Charge of Quarters

CQ or Charge of Quarters is a tasked duty in which a United States armed forces service member is to guard the front entrance to the barracks. It is usually a 24-hour shift in which the two service members, one a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and the other a lower enlisted service member, sit at a desk to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic into the barracks. There are usually additional duties, such as sweeping the entryway, cleaning the entrance restrooms, and checking the barracks laundry room for laundry left overnight. Other duties may include performing radio checks every few hours with other company barracks and battalion headquarters around the base or surrounding installations as well as bed checks to ensure service members are in their rooms with their doors locked by curfew. For example, some U.S. Armed Forces service members stationed in South Korea have a curfew for being on post, and another one for being in their own individual rooms with their doors locked.