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Wietbrock pins on eagles

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
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.

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Public Affairs Staff

Material contained on the Official Grissom Air Reserve Base Internet Web Site is written and produced by members of the 434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office. The award-winning staff includes:

Ben Mota
Chief, public affairs

Maj. Elias Zani
Public affairs officer

Master Sgt. Wendy Day
Staff writer

Tech. Sgt. Alexa Culbert
Staff writer

Senior Airman Elise Faurote
Staff writer

Senior Airman Benjamin Cowles
Staff writer