Cougar;211981 said:
Just to come back to Called by the Voices and Xanth13's discussion about NCOs and commissioned officers. I think it was implied by what Xanth13 said but it's worth pointing out that the 'commission' generally in the British system (and other 18th to 19th) could be bought or awarded to outstanding soldiers. Also comissioned officers had to billet and eat in different quarters and pay for various things which efectively excluded poor people from attaining rank above Sgt. and making the officer class the exclusive preserve of the gentleman.
The commision as such is physically a letter or scroll from the monarch (or head of state) which invests the holder with authority (consequently it could be argued that only a commissioned officer actually commands, due to his mandate from the sovereign or head of state, NCOs simply exercise a degree of authority, although in modern armies the distinction is esentially a moot point). In the Malazan case you can imagine that the commision could only be attained by going to officer school, which was only available at some expense.
This is (seemingly) in direct oposition to the Old Guard/Family memebers who under Kallenved were promoted on merit/skills, remember Surly was a serving wench, apparently prior to being leader of the Claw, and most of the other characters we have met, Crust (keeper), Daseem, Gesler, Stormy,Whiskeyjack, Dujeck etc hardly seem of a noble disposition.
Very true, that is why Officers are looked at with such contempt by malazan enlisted, they get there rank because they have money.
Though I’m sure they mentioned something about doing away with that method, but im not sure. I remember Paran talking about how easy his school was, something about winks and nods from instructors.
Very true about the commission, in the U.S it comes from the president, and my fellow NCO's cant actually hold "command" per say, but still have a large degree of authority, especially in the absence of orders, or officers.
Battle field commission is what I believe you were talking about when you said awarding a commission to an outstanding soldier. In the real world it was done in WW1 and WW2 that I know off, doesn’t happen now days though... at least not that I have heard about.
Audie Murphy is the most notable person to recieve a Battle field commission that i know of.