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Colonel Frédéric Gout offers his account of his time in command of an operational unit of the French Army, the Fifth Combat Helicopter Regiment. He explains, in particular, that the role of the commander falls within a long history and that the decisions taken need to take account of a context, of the past, without ever threatening the future. Three areas are particularly important: operational preparation and operations; the influence of his unit including within the “city”; and taking account of all human aspects from the happiest to the most serious. This article describes each of these aspects while attempting to draw some conclusions as to the legacy left by a commander to his successor.