Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of a regiment in an army. Modern usage varies greatly, and in some cases, the term is used as an honorific title that may have no direct military relationship. In some smaller military forces, such as those of Monaco or the Vatican, colonel is the highest rank.
Equivalent naval ranks may be called captain or ship-of-the-line captain. In the Commonwealth's air force ranking system, the equivalent rank is group captain.
History and origins
By the end of the late medieval period, a group of "companies" was referred to as a "column" of an army. According to Raymond Oliver, , the Spanish began explicitly reorganizing part of their army into 20 colunelas or columns of approximately 1,000–1,250 soldiers. Each colunela was commanded by a cabo de colunela or column head. Because they were crown units who are directly under the control of the monarch or sovereign of a country, the units were also confusingly called coronelas, and their commanders coronels. Evidence of this can be seen when Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, nicknamed "the Great Captain", divided his armies in coronelías, each led by a coronel, in 1508.
Later, in the 16th century, the French army adopted this organizational structure, renaming colunelas regiments. Even so, they simply Gallicized colunela to the French and pronounced it as written. The English then copied the unit and rank from the French. However, for reasons unknown, the English adopted the Spanish pronunciation of coronel, and after several decades of use shortened it to its current two-syllable pronunciation "kernel". Colonel is linked to the word column (from Latin: ; Italian: ; French: ) in a similar way that brigadier is linked to brigade, although in English this relationship is not immediately obvious. the nobility, or a retired senior military officer. The colonel-in-chief wears a colonel's uniform and encourages the members of the regiment, but takes no active part in the actual command structure or in any operational duties.
Colonel of the Regiment
The title Colonel of the Regiment (to distinguish it from the military rank of colonel) continues to be used in the modern British Army. The ceremonial position is often conferred on retired general officers, brigadiers or colonels who have a close link to a particular regiment. Non-military personnel, usually for positions within the Army Reserve may also be appointed to the ceremonial position. When attending functions as "Colonel of the Regiment", the titleholder wears the regimental uniform with rank insignia of (full) colonel, regardless of their official rank. A member of the Royal Family is known as a Royal Colonel. A Colonel of the Regiment is expected to work closely with a regiment and its Regimental Association.
Colonel by country
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- Colonel (Bangladesh)
- Colonel (Canada)
- Colonel (Eastern European Countries)
- Colonel (Germanic Countries)
- Colonel (India)
- Colonel (Pakistan)
- Colonel (Sri Lanka)
- Colonel (United Kingdom)
- Colonel (United States)
Insignia
Insignia of army colonels
<gallery class="center">
File:ALB-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:Angola-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:CR-EA.png|
File:Australian Army OF-5.svg|
File:15.AzAF-COL.png|
File:Bangladesh-army-OF-5.svg|
File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:Army-BEL-OF-05.svg|
File:CnelEB.svg|
File:Bosnia and Herzegovina Brigadier Insignia.svg|
File:Coronel-V.gif|
File:Rank insignia of Полковник of the Bulgarian Army.png|
File:Cdn-Army-Col(OF-5)-2014.svg|
File:Cape Verde-army-OF-5.svg|
File:Coronelrch.jpg|
File:PLA Colonel.svg|
File:Rank insignia of coronel of the Colombian Army.svg|
File:Cuba-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:CzArmy 2011 OF5-Plukovnik shoulder.svg|
File:Rank insignia of oberst of the Royal Danish Army.svg|
File:Capona de Coronel Ejercito Nacional.svg|
File:14.ECA-COL.svg|
File:El-Salvador-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:12. EGLF-COL.svg|
File:Eversti kauluslaatta.svg|
File:Army-FRA-OF-05.svg|
File:Georgia Army OF-6.png|
File:HD H 53 Oberst ABCAbw.svg|
File:Army-GRE-OF-05.svg|
File:Guatemala-army-OF-5.svg|
File:HON-army-OF-5.svg|
File:Rank Army Hungary OF-05.svg|
File:Colonel of the Indian Army.svg|
File:18-TNI Army-COL.svg|
File:Sarhang 1.png|
File:IE-Army-OF5.png|
File:IDF aluf mishne.svg|
File:IT-Army-OF5b.svg|
File:Mexico army OF5.svg|
File:Monaco-army-OF-5.svg|
File:Mongolian Army-COL-parade.svg|
File:15-Moroccan Army-COL.svg|
File:Mozambique-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:Nl-landmacht-kolonel.svg|
File:New Zealand-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:13-Nicaragua Army-COL.svg|
File:Polkovnik-arm.png|
File:Army-NOR-OF-05.svg|
File:OF-5 Pakistan Army.svg|alt=Pakistan|("kernal")
File:Paraguay-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:EP CNEL.png|
File:PA COL Svc.svg|
File:Rank insignia of pułkownik of the Army of Poland.svg|
File:18 - Coronel.svg|
File:RO-Army-OF5.png|
File:Russia-Army-OF-5-2010.svg|
File:14-Serbian Army-COL.svg|
File:Army-SVK-OF-05.svg|alt=|
File:15.SKA-COL.svg|
File:Spain-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:SAA-OF-5.svg|
File:Sri Lanka-army-OF-5.svg|
File:SWE-överste.svg|
File:Taiwan-army-OF-5.svg|
File:RTA OF-5 (Colonel).svg|
File:Turkey-army-OF-5.svg|
File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-5.svg|
File:UA shoulder mark 17.svg|
File:British Army OF-5.svg|
File:US Army O6 (Army greens).svg|
File:CNELEJB-GNB.png|
File:Vietnam People's Army Colonel.png|
File:12. Myanmar Army COL.svg|Myanmar
</gallery>
Insignia of air force colonels
<gallery>
File:BE-Air Force-OF5.svg|
File:Coronel FAB V.jpg|
File:Canadian RCAF OF-5.svg|
File:Fach cav.gif|
File:RDAF Col.svg|
File:French Air Force-colonel.svg|
File:Georgia Air Force OF-6.png|
File:Luftwaffe-271-Oberst.png|
File:18-TNI Navy-CAPT.svg|
File: IAF aluf mishne.svg |
File:IT-Airforce-OF-5.png|
File:15.SKAF-COL.svg|
File:Nl-luchtmacht-kolonel.svg|
File:PAF COL Svc.svg|
File:Rank insignia of pułkownik of the Air Force of Poland.svg|
File:Cor t.jpg|
File:Russia-Airforce-OF-5-2010.svg|
File:14-Serbian Air Force-COL.svg|
File:Cor-ea.svg|
File:SWE-Airforce-överste.png|
File:Taiwan-airforce-OF-5.svg|
File:US Air Force O6 shoulderboard.svg|
File:6-CNELAMB.png|
</gallery>
Insignia of naval infantry colonels
<gallery>
File:18-TNI Air Force-COL.svg|
File:IDF Navy aluf mishne.png|
File:PHIL ARMY COL WOODLAND.svg|
ROKMC-OF-5.svg|
File:Taiwan-Marine-OF-5.svg|
File:British Royal Marines OF-5.svg|
US Marine O6 shoulderboard vertical.svg|
</gallery>
Insignia of colonels of other services
<gallery>
File:US_Space-force_O6.svg|
</gallery>
Colonel as highest-ranking officer
Some military forces have a colonel as their highest-ranking officer, with no 'general' ranks, and no superior authority (except, perhaps, the head of state as a titular commander-in-chief) other than the respective national government. Examples include the following (arranged alphabetically by country name):
- Antigua and Barbuda (170 personnel)
- Costa Rica (about 8,000 personnel)
- Iceland (100 personnel, employed only for peacekeeping duties)
- Libya (commands all the Armed Forces – Muammar Gaddafi until 2011)
- Monaco (two branches, with a total of about 250 personnel)
- Suriname (1,800 personnel) (up to 19 June 2020)
- Vatican City (110 personnel – the Swiss Guard)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
! colspan="6"|Rank insignia for a colonel in several nations which have no higher military rank
|-
! rowspan=2 |Iceland
! colspan=2 | Monaco
! rowspan=2 | Vatican City
|-
! Colonel CCP !! Colonel CSP<br>
|-
| 50px|center
| 50px|center
| 50px|center
| 50px|center
|}
Other uses of colonel ranks
The term colonel is also used as a title for auctioneers in the United States; there are a variety of theories or folk etymologies to explain the use of the term. One of these is the claim that during the American Civil War goods seized by armies were sold at auction by the colonel of the division.
Kentucky colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state or the nation. This is the equivalent to a full colonel in the militia. The sitting governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky bestows the honor of a colonel's Commission, by issuance of letters patent. Perhaps the best known Kentucky colonel is Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame.
The rank of colonel is also used by some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
See also
- List of comparative military ranks