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.
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]
Further information: Colombian 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]
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General de ejercito | Mayor general | Brigadier general | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Capitán | Teniente | Subteniente | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abbr. | GR | MG | BG | CR | TC | MY | CT | TE | ST | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
'"3B" Uniform sample[7] | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service branch | Cavalry | Infantry | Engineers | Communications | Cavalry | Artillery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Camouflage Fatigues sample[7] | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service branch | Cavalry | Infantry | Engineers | Artillery | Communications | Logistics (Armory) |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
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 | Soldado profesional | Soldado | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
'"3B" Uniform sample[7] | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
No Insignia |
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 group | Dragoneante | Alumno | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Insignia[7] | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Dragoneante mayor de escuela | Dragoneante mayor de batallón | Dragoneante mayor de compañía | Dragoneante | Alumno tercer nivel | Alumno segundo nivel | Alumno primer nivel |
Further information: 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]
Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Mayor general | Brigadier general | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Capitán | Teniente | Subteniente | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abbr. | - | GR | - | MG | BG | CR | TC | MY | CT | TE | ST | - |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
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 | - |
Further information: Colombian Aerospace 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]
Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"3B" Uniform sample | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | - |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Técnico Jefe de Comando Conjunto | Técnico Jefe de Comando | Técnico Jefe | Técnico Subjefe | Técnico Primero | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Tercero | Técnico Cuarto | Aerotécnico |