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CadetWorld CWwiki From CadetWorld CWwiki
Colonel
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This page was last modified on 23 July 2009, at 10:51.
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Colonel (pronounced /ˈkɝːnəl/) (Col or COL) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures. A colonel is typically in charge of a regiment in the army. Today, a colonel is usually a military title rated as the highest, or the second-highest field rank below the general, or "flag" grades. In some small military forces, it can be the highest rank held.
History and originsThe term colonel derives from Latin columnella 'small column'. However, it was never actually a Roman rank. The system of ranks in the Roman military was quite different. As a rank the term arose in the late sixteenth century Italy where it referred to the officer in charge of a column (Italian colonna, plural colonne) or field force. The term is first attested as colonnello, but it is perhaps a truncation of something like capitano colonnello 'captain of the column, the captain designated to command the column'. In this context colonna seems to refer to a force marching in column, rather than to a battle formation — a battle or battlation of pike. As the office of colonel became an established practice, the colonel became the senior captain in a group of companies which were all sworn to observe his personal authority — to be ruled or regimented by him. This regiment, or governance, was to some extent embodied in a contract and set of written rules, also referred to as the colonel's regiment or standing regulation(s). By extension, the group of companies subject to a colonel's regiment (in the foregoing sense) came to be referred to as his regiment (in the modern sense) as well. With the shift from primarily mercenary to primarily national armies in the course of the seventeenth century, a colonel (normally a member of the aristocracy) became a holder (German Inhaber) or proprietor of a military contract with a sovereign. The colonel purchased the regimental contract — the right to hold the regiment — from the previous holder of that right or direct from the sovereign when a new regiment was formed or an incumbent was killed. In French usage of this period the senior colonel in the army or in a field force — the senior military contractor — was the colonel general and, in the absence of the sovereign or his designate, the colonel general might serve as the commander of a force. The position, however, was primarily contractual and it became progressively more of a functionless sinecure. (The head of a single regiment or demi brigade would be called a mestre de camp or, after the Revolution, a chef de brigade.) By the late 19th century, colonel was a professional military rank though still held typically by an officer in command of a regiment or equivalent unit. Along with other ranks it has become progressively more a matter of ranked duties, qualifications and experience and of corresponding titles and pay scale than of functional office in a particular organization. As European military influence has expanded throughout the world, the rank of colonel became adopted by nearly every nation in existence under a variety of names. With the rise of communism, some of the large Communist militaries saw fit to expand the Colonel rank into several grades, resulting in the unique senior colonel rank which was found and is still used in such nations as China and North Korea. In modern English, the word colonel is pronounced similarly to kernel (of grain) as a result of entering the language from Middle French in two competing forms, dissimilated coronel and colonel. The more conservative spelling colonel was favored in written use and eventually became the standard spelling even as it lost out in pronunciation to coronel. Colonel-in-ChiefIn the British and other Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its (usually royal) patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its operational units. Their chief purpose is to maintain a direct link between the regiment and the Royal Family. Currently in the British Army, two foreign monarchs hold the position of Colonel-in-Chief of British regiments:
While it is traditional for a royal personage to hold the position, it is at the discretion of the regiment or corps whom they invite to be their Colonel-in-Chief. This can be seen by the fact that the Duke of Wellington was Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment that bore his name, and through the invitation to the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson to be Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, while the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps decided to ask the Governor-General of Australia to serve as its Colonel-in-Chief. These exceptions, however, do not change the raison d'être of the post, which is to serve as a personal link between regiment and Monarch. The role of Colonel in Chief is not to be confused with that of Honorary Colonel. Colonels-in-ChiefAustralia
Bermuda
CanadaArmoured
Infantry
Personnel branches
New Zealand
Norway
Papua New Guinea
United KingdomCavalry
Infantry
Combat Support
Combat Service Support
CanadaIn the Canadian Forces, the rank of Colonel (Col) (French: colonel or col) is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a Captain of the Navy. A Colonel is the highest rank of Senior Officer. A Colonel is senior to a Lieutenant-Colonel or Commander, and junior to a Brigadier-General or Commodore. Typical appointments for Colonels include:
The rank insignia for a Colonel is four ½" stripes, worn on the cuffs of the Service Dress jacket, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. The insignia worn on the headdress for an Army Colonel is the Crest of the Canadian Coat of Arms: a crowned gold lion with a maple leaf in its paw standing on a red-and-white wreath, all beneath the royal Crown; the collar insignia is two crossed sabres. Some Colonels, by nature of holding a specific appointment, may continue to wear the insignia of their personnel branch or regiment; for example, the Honorary Colonel of an infantry regiment. Colonels in the Air Force wear the Air Force badge on their headdress. Colonels are addressed by rank and name; thereafter by subordinates as "Sir" or "Ma'am". Note: Before Unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, rank structure and insignia followed the British pattern. Honorary ranks and appointmentsThere are also several honorary ranks and/or appointments associated with the rank of Colonel, or containing the word "Colonel" in their title.
Personnel holding these honorary ranks are not part of the military operational chain-of-command. Rather, they serve in a ceremonial manner, often as a guest of honour at parades, mess dinners, or at other military traditions such as during Remembrance Day. Usually, honorary ranks are filled by people who have had a prior association with the battalion, regiment, or squadron they represent. HRH Princess Patricia of Connaught is the Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, one of the most decorated infantry regiments in the Canadian Forces (CF). An Honorary Colonel of a CF Flying or Air Maintenance Squadron may be a past Commanding Officer of that squadron (who has since retired from active duty), or an air ace during the war United Kingdom Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking just below Brigadier. They are not usually field commanders, instead typically serving as staff officers in between field commands at battalion and brigade level. The insignia is two diamond shaped pips (properly called bath stars) and a crown. The crown has varied in the past with different monarchs; the current Queen's reign has used St Edward's Crown. From 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the Royal Air Force maintained the rank of colonel. It was superseded by the rank of group captain on the following day. Ceremonial rank or "Colonel of the Regiment"In the British Army, Colonel may also refer to the ceremonial head of a regiment; this is almost always a general officer or Brigadier, often retired, with a close link to the regiment in question. Some non-military personnel may be appointed to the position, thereby holding an Honorary rank of Colonel for the duration of the appointment, though usually with the Territorial Army units. This position is often described as Colonel of the Regiment to distinguish it from the rank of Colonel. When attending functions as a 'Colonel of the Regiment' the officer would wear the rank insignia of a Full Colonel, regardless of their official rank. This position may also be held by members of the Royal Family, who would then be known as 'Royal Colonels'. However this position would not be held unless the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment was of a senior royal position. Colonel-in-Chief is also a ceremonial title of the British Army and various Commonwealth armies. Usually a member of the Royal Family. The Colonel of the Regiment often has a closer involvement with the regiment and its Regimental Association United States In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, Colonel (pronounced /ˈkɜrnəl/) is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and just below the rank of Brigadier General. It is equivalent to the naval rank of Captain in the other uniformed services. The pay grade for the rank of Colonel is O-6. InsigniaThe insignia for a colonel is a silver eagle which is a stylized representation of the eagle dominating the Great Seal of the United States (which is the coat of arms of the United States). As on the Great Seal, the eagle has a U.S. shield superimposed on its chest and is holding an olive branch and bundle of arrows in its talons. However, in simplification of the Great Seal image, the insignia lacks the scroll in the eagle's mouth and the starry rosette above its head. On the Great Seal, the olive branch is always clutched in the eagle's rightside talons, while the bundle of arrows is always clutched in the leftside talons. The head of the eagle faces towards the olive branch, rather than the arrows, advocating peace rather than war. As a result, the head of the eagle always faces towards the viewer's left. Among all branches of the uniformed services, the rank insignia of the silver eagle is ordinarily worn in matching mirrored pairs, such as on the left and right collar or left and right shoulder of various military uniforms. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps regulations specify that when worn in such fashion, the head of the eagle will always face towards the front. Hence, on the left collar or left shoulder, the eagle appears to be looking to its left and the olive branch is clutched in the left hand talon. On the right collar or right shoulder, the eagle appears to be looking to its right and the olive branch is clutched in the right hand talon. However, when worn as a single insignia with no matching pair, such as on the patrol cap, garrison cap, or the front of the ACU uniform, there is a split between the services on which mirror image of the eagle should be worn. In the United States Army and Air Force, the eagle is always worn with "the head of the eagle to the wearer's right," with the olive branch clutched in the eagle's right hand talons (see Army Regulation 670-1, paragraph 28-6 (a)(1)). In the United States Navy and Marine Corps, the eagle is worn with "the head facing forward" on the garrison cap (see Marine Corps Order P1020.34G, Uniform Regulation, paragraph 4005d(1)). Since the insignia is worn on the right hand side of the Navy and Marine garrison cap, the eagle is facing to the eagle's left with the olive branch clutched in the eagle's left hand talons, which is a mirror opposite to the wear of the single eagle for Army and Air Force officers. OriginsThe United States rank of Colonel is a direct successor to the same rank in the British Army. The first Colonels in America were appointed from Colonial militias maintained as reserves to the British Army in the American colonies. Upon the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, the rank of Colonel could be appointed by a Colonial legislature, where a person would be given a commission to raise a regiment and serve as its Colonel. Thus, the first American Colonels were usually respected men with ties in local communities and active in politics. Such was the origin of the term "soldier and statesman". The first insignia for the rank of Colonel consisted of gold epaulettes worn on the blue uniform of the Continental Army. The first recorded use of the eagle insignia was in 1805 as this insignia was made official in uniform regulations by 1810. Modern rankModern American colonels usually command infantry brigades, USAF groups or wings, and USMC regiments. An Army colonel typically commands brigade-sized units (3,000 to 5,000 Soldiers), with a Command Sergeant Major as principal Non-Commissioned Officer assistant. An Air Force colonel typically commands a wing or consisting of 1,000 to 3,000 airmen with a Command Chief Master Sergeant as principal NCO adviser. Some Colonels are commanders of groups, which are the major components of wings. Colonels are also found as the chief of staff at divisional level-(Army) or Numbered Air Force-level staff agencies. In the modern United States armed forces, the Colonel's eagle is worn facing inwards with head and beak pointing towards the wearer's neck. Of all US Military commissioned officer rank, only the Colonel's eagle has a distinct right and left insignia. All other commissioned officer rank insignia can be worn on either the right or left side. Colonels are sometimes referred to (but not addressed) as "full-bird" or "O-6" (which is their pay grade) in order to differentiate between Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels, since Lieutenant Colonels are also referred to and addressed as simply "Colonel". In the Army a Colonel who has been selected for promotion to Brigadier General is authorized to use Colonel (P) (as in Promotable) when signing official documents. In all other branches the officer still uses Colonel until the date of his actual promotion. An old Army saying, contrasting the leaf insignia of majors and lieutenant colonels with those of a general goes, "Once the leaves fall there's nothing between an eagle and the stars." Honorific titleThere is an aristocratic tinge to the social usage of the title “colonel", which today designates the southern gentleman, and is archetypal of the southern aristocrat. States conferring this title as an honor include Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Alabama. Many states have provisions in their articles or bills concerning state defense forces which allow the governor to grant honorary membership of the officer ranks. While the honorary colonel of this usage has no actual military role, the title did evolve from the military. The highest honor of Tennessee is “Colonel, Aide de camp, Governor’s staff". Those who receive this award are recorded by the Secretary of State of Tennessee with those who have been commissioned into the State Guard and Tennessee National Guard. Kentucky’s famous colonelcy evolved from the personal bodyguards of the governor and now confers its recipients as honorary members of the governor’s staff. Georgia’s honorary titles give its members a rank in the state police while the Alabama honor specifically makes one a lieutenant colonel in the state militia. The Colonel is also often a shorthand reference to Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, who was an honorary Kentucky colonel. Another famous "colonel" was "Colonel Tom Parker", the manager of Elvis Presley whose title was granted by Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana. PakistanPakistan Army has followed British Army rank system since its independence from British Empire in 1947. However, crown in the ranks has been replaced with a star and crescent, which symbolizes the sovereignty of Government of Pakistan. Colonel in Pakistan Army is equivalent to Captain in Pakistan Navy and Group Captain in Pakistan Air Force. Like other armies, this rank is higher than Lieutenant Colonel and lower than a Brigadier. IndiaThe Indian Army has followed British Army rank system since its independence from British Empire in 1947. However, the crown in the rank insignia has been replaced with a star and crossed swords, which symbolizes the sovereignty of Government of India. Colonel in Indian Army is equivalent to Captain in Indian Navy and Group Captain in Indian Air Force. Like other armies, this rank is higher than Lieutenant Colonel and lower than a Brigadier. |
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This page was last modified on 23 July 2009, at 10:51.
This page has been accessed 364 times.
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