Colonel (Canada)
Please see "Colonel" for other countries which use this rankIn 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 Naval
Commander, and junior to a
Brigadier-General or
Commodore.
Typical appointments for Colonels include:
*
Base Commander (BComd)
*
Wing Commander (Wg Comd)
*
Commanding officer of a school or training establishment, such as Commandant of the
Canadian Land Command and Staff College, or Commander of
Combat Training Centre Gagetown* Commander of a
Brigade-Group*
Branch Advisor*
Military attaché to foreign nations
The rank insignia for a Colonel is a four ½" stripes, worn on the cuffs of the Service Dress jacket, and on
slip-ons on other uniforms. On the visor of the
service cap is one row of gold oak leaves along the edge. The cap insignia 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 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.
There are also several honorary ranks and/or appointments associated with the rank of Colonel, or containing the word "Colonel" in their title.
*
Colonel-in-Chief*
Colonel of the Regiment*
Honorary Colonel*
Colonel-Commandant
