§ 26. Ülem (1) Ülem on kaitseväelane, kes juhib temale teenistuslikult allutatud kaitseväelaste tegevust. (2) Ülemal on talle alluva kaitseväelase suhtes käsuõigus ja distsiplinaarvõim. (3) Vahetu ülem on kaitseväelasele kõige lähem ülem, kellele kaitseväelane teenistuslikult allub. (4) Otsesed ülemad on vahetu ülem ja vahetust ülemast kõrgemad ülemad, kellele kaitseväelane teenistuslikult allub. (5) Kaitseväe kõrgem ülem on Kaitseväe juhataja. (6) Ülem vastutab talle või talle alluvale kaitseväelasele ja muule isikule antud ülesannete õiguspärase ja otstarbeka täitmise eest. (7) Kaitseväelane on talle alluvate ametnike ja abiteenistujate suhtes ülemus avaliku teenistuse seaduse tähenduses. Kui Kaitseväe struktuuriüksust või selle osa juhib ametnik, on ta alluvate suhtes ülemus avaliku teenistuse seaduse tähenduses ning tema ametinimetus on juhataja., § 26. Commanders (1) A commander is a serviceman who directs the activities of members of the Defence Forces serving in his or her subordination. (2) A commander has the command and disciplinary authority in respect of a serviceman subordinate to him or her. (3) An immediate commander is a commander who is closest to a serviceman and in whose immediate subordination a serviceman serves. (4) The direct commanders are an immediate commander and the commanders of a higher level than the immediate commander, in whose subordination a serviceman serves. (5) The highest commander of the Defence Forces is the Commander of the Defence Forces. (6) A commander shall be liable for the lawful and expedient performance of the tasks assigned to him or her or a serviceman subordinate to him or her and other persons. (7) A serviceman is a superior within the meaning of the Civil Service Act in respect of the officials and support staff subordinate to him or her. If a structural unit of the Defence Forces or a part of a unit is directed by an official, he or she is a superior within the meaning of the Civil Service Act in respect of his or her subordinates and his or her official title is “head”., defineeritakse selle seaduse ulatuses, defined within the scope of this Act