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.

Note that a literal translation from Spanish to English may be misleading as the rank names don't 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.

Foundational law

The professional ranking of the Military Forces of Colombia is founded on the article 217 of the Political Constitution of Colombia,^[1] regimented through multiple Laws and Decrees, starting with the Decree #1790 from 2000,^[2] up to the latest and most updated one, Law #1405 of 2010.^[3]

According to the former, the rankings of the military officers were slightly modified: It adds the ranks of "Lieutenant General" (Spanish: Teniente General) for the Army and the National Police, "Air Lieutenant General" (Spanish: Teniente General del Aire) for the Air Force, and "Squadron Admiral" ( Spanish: Almirante de Escuadra) for the Navy. These ranks are identified by 3 (three) stars or suns according to the service branch. This change was instituted in order to more accurately reflect international standards in the command structure used by other armed forces. The maximum rank formally achievable by an officer of the armed forces is that of General or Admiral of 4 (four) stars or suns, according to the service branch.

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

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) & Student officer
Colombia (Edit)	No equivalent				No equivalent
			General de Ejercito				Mayor General		Brigadier General		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente
Abbr.	-		GR		-		MG		BG		CR		TC		MY		CT		TE			ST

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Colombia (Edit)																																				No insignia
	Sargento Mayor de Comando Conjunto		Sargento Mayor de Ejército		Sargento Mayor de Comando		Sargento Mayor		Sargento Primero		Sargento Vice Primero						Sargento Segundo						Cabo Primero				Cabo Segundo		Cabo Tercero			Dragoneante			Soldado Profesional	Soldado
Abbr.	SMCC		SME		SMC		SM		SP		SV						SS						CP				CS		C3			DG			SLP	SL

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][7]

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Colombia (Edit)	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			Almirante		Almirante de Escuadra		Vicealmirante		Contralmirante		Capitán de Navío		Capitán de Fragata		Capitán de Corbeta		Teniente de Navío		Teniente de Fragata			Teniente de Corbeta
Abbr.	-		ALM		ALME		VALM		CALM		CN		CF		CC		TN		TF			TK			-

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Colombia (Edit)																																			No equivalent
	Joint Command Chief Technical Petty Officer Suboficial Jefe Técnico de Comando Conjunto			Command Chief Technical Petty Officer Suboficial Jefe Técnico de Comando			Master Chief Petty Officer Suboficial Jefe Técnico		Chief Petty Officer Suboficial Jefe		Petty Officer 1st Class Suboficial Primero						Petty Officer 2nd Class Suboficial Segundo						Petty Officer 3rd Class Suboficial Tercero				Seaman 1st class Marinero Primero		Seaman 2nd class Marinero Segundo
Abbr.	SJTCC			SJTC			SJT		SJ		S1						S2						S3				MA1		MA2						-

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 somewhat odd 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

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Colombia	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Teniente General		Mayor General		Brigadier General		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente
Abbr.	-		GR		TG		MG		BG		CR		TC		MY		CT		TE			ST			-

Non-Commissioned Officers and Infantrymen

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Colombia																																			No insignia
	Sargento Mayor de Comando Conjunto			Sargento Mayor de Comando			Sargento Mayor		Sargento Primero		Sargento Vice Primero						Sargento Segundo						Cabo Primero				Cabo Segundo		Cabo Tercero						Infante Regular
Abbr.	SMCCCIM			SMCCIM			SMCIM		SPCIM		SVCIM						SSCIM						CPCIM				CSCIM		C3CIM						-

Air Force

Coat of arms of the Colombian Air Force

The Colombian Air 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 Air Force personnel.^[5]

Officers

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Colombia (Edit)	No equivalent
			General del Aire		Teniente General del Aire		Mayor General del Aire		Brigadier General del Aire		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente
Abbr.	-		GR		TG		MG		BG		CR		TC		MY		CT		TE			ST

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Colombia (Edit)																																			No equivalent
	Técnico Jefe de Comando Conjunto			Técnico Jefe de Comando			Técnico Jefe		Técnico Subjefe		Técnico Primero						Técnico Segundo						Técnico Tercero				Técnico Cuarto		Aerotécnico
Abbr.	TJCC			TJC			TJ		TS		TP						T2						T3				T4		AT						-

References

External links

• Colombian Army Ranks and distinctives - Official site
• Colombian Navy - Official site (in Spanish)
• Colombian Air Force - Official site (in Spanish)
• Uniforminsignia.org (National Army of Colombia)
• Uniforminsignia.org (Colombian National Armada)
  • Uniforminsignia.org (Colombian Marines)
• Uniforminsignia.org (Colombian Air Force)