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( Non-commissioned officer)
A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. "Noncom" is the lesser-used term in many militaries since it may also refer to non-combatants. The NCO corps includes all the grades of sergeant and, in some militaries, corporals and warrant officers. The naval equivalent includes some or all grades of petty officer, although not all navies class their petty officers as NCOs. The non-commissioned officer corps is the "junior" management of the military. They serve as administrative or training personnel and as advisors to the officer corps. However, their most valuable function is as a link between the 'common soldier' and the (commissioned) officer, who, in most armies, is discouraged from developing too close personal relationships with his charges. Also because officers - other than those who join as enlisted soldiers and are later commissioned - begin their careers in a position of authority but lack practical experience, senior NCOs are also often responsible for giving them on-the-job training. An experienced NCO corps is a key component of Western armies in many cases NCOs are credited as being the metaphorical "backbone" of their service. In the Canadian Forces, the Queen's Regulations and Orders defines a non-commissioned officer as
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