Colonel (Col) ( sv, Överste, Öv) is the most senior
field grade military
officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," ...
rank in the
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gusta ...
and the
Swedish Air Force, immediately above the rank of
lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...
. It is equivalent to the naval rank of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the
Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps ().
In Swedish, vessels ...
.
History
''Överste'' ("Colonel") is the name for the highest regimental officer rank. The name, sometimes in the connection with ''häröverste'' ("army colonel") and also ''generalöverste'' ("colonel general"), is as old as a
standing army
A standing army is a permanent, often professional, army. It is composed of full-time soldiers who may be either career soldiers or conscripts. It differs from army reserves, who are enrolled for the long term, but activated only during wars o ...
, that is, from the end of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
. During the 16th and 17th centuries, a famous soldier was commissioned to recruit a regiment and was then appointed colonel at the head of it. The regiment was thus the colonel's belonging; he appointed, among other things, its officers. To the extent that the recruitment was immediately taken over by the state, the colonels began to be appointed by the king as well as the other officers. Even today, the colonel is usually the regimental commander.
The rank of colonel was between the rank of
lieutenant colonel and
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
until 1972 when
senior colonel rank was introduced. Thereafter, colonel was between lieutenant colonel and senior colonel from 1972 to 2000 when the
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...
rank was introduced. Since 2000, the rank of colonel is between the lieutenant colonel and the brigadier general and the senior colonel (for those who still hold the rank, no new appointments are made) is between colonel and the brigadier general.
Rank insignia
Collar patches
File:OF-5 Överste.jpg, Collar patch m/58 for colonel
File:1 Överste 1939.jpg, Collar patch
File:12 Överste krage 1923.jpg, Collar patch
Shoulder marks
Air Force
File:OF-5_Överste_FV_hylsa.jpg,
(2000–present)
File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 FV hylsa.jpg,
(1987–2000)
Army
File:12 Överste axelklaff m1923.jpg, Shoulder mark m/1923
(13 = Dalarna Regiment)
File:12 Överste axelträns m1910.jpg, Shoulder mark m/1910
(13 = Dalarna Regiment)
File:Axelklaff m1895 överste trängen.jpg, Shoulder mark m/1895 ( Service Troops)
Navy (Amphibious Corps)
File:OF-5 Överste AMF hylsa.jpg, Embroidered shoulder mark (Navy)
(2000–present)
File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 AMF hylsa.jpg, Embroidered shoulder mark (Navy)
(1987–2000)
File:OF-5 Överste AMF hylsa02.jpg, Wowen shoulder mark (2003–present)
Sleeve insignias
Air Force
File:OF-5 Överste FV mäss.jpg, Mess jacket sleeve insignia for a colonel
File:OF-5 Överste FV ärm pre-2003.jpg, Mess jacket sleeve insignia for a colonel
(–2003)
File:OF-5 Överste FV ärmmatta.jpg, Flight suit
A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and durable (includ ...
sleeve insignia for a colonel
(2000–present)
File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 FV ärmmatta.jpg, Flight suit
A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and durable (includ ...
sleeve insignia for a colonel
(1987–2000)
Army
File:4 Överste armén ärm 1906.jpg, Sleeve insignia on uniform m/1906 for a colonel.
Navy (Amphibious Corps)
File:OF-5 Överste AMF arm.jpg, Sleeve insignia on ''innerkavaj m/48'' ("inner jacket m/48") for a colonel.
(2000–present)
File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 AMF arm.jpg,
(1987–2000)
Hats
File:12 Överste mössa m1923.jpg, Hat (''Mössa m/1923'') for a colonel.
File:OF-5 Överste lägermössa m1865-99.png, Camp hat (''Lägermössa m/1865-99'') for a colonel.
File:OF-5 Överste lägermössa m1865-99 LG.png, Hat (''Mössa m/1865-99'') for a colonel in Life Guards infantry.
File:8 Överste armén hatt m1910-14.jpg, Rank insignia for a colonel on hat (''Hatt m/1910-14'') in the army.
File:Hatt m1859 för överste.jpg, Hatt m/1859 for a colonel in Värmland Ranger Corps (''Värmlands fältjägarkår'')
File:10 Överste armén mössmärke 1946.jpg, Hat badge (''Mössmärke m/1946'') for a colonel in the army.
File:10 Överste armén mössmärke 1940.jpg, Hat badge (''Mössmärke m/1940'') for a colonel in the army.
File:8 Överste armén mössmärke 1914.jpg, Hat badge (''Mössmärke m/1914'') for a colonel in the army on fur hat (''pälsmössa m/1909-14'').
References
Notes
Print
*
*
*
*{{cite book , url=http://www.tjelvar.se/pdf/unir_2003.pdf , title=Uniformsreglemente för Försvarsmakten: UniR FM , edition=2003 , year=2003 , publisher=Försvarsmakten , location=Stockholm , language=sv , id={{SELIBR, 9043529 , ref={{harvid, ''Uniformsreglemente'', 2003
Military ranks of the Swedish Army
Military ranks of the Swedish Air Force
sv:Överste