Editing Kentucky Colonel (section)

{{Short description|Highest civic honor awarded by Kentucky}}
{{About|the honorable title and Kentucky colonelcy|other uses|Kentucky Colonel (disambiguation)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox order
| name            = Kentucky Colonel
| image           = Commissioning Certificate awarded to Daniel S. Peña Sr.png
| image_size      = 
| alt             = Kentucky Colonelcy certificate
| caption         = A [[letters patent]] certificate for a Kentucky Colonel issued in 1987 by [[Martha Layne Collins|Governor Martha Layne Collins]]
| awarded_by      = the [[Kentucky|Commonwealth of Kentucky]]
| type            = [[State order]] & [[order of merit]]
| established     = 1894
| country         = United States
| seat            = [[Frankfort, Kentucky]]
| ribbon          = Kentucky Blue
| motto           = United We Stand<br/>Divided We Fall
| eligibility     = Civilian
| criteria        = Recognition of good deed, contribution to state prosperity, community service, or noteworthy action performed by an individual.
| status          = [[Colonel (U.S. honorary title)|Honorary]]
| founder         = [[William O'Connell Bradley|Governor Col. William O'Connell Bradley]]
| first_induction = 1894
| last_induction  = Current
| total           = About 350,000
}}

'''Kentucky Colonel''' is the highest [[title of honor]] bestowed by the [[US state]] of [[Kentucky]]. It is the most well-known [[Colonel (U.S. honorary title)|colonelcy]] in the United States.<ref name="ACN">{{cite web|url=https://www.colonels.net/|title=American Colonelcy|website=American Colonels|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> A Kentucky Colonel Commission (the certificate) is awarded in the name of the Commonwealth by the [[governor of Kentucky]] to individuals with "Honorable" titular style recognition preceding the names of civilians aged 18 or over, for noteworthy accomplishments, contributions to civil society, remarkable deeds, or outstanding service to the community, state, or a nation.<ref name="COK">{{Cite web|last=SOS Office Staff|date=February 23, 2021|title=Kentucky Colonels|url=https://sos.ky.gov/admin/executive-journal/Pages/Kentucky-Colonels.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305173218/https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AFXncldWfqLAJ%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.sos.ky.gov%2Fadmin%2Fexecutive-journal%2FPages%2FKentucky-Colonels.aspx|archive-date=March 5, 2021|access-date= February 28, 2021|website=Kentucky Secretary of State|publisher=Commonwealth of Kentucky}}</ref> The governor bestows the honorable title with a colonelcy [[commission (document)|commission]], by issuance of [[letters patent]].

While many famous and noteworthy people have received commissions as Kentucky colonels, the award is equally available to those of all backgrounds based on their deeds. A Kentucky colonel is traditionally considered a [[goodwill ambassador]] of the Kentucky state, culture, folklore, traditions and values.<ref name="KCUS">{{Cite web|last=Wright|first=David|date=February 25, 2021|orig-year=1998|title=Kentucky Colonel, Since 1775|url=https://www.kycolonelcy.us|website=Kentucky Colonelcy|publisher=Office of the Colonelcy}}</ref>

Although Kentucky colonels are considered in common law to be [[aide-de-camp|aides-de-camp]] to the governors and members of their staff and thus entitled to the [[Style (manner of address)|style]] of "[[Honorable]]",<ref name="FOA">{{Cite web |last=Hickey |first=Robert |date=May 3, 2020 |title=How to Address a Kentucky Colonel – Greet, Write and Say Name |url=http://www.formsofaddress.info/Colonel_Kentucky.html |access-date=March 22, 2021 |website=Honor & Respect}}</ref><ref>[http://www.websters-dictionary-online.com/definitions/colonel?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744%3Av0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=colonel&sa=Search#906 Websters Dictionary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718015833/http://www.websters-dictionary-online.com/definitions/colonel?cx=partner-pub-0939450753529744%3Av0qd01-tdlq&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=colonel&sa=Search|date=July 18, 2011}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of colonel {{!}} Dictionary.com |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/colonel |access-date=March 25, 2022 |website=www.dictionary.com |language=en}}</ref> Kentucky colonels are usually just referred to and addressed as "Colonel" and use the abbreviation "Col." or ''Kentucky colonel'' when the term is not being used as a specific title for an individual. Most properly in writing this becomes "Col. First Name, Middle, Surname, Kentucky Colonel".<ref name="FOA" />