Last modified: 2010-02-12 by dov gutterman
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Pre-Military Schools:
See also:
There has recently been a slight change in the way the Schools are arranged in the Colombian Army. The schools are under a specific category according to its purpose:
Escuelas de Formación (Formation Schools):
- Escuela Militar de Cadetes "General José
María Córdova"
- Escuela Militar de Suboficiales "Sargento
Inocencio Chincá"
- Escuela de Soldados Profesionales
- Centro de Educación Militar
- Escuela de Armas y Servicios
- Escuela de Infantería
- Escuela de Caballería
- Escuela de Artillería
- Escuela de Ingenieros
- Escuela de Comunicaciones
- Escuela de Logística
- Escuela de Policía Militar (ESPOM,
Military Police School, official website located at <www.espom.mil.co> )
- Escuela de Relaciones Civiles y Militares
- Escuela de Equitación (ESCEQ, Equestrian School, official
abbreviation, official website at <www.esceq.mil.co>)
- Escuela de Aviación
- Escuela de Inteligencia y Contrainteligencia
"Brigadier General Ricardo Charry Solano"
- Batallón de Servicios para la Educación Militar (BASEM,
Military Education Services Battalion, official website located
at <www.basem.mil.co>)
- Compañía Avanzada de Tiro (CITAE, Advanced Shooting Company,
official website at <www.citae.mil.co>)
- Centro Nacional de Entrenamiento (CENAE, Training National
Center, official website at <www.cenae.mil.co>, located
in Tolemaida, Cundinamarca
- Escuela de Lanceros
- Escuela de Paracaidismo Militar
- Escuela de Soldados Profesionales (ESPRO, Professional Soldiers
School, official website at <www.espro.mil.co>, it is
located in the same facilities as the CENAE)
- Escuela de Fuerzas Especiales (ESFES, Special Forces School,
see also BRFER, official website
at <www.esfes.mil.co>)
- Centro de Instrucción y Reentrenamiento Tropas Ejército
(CERTE, Army Troops Center of Instruction and Training, official
abbreviation, official website at <www.certe.mil.co>)
- Batallón de Mantenimiento de Ingenieros (BAMAI, Engineers
Maintenance Battalion, official website at www.bamai.mil.co> )
Each of these schools have their own Coat of Arms, flags and
some even have pennants:
E.R., 9 June 2007
War Flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2005
Standard - obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 14 June 2006
Standard - reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 14 June 2006
square "pennant"
image by Eugene Ipavec, 14 June 2006
coat of arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 14 June 2006
This military institution is called ESDEGUE (Escuela Superior
de Guerra, or Superior School of War). This is where the Colonels
study to become Generals and also where the Generals become Major
Generals and so on...
Official website: <www.esdegue.mil.co>.
E.R., 14 June 2006
The caption of the bottom of the ESDEGUE official flag reads
ESC. SUPERIOR DE GUERRA, and it follows the same pattern as other
official flags.
E.R., 25 August 2005
War Flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 February 2006
Standard
image by Eugene Ipavec, 10 September 2006
.gif)
Standard - detail
image by Eugene Ipavec, 10 September 2006
eslan.gif)
coat of arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 10 September 2006
This is the flag of the Escuela de Lanceros (or Lancers
School), in which the military and police personnel of the
Colombian forces take courses to become an elite force of highly
trained mobile force to combat the guerilla and the
paramilitaries. It is based on the US Army Ranger system, and
lots of foreign applicants go there as well. The flag is the
Colombian flag, plus the Coat of Arms and on the bottom it reads
ESCUELA DE LANCEROS.
These units as elite units, initially within the Cavalry Branch
of the Colombian Army, but currently it is another specialty
course taken by any Army member who passes the tests and is
eligible to take the course.
I recall that when this Lancers School was established back in
the mid 1950's during the military regime of General Gustavo
Rojas Pinilla (who took power on a coup d'etat and actually ran a
series of military reforms), the model of the Lancers School was
taken form the U.S. Rangers.
For further information about the Escuela de Lanceros, please
refer to <www.specwarnet.com>
Source: Picture taken at the Indepenedence Day parade
held in Bogota on July 20, 2004 ( from the Ministry of National
Defense at <www.mindefensa.gov.co>).
E.R., 7 February 2006
The additional official flag is based on photo of the flag
taken by me at the Museo Militar. Coat of Arms based on
García, Julio Cesar: "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra
Colombia", Camer Editores (2000).
The motto reads on black letters LEALTADA, VALOR, > SACRIFICIO
(Loyalty, Valor, Sacrifice).
ESLAN official website is at <www.eslan.mil.co>.
E.R., 10 September 2006
The proportions of the stripes are 4:2:3:2:5:2:3:2:4. The logo
inside the shield on the flag is simplified and thus
significantly different from the normal ESLAN logo.
Eugene Ipavec, 10 September 2006
War Flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 20 December 2005
Standard - obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 October 2005
Standard - reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 October 2005
pennant
image by Eugene Ipavec, 26 December 2005
Flag of the Escuela Militar de Cadetes "General José
María Córdova" (Military Cadet School Jose Maria Cordova).
It is often abbreviated as ESMIC (EScuela MIlitar de Cadetes).
This school is for all Army Cadet students who want to be
officers.
Description of the flag: Horizontally divided flag, with upper
side divided into two equal stripes (bootom left green, top
right, red). On the obverse the Coat of Arms is located on the
green part of the flag.
Sources: Coat of Arms at "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra
Colombia", by Julio César García, Camer Editing 2000. ISBN
958-33-1489-7 page 175, photos from official site <www.esmic.edu.co>.
E.R., 3 October 2005
There is another official flag of this Military Cadet School.
All military flags have the same legislation (the flag of
Colombia plus the lettering of the Unit, and also another
official flag with its on Coat of Arms and the proper color
background).
Source: photo taken at Colombia's Independence Day in
Madrid, 2005.
There is also pennant of this Military Cadet School. Notice that
it reads JMC, the initials of the name of the School (José
María Córdova).
Source: photo taken at Colombia's Independence Day
Parade in Bogotá, July 20, 2003.
E.R., 20 and 26 December 2005
The official name is Escuela Militar de Cadetes José María
Córdova (and not Córdoba). The difference is the "v"
goes instead of "b". The explanation for this is pretty
simple: back in the 1800's the last name of the youngest Army
General in the Colombian Army (José María Córdova), the
spelling was with "v". However the Department of
Córdoba is spelled with "b". So, for all military
purposes, the name of this General is spelled with "v"
(The top Army Order is called José María Córdova) and for all
civilian purposes it's spelled Córdoba (for example the Police
Command for the Department is called Córdoba).
This Military Cadet School is a University level institution.
This transition towards full academic approval by the Colombian
Education authorities was done very recently.
E.R., 28 December 2005
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 November 2005
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 March 2006
emsub.gif)
Coat of Arms
image contributed by E.R., 3 November 2005
director Pennant
image by Eugene Ipavec,
Coat of Arms and flag of the Escuela Militar de Suboficiales
Sargento Inocencio Chincá (NCO's Military School Sargeant
Inocencio Chinca). The official abbreviation is EMSUB. Official
website at <http://www.emsub.mil.co>.
E.R., 3 November 2005
The Pennant of the Director of the EMSUB is seen at <www.ejercito.mil.co>
on a photograph taken on July 20, during a military parade held
in Bogotá to commemorate Colombia's Independence Day.
It is a tricolour Pennant, with the rank of Colonel in yellow.
This follows the same pattern as the General
commanding a Unit Rank Flag.
The EMSUB is headed by a Colonel. However military schools head's
are called Directors and not Commanders.
E.R., 10 August 2009
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
.gif)
Coat of Arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Centro de Educación Militar (CEMIL, Military Education
Center) is located in Bogotá. The CEMIL flag is a red and
charged with the coat of arms. The coat of arms can be seen in
the school's website at <www.cemil.mil.co>.
The CEMIL was previously named Decimoquinta Brigada (Fifteenth
Brigade), and its symbols were the Roman Numerals XV.
CEMIL is in charge of study, doctrine and leadership and
handles the curriculum of the following schools:
- Escuela de Armas y Servicios
- Escuela de Infantería
- Escuela de Caballería
- Escuela de Artillería
- Escuela de Ingenieros Militares
- Escuela de Comunicaciones
- Escuela de Logística
- Escuela de Policía Militar
- Escuela de Relaciones Civiles y Militares
- Escuela de Equitación
- Escuela de Aviación Ejército
- Batallón de Servicios para la Educación Militar
- Compañia Avanzada de Tiro.
Source: <www.cemil.mil.co>.
E.R., 25 August 2008
Previous Flag of Decimoquinta Brigada (Fifteenth Brigade)
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 October 2006
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 October 2006
Escuela de Infantería (Infantry School) is known fir short as
ESINF. Three days after the declaration of Independence, on July
23, 1810, the Batallón de Voluntarios de la Guardia Nacional
(Volunteer Battallion of the National Guard) was established.
This was the genesis of today's Colombian Infantry units. Later
on by Decree 578 of May 18, 1907, the President General Rafael
Reyes creates the Batallón Modelo de Ifantería (Model Infantry
Batallion) in order to adopt the reforms of the Chilean mission.
Sources: Julio César García: Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra
Colombia, Camer Editing, (2000), page 179. Official websute at
<www.jedoc.mil.co>
Photo of the reverse of flag. Image on Independence Day parade of
2005. Photo taken at Colombian Independence Day Parade on July
20, 2006
Official website at <www.esinf.mil.co>.
E.R., 31 October 2006
The Colombian Army's Infantry School's motto featured on its
Coat of Arms is PASO DE VENCEDORES (Victors march). This writing
appears on the lower part of the Coat of Arms.
Source: Official
website.
E.R., 24 August 2008
image by E.R., 10 August 2009
The Director's Pennant of the ESPAM (Escuela de Paracaidismo
Militar) is seen here
in this picture reported on the official Army website taken in
Bogota on July 20 during Colombia's Independence Day.
Notice that this is the School's Standard, and as some other
schools, the ESPAM flag may also have its Coat of Arms in the
middle. The Coat of Arms is seen on their official
website which is a combination of several Course Badges as
seen here
and here.
One more Pennant regarding this subject is seen at this picture:
a triangular black pennant with a yellow outline with the yellow
capital letters SLIIDI(V?). My best guess is that this may be it
is a current military parachute course.
E.R., 10 August 2009
The "II" are really // (slashes) I believe.
Jan Mertens, 11 August 2009
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 August 2008
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 August 2008
.gif)
coat of arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 August 2008
During the F-Air
2008, an International Aeronautical Fair held in Rionegro,
Antioquia, I spotted several flags, one of them the School of
Artillery flag (Escuela de Artillería (ESART)). The flag is
similar to EAS but featuring black instead of
red.
The School of Artillery was established on September 1, 1937, in
Bogota.
E.R., 7 July 2008
The School's name is Escuela de Artillería "General
Carlos Julio Gil Colorado", and on the flag, it reads
in silver (or white?) capital letters GRAL. CARLOS JULIO GIL C..
The complete Coat of Arms information can be seen at the official
website.
E.R., 24 August 2008
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 October 2005
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 March 2006
This is the flag of the Escurela de Armas y Servicios (E.A.S.)
- School of Arms and Services. It is the equivalent to the
ordnance branch of the Colombian Army. Image based on coat of
armstaken from the book "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra
Colombia", by Julio César García, Camer Editing, 2000 and
photo from <www.jedoc.mil.co>.
Official website at <www.eas.mil.co>.
E.R.,24 October 2005
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 October 2005
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 March 2006
I located Colombian Military Intelligence Service flag at <www.esici.edu.co>.
Jarig Bakker , 9 September 1999
Here is the emblem as
appear at "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra Colombia", by
Julio César García. Camer Editores. 2000. ISBN 958-33-1489-7.
(image from page 196). The Military Intelligence is a Branch of
the Colombian Army.
E.R., 2 July 2005
Is there a reason it uses the insignia of United States Army
Intelligence?
Nathan Lamm, 24 October 2005
I do not know if this is the same insignia as the United
States Army Intelligence. If that's true then it could possibly
be because there were guidelines coming from the U.S. military in
either establishing or reestructuring the Intelligence Service.
E.R., 24 October 2005
The correct name should be "Escuela de Inteligencia y
Contrainteligencia Brigadier General Ricardo Charry Solano"
(Brigadier General Ricardo Charry Solano Intelligence and
Counterintelligence School). Official website at <www.esici.edu.co>.
E.R., 3 November 2005
Standard
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 July 2007
desk flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 October 2006
desk flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 31 October 2006
Escuela de Relaciones Civiles y Militares (Military and
Civilian Relations School) known for short as ERCM was formerly
known as OPSIC (Operaciones Sicológicas - Psychological
Operations). It was established by Directive No. 003 of 1991 of
the Army Command and its purpose is to interact with the
communities dealing with military force civilian cooperation,
human rights, community support plans, crisis situation
management, among other tasks. There are actually two flags but
the official one iswith blue background.
Sources: Julio César García: Himnos y Símbolos de
Nuestra Colombia, Came Editing, Year (2000), ISBN 958-33-1489-7,
page 203). Photo taken on July 1, 2006, during Air Force show at
Jose Maria Cordova International Airtport. Photo taken at
Colombian Independence Day parade on July 20, 2006. Official
website at <www.ercm.mil.co>.
E.R., 31 October 2006
The Military and Civilian Relations School flag is the same as
the blue version of the desk flag but the Coat of Arms is
encircled in a thin golden fringe, blue backgrund and it reads in
yellow capital letters ESCUELA DE RELACIONES CIVILES MILITARES.
Source: Picture taken at military parade on Colombia's
Independence Day (July 20, 2006).
E.R., 25 July 2007
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 30 October 2005
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 March 2006
This is the flag of the Military Communications branch based
on photo taken from El
Espectador on July 20, 2005 during a military parade to
commemorate Colombia's Independence Day and coat of arms from the
book "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra Colombia", by Julio
César García, Camer Editing (2000). See also official site at
<www.jedoc.mil.co>.
E.R., 30 October 2005
On an bright orange field, a shield chequy black and
seafoam-green, with a smaller shield in its center, parted per
bend sinister or, charged with gules bezant, and argent, charged
with azure bezant. Crest is the Earth with an arm holding three
red lightning bolts jutting out of the North pole. Red ribbon
below with motto "CIENCIA, DOMINIO, VIGILANCIA.".
Eugene Ipavec, 30 October 2005
This is Escuela de Comunicaciones (Communications School,
official abbreviation ESCOM, website at <www.escom.mil.co>.
E.R., 9 June 2007
image by Eugene Ipavec, 24 August 2008
Escuela de Soldados Profesionales (ESPRO, Professional
Soldiers School) - The ESPRO flag can be seen at <www.espro.mil.co>.
The ESPRO flag is green background flag charged with the Coat of
Arms in the middle.
E.R., 24 August 2008
obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
vertical variant
image by Eugene Ipavec, 22 November 2009
.gif)
Coat of Arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Escuela de Ingenieros (ESING, Engineers School) - The ESING
Coat of Arms can bee at <www.esing.mil.co>.
The motto reads VENCER O MORIR (Conquer or death).
The flag is a diagonally divided white over purple and charged on
its obverse with the Coat of Arms. The flag can be seen here.
E.R., 25 August 2008
There is a hemicircular inscription above the arms (flag only)
"ESCUELA DE INGENIEROS MILITARES".
Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Recently the Military Engineers School celebrated its 195
foundation ceremony. Vertical Military Engineers Flag is seen at
a photo at <www.ejercito.mil.co>.
E.R., 22 November 2009
War Flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Standard
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
.gif)
Coat of Arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Escuela de Caballería (ESCAB, Cavalry School) - The Coat of
Arms can be seen at <www.escab.mil.co> with
information in Spanish here.
The flags is located here:
On the right is the official flag, following the pattern or
template of all official flags (Colombian tricolor charged with
the Coat of Arms, above - REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA, and below - the
name of the institution on the bottom, in this case ESCUELA DE
CABALLERIA).
The additional official flag is on the right. It has yellow
background and is charged with ESCAB Coat of Arms.
E.R., 25 August 2008
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Escuela de Logística (ESLOG, Logistics School) - The
description of the Coat of Arms is at <www.cemil.mil.co>.
It was designed by Lt. Col. (r) Carlos Arteaga Bernal, with
the advisroy of Lt. Col. Hidelbrando Roa Legizamón.
The flag is here:
The school's flag, on the right, is of silver background and
charged with the Coat of Arms.
E.R., 25 August 2008
Arms are vert three sabres argent. The poultry is holding a
key.
Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
.gif)
Coat of Arms
image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
Escuela de Policía Militar (ESPOM, Military Police School) -
The flag's description and pictures is at <www.espom.mil.co>.
It is 135 cm long, 110 cm wide, rectangular shape, three
equal horizontal stripes (inner ratio 3:5:3), the top black, the
middle white and the bottom black, with the Coat of Arms in the
middle.
E.R. and Eugene Ipavec, 25 August 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 10 January 2004
The Academy was founded in 1977. Its flag is dark yellow with
a black border.
Source: <www.voluntad.com.co>,
located by Dov Gutterman.
Ivan Sache, 10 January 2004
image by Ivan Sache, 3 January 2009
"Colegio Militar Acoolsure", a private cooperative
institute, was founded in Barranquilla on 19 October 1975 by
Miguel Angel Sanchez Yepes, and recognized by the Department of
Atlántico in 1976 (Decree No 222). Its brand new grounds were
inaugurated by President of the Republic Julio Cesar Turbay on 8
December 1979.
The flag of the institute, as shown graphically on the website
of the institute, is white with the coat of arms of the
institute in the middle.
The coat of arms is made of a shield horizontally divided
yellow-blue- red (the Colombian national colours), surrounded by
a white border bearing the black writings "BARANQUILLA"
(top) and "DISCIPLINA, CIENCIA Y ESTUDIO" (bottom, the
motto of the institute in Spanish, "Discipline, Science and
Study"), and surmonted by a white scroll charged with the
name of the institute. All the elements of the coat of arms are
outlined in green.
The horizontal fields of the shield are charged with two crossed
rifles proper, two crossed anchors argent, and a shield
vertically divided red-yellow-blue flanked by two wings argent,
respectively. The charges obviously represent the Army, Navy and
Air Force, respectively.
Ivan Sache, 3 January 2009
ACOOLSURE stands for Asociación Cooperativa Colombiana de
Suboficiales en Retiro del Ejército (Colombian Cooperative
Association of Retired Army NCO's).
E.R., 3 January 2009
"Colegio Militar 'General Pedro Nel Ospina'" was
founded on 24 August 1998 in Medellín by the local section of
ACORE, an association of retired members of the Colombian armed
forces. Classes started on 25 January 1999 and the institute was
recognized by the Ministry of National Education on 10 December
1998 (Decree No. 2180) and 22 January 2001 (Decree No. 0077).
The institute is named after General Pedro Nel Ospina
(1858-1937), Governor of Antioquia (1918-1920) and President of
the Republic of Colombia (1922-1926). During his tenure, Colombia
was awarded 25 millions USD by the USA to compensate for the loss
of Panamá. Ospina was the first President in the world to use an
airplane for an official travel.
The flag of the
institute, as shown graphically on the website of the
institute, is dark red with the emblem of the institute in
the middle. The emblem of the institute is an oval light blue
shield, surrounded with a green scroll charged with the black
writing "COL. MIL. GENERAL PEDRO NEL OSPINA. The shield is
charged with an eagle holding in its claws a
"Colombian" shield (horizontally divided
yellow-blue-red, 1:2:1) with a white open book and a red quill.
The eagle is surrounded by three groups of four white stars.
Ivan Sache, 13 January 2004
image by Ivan Sache, 4 January 2004
The Army College Jose Maria Cordoba is located in Medellin.
Its flag is horizontally divided red-green with the shield of the
College in the middle. The shield of the College is silver, with
an escutcheon made of a vertical national flag, charged with a
rifle and a sword crossed in saltire. There is a brown scroll on
the upper part of the shield and another one below the
escutcheon. MEDELLIN is written in brown letters below hte latter
scroll. The image is incomplete. The upper scroll should bear
COLEGIO MILITAR and the lower scroll JOSE MARIA CORDOBA, with
dark brown letters
Source: <www.colmiljosemariacordoba.edu.co>,
located by Dov Gutterman.
Ivan Sache, 4 January 2004
image by Ivan Sache, 9 January 2009
"Colegio Militar Simon Bólivar" was founded in
January 1977 in Bogotá by Colonel Camilo Acevedo Vélez (d.
1984).
The flag of the institute, as shown graphically and described on
the website
of the institute, is 1.5 m x 2 m, horizontally divided
vermilion red-white-black.
Red represents the glorious infantry and its skills, force,
victory, daring and ardor.
White represents purity, integrity, obedience, firmness and
vigilance, that is skills to be exerted by every good soldier.
Black represents steel, war, honesty, discipline and the force of
will.
Ivan Sache, 9 January 2009
intel.jpg){kind=link}
