Staff, in a Military sense, consists of a body of skilled officers, whose duty it is under orders from the commanding officers of various grades to arrange the movements and supply of the various bodies which go to make up an army. Regimental officers deal personally with the men under their command. Staff officers deal only with the commanders of the larger units into which the troops are grouped for tactical or administrative purposes. Thus, in arranging the march of an army corps, the officers of the Army Corps Staff would, amongst other things, allot the available roads to the three divisions and other troops, &c. The officers of each Divisional Staff would direct the order in which their brigades, &c. would move along those roads. The Brigade Staffs would give more detailed orders, perhaps telling off the battalions required to form the advanced guards; while the Regimental Staffs of these battalions would order the actual formation to be assumed by them under the command of their Regimental Officers (captains and lieutenants). Artillery and Engineer duties, Supply and Transport for each unit are managed in a similar way. On the staff of each army corps and division there is a representative of the Artillery, Engineers, Army Service Corps, Medical Staff, Ordnance Store Corps, Veterinary and Pay Departments, Chaplains, Post-office, and Military Police. A good staff is all-important to the success of a military enterprise.
The General Staff of an army comprises the general in actual command, with the subordinate generals commanding the several divisions and brigades; the assistants to these—viz. the officers of the adjutant-general's department—i.e. the adjutant-general, his deputy, assistants, and deputy-assistants; the officers of the quartermaster-general's department; the brigade-majors; the provost-marshal; and the judge-advocate—the functions of all of whom are described under their respective heads. The head of the general staff of the British army is the adjutant-general at the War Office. India forms a nearly independent command, under a commander-in-chief, whose headquarters are in Bengal. There are subordinate commanders-in-chief in Bombay and Madras; and in each presidency there are several military divisions. Every general in command of a district or body of troops has a staff consisting of representatives of the adjutant-general's department and of the other services. An officer before he can be appointed to the general staff must have passed the Staff College or become qualified for the staff by having been employed as a staff officer with a force on active service, except in India, in which case he must belong to the Indian Staff Corps. Officers of the Army Service Corps also are now appointed to the general staff at home. The Personal Staff consists of the aides-de-camp and military secretaries to general officers. These officers are appointed, within certain limits, by the generals whom they serve. The Regimental Staff of a battalion of infantry or regiment of cavalry consists of the lieutenant-colonel commanding, the adjutant, quartermaster, surgeon, veterinary surgeon, and transport officer.
Staff Corps—During the wars of Wellington the generals and staff officers were aided by a staff corps composed of intelligent officers and men who performed engineering and siege duties, made reconnaissances, and executed other necessary labours for which regimental officers or soldiers were unsuited. This corps died out after the peace. British officers serving on the permanent Indian establishment join what is called the Indian Staff Corps, and are appointed from it to do duty with native regiments, or to fill other positions either military or civil. Their promotion goes on according to length of service.
In the Navy the staff of a fleet consists of the Flag-officers (q.v.), the Flag-lieutenants (q.v.), and Secretaries (q.v.); also of the inspector-general of hospitals (see ARMY, p. 438; NAVY, p. 422), and an inspector of machinery.