Senior colonel

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Senior colonel is an officer rank usually placed between a regular colonel and a British or American brigadier general. [1]

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Use

In Nazi Germany, a rank equivalent to senior colonel, Oberführer , was used by both the SA and SS. [2] [3] In the branches of the Allgemeine SS (General SS) and Waffen-SS (Armed SS) the rank of Oberführer was widely used. [4] [5] The rank did not exist in the army (Heer), although the Kriegsmarine (navy) maintained the equivalent rank of Kommodore .

Most western militaries tend to equate a senior colonel as being on the level of a "brigadier general"; [1] 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). A senior colonel is also not befitted honors of a general or flag officer. It is simply seen as the highest field officer rank before the general grades. In this sense, the rank is seen as comparable to the rank of brigadier in the British Army [6] and some other Commonwealth armies, similarly a senior field rank.

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 Argentine Army makes a similar use of the term, though in this case it is an official distinction (Coronel Mayor) with its own rank insignia (a single red-trimmed golden sun instead of the three golden suns of a regular colonel). In the Portuguese Army, a colonel selected but still waiting for promotion to a general officer rank is officially designated coronel tirocinado (literally meaning "practiced colonel" in Portuguese), having a proper rank insignia (the rank stripes of colonel added with a general rank silver star). Between 1929 and 1937 the coronel tirocinado were called a brigadeiro, using the badge currently in use.[ citation needed ]

Senior colonel's insignia

See also

Related Research Articles

Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In other countries, it is a non-commissioned rank.

Brigadier general or brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops.

<i>Gruppenführer</i> Generals rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS)

Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Since then, the term Gruppenführer is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire departments, military and several other organizations.

<i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Obergruppenführer</i></span></i> Paramilitary rank in Nazi Germany

Obergruppenführer was a paramilitary rank in Nazi Germany that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and adopted by the Schutzstaffel (SS) one year later. Until April 1942, it was the highest commissioned SS rank after only Reichsführer-SS. Translated as "senior group leader", the rank of Obergruppenführer was senior to Gruppenführer. A similarly named rank of Untergruppenführer existed in the SA from 1929 to 1930 and as a title until 1933. In April 1942, the new rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer was created which was above Obergruppenführer and below Reichsführer-SS.

Uniforms and insignia of the <i>Schutzstaffel</i>

The uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel (SS) served to distinguish its Nazi paramilitary ranks between 1925 and 1945 from the ranks of the Wehrmacht, the German state, and the Nazi Party.

<i>Obersturmbannführer</i> Paramilitary officers rank in Nazi Germany

Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank in the German Nazi Party (NSDAP) which was used by the SA (Sturmabteilung) and the SS (Schutzstaffel). The rank of Obersturmbannführer was junior to the rank of Standartenführer, and was equivalent to the military rank of Oberstleutnant in the German Army.

<i>Standartenführer</i> Paramilitary officers rank in Nazi Germany

Standartenführer was a Nazi Party (NSDAP) paramilitary rank that was used in several NSDAP organizations, such as the SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK. First founded as a title in 1925, in 1928 it became one of the first commissioned NSDAP ranks and was bestowed upon those SA and SS officers who commanded a unit known as a Standarte, a unit equivalent to an army battalion and comprising 300–500 personnel.

<i>Mann</i> (paramilitary rank) Rank in the SS

Mann, was a paramilitary rank used by several Nazi Party paramilitary organizations between 1925 and 1945. The rank is most often associated with the Schutzstaffel (SS-Mann), but also was a rank of the SA, where Mann (SA-Mann) was the lowest enlisted rank and was the equivalent of a private.

<i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer</i></span></i> Highest general rank in the Schutzstaffel

SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer was the highest commissioned rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS), with the exception of Reichsführer-SS, which became a commissioned rank when held by SS commander Heinrich Himmler. The rank is translated as "highest group leader" and alternatively as "colonel group leader". The rank was correctly spelled Oberst-Gruppenführer to avoid confusion with the more junior rank of Obergruppenführer.

Oberleutnant is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces.

<i>Oberführer</i> Officers rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS)

Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) dating back to 1921. An Oberführer was typically an NSDAP member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region. From 1921 to 1925, the phrase Oberführer was used as a title in the Sturmabteilung (SA), but became an actual SA rank after 1926.

<i>Hauptsturmführer</i> Officers rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS)

Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in several Nazi organizations such as the SS, NSKK and the NSFK. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-level commander and had equivalent seniority to a captain (Hauptmann) in the German Army and also the equivalency of captain in foreign armies.

<i>Brigadeführer</i> Generals rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS)

Brigadeführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) that was used between 1932 and 1945. It was mainly known for its use as an SS rank. As an SA rank, it was used after briefly being known as Untergruppenführer in late 1929 and 1930.

<i>Sturmbannführer</i> Paramilitary officers rank in Nazi Germany

Sturmbannführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank equivalent to major that was used in several Nazi organizations, such as the SA, SS, and the NSFK. The rank originated from German shock troop units of the First World War.

<i>Obersturmführer</i> Paramilitary officers rank in Nazi Germany

Obersturmführer was a Nazi Germany paramilitary rank that was used in several Nazi organisations, such as the SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK.

<i>Sturmmann</i>

Sturmmann was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1921. The rank of Sturmmann was used by the Sturmabteilung (SA) and the Schutzstaffel (SS).

<i>Rottenführer</i> Nazi Party paramilitary rank

Rottenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1932. The rank of Rottenführer was used by several Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Schutzstaffel (SS) and was senior to the paramilitary rank of Sturmmann.

<i>Oberscharführer</i>

Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between 1932 and 1945. Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The SA rank of Oberscharführer was senior to Scharführer and junior to the rank of Truppführer.

<i>Unterscharführer</i>

Unterscharführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party used by the Schutzstaffel (SS) between 1934 and 1945. The SS rank was created after the Night of the Long Knives. That event caused an SS reorganisation and the creation of new ranks to separate the SS from the Sturmabteilung (SA).

General is the highest rank of the German Army and German Air Force. As a four-star rank it is the equivalent to the rank of admiral in the German Navy.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Weale 2012, p. 414.
  2. McNab 2009b, p. 15.
  3. Flaherty 2004, p. 148.
  4. Stein 2002, pp. 297, 298–Appendix.
  5. Miller 2006, p. 521.
  6. McNab 2009, p. 186.
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  10. "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  11. "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  12. Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C. pp. 350–351. LCCN   85600265.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. "POSTOS E DISTINTIVOS EXÉRCITO". antigo.mdn.gov.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
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Sources