chicken colonel

From the insignia of rank, which bears a depiction of an eagle.

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chicken colonel (plural chicken colonels)

1. (US, slang, dated, military) A member of the US armed forces having the rank of full colonel, as distinct from a lieutenant colonel.
   • 1951 May 14, “The Face Is Familiar”, in Time:

     In 1944, when many of his West Point classmates—including Omar Bradley and Dwight Eisenhower—had won general's stars, Van Fleet was still a chicken colonel commanding a regiment.

• bird colonel
• full bird colonel

• iron eagle