Military ranks of the Colombian Armed Forces

The military ranks of the Colombian armed forces consist of the list and ordering of the different military ranks, for the Officers, Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and soldiers, seamen and airmen ("other ranks") of the Military Forces of Colombia.The ranks are visually represented by insignias placed on the uniforms, usually at the shoulders, sleeves and shirt collars.

A literal translation from Spanish to English may be misleading as the rank names do not necessarily follow the customary order used in anglophone military ranks in all cases. Furthermore, Colombia is not a member of NATO, so there is not an official equivalence between the Colombian military ranks and those defined by NATO. The displayed parallel is approximate and for illustration purposes only.

Applicable law

The ranks in the Military Forces of Colombia are regulated through the following applicable legislation: the Decree-Law 1790 of 2000,[1] Law 1405 of 2010,[2] and Law 1792 of 2016[3]

In terms of protocol, the established order for the forces is Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, as established by the Military Rules of Protocol (Reglamento de Protocolo Militar FFMM)[4]

Army

Coat of arms of the Colombian National Army

The Colombian Army is the largest of the three service branches of the Military Forces of Colombia, tasked with defending sovereignty and law and order across the national territory. The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Army personnel.[5][6]

Officers

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
 Colombian National Army[7]
General de ejercitoMayor generalBrigadier generalCoronelTeniente coronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
Abbr.GRMGBGCRTCMYCTTEST
'"3B" Uniform sample[7]
Service branchCavalryInfantryEngineersCommunicationsCavalryArtillery
Camouflage Fatigues sample[7]
Service branchCavalryInfantryEngineersArtilleryCommunicationsLogistics (Armory)

Enlisted

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Colombian National Army[7]
No insignia
Sargento mayor de comando conjuntoSargento mayor de ejércitoSargento mayor de comandoSargento mayorSargento primeroSargento vice primeroSargento segundoCabo primeroCabo segundoCabo terceroSoldado profesionalSoldado
'"3B" Uniform sample[7] No Insignia
Soldier types
  • Soldado: Conscripted soldier serving for a period of 22 months mandatory service [n 1].
  • Soldado Profesional: Regular soldiers that stay in the army after completing their 22 months' mandatory conscription service, making it a permanent career. The number in their rank insignia indicating the number of years they have served.

Additional ranks

Dragoneantes are soldiers who have gained recognition through their achievements and have special training. They have a certain degree of authority over regular soldiers.

Rank groupDragoneanteAlumno
Insignia[7]
Dragoneante mayor de escuelaDragoneante mayor de batallónDragoneante mayor de compañíaDragoneanteAlumno tercer nivelAlumno segundo nivelAlumno primer nivel

Navy

Coat of arms of the Colombian Navy

The Colombian Navy (Spanish: Armada de la República de Colombia) is the maritime service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia, responsible for security and defense in both the Atlantic (Caribbean) and Pacific seas of Colombia, the extensive network of rivers inside the country, and a few small land areas under its direct jurisdiction. The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Navy personnel.[5][9]

Officers

Rank groupGeneral/flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
 Colombian National Navy[10]
AlmiranteVicealmiranteContralmiranteCapitán de navíoCapitán de fragataCapitán de corbetaTeniente de navíoTeniente de fragataTeniente de corbeta
Abbr.ALMVALMCALMCNCFCCTNTFTK

Enlisted

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Colombian National Navy[10]
Suboficial jefe técnico de comando conjuntoSuboficial jefe técnico de comandoSuboficial jefe técnicoSuboficial jefeSuboficial primeroSuboficial segundoSuboficial terceroMarinero primeroMarinero segundo
Abbr.SJTCCSJTCSJTSJS1S2S3MA1MA2

Marine Infantry

Coat of arms of the Colombian Marine Infantry

In Colombia, the Marine Infantry is a Corps depending on the Colombian Navy and not a full service branch on its own. Being tasked with amphibious and riverine and littoral operations, the MI presents a combination of ranking names derived from the Army, combined with naval insignias. The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Marine Infantry personnel.[5]

Officers

Rank groupGeneral/flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
 Colombian Naval Infantry[10]
GeneralMayor generalBrigadier generalCoronelTeniente coronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
Abbr.-GR-MGBGCRTCMYCTTEST-

Enlisted

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Colombian Naval Infantry[10]
No insignia
Sargento mayor de comando conjuntoSargento mayor de comandoSargento mayorSargento primeroSargento vice primeroSargento segundoCabo primeroCabo segundoCabo terceroInfante regular
Abbr.SMCCCIMSMCCIMSMCIMSPCIMSVCIMSSCIMCPCIMCSCIMC3CIM-

Aerospace Force

Coat of arms of the Colombian Air Force

The Colombian Aerospace Force is the service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia tasked with the protection and defense of the Colombian sovereign airspace.The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Aerospace Force personnel.[5]

Officers

Rank groupGeneral/Flag/Air officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
 Colombian Aerospace Force[11]
General del aireMayor general del aireBrigadier general del aireCoronelTeniente coronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
Abbr.GRMGBGCRTCMYCTTEST
"3B" Uniform sample

Enlisted

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Colombian Aerospace Force[11]
Técnico jefe de comando conjuntoTécnico jefe de comandoTécnico jefeTécnico subjefeTécnico primeroTécnico segundoTécnico terceroTécnico cuartoAerotécnico
Abbr.TJCCTJCTJTSTPT2T3T4AT-

Pre-2010 ranks

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
 Colombian National Army
General de EjercitoTeniente GeneralMayor GeneralBrigadier GeneralCoronelTeniente CoronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
 Colombian National Navy
AlmiranteAlmirante de EscuadraVicealmiranteContralmiranteCapitán de NavíoCapitán de FragataCapitán de CorbetaTeniente de NavíoTeniente de FragataTeniente de Corbeta
 Colombian Naval Infantry
GeneralTeniente GeneralMayor GeneralBrigadierCoronelTeniente CoronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
 Colombian Aerospace Force
General del AireTeniente General del AireMayor General del AireBrigadier General del AireCoronelTeniente CoronelMayorCapitánTenienteSubteniente
Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
 Colombian Aerospace Force No equivalent
Técnico Jefe de Comando ConjuntoTécnico Jefe de ComandoTécnico JefeTécnico SubjefeTécnico PrimeroTécnico SegundoTécnico TerceroTécnico CuartoAerotécnico

See also

Notes

References

External links