colonels
One-star subordinates' superiors
Colonels is the plural of colonel, a military rank between lieutenant colonel and brigadier general.
The word's peculiar pronunciation (KER-nel) comes from competing Italian and Spanish borrowings that merged in English spelling.
The colonels met to discuss strategy.
In Southern U.S. usage, Colonel became an honorific title for distinguished civilians: Colonel Sanders, Kentucky Colonel.
Mid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- brigadeLarge military unit
- headquartersCentral command location
- leadershipAbility to direct others
authority · orders · directive · deployment · mission · operation · logistics · strategy
Lowest flag officer rank
- major generalSenior military officer rank
- generalWidespread, not specialized
- brigadierSenior military officer
- majorOf chief importance
captain · lieutenant · commander · sergeant major · chief warrant officer · one-star · promotion · demotion
Organized land-based military
- infantryGround combat troops
- cavalryMounted military force
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- armorProtective combat covering
garrison · base · fort · pentagon · war college · military academy · commissioned · active duty
Given as distinction
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
- genteelAffectedly polite or refined
- courtlyRefined and dignified
- hospitalityGenerous treatment of guests
battalion
Mid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- brigadeLarge military unit
- headquartersCentral command location
leadership · authority · orders · directive · deployment · mission · operation · logistics · strategy · tactics
brigadier general
Lowest flag officer rank
- major generalSenior military officer rank
- generalWidespread, not specialized
- brigadierSenior military officer
major · captain · lieutenant · commander · sergeant major · chief warrant officer · one-star · promotion · demotion · insignia
army
Organized land-based military
armor · garrison · base · fort · pentagon · war college · military academy · commissioned · active duty · reserve
honorary
Given as distinction
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
- genteelAffectedly polite or refined
- courtlyRefined and dignified
- authorityleaders, ruler, rulers, monarch, bosses
- military historybattles, soldiers, campaigns, officers, battlefields
- military leadersGeorge Washington, Napoleon, generals, general, commander
- Union soldiersUnion infantry, federal troops, enlisted men, volunteers, privates
- armyinfantry, cavalry, soldiers, artillery, officers
- militarysoldiers, army, troops, officers, navy
colonelsprivates
Lowest enlisted rank
enlisted personnel · enlisted men · recruits · generals · foot soldiers
colonelscivilians
Non-military population
noncombatants · pacifists · conscientious objectors · draft dodgers · peaceniks
- full colonelSenior field-grade officer
- lieutenant colonelMid-senior army rank
- Colonel SandersKentucky fried founder
- full bird colonelO-6 military grade
- retired colonelFormer army field-grade officer