GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Jonathan and Sarah Wietbrock pin colonel's eagles on their dad, Paul Wietbrock, during a pin-on ceremony held here in Gus Grissom Hall Aug. 25. Wietbrock left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Newly promoted Col. Paul Wietbrock speaks to a group of Airmen from the 434th Air Refueling Wing in Gus Grissom Hall here shortly after his pin-on ceremony Aug. 25. During his address, Wietbrock recalled his days as the 74th Air Refueling Squadron commander and how he brought about a pirate theme to the organization to increase morale. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Lt. Col. Larry Shaw, 434th Operations Support Squadron commander, presents a newly promoted Col. Paul Wietbrock with a lithograph in appreciation for his many years of service at Grissom during Wietbrock's pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Wietbrock left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Judy Wietbrock pins colonel's eagles on her son, Paul Wietbrock, during his pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Wietbrock left his position as 434th OG deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Col. Christopher Amend, left, administers an oath of office to a newly promoted Col. Paul Wietbrock during his pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Amend is the 434th Operations Group commander, and Wietbrock left his position as 434th OG deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Lt. Col. Larry Shaw, left, reads a note card given to him by Lisa Wietbrock, wife of newly promoted Col. Paul Wietbrock, as Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Henry looks on during Colonel Wietbrock's pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Colonel Wietbrock had his wife hand out several of the note cards to fellow servicemembers as a way to remember their service together at Grissom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Lisa Wietbrock, left, pins a colonel's eagle on her husband's hat as he and their daughter, Sarah, look on during a special pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Col. Paul Wietbrock, left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Sarah Wietbrock pin colonel's eagles on her dad, Paul Wietbrock, during a pin-on ceremony held here in Gus Grissom Hall Aug. 25. Wietbrock left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Ron and Judy Wietbrock pins colonel's eagles on their son, Paul Wietbrock, during his pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Wietbrock, an Army veteran, saluted his son. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Family and friends applaud a newly promoted Col. Paul Wietbrock during his pin-on ceremony here Aug. 25. Wietbrock left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner)
by Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner
434th ARW Public Affairs
10/22/2012 - GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- For generations, colonels have commanded both armies and respect.
Paul Wietbrock, was promoted to the rank of colonel in front of family, friends, colleagues and peers during a special ceremony held here at Gus Grissom Hall Aug. 25.
Wietbrock left his position as 434th Operations Group deputy commander at Grissom a few months ago to take a post as the 931st Air Refueling Group deputy commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., but was invited back to Grissom for a special pin-on ceremony.
The newly promoted colonel had his children pin on eagle rank insignias on his service dress coat, while his wife put his new rank on his hats and his parents replaced his shoulder boards on his shirt.
The history of the prestigious rank dates back to around 1505, when the Spanish King Ferdinand reorganized part of his army into twenty units called colunelas. These consisted of about 1,000 to 1250 men further organized into companies with their commander being named a coronel.
The French, and later the British, adopted the title, and although initially retaining the original Spanish pronunciation, the British soon used the pronunciation of 'kernel' we're familiar with today.
U.S. military colonels rank above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general. The modern day insignia for a colonel is a silver eagle with a U.S. shield on its chest and holding an olive branch in one talon and a bundle of arrows in the other.
The eagle insignia led to the informal term 'full bird colonel.'
The 434th OG is part of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives.
