Colonel
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{{Military ranks}}
'''Colonel''' ([[Received Pronunciation|RP]] {{IPAEng|ˈkɜ:nəl}}, [[General American|GA]] {{IPAEng|ˈkɜrnəl}}) is a [[military rank]] of a [[commissioned officer]], with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. The rank of colonel is one of the oldest in existence, dating as far back as the time of the [[Roman Empire]]. It is also used in some [[police]] forces and other paramilitary rank structures.
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.
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==History and origins==
The 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 language|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]] was to some extent embodied in a contract and set of written rules, his regiment or standing regulation(s). By extension, the group of [[company (military)|companies]] subject to a colonel's regiment came to be referred to as his regiment 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 [[French Revolution|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, [[Dissimilation|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-Chief===
:''Main article: [[Colonel-in-Chief]]''<br>
In many modern armies the 'regiment' has more importance as a ceremonial unit or a focus of common loyalty amongst its members, rather than as an actual battle formation. Troops tend to be deployed in 'Battalions' (commanded by a lieutenant colonel) as a more convenient size of military unit, and as such colonels have tended to have a higher profile in specialist and command roles rather than as actual commanders of regiments. However, in Commonwealth armies the position of the colonel as the figurehead of a Regiment is maintained in the honorary role of '''colonel-in-chief''', usually held by members of the Royal Family,<ref>See this list of colonel-in-chief appointments held by [http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/personalprofiles/theprinceofwales/atwork/supportingthequeen/specialrelationshipsandregiments/ HRH The Prince of Wales.]</ref> the nobility, or retired senior military officers. 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.<ref>A webpage by a Scottish regiment concerning [http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/colonel.html their Colonel-in-Chief.]</ref>
==Colonel and equivalent ranks by country==
===Colonel in individual military forces===
<!-- Please do not add country specific articles unless there is already one in existence or unless you intend to immediately create one -->
The following articles deal with the rank of colonel as it is used in various national militaries.
* [[Colonel (Canada)|Colonel]] ([[Canada]])
* [[Colonel (UK)|Colonel]] ([[United Kingdom]])
* [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] ([[United States]])
* [[Coronel (rank)|Coronel]] ([[Hispanic]] nations)
* [[Kolonel]] ([[Netherlands]])
* [[Kolonel]] ([[Albania]])
* [[Colonel (Pakistan)|Colonel]] ([[Pakistan]])
* [[Colonel (India)|Colonel]] ([[India]])
===Eastern European equivalent ranks===
Since the 16th century, the rank of regimental commander was adopted by several Central and [[Eastern Europe]]an armies, most notably the forces of [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]], [[Cossack]]s and then [[Muscovy]]. In countries with slavic languages, the exact name of the rank maintains a variety of spellings, all descendant from the [[Old Slavonic]] word ''plk'' or ''polk'' meaning ''unit of standing army'' (see [[The Tale of Igor's Campaign]]), and include the following:
<!-- Please do not add country specific articles unless there is already one in existence or unless you intend to immediately create one -->
* [[Plukovník]] ([[Czech Republic]] and [[Slovakia]])
* [[Pułkownik]] ([[Poland]])
* [[Pulkininkas]] ([[Lithuania]])
* [[Polkovnik]] ([[Russia]], [[Slovenia]], [[Bulgaria]])
* [[Polkovnyk]] ([[Ukraine]])
* [[Pukovnik]] ([[Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Croatia]], [[Serbia]])
The [[Hungary|Hungarian]] equivalent ''ezredes'' literally means "leader of a thousand" (i.e. of a regiment)
.
===Western European equivalent ranks===
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* [[Oberst]] ([[Germany]], [[Denmark]] and [[Norway]])
* [[Överste]] ([[Sweden]])
* [[Ofursti]] ([[Iceland]])
* [[Eversti]] ([[Finland]])
* [[Syntagmatarhis]] ([[Greece]])
* [[Colonnello]] in the [[Italian Army]], [[Carabinieri]] and [[Italian Air Force]]
===Other national equivalent ranks===
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<!-- Wikipedia:Inline templates linking countries -->
* {{AFG}} [[Dagarwal]] (دګروال)
* {{CHN}} [[Shang Xiao]]
* {{IRN}} [[Sarhang]] (سرهنگ)
* {{ISR}} [[Aluf|Aluf Mishne]]
* {{PRK}} [[Sangchwa]]
* {{ROK}} [[Taeryong]]
* {{THA}} [[Military ranks of the Thai armed forces|Nai Phan]] (TH: นายพัน) Chief of 1,000
** Phan Ek (TH: พันเอก) First of 1,000: Colonel
** Phan Tho (TH: พันโท) Second of 1,000: Lieutenant Colonel
* {{TUR}} [[Albay (military rank)|Albay]]
===Gallery===
<gallery>
Image:Australia-army-COL.gif|Australia
Image:BE-Army-OF5.gif|Belgium
Image:BG-Army-OF5.gif|Bulgaria
Image:Army slip-on Col.png|[[Colonel (Canada)|Canadian Army]]
Image:CZ-Army-OF5.gif|Czech Republic
Image:FR-Army-OF5.gif|France
Image:POR-Army-OF5.gif|Portugal
Image:ROCA-COL.jpg|[[Shang Xiao|ROC (Taiwan)]]
Image:RO-Army-OF5.png|Romania
Image:SL-Army-OF5.gif|Slovenia
Image:UK-Army-OF5.gif|[[Colonel (UK)|UK]]
Image:US-O6 insignia.svg|[[Colonel (United States)|USA]]
</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):
*[[Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force|Antigua and Barbuda]] (170 personnel)
*[[Military of Benin|Benin]] (4,500 personnel)
*[[Law enforcement in Costa Rica|Costa Rica]] (about 10,000 personnel)
*[[Military of the Gambia|Gambia]] (1,900 personnel)
*[[Icelandic Crisis Response Unit|Iceland]] (100 personnel, employed only for peacekeeping duties)
*[[Military of Luxembourg|Luxembourg]] (has only one branch, the army, with a total of 1,500 personnel)
*[[Military of Monaco|Monaco]] (two branches, with a total of about 250 personnel)
*[[Military of Niger|Niger]] (8,000 personnel)
*[[Military of Suriname|Suriname]] (1,800 personnel)
*[[Military of the Vatican City|Vatican City State]] (now consisting of a single branch, the [[Swiss Guard]])
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6"|<center>'''Rank insignia for a COLONEL in several nations which have no higher military rank.'''</center>
|-
! Colonel<br>{{flagcountry|Costa Rica}}
! Colonel<br>{{flagcountry|Iceland}}
! Colonel<br>{{flagcountry|Luxembourg}}
! Colonel CCP<br>{{flagcountry|Monaco}}
! Colonel CSP<br>{{flagcountry|Monaco}}
! Colonel<br>{{flagcountry|Vatican City}}
|-
| [[Image:US Army O6 shoulderboard.svg|50px|center]]
| [[Image:IFRofursti.PNG|50px|center]]
| [[Image:LUX-Army-OF5.gif|50px|center]]
| [[Image:Mon-car-off-06.JPG|50px|center]]
| [[Image:Mon-sap-off-06.JPG|50px|center]]
| [[Image:Vat-swi-off-06.JPG|50px|center]]
|}
==Other uses of Colonel ranks==
===Schutzstaffel===
* [[Standartenführer]] (was a separate [[Schutzstaffel|SS]]-rank in [[Nazi Germany]], was not used in the [[Wehrmacht]])
===As a mascot===
The "Colonel" is the mascot of various organisations.
*[[Eastern Kentucky University]]
*[[Centre College]]
*[[Curry College]]
*[[Nicholls State University]]
*[[Wilkes University]] in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
*The [[Kentucky Colonels]], a successful team in the [[American Basketball Association]]
*[[Kentucky Fried Chicken]] (whose mascot is based on a real person, [[Colonel Sanders]], who was a genuine (non-miltary) [[Kentucky colonel]].)
==References==
{{reflist}}
*[[Comparative military ranks]]
* Keegan, John; & Wheatcroft, Andrew (1996). ''Who's Who in Military History: From 1453 to the Present Day.'' London: Routledge.
* [[Cecil Adams]] of the [[Straight Dope]] on the pronunciation of "colonel": http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_250.html
[[Category:Military ranks]]
[[Category:Police ranks]]
[[bs:Pukovnik]]
[[ca:Coronel]]
[[cs:Plukovník]]
[[da:Oberst]]
[[de:Oberst]]
[[et:Kolonel]]
[[es:Coronel]]
[[eo:Kolonelo]]
[[fr:Colonel]]
[[id:Kolonel]]
[[it:Colonnello]]
[[he:קולונל]]
[[nl:Kolonel]]
[[ja:大佐]]
[[no:Oberst]]
[[pl:Pułkownik (stopień wojskowy)]]
[[pt:Coronel]]
[[ru:полковник]]
[[sl:Polkovnik]]
[[fi:Eversti]]
[[sv:Överste]]
[[vi:Đại tá]]
[[tr:Albay]]
[[uk:полковник]]
[[zh:上校]]