Aide-de-camp

thumb|upright|Illustration of a [[French Imperial Army aide-de-camp (right)]]

An aide-de-camp (; ; plural: aides-de-camp) is a personal assistant or secretary to a person of high rank, usually a senior military, police or government officer, or to a member of a royal family or a head of state. The term comes from a French expression meaning "helper in the military camp".

An aide-de-camp may participate at ceremonial functions, and the first aide-de-camp is typically the foremost personal aide. This is not to be confused with an adjutant, who is the senior administrator of a military unit.

The badge of office for an aide-de-camp is usually the aiguillette, a braided cord in gold or other colours, worn on the shoulder of a uniform. Whether it is worn on the left or the right shoulder is dictated by protocol.

In some countries, aide-de-camp is considered to be a title of honour, which confers the post-nominal letters ADC or A de C.

Argentina

In Argentina, three officers, one from each armed service, of the rank of lieutenant colonel or its equivalent, are appointed as aide-de-camp to the president of the republic and three others to the minister of defence, these six being the only ones to be called , which is one Spanish translation for aide-de-camp ( is a phonetic rendition of the French term; or is a calque).

A controversy was raised in 2006, when president Néstor Kirchner promoted his army aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Colonel Graham, to colonel, one year ahead of his class. Upon becoming president, Cristina Kirchner decided to have, for the first time, female officers as her aides-de-camp.

In each of the armed forces, the chief of staff and other senior officers have their own adjutants, normally of the rank of major or lieutenant colonel, or its equivalent. At unit level, the unit S1 (personnel officer) doubles as the unit commander's adjutant, although in recent times in many units this practice has been left only for ceremonial purposes, while for everyday duties a senior non-commissioned officer performs the adjutant's activities.

An aiguillette is worn on the right shoulder by aides-de-camp and adjutants as a symbol of their position, the colour of the aiguillette depending on the rank of the person they are serving (there are golden, tan, silver and red aiguillettes, as well as an olive-green one for combat uniform).

Belgium

In Belgium, the Head of the King's Military Household is a two, three or four-star General who helps the King exercise the powers vested in him by the constitution in the field of defence. He monitors the international security situation and informs the King accordingly. He keeps the King posted of the situation, means and resources, functioning and missions of the Belgian Armed Forces, in close cooperation with the King's Cabinet. The Head of the Military Household also oversees the coordination with the security detail of the Royal Palace and runs the Information Technology Service.

The Aides de Camp to the King are general or senior officers assigned by the King to accompany important visitors or to represent him on occasions when he cannot be present himself.

The Equerries to the King are at the King's constant disposal on a rotational basis; they accompany him on his travels and assist him in performing his daily tasks.

The title of honorary aide-de-camp to the king can be granted by the royal court for services rendered. Notable people include Major General Baron Édouard Empain, Count Charles John d'Oultremont, and Lieutenant General Baron Albert du Roy de Blicquy.

Commonwealth of Nations countries

thumb|Her Aide-de-Camp, a 19th-century humorous and symbolic drawing

In Commonwealth of Nations countries, aides-de-camp are mostly appointed from military or auxiliary services. They are entitled to use the letters ADC or A de C after their names.

In 1992, two Sri Lankan ADCs were killed in active service, and in 2006 an ADC was severely wounded:

On 8 August 1992, Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa (Overall Operations Commander - Northern Sector) and his aide-de-camp Major Nalin S. De Alwis, were killed along with several senior army and navy officers when their Land Rover hit a land mine off Araly Point in Kayts. In the field of battle, he functioned as "the bearer of his chief's written or verbal orders, and when employed as the general's mouthpiece must be implicitly obeyed".

According to a British military dictionary dating from 1816, an ADC usually held rank equal to, or more senior than, an army captain. "Generals, being field marshals have four [aides-de-camp], lieutenant generals two, [and] major generals one".

The Royal Household

In addition, a fixed number of senior officers may be appointed as aides-de-camp to the monarch, an appointment which entitles the holder to the post-nominal letters "ADC". Most of these are serving army, navy, and air force officers, usually of colonel or brigadier rank or equivalent. They are seldom called upon individually to perform specific duties; collectively, they walked in procession at every coronation and state funeral of a monarch in the 20th century. In 1991 the aides-de-camp to the queen numbered sixty:

Principal aides-de-camp, representing the three services, take part along with other members of the Royal Household in the State Processions at State Openings of Parliament, at coronations and at state funerals; and they are occasionally called upon individually to represent the monarch at memorial services and on other occasions. Otherwise, an officer would cease to wear the accoutrements after their appointment as aide-de-camp is relinquished (with the exception that former aides-de-camp to the sovereign appointed before 1988 may also continue to wear the royal cypher).

Indonesia

thumb|The presidential aide-de-camps behind [[President of Indonesia|Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his presidential speech to the Indonesian Parliament, known as the People's Consultative Assembly, in August 2017]]

In Indonesia, an aide-de-camp, known as an ajudan presiden or "president's adjutant" to the president and vice president of Indonesia is provided by officers from the Indonesian National Armed Forces, with the rank of colonel, and/or the Indonesian National Police, with the rank of Police Chief Commissioner. They are tasked with providing staff support and daily administrative services to the president and vice president as well as to their spouses, either in their official capacities or for personal affairs. They are recognized by their golden aiguillettes.

Other VIPs in Indonesia, such as ministers and other important government officials, are also provided ADCs who are usually junior-ranking officers, such as lieutenants in the military, or police inspectors from the police, who are generally newly graduated from the military and/or police academies. ADCs for regional officials, such as governors and Mayors, known as Regents, are provided ADCs from new graduates of the Institute of Domestic Governance (IPDN).

Ireland

The president of Ireland, as supreme commander of the Irish Defence Forces, is served by aides-de-camp who assist with day-to-day presidential duties, accompany the president on official public engagements in Ireland and on state visits abroad, and represent the president at funerals and on state occasions. There is an ADC on duty 24/7 at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Michael Collins was aide-de-camp and bodyguard to Joseph Plunkett during the Easter Rising in 1916.

Japan

From 1896 until the end of World War II, the emperors of Japan had army and naval aides-de-camp.

Portugal

The president, as commander-in-chief of the Portuguese armed forces, is served by three aides-de-camp, one from the Portuguese Army, one from the Portuguese Navy and one from the Portuguese Air Force. These aides-de-camp integrate the Presidential Military Household. Portuguese aides-de-camp never stay for more than one presidential term, which is five years in duration, after which the return to their respective branches. Aides-de-Camp provided invaluable assistance to the monarchy in managing complex and sensitive state and military matters, ensuring smooth coordination with the armed forces. Through their duties, Serbian monarch aides-de-camp embodied royal dignity, led ceremonial functions at court, and stood as enduring symbols of the monarchy’s authority and stability. Since the reform of August 2015, the number of assistants is not specified, although they must have the military ranks of commander or corvette captain (OF-3), lieutenant colonel or frigate captain (OF-4) or colonel or ship-of-the-line captain (OF-5). Likewise, the requirement that the first assistant must have the rank of general (OF-6 or higher) is maintained, since he is also the head of the King's Military Chamber. These take turns 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Thailand

thumb|Royal aide-de-camp (centre) in the ceremonial progress for the royal funeral of King [[Ananda Mahidol of Thailand in March 1950]]

The Royal Thai Aide-De-Camp Department is a royal service agency under the Royal Security Command. It is responsible for organizing royal appearances and maintaining the safety of the Thai royal family. Royal Thai aides-de-camp are also appointed to senior officers of the Thai Army, Navy, and Air Force. King Chulalongkorn initiated the Royal Guard in 1870, during his visit to Singapore and Indonesia. He had a lieutenant general who served as his aide, who was considered the first Thai aide-de-camp.

United States

thumb|[[United States Navy|U.S. Navy Captain A. S. McDill (left rear), aide-de-camp to Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, at the Potsdam Conference in April 1945]]

thumb|An aide-de-camp holds a [[brigadier general's flag as a U.S. general unfurls it in March 2020.]]

Military officers are assigned as aides to the Secretary of the Army, Secretary of Defense, vice president, and president of the United States. For government officials with more than one aide, the senior-ranking aide usually coordinates the activities of the other aides as well as personal attendants such as drivers or orderlies. and is entitled to an aide.

U.S. Army aides-de-camp wear a special device in place of the branch-of-service insignia, representing their affiliation with infantry, artillery, or quartermaster, that they would otherwise wear on the lapels of their service uniform. The rank of the general officer being served is indicated on the device worn by the aide-de-camp, as illustrated below. Although the chief of staff of the Army and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are O-10 positions, their aides-de-camp wear devices specific to those offices, rather than the normal four-star aide device. Also, an aide-de-camp wears a special aiguillette on the shoulder of their dress uniform.

File:Lapel insignia of an aide-de-camp to a U.S. Army Brigadier General.jpg|Insignia for an aide to a brigadier general

File:MajGenAide.jpg|Insignia for an aide to a major general

File:LtGenAide.jpg|Insignia for an aide to a lieutenant general

File:GenAide.jpg|Insignia for an aide to a general

File:GA-Aide.GIF|Insignia for an aide to a general of the army (the most recent general of the army retired from active service in 1953)

File:Aide VCoS-Army BC.png|Insignia for an aide to the vice chief of staff of the army

File:AideCoSArmyBC.gif|Insignia for an aide to the chief of staff of the army

File:Aide UnderSec-Army BC.png|Insignia for an aide to the under secretary of the army

File:AideSecyArmyBC.gif|Insignia for an aide to the secretary of the army

File:Branch insignia, Aide to Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau.jpg|Insignia for an aide to the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau

File:Branch insignia, Aide to Chief, National Guard Bureau.jpg|Insignia for an aide to the chief of the National Guard Bureau

File:Aide VJCoS BC.png|Insignia for an aide to the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

File:AideJCoSBC.gif|Insignia for an aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

File:AideSecyDefenseBC.gif|Insignia for an aide to the secretary of Defense

File:Aide-de-camp insignia for VP aide.gif|Insignia for an aide to the vice president of the United States

File:AidePOTUSBC.gif|Insignia for an aide to the president of the United States

</gallery>

In the U.S. Navy, the aide-de-camp to an admiral is also known as a "flag aide" (command ashore) or "flag lieutenant" (command afloat).

Variations

Aide-de-camp general
Aide-de-camp to the emperor of Japan
Air aide-de-camp
First and principal naval aide-de-camp
Flag aide-de-camp
General's enlisted aide