Who is responsible for prescribing the number of sentry posts?

The Commanding Officer is responsible for prescribing the number of sentry posts. This authority stems from the Commanding Officer's overall responsibility for the security and defense of the unit. They must assess the operational environment, including the threat level and specific mission requirements, to determine how many sentry posts are necessary to effectively secure the area.

Being in command, the Commanding Officer is tasked with making strategic decisions that affect the safety and readiness of the forces. This includes establishing security protocols and determining where personnel need to be stationed to best protect assets. While other officers, like the Sergeant of the Guard or the Commander of the Guard, may execute the security plan and manage guards, it is ultimately the Commanding Officer who defines the number of posts based on their comprehensive understanding of the operational context.