they wish to transfer
3. Any other quantifiable standards the position’s assigning party(s) wish to see

Minimum Rank and Rank Adjustment

In addition to the above format, take note that those with rank and tenure will be considered before those below them unless otherwise disqualified. Brevet promotions to the minimum rank upon receiving a billet are still in effect at the approval of the Chief of Staff (CoS).

Post Notes

If a CO/1IC position becomes available then the incumbent XO/2IC will need to apply for the position to be considered.

Any exception to the above guidelines requires a waiver from the COS. When requesting a waiver, Company Staff must submit a request by forum PM to the COS or the designate(s), as well as the relevant Platoon Staff and Battalion Staff.

In reference to Rank Promotion and Reduction Guidelines, these ranks are not the rank minimums for being assigned any of the above billets. These requirements are solely for being assigned to the position with no need for sign off by General Staff.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this CoC SOP may be made at the discretion of the General Staff depending on the needs of the Regiment.