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.

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

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
Colombian National Army	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

NCO

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Colombian National Army																																				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

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
Colombian National Navy	No equivalent				No equivalent																				No equivalent
			Almirante				Vicealmirante		Contralmirante		Capitán de Navío		Capitán de Fragata		Capitán de Corbeta		Teniente de Navío		Teniente de Fragata			Teniente de Corbeta
Abbr.	-		ALM		-		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
Colombian National Navy																																			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																				No equivalent
			General				Mayor General		Brigadier General		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente
Abbr.	-		GR		-		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
Colombian Air Force	No equivalent				No equivalent
			General del Aire				Mayor General del Aire		Brigadier General del Aire		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
Colombian Air Force																																			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

1. Secretaría Senado de la República de Colombia (ed.). "Decreto 1790 de 2000 - Normas de carrera del personal de oficiales y suboficiales de las Fuerzas Militares" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
2. Secretaría Senado de la República de Colombia (ed.). "Ley 1405 de 2010 - Nuevos Grados Militares" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
3. "Ley 1792 de 2016" (PDF). Gobierno de Colombia. Gobierno de Colombia. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
4. Policía Nacional de Colombia (ed.). "Reglamento de Ceremonial y Protocolo Policial" (PDF) (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
5. Congreso de la República de Colombia (28 July 2010). "Ley 1405 de 2010 Nuevos Grados Militares" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
6. Ejército de Colombia (15 March 2011). "Grados y distintivos del Ejército" (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 April 2011.
7. Armada Republica de Colombia (2006). "Insignias de la Armada" (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 April 2011.

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)