Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel (UK: /lɛfˈtɛnənt ˈkɜːrnəl/ lef-TEN-ənt KUR-nəl, US: /luːˈtɛn-/ loo-TEN-) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence. Sometimes, the term 'half-colonel' is used in casual conversation in the British Army. Additionally, in the U.S. Army 'light colonel' has been used informally in the past.^[1] In the British military, it is customary to refer to either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel by their first names when mentioning them, e.g "Colonel Tim will be at the parade". In the United States Air Force, the term 'light bird' or 'light bird colonel' (as opposed to a 'full bird colonel') is an acceptable casual reference to the rank but is never used directly towards the rank holder.^{[citation needed]} A lieutenant colonel is typically in charge of a battalion or regiment in the army.

The following articles deal with the rank of lieutenant colonel:

• Lieutenant-colonel (Canada)
• Lieutenant colonel (Eastern Europe)
• Lieutenant colonel (Turkey)
• Lieutenant colonel (Sri Lanka)
• Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)^[2]
• Lieutenant colonel (United States)

Gallery

Army

• 
  Australian Army
  (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Bangladesh Army
  (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Belgian Army
  (Luitenant-kolonel
  Lieutenant-colonel)
• 
  Brazilian Army
  (Tenente Coronel)
• 
  Canadian Army
  (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Czech Army
  (Podplukovník)
• 
  Danish Army
  (Oberstløjtnant)
• 
  French Army
  (Lieutenant colonel)
• 
  German Army
  (Oberstleutnant)
• 
  Indian Army (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Indonesian Army
  (Letnan Kolonel)
• 
  Italian Army
  (Tenente colonnello)
• 
  Royal Netherlands Army
  (Luitenant-Kolonel)
• 
  New Zealand Army (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Norwegian Army
  (Oberstløytant)
• 
  Pakistan Army (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Philippine Army
  (Kalakan/Teniente coronel)
• 
  Portuguese Army
  (Tenente Coronel)
• 
  Russian Ground Forces
  (Podpolkóvnik)
• 
  Spanish Army
  (Teniente Coronel)
• 
  British Army
  (United Kingdom)
  (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  United States Army
  (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 
  Venezuela
  (Teniente Coronel)
• 
  Nigerian Army (Lieutenant Colonel)

Air Force

• 
  Belgian Air Force
  (Luitenant-kolonel
  Lieutenant-colonel)
• 
  Danish Air Force
  (Oberstløjtnant)
• 
  Royal Netherlands Air Force
  (Luitenant-Kolonel)
• 
  Norwegian Air Force
  (Oberstløytant)
• 
  Philippine Air Force
  (Kalakan/Teniente coronel)
• 
  Russian Air Force
  (Podpolkóvnik)
• 
  United States Air Force
  (Lieutenant Colonel)

Other services

• 
  United States Space Force
  (Lieutenant Colonel)

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Canadian Forces ranks and insignia
• British Army officer rank insignia
• United States Army officer rank insignia

References

1. Bonn, Keith E. (2005). Army Officer's Guide (50th ed.). Mechanicsville, Pa.: Stackpole Books. p. 14.
2. "Officers' rank insignia". British Army. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.