Colonel (United States)

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Colonel
Colonel insignia. Style and method of wear may vary between different uniforms and different service branches.
Shoulder boards
Country	United States
Service branch	Army Marine Corps Air Force Space Force
Abbreviation	COL (Army) Col (Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force)
NATO rank code	OF-5
Pay grade	O-6
Next higher rank	Brigadier general
Next lower rank	Lieutenant colonel
Equivalent ranks	Captain in the other uniformed services which use naval ranks

A colonel (/ˈkɜːrnəl/) in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, is the most senior field-grade military officer rank, immediately above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general. Colonel is equivalent to the naval rank of captain in the other uniformed services.^{[note 1]} By law, an officer previously required at least 22 years of cumulative service and a minimum of three years as a lieutenant colonel before being promoted to colonel.^[1] With the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (NDAA 2019), military services now have the authorization to directly commission new officers up to the rank of colonel.^[2] The pay grade for colonel is O-6.

When worn alone, the insignia of rank seen at right is worn centered on headgear and fatigue uniforms. When worn in pairs, the insignia is worn on the officer's left side while a mirror-image reverse version is worn on the right side, such that both of the eagles' heads face forward, to the wearer's front.

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