Aide-de-camp

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An aide-de-camp (French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. The first aide-de-camp is typically the foremost personal aide.

In some countries, aide-de-camp is considered to be a title of honor (which confers the post-nominal letters ADC), and participates at ceremonial functions.

The badge of office for an aide-de-camp is usually the aiguillette, a braided cord in gold or other colours, worn with a uniform on the left (or sometimes right) shoulder.

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[edit] British Empire

Charles James Esquire's Military Dictionary (1810) pp 29-30 stated that an Aide-de-Camp was an officer appointed to attend a general officer and is seldom under the grade of captain. The King may appoint for himself as many as he pleases, which appointment gives the rank of colonel in the army. Generals being field marshals, have four, lieutenant generals two, major generals one.

In British Colonies and modern-day British Overseas Territories, the aide-de-camp is appointed to serve the Governor. The ceremonial dress, including plumed helmet, continues to be worn by present-day aide-de-camps even where the Governor opts not to wear his own ceremonial gear.

In 1973, the Governor of Bermuda, Sir Richard Sharples, and his aide-de-camp, Captain Hugh Sayers were murdered in the grounds of Government House.

In the last big hurrah of empire, on the last day of British rule in Hong Kong on 30 June 1997, the aide-de-camp to Governor Chris Patten presented Patten with the flag at Government House. He then gave the Royal Salute to the first three bars of God Save the Queen before proceeding, with the Pattens, to leave Government House for the last time.

An Aide-de-camp with The Honourable Lise Thibault.
An Aide-de-camp with The Honourable Lise Thibault.

[edit] Canada

Aides-de-camp in Canada are appointed to the monarch, governor general, lieutenant governors, and to certain other appointments. In addition to the military officers appointed as full-time aides-de-camp to the governor general, several other senior officers are appointed ex officio as honorary aides-de-camp to the governor general including:

Aides-de-camp to the governor general wear a gold aiguillette when acting in their official capacity and also wear the governor general's badge on their shoulders. Aides-de-camp to the lieutenant governors are appointed from officers of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Depending on the province, aides may also be appointed from other uniformed organizations and in certain cases, even civilians. Civilians do not wear the aiguillette, but all may wear their lieutenant governor's badge (the arms of the province surmounted by the royal crown) as a symbol of their appointment and use the post-nominal ADC. Aides-de-camp to royal and vice-regal principals wear the aiguillette on the right shoulder.

Flag officers and general officers of the Canadian Forces and diplomatic appointments also have aides-de-camp or flag lieutenants appointed to them. These aides wear a gold aiguillette on the left shoulder.

[edit] Australia

Australian Defence Force Officers serve as Aides-de-Camp to specific senior appointments such as the Governor-General, State Governors, Defence Force Chiefs and other specified Army, Navy and Air Force command appointments. Honorary Aides-de-Camp to the Governor-General or State Governors are entitled to the postnominal ADC during their appointment.

[edit] Pakistan

In Pakistan the President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Governor have their own Aide-de-Camp. The ADC can be from any one of the three Armed Forces and typically are of the rank of Colonel, Captain or Group Captain.

[edit] United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, junior officers serve as Aides-de-Camp to certain senior officers. Flag Lieutenant is the Royal Navy equivalent. Equerries are equivalents to Aides-de-Camp in the Royal Household, in which ADC's are restricted to senior officers with a primarily honorific role.

There are several categories of these senior aides de camp to The Queen. Most are serving military, naval and RAF officers, usually of colonel or brigadier rank or equivalent. There are also specific posts for very senior officers, such as First and Principal Naval Aide de Camp, Flag Aide de Camp, Aides de Camp General, and Air Aides de Camp. Analogous offices include the Lieutenant of the Admiralty, the Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom, and the Gold Stick and Silver Stick.

Certain members of the Royal Family with military rank may be appointed Personal Aides de Camp to The Queen. Those currently holding this appointment are Field Marshal Edward, Duke of Kent, Admiral Charles, Prince of Wales, Captain Mark Phillips, 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, Captain Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Royal Navy, and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.

[edit] United States

Within the United States Army, aides-de-camps are specifically appointed to general-grade officers only (NATO Code OF-7 through OF-10), rank and amount determined by the grade. For those general officers with more than one aide, the senior-ranking aide is usually considered to be the senior aide and serves in the capacity of coordinating the other aides and the others of the general's personal staff such as the driver, orderlies, et cetera. For the majority officers, the maximum tour of duty for aides is generally two years. The following is a listing of the accepted number of aides allotted a general officer:

Brigadier General: 1 First Lieutenant
Major General: 1 Captain; 1 Lieutenant
Lieutenant General: 1 Major; 1 Captain
General: 1 Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Major, 1 Captain
General of the Army (or Chief of Staff, USA): 1 Colonel, 1 Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Major

Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels commanding units (battalions and brigades, respectively) do not have aides, but it is generally accepted that the unit's adjutant—called the S-1—also serves the commanding officer as an aide.

At the Brigadier General level it is not uncommon for them to have a Captain as their aide-de-camp.

‎Insignia for Aides to General Officers
‎Insignia for Aides to General Officers
‎Insignia for Aide to General of the Army. (there are currently no Generals of the Army)
‎Insignia for Aide to General of the Army. (there are currently no Generals of the Army)

In some circles of the U.S. military, an Aide-de-Camp is known as a dog-robber, because the aide is expected to rob anyone including the family dog, to get his general what he wants.

[edit] Variations

[edit] Sources

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)
  • Crocker, Lawrence P. [1977] (1996) Army Officer's Guide 47th ed., Harrisburg:Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-2665-7 .
  • Australian Army Prorocol Manual 1999, Defence Publishing Service DPS: 31568/99