Is the commander of a nation's military forces, or a significant member of these forces. In the latter case, this element can be defined as the forces in a given region, or the forces that are associated by a given function in common. In practice, it refers to military competences that are deposited with the Executive of a nation-state, such as its head of state or government. Often the commander-in-chief of a country is not a patented officer or even a war veteran, and it is by this legal statute that civilian control of the armed forces is implemented in those states where it is constitutionally required.
