Colonel

Colonel (plural: Supreme; obsolete: Obrist, Austrian short fruit ) is a rank in the career of the officers. In NATO, the Colonel has the rank code OF- fifth The English ( international ) and French name is Colonel ( Col ), the Italian colonnello, the Dutch Colonel, Portuguese and Spanish coronel, Danish and Norwegian again supreme, the Russian Polkownik.

• 2.1 Bundeswehr
• 2.2 National People's Army of the GDR
• 2.3 Imperial Army, Reichswehr and Wehrmacht

Historical

" Supreme commander of the army ", " Supreme Captain " or " Obrister " in the 16th century was appointed by the warlord commander of a regiment 4000-5000 man, consisting of about ten troop of mercenaries. Because of the increase of Manpower services and arms, he was selected from the group of captains, and appointed " Supreme ". The colonel then, is the short form, which emerged in the 18th century as a term in Prussia and Austria by modernization.

From the 17th century it was not only a military superior, but also Army entrepreneur and owner of the so paid by him regiment of mercenaries, who offered his services to the rulers against appropriate payment.

Until 1945 the name Colonel was usually abbreviated as " fruit. ".

The corresponding naval rank is in Germany since the empire of the sea captain, the equivalent in the Austro- Hungarian navy of the line ship captain. Until the 19th century, the term captain, however, was also used for military officers, meant here but the position of captain.

Colonel

The term goes back to the acquisition of military traditions through various cultures. It has its origin in the Latin columnella ( " small column [ also: column ]"). Although this word never existed as a Roman rank, it took over Italian military as Colonello in the 16th century. There was probably more than state description ( Colonello capitano, " captain of the column " ) is used.

Similarly, the Spaniards used under King Ferdinand II the term in the variant colunela. These units consisted of almost 1000-1250 man, their leader was the cabo de colunela ( " head of the column "). Since colunelas were royal units, later came the popular etymological designation coronelia ( something like: " the crown belonging ") for the unit and for the commander to coronel. These terms the French took over in the 17th century. The British, in turn, took over the regiment that emerged from the form of the French, but used from previously unspecified reasons, the Spanish pronunciation. This cut in the course of time of kerenel to kernel and remained through the anchoring of the British military strategy in the Anglo-Saxon countries and the Commonwealth made ​​.

Germany

Rank insignia on service dress

Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr is the Colonel ( Abbr: Colonel / in lists: O) the fifth highest officer rank in the armed services Army and Air Force. He is the highest rank of the rank group of staff officers. The equivalent in the Navy the Captain. In the Bundeswehr Medical Service Colonel physician / doctor fleet, Colonel pharmacist / Fleet pharmacists and veterinary are Colonel Colonel rank the same.

As a staff officer may grant teams, NCOs without sword knot, sword knot with NCOs, lieutenants and captains commands within the limits of the superior regulation ( VorgV ) limits. A colonel is remunerated by the federal pay scale ( BBesO ) with A 16; at senior uses (eg Head of Unit in the Department of Defense ) grade is the rule to B 3. While the basic salary for grade A 16 depends on the achieved level of experience, she is in grade B 3 from 1 January 2012 6940.48 euros. According to personnel budget of the individual plan 14 of the draft federal budget law 2012 335 posts for the soldiers of Grade B 3 and 895 posts for the soldiers of the Grade A 16 are provided. Of this total, 118 or 35 to the Federal Ministry of Defence and 217 or 860 to the Armed Forces ( subordinate military area).

The colonel wears on his rank insignia with a silver oak leaf wreath with three silver stars. It is used mostly as a regimental commander or deputy brigade commander or staff positions in all management areas reason at all management levels ( brigade, division, corps, NATO, the defense ministry or international staffs and headquarters ).

Officers, who are employed on an appropriate post to lead the rank suffix " in the General Staff " ( " iG "). You have visited the General Staff course at the Staff College in Hamburg as a rule. Navy officers Naval Staff training wear no corresponding grade additive.

The promotion to colonel can be completed at the earliest after 17 years of service as an officer in particular uses it after 15 years. As a special age limit for Supreme completion of 62 years was fixed ( § 45 ( 2) No. 1 SG).

For reserve officers Colonel is the highest rank attainable in peacetime.

National People's Army of the GDR

In the National People's Army and the other armed forces of the GDR the colonel was the highest rank in the rank group of staff officers. The rank holders had to be a career officer and have successfully completed an academic education.

The rank insignia consisted of braided silver cords, on which three stars were fixed. The ground color designated the assignment to the military branches.

The Supreme corresponding ranks of the People's Navy was Captain.

The service level was comparable to the NATO rank code OF- 5.

⇒ ranks of the National People's Army, the officer corps

Imperial Army, Reichswehr and Wehrmacht

In Imperial Army, Reichswehr and Wehrmacht colonel was the highest ranking officer of the rank group of staff officers. In the NS - rank microstructure of this rank corresponded to the Captain of the Navy or the SS - Standartenführer or SA- Standartenführer.

Austria

In the Austrian army is standing between Lieutenant Colonel and Brigadier Colonel (abbreviation: fruit) the fifth highest officer rank (use group M 1 and M BO BO 2).

• Colonel

K.u.k. army

Badges army battle dress

Insignia army

Plate cap army

Colonel of the Federal Police

In addition, the use designation for Colonel Senior officials (E1 ) of the executive branch in Austria, including federal police and prison services, and used. As it is mentioned in the wax bodies to civilian corporations that are organized only by military pattern, it is not " police officers ", but they only lead officer ranks as a use designation.

Switzerland

In the Swiss army colonel is above lieutenant colonel and below brigadier. In times of peace, it is the fourth highest officer rank. In foreign missions he is called Colonel ( Col.).

The colonel is commander of a command ( Gren Kdo, Kdo FLPL 's), the engineering staff of the army or a flab cluster. These formations are similar to regiments. As a staff officer of Colonel takes in the bars of the Army, Air Force and the territorial regions perceive different specialist functions. In the brigades of Colonel ( General Staff - GS ) performs the role of commander 's deputy and / or the Chief of Staff.

France

France knows compared to the rank of Colonel Colonel.

This rank is above the Lieutenant - Colonel ( Lieutenant Colonel ) and under the " General de Brigade ". A Colonel leads, inter alia, a regiment.

The precursor of the Colonel was the Mestre de camp, who was in the infantry in 1661, replaced by the Colonel. In the cavalry of the "Colonel " was further referred to (as a regiment and regimental commander ) as Mestre de camp.

From 1794 to 1803 then the rank of Colonel or Mestre de camp by the " chef de brigade " was replaced. After that was the rank for both Military Branches "Colonel ".

Russia

The rank of Colonel (Russian: Полковник / Polkownik ) IV was introduced in Tsarist Russia at the time of Ivan the 16th century and still retains in the Imperial Russian Army until 1917. In this rank military units were sent with the regiment status generally commanders. In the Red Army of workers and peasants, the old Russian rank designation Polkownik / Colonel was introduced with changing Distinktionsabzeichen again and has since maintained.

Both in the former armies as well as in today's Russian army, the rank of colonel ( OF5 ) is located between the Lieutenant Colonel and Major General.

Vatican City

The Swiss Guard knows the rank of colonel by their close ties to the Swiss army also.

United States

The rank of Colonel (English colonel [ kɛ nəl ː ] or [ kərnəl ] ) are available in the United States Army, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps. In the hierarchy of these stands over the Lieutenant Colonel and below the Brigadier General. In line with the stylized eagle of the service mark, the colonel is sometimes referred to in military slang as "full bird" or "full bird colonel ." The U.S. Sold stage is O -6, the NATO rank code OF- fifth

A colonel leads a brigade operating with six to seven battalions and thus 3,000-4,000 soldiers.