When the Sudbury Companies of Militia & Minute re-formed in 1964, they brought back many traditions of old. One was a novel idea about officer selection. Across the Atlantic in Colonial times, it was common for men to pay for their commissions, whereby, if you had the money and connections, you could be the commander. That lead to many idiots leading men into battle. American Provincials had a better idea. They elected their officers from the town populace, thereby knowing the quality of man who would lead them. The Sudbury Companies of Minute and Militia maintained that tradition for most of the years, annually electing their officers. Each year, the companies as a whole elect a lt. colonel, adjutant and quartermaster. In practice, the officers got promoted to the next rank each year. Recently, they decided to restructure their officer corps, electing a lt. colonel, adjutant and quartermaster who maintained their rank until the next election. At the end of service, the colonel or later the lt. colonel, as commander, is retired with honor and receives two tankards, one of which is kept at Longfellow's Wayside Inn. In addition, a somewhat unofficial history of the Companies has been kept, adding recollections of each commander’s year as leader of the Militia to To Kill a Squirrel. Click on the commander's name to see his ‘squirrel.’
To the following individuals who have honorably served the company well, the enlisted men and the public are eternally grateful.