Adjutant

Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO (non-commissioned officer), normally corresponding roughly to a staff sergeant or warrant officer.

An adjutant general is commander of an army's administrative services.

Etymology

Adjutant comes from the Latin adjutans, present participle of the verb adjuvare, "to help"; the Romans actually used adiutor for the noun.

Military and paramilitary appointment

In various uniformed hierarchies, the term is used for number of functions, but generally as a principal aide to a commanding officer.

A regimental adjutant, garrison adjutant etc. is a staff officer, who assists the commanding officer of a regiment, battalion or garrison in the details of regimental, garrison or similar duty. In United States Army squadrons, the adjutant is often the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the administrative platoon.