Senior Colonel
Encyclopedia
Senior Colonel is a field grade officer rank placed between a regular Colonel
and a Major General
. The rank typically exists in militaries that do not maintain a rank of Brigadier General
/Brigadier
.
A Senior Captain
position existed in the German Navy which maintained the rank of Kommodore
. Also, a "Senior Colonel" position was known in both the SA
and SS
(in the branches of the Allgemeine SS
or General SS and Waffen-SS
or Armed SS) by the rank of Oberführer
which did not exist in the German Army.
After World War II
, nations in the Communist sphere began establishing Senior Colonel ranks of their own. Today, the rank of Senior Colonel may be found in the militaries of China
(Da Xiao (大校)), North Korea
(Taejwa (대좌)), Thailand
(พันเอกพิเศษ) and Vietnam (Đại tá).
Most western militaries tend to equate a Senior Colonel as a "Brigadier General in disguise"; however, this is not necessarily so. Nations which maintain senior Colonel ranks may also have five General
ranks (most such nations also having the rank of Colonel General
), but not the People's Republic of China. A Senior Colonel is also not befitted honors of a General or Flag Officer
and is simply seen as the highest field officer rank before the General grades. In this sense, the rank may be seen as comparable to the rank of Brigadier
in the British
and some other Commonwealth
armies, similarly a senior field rank. (In modern China the rank of Senior Colonel is intended as a way to promote distinguished Colonels, without unnecessarily swelling the numbers of general officers.) Most Senior Colonels serve as the Commander, Political Commissar, or Deputy Commanders of a division.
A similar title to Senior Colonel is that of Senior Captain
, also used in most Communist countries. However, it may also be found in some western militaries as a staff rank appointed to a regular Captain.
The term Senior Colonel is also used informally and unofficially in the U.S. military for Colonels who have either been selected for promotion to Brigadier General but not actually promoted yet, or for veteran Colonels who are particularly experienced and influential.
The naval equivalent for a Senior Colonel is the non-flag Commodore
or Fleet Captain
, although it is sometimes referred to as Senior Captain
.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. The rank typically exists in militaries that do not maintain a rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
/Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
.
A Senior Captain
Senior Captain
Senior Captain is a rare military rank which is used in some countries armed forces.-Army:In some armies of the world, the senior captain is a rank between a regular Captain and a Major. The rank is often only found in armies and air forces...
position existed in the German Navy which maintained the rank of Kommodore
Kommodore
Kommodore is a German rank equivalent to Commodore. Kommodore originated as a title used by some Captains in World War I. A German Commodore could hold any naval rank between Lieutenant and Captain and the title of Commodore was held by those officers who held tactical control over more than one...
. Also, a "Senior Colonel" position was known in both the SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
and SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
(in the branches of the Allgemeine SS
Allgemeine SS
The Allgemeine SS was the most numerous branch of the Schutzstaffel paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany. It was managed by the SS-Hauptamt...
or General SS and Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
or Armed SS) by the rank of Oberführer
Oberführer
Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. Translated as “Senior Leader”, an Oberführer was typically a Nazi Party member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region...
which did not exist in the German Army.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, nations in the Communist sphere began establishing Senior Colonel ranks of their own. Today, the rank of Senior Colonel may be found in the militaries of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(Da Xiao (大校)), North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
(Taejwa (대좌)), Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(พันเอกพิเศษ) and Vietnam (Đại tá).
Most western militaries tend to equate a Senior Colonel as a "Brigadier General in disguise"; however, this is not necessarily so. Nations which maintain senior Colonel ranks may also have five General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
ranks (most such nations also having the rank of Colonel General
Colonel General
Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
), but not the People's Republic of China. A Senior Colonel is also not befitted honors of a General or Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
and is simply seen as the highest field officer rank before the General grades. In this sense, the rank may be seen as comparable to the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in the British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and some other Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
armies, similarly a senior field rank. (In modern China the rank of Senior Colonel is intended as a way to promote distinguished Colonels, without unnecessarily swelling the numbers of general officers.) Most Senior Colonels serve as the Commander, Political Commissar, or Deputy Commanders of a division.
A similar title to Senior Colonel is that of Senior Captain
Senior Captain
Senior Captain is a rare military rank which is used in some countries armed forces.-Army:In some armies of the world, the senior captain is a rank between a regular Captain and a Major. The rank is often only found in armies and air forces...
, also used in most Communist countries. However, it may also be found in some western militaries as a staff rank appointed to a regular Captain.
The term Senior Colonel is also used informally and unofficially in the U.S. military for Colonels who have either been selected for promotion to Brigadier General but not actually promoted yet, or for veteran Colonels who are particularly experienced and influential.
The naval equivalent for a Senior Colonel is the non-flag Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
or Fleet Captain
Fleet captain
Fleet Captain is a rare military title that may be bestowed upon senior naval captains for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is to temporarily take command of more than one vessel. The rank can, therefore, be interpreted as a close equivalent to Commodore or to the 19th century rank...
, although it is sometimes referred to as Senior Captain
Senior Captain
Senior Captain is a rare military rank which is used in some countries armed forces.-Army:In some armies of the world, the senior captain is a rank between a regular Captain and a Major. The rank is often only found in armies and air forces...
.