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Military and similarly organized groups are structured in a way to manage the functions of their unit. Even in shows where the team may not be technically military, there is a deliberate command infrastructure that designates seniority. As such these characters are either a small group of soldiers working together or they may just be the senior officers commanding an entire division of a platoon or vessel. The crew of a Cool Ship (or any other cool vehicle of sufficient size) often takes this form, and may be supplemented by a Redshirt Army of lesser crewmen on larger vessels. Frequently they are a Badass Crew.

Compare the Five-Man Band, which has a different structure and purpose but still follows a similar pattern. The primary difference relative to The Squad is that almost everyone in the Command Roster has a position of leadership.

The Command Roster usually follows as such:

• The Captain (The one in charge. More often than not the main character.)
• Number Two (The go-to guy for important missions, usually the confidant of the captain. The role most likely to overlap with another.)
• Mr. Fixit or Wrench Wench (Takes care of equipment and maintenance. Usually the technical savvy.)
• The Scientist (Examines and informs the rest on technical things. May or may not be an Omnidisciplinary Scientist.)
• Cunning Linguist (A translator who speaks with the natives.)
• Communications Officer (Often holding some sort of radio, yelling into it.)
• The Security Officer (Is the primary source for combat detail: weapons, tactical missions, etc.)
• The Marine (The security officer has an official role, rank and title, while The Marine is likely self-assumed or just the best fighter.)
• The Medic (Either a full-fledged doctor with a staff and hospital conditions or a field medic.)

Sometimes there are a few additions to the crew. These additional characters may be separate from the others, but often there is overlap.

• Ace Pilot / Driver (Self-explanatory, the hotshot pilot. Not always on the team, especially if there isn't a Cool Car or Cool Ship)
• The Navigator (Not always a separate role from the Ace Pilot. When it is, the two work together closely).
• The Heart (Takes care of the team's social well-being and is the moral center. Often not in combat. Usually overlaps with another role. If its own character, might be the cook or bartender. Sometimes the Team Mom)
• Medical Staff (If there is an entire hospital, The Medic heads it, but one person can't run a hospital alone.)
  • Dr. Feelgood or Dr. Jerk (Qualified to practice medicine, but doesn't really care about patients.)
  • The Nurse (Either one of the Hospital Hotties the team employs, or a Battleaxe Nurse to stir things up.)
  • The Shrink (Takes care of the team's mental health, which may be necessary considering what they have to go through in their adventures.)
• The Red Shirt (So someone can get killed without impacting the plot.)

Some additional roles are not officially part of the crew, but interact with them frequently enough to earn a mention in the team list:

• The Superior (Someone the captain reports to, usually not a regular crew member. Is often concerned with the more political aspect of things, especially in regards to a governing council.)
  • Reasonable Authority Figure (Outranks everyone on the crew. Sticks to the rules, but willing to give them leeway when necessary. Sometimes is like a mentor to the group.)
  • The Neidermeyer (Has the same job as the Reasonable Authority Figure, but completely unlikeable to those under him.)
• Obstructive Bureaucrat (Obviously not a member of the team, but likely someone who is giving the Reasonable Authority Figure or The Captain a hard time.)
• Mission Control (A Voice with an Internet Connection who is capable of leading them with satellite imagery and other information. The Communication Officer's other end.)

The members can be divided into three types: the leadership roles, the intelligent members and the action-oriented members. This may be why, in comparison to the Five-Man Band, the roles don't always line up perfectly:

• The Hero will often be The Captain, but is just as likely to be Number Two and on rare occasions, The Scientist.
• The Lancer is usually Number Two, but can also be The Scientist or The Security Officer, especially if Number Two overlaps with another role.
• The Big Guy is likely The Security Officer and/or The Marine, but can be Number Two as well.
• The Smart Guy is most often The Scientist, but can just as easily be The Medic, Mr. Fixit or the Cunning Linguist
• The Chick is sometimes The Medic, but will likely be The Heart too.
• The Sixth Ranger is just as likely with the Command Roster, usually stepping on the toes of one of the other roles.
• Mentors are typically The Superior, but will be The Captain if Number Two is The Hero.
• The Tagalong Kid may also be present, although the role can vary as much as anyone's.

Compared to The Squad, however, the roles are a little more consistent:

• General Ripper: The Superior
• Colonel Badass: The Captain
• Sergeant Rock: Number Two
• Space Marine or Cold Sniper: Security Officer or The Marine
• The Professor: The Scientist or Cunning Linguist
• The Engineer: Mr. Fixit
• Combat Medic: The Medic
• Ensign Newbie or New Meat: varies

For further reference, see also Common Ranks and Common Military Units.

There are times when various characters are missing or replaced with a different character type, all depending on the needs of the story. It is only a Command Roster when there are at least four characters from the primary list, otherwise it is just The Squad.

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Examples:

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Bling of War

Military and Warfare Tropes

Common Military Units

Comic Trio

Ensembles

Cosmopolitan Council