The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels does not appoint or commission Kentucky Colonels. That can only be done by the sitting Governor of the Commonwealth. Only the Governor knows the reason for bestowing the honor of a Colonel’s Commission on any particular individual.
Becoming a Kentucky Colonel has been a long traditional in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels was created by an Act of the General Assembly on January 12, 1813 and established to pay tribute to citizens who had made outstanding contributions to the commonwealth. Today, the honor is granted only in recognition of personal accomplishments and not for any particular achievement.
How to become a kentucky colonel
One recent Governor made this comment about the qualities he considered, “Each time I have the pleasure of bestowing a membership to this exceptional organization on an individual, the great tradition established by Kentucky’s first governor, Isaac Shelby, lives on. The name Kentucky Colonel has become synonymous with strength of character, leadership and dedication to the welfare of others. Just as Isaac Shelby declared his trusted militia members to be his Kentucky Colonels, I see in you those things that place others above self.”
To obtain a Kentucky Colonel Commission, a nomination must be submitted to the Governor. The nominee must also be 18 years old. To nominate an individual please complete the Kentucky Colonel Commission Application. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Governor’s Office in Frankfort. The address is Attention: Lori Farris, Room 133, Governor’s Office, State Capitol, Frankfort, KY 40601. Or email her at Lori.farris@ky.gov.
The Kentucky Colonels is an independent, nonprofit organization with the purpose of aiding and promoting the Commonwealth and its citizens. Membership is open to anyone who has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. We hope everyone will consider himself or herself a friend of the Kentucky Colonels.
The Kentucky Colonels are a voluntary but exclusive philanthropic organization, and the only way to receive a commission as a Kentucky Colonel is to be nominated by the Governor of Kentucky. The Colonels offer grants, scholarships, and more in the form of charitable donations from its membership. The goal is to give back for the betterment of the people of the state while doing the most good with the money they have.
They enjoy the occasional party now and then too.
In order to become a Colonel of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, you’ll need first to be nominated to the Governor or the Secretary of State. The Colonels are, after all, designated representatives of the governor of Kentucky and the “aides-de-camp” of the commonwealth’s chief executive. That’s all due to the history of the organization.
The title of Kentucky Colonel began as a way to bestow respect on elder generations who fought the British in the American Revolution and the War of 1812, as the Kentucky Militias were particularly feared and/or respected by British troops. The governor, Isaac Shelby, personally led Kentucky troops in the War of 1812. When there was no war left to fight, the militias were disbanded – but the governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky still required an aide-de-camp, so he hired one. That was Col. Charles Stewart Todd. After a while, the role of the governor’s aide-de-camp became more ceremonial and, eventually, honorary.
Nowadays, being designated a Kentucky Colonel still means assisting the governor, but the Colonels exist as envoys of the governor and state, those who preserve Kentucky heritage and history, while improving the lives and living conditions for those who live there. Previous Colonels include boxer Muhammad Ali, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, actress Betty White, Pope Benedict XVI, and the past seven U.S. Presidents, just to name a few.
So while the uniform and rank may be ceremonial, the duties and expectations of the Kentucky Colonels are very real.
