# Base commander

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Officer commanding a military base

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The **base commander** is the officer assigned to command a [military base](/source/Military_base). In the [United States armed forces](/source/United_States_armed_forces), a base commander is generally at least an [O-6](/source/Officer_(armed_forces)) grade officer, which means [colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_States)) ([Army](/source/United_States_Army), [Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force), [Marines](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps)) or [captain](/source/Captain_(United_States)) ([Navy](/source/United_States_Navy), [Coast Guard](/source/United_States_Coast_Guard)).

However, in certain instances, typically with smaller installations, a base commander may be of a higher or lower rank depending on the size of the installation.

In the US Army, a base commander is called a post commander. A US Army installation sometimes establishes a [base defense operations centers](/source/Base_defense_operations_center) to provide a focus point for defense operations. The post commander for most active duty installations is an O-7 grade officer (brigadier general) or higher, depending in the echelon housed. For example, [Wheeler Army Airfield](/source/Wheeler_Army_Airfield) on Oahu, Hawaii, houses the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and is commanded by an O-6 (colonel). [Fort Leonard Wood](/source/Fort_Leonard_Wood) houses a Center of Excellence and three branch commands (Chemical, Engineer and Military Police) and is commanded by an O-7 (brigadier general). [Fort Cavazos](/source/Fort_Cavazos) houses three divisions and III Corps and is commanded by an O-9 (lieutenant general). However, since 2007, bases like Fort Cavazos have a 'garrison commander' who is a member of [INCOM](/source/United_States_Army_Installation_Management_Command) and handles the day-to-day and administrative duties of a base commander.[1][2]

In the US Air Force, a base commander may either be called an air base wing commander or a support group commander. If the former, the commander is an independent commander supporting other tenant units; if the latter, the commander is a junior O-6 answering to a more senior O-6 or a general officer serving as the wing commander.

In the US Navy, the US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard, the commanding officer of a base, station, air station, support activity or other facility in an independent commander, typically supporting one or more tenant units.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** John Pike (4 August 2006). ["U.S. Army Announces Installation Management Command Activation"](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2006/08/mil-060804-army01.htm). *Globalsecurity.org*. Retrieved 21 May 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [army.mil](https://web.archive.org/web/20230526001734/https://home.army.mil/cavazos/about/fort-Cavazos-leadership)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Base commander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_commander) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_commander?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.