President’s military title: Abbr. crossword

The crossword clue "President's military title - Abbr." appears often in U.S. newspapers and magazines. The answer is "CIC," short for "Commander-in-Chief," the highest military rank held by the President. The President leads the armed forces plus decides when troops deploy, when force is used and how the nation defends itself. This duty belongs to the executive branch but also has existed since the United States began. Although many civilians do not know "CIC," the abbreviation is routine in military and political life. Anyone who understands the structure of the federal government will spot the abbreviation as well as fill in the crossword squares without trouble. The clue points to the central place of the Commander-in-Chief in American politics. By learning what the title means, a solver finishes the puzzle and also sees how much authority the Constitution gives the President.