Mission command is one of the most common styles of command and control in modern armies, and much has been written about it. However, the theories have taken different turns and developed into different understandings of mission command. Is it a question of leadership, command and control or a cultural phenomenon? What attributes can be ascribed to mission command? This study investigates how mission command should be understood from the perspective of three theorists’ take on mission command: Eitan Shamir, Martin van Creveld and Berndt Brehmer. John Gerrings metatheory about good concepts is applied to the characteristics of mission command, in order to limit the concept of mission command to its core. The method used in this study is a conceptual investigation with a qualitative text analysis, in order to analyze the concept in depth. The results of this study have shown that training and education should be regarded as a pre-requisite, rather then an attribute, as well as the commanders’ responsibility. It has also shown the complexity in regarding the concept from a leadership- or a command and control point of view, hence it shows in the attributes.