I have to admit, I really love fics where I can use COs' duties as a line of tension, especially around/against the people they're commanding. The rigidity of rules and expectations is just such a fun framework to weave things around. And you've gotta feel that between Hammond/the Pentagon/Washington and the decidedly nontypical thinking of his team, Jack's got a ridiculously hard time of it. (It's one of the things that really endeared me to to the show, honestly.)

Thanks for reading/responding!