# 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.
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.

## Applicable law

The ranks in the Military Forces of Colombia are regulated through the following applicable legislation: the Decree-Law 1790 of 2000, Law 1405 of 2010, and Law 1792 of 2016
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)

## 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.

### Officers

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Colombian National Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Army vte | General de ejercito | General de ejercito | Mayor general | Mayor general | Brigadier general | Brigadier general | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Abbr. | GR | GR | MG | MG | BG | BG | CR | CR | TC | TC | MY | MY | CT | CT | TE | TE | TE | ST | ST | ST |
| '"3B" Uniform sample | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Service branch | | | | | | | Cavalry | Cavalry | Infantry | Infantry | Engineers | Engineers | Communications | Communications | Cavalry | Cavalry | Cavalry | Artillery | Artillery | Artillery |
| Camouflage Fatigues sample | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Service branch | | | | | | | Cavalry | Cavalry | Infantry | Infantry | Engineers | Engineers | Artillery | Artillery | Communications | Communications | Communications | Logistics (Armory) | Logistics (Armory) | Logistics (Armory) |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Colombian National Army vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Army vte | Sargento mayor de comando conjunto | Sargento mayor de comando conjunto | Sargento mayor de ejército | Sargento mayor de ejército | Sargento mayor de comando | Sargento mayor de comando | Sargento mayor | Sargento mayor | Sargento primero | Sargento primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Cabo segundo | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero |
| '"3B" Uniform sample | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No Insignia |

#### Soldier types

* Soldado: Conscripted soldier serving for a period of 22 months mandatory service.
* Soldado Profesional: Regular soldiers that stay in the army after completing their 22 months' mandatory conscription service, making it a permanent career. The number in their rank insignia indicating the number of years they have served.

#### Additional ranks

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 | Dragoneante | Dragoneante | Dragoneante | Alumno | Alumno | Alumno |
| Insignia | | | | | | | |
| Insignia | Dragoneante mayor de escuela | Dragoneante mayor de batallón | Dragoneante mayor de compañía | Dragoneante | Alumno tercer nivel | Alumno segundo nivel | Alumno primer nivel |

## 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.

### Officers

| Rank group | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Colombian National Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Navy vte | Almirante | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Vicealmirante | Contralmirante | Contralmirante | Capitán de navío | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de navío | Teniente de fragata | Teniente de fragata | Teniente de fragata | Teniente de corbeta | Teniente de corbeta | Teniente de corbeta |
| Abbr. | ALM | ALM | VALM | VALM | CALM | CALM | CN | CN | CF | CF | CC | CC | TN | TN | TF | TF | TF | TK | TK | TK |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Colombian National Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Navy vte | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando conjunto | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando conjunto | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando conjunto | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando | Suboficial jefe técnico de comando | Suboficial jefe técnico | Suboficial jefe técnico | Suboficial jefe | Suboficial jefe | Suboficial primero | Suboficial primero | Suboficial primero | Suboficial primero | Suboficial primero | Suboficial primero | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial segundo | Suboficial tercero | Suboficial tercero | Suboficial tercero | Suboficial tercero | Marinero primero | Marinero primero | Marinero segundo | Marinero segundo | Marinero segundo | Marinero segundo | Marinero segundo | Marinero segundo |
| Abbr. | SJTCC | SJTCC | SJTCC | SJTC | SJTC | SJTC | SJT | SJT | SJ | SJ | S1 | S1 | S1 | S1 | S1 | S1 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S3 | S3 | S3 | S3 | MA1 | MA1 | MA2 | MA2 | MA2 | MA2 | MA2 | MA2 |

## 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.

### Officers

| Rank group | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Colombian Naval Infantry vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian Naval Infantry vte | | | General | General | | | Mayor general | Mayor general | Brigadier general | Brigadier general | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Abbr. | - | - | GR | GR | - | - | MG | MG | BG | BG | CR | CR | TC | TC | MY | MY | CT | CT | TE | TE | TE | ST | ST | ST | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Colombian Naval Infantry vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia |
| Colombian Naval Infantry vte | Sargento mayor de comando conjunto | Sargento mayor de comando conjunto | Sargento mayor de comando conjunto | Sargento mayor de comando | Sargento mayor de comando | Sargento mayor de comando | Sargento mayor | Sargento mayor | Sargento primero | Sargento primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento vice primero | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Cabo segundo | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Cabo tercero | Infante regular | Infante regular |
| Abbr. | SMCCCIM | SMCCCIM | SMCCCIM | SMCCIM | SMCCIM | SMCCIM | SMCIM | SMCIM | SPCIM | SPCIM | SVCIM | SVCIM | SVCIM | SVCIM | SVCIM | SVCIM | SSCIM | SSCIM | SSCIM | SSCIM | SSCIM | SSCIM | CPCIM | CPCIM | CPCIM | CPCIM | CSCIM | CSCIM | C3CIM | C3CIM | C3CIM | C3CIM | C3CIM | C3CIM | - | - |

## 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.

### Officers

| Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Colombian Aerospace Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian Aerospace Force vte | General del aire | General del aire | Mayor general del aire | Mayor general del aire | Brigadier general del aire | Brigadier general del aire | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Abbr. | GR | GR | MG | MG | BG | BG | CR | CR | TC | TC | MY | MY | CT | CT | TE | TE | TE | ST | ST | ST |
| "3B" Uniform sample | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Colombian Aerospace Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian Aerospace Force vte | Técnico jefe de comando conjunto | Técnico jefe de comando conjunto | Técnico jefe de comando conjunto | Técnico jefe de comando | Técnico jefe de comando | Técnico jefe de comando | Técnico jefe | Técnico jefe | Técnico subjefe | Técnico subjefe | Técnico primero | Técnico primero | Técnico primero | Técnico primero | Técnico primero | Técnico primero | Técnico segundo | Técnico segundo | Técnico segundo | Técnico segundo | Técnico segundo | Técnico segundo | Técnico tercero | Técnico tercero | Técnico tercero | Técnico tercero | Técnico cuarto | Técnico cuarto | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | | |
| Abbr. | TJCC | TJCC | TJCC | TJC | TJC | TJC | TJ | TJ | TS | TS | TP | TP | TP | TP | TP | TP | T2 | T2 | T2 | T2 | T2 | T2 | T3 | T3 | T3 | T3 | T4 | T4 | AT | AT | AT | AT | AT | AT | - | - |

## Pre-2010 ranks

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Colombian National Army | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Army | General de Ejercito | General de Ejercito | Teniente General | Teniente General | Mayor General | Mayor General | Brigadier General | Brigadier General | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Colombian National Navy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian National Navy | Almirante | Almirante | Almirante de Escuadra | Almirante de Escuadra | Vicealmirante | Vicealmirante | Contralmirante | Contralmirante | Capitán de Navío | Capitán de Navío | Capitán de Fragata | Capitán de Fragata | Capitán de Corbeta | Capitán de Corbeta | Teniente de Navío | Teniente de Navío | Teniente de Fragata | Teniente de Fragata | Teniente de Fragata | Teniente de Corbeta | Teniente de Corbeta | Teniente de Corbeta |
| Colombian Naval Infantry | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian Naval Infantry | General | General | Teniente General | Teniente General | Mayor General | Mayor General | Brigadier | Brigadier | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Colombian Aerospace Force | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Colombian Aerospace Force | General del Aire | General del Aire | Teniente General del Aire | Teniente General del Aire | Mayor General del Aire | Mayor General del Aire | Brigadier General del Aire | Brigadier General del Aire | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Colombian Aerospace Force | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No equivalent | No equivalent |
| Colombian Aerospace Force | Técnico Jefe de Comando Conjunto | Técnico Jefe de Comando Conjunto | Técnico Jefe de Comando Conjunto | Técnico Jefe de Comando | Técnico Jefe de Comando | Técnico Jefe de Comando | Técnico Jefe | Técnico Jefe | Técnico Subjefe | Técnico Subjefe | Técnico Primero | Técnico Primero | Técnico Primero | Técnico Primero | Técnico Primero | Técnico Primero | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Segundo | Técnico Tercero | Técnico Tercero | Técnico Tercero | Técnico Tercero | Técnico Cuarto | Técnico Cuarto | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | Aerotécnico | | | No equivalent | No equivalent |