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.[1]
U.S. Department of Defense
General orders, according to the United States Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, are:
- 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.