Who designates the QAO?

• A. Commanding Officer (CO)
• B. Quality Assurance Officer (QAO)
• C. Department Head (DH)
• D. Quality Assurance Investigator (QAI)

Answer: (A)

The important idea is that the appointment of the person who oversees quality assurance sits with the unit’s leadership. The Commanding Officer designates the Quality Assurance Officer to provide independent, command-level QA oversight. This setup gives the QAO clear authority and accountability for QA activities, audits, and corrective actions, and ensures they can access the necessary resources and communicate directly with the command. The other roles serve different functions—an investigator handles QA investigations, a Department Head may staff roles but does not formally designate the QA role, and the QA Officer would not appoint themselves. Therefore, the Commanding Officer is the appropriate designation authority.