Military order (instruction)


A military command or order is a binding instruction given by a senior rank to a junior rank in a military context. Not all senior ranks in all military forces have the right to give an order to all lower ranks.

U.S. Department of Defense

General orders, according to the United States Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, are:
  1. Permanent instructions, issued in order form, that apply to all members of a command, as compared with special orders, which affect only individuals or small groups. General orders are usually concerned with matters of policy or administration.
  2. A series of permanent guard orders that govern the duties of a sentry on post.
An operations order, in a US DOD sense, is a plan format meant which is intended to assist subordinate units with the conduct of military operations.