Aide-de-camp


An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant or secretary to a person of high rank, usually a senior military, police or government officer, or to a member of a royal family or a head of state. The term comes from a French expression meaning "helper in the military camp".
An aide-de-camp may participate at ceremonial functions, and the first aide-de-camp is typically the foremost personal aide. This is not to be confused with an adjutant, who is the senior administrator of a military unit.
The badge of office for an aide-de-camp is usually the aiguillette, a braided cord in gold or other colours, worn on the shoulder of a uniform. Whether it is worn on the left or the right shoulder is dictated by protocol.
In some countries, aide-de-camp is considered to be a title of honour, which confers the post-nominal letters ADC or A de C.

Argentina

In Argentina, three officers, one from each armed service, of the rank of lieutenant colonel or its equivalent, are appointed as aide-de-camp to the president of the republic and three others to the minister of defence, these six being the only ones to be called edecán, which is one Spanish translation for aide-de-camp.
A controversy was raised in 2006, when president Néstor Kirchner promoted his army aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Colonel Graham, to colonel, one year ahead of his class. Upon becoming president, Cristina Kirchner decided to have, for the first time, female officers as her aides-de-camp.
In each of the armed forces, the chief of staff and other senior officers have their own adjutants, normally of the rank of major or lieutenant colonel, or its equivalent. At unit level, the unit S1 doubles as the unit commander's adjutant, although in recent times in many units this practice has been left only for ceremonial purposes, while for everyday duties a senior non-commissioned officer performs the adjutant's activities.
An aiguillette is worn on the right shoulder by aides-de-camp and adjutants as a symbol of their position, the colour of the aiguillette depending on the rank of the person they are serving.

Belgium

In Belgium, the Head of the King's Military Household is a two, three or four-star General who helps the King exercise the powers vested in him by the constitution in the field of defence. He monitors the international security situation and informs the King accordingly. He keeps the King posted of the situation, means and resources, functioning and missions of the Belgian Armed Forces, in close cooperation with the King's Cabinet. The Head of the Military Household also oversees the coordination with the security detail of the Royal Palace and runs the Information Technology Service.
The Aides de Camp to the King are general or senior officers assigned by the King to accompany important visitors or to represent him on occasions when he cannot be present himself.
The Equerries to the King are at the King's constant disposal on a rotational basis; they accompany him on his travels and assist him in performing his daily tasks.
The title of honorary aide-de-camp to the king can be granted by the royal court for services rendered. Notable people include Major General Baron Édouard Empain, Count Charles John d'Oultremont, and Lieutenant General Baron Albert du Roy de Blicquy.

Commonwealth of Nations countries

In Commonwealth of Nations countries, aides-de-camp are mostly appointed from military or auxiliary services. They are entitled to use the letters ADC or A de C after their names. The emblem of the office is the aiguillette worn on their uniform.

Australia

In Australia, Australian Defence Force officers serve as aides-de-camp to specific senior appointments, such as the monarch, governor-general, state governors, chief of the Defence Force, 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 post-nominal ADC during their appointment.
Officers of and above the ranks of rear admiral, major general, and air vice-marshal in specifically designated command appointments are entitled to an aide-de-camp with the army rank of captain. Within the navy, an aide-de-camp is called a "flag lieutenant" and senior naval officers are called "flag officers".

Bermuda

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

Canada

Aides-de-camp in Canada are appointed to the monarch and some members of the royal family, the 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 flag, general, and senior officers are appointed ex officio as honorary aides-de-camp to the governor general or members of the royal family including:
Most aides-de-camp wear a gold-pattern aiguillette when acting in their official capacity; however, members of St. John Ambulance Canada wear silver aiguillettes consistent with their other accoutrements as aides-de-camp. All aides-de-camp also wear the cypher or badge of the principal to whom they are appointed. Honorary appointees to the monarch, King Charles III, or the Prince of Wales, wear the appropriate cypher on their uniform epaulette and are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ADC for the duration of their appointment.
Aides-de-camp to the governor general wear the governor general's badge, known as the crest of the arms of Canada, and aides-de-camp to a lieutenant-governor wear the lieutenant-governor's badge. They are appointed from officers of the Canadian Forces. Aides-de-camp to lieutenant-governors are appointed from officers of the Canadian Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and, depending on the province, aides may also be appointed from other uniformed organizations such as municipal or provincial police and emergency services. In certain instances, civilians may be appointed. Non-uniformed civilians do not wear the aiguillette, but do wear their lieutenant-governor's badge as a symbol of their appointment. On 29 November 1973, Governor General Roland Michener concluded his initiative to permit aides-de-camp to the governor general and lieutenant-governors to use the post-nominal letters A de C for the duration of their appointment.
Aides-de-camp to royal and vice-regal personages wear the aiguillette on the right shoulder. Aides-de-camp to all others wear their aiguillette on the left shoulder.

India

In India, officers of the rank of major general and equivalent and above in the sister services who are in command of divisions or of peacetime commands have aides-de-camp who usually belong to their general's parent regiment/battalion. There have been instances where the sons have served a tenure of aide-de-camp to their fathers. In India, aide-de-camp is a title of honour, and current as well as former aides-de-camp are conferred the post-nominal letters ADC.
The service chiefs, including the chief of the Army, Navy, and Air Staff, usually have three aides-de-camp and the president of India has five aides-de-camp. There is also one honorary aide-de-camp from the Territorial Army. The president may appoint any distinguished officer from the armed forces including the service chiefs as honorary aide-de-camp. The governors of the states have two aides-de-camp, one each from the Indian Armed Forces and the Indian and state police services except for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where both the aides-de-camp to the governor are appointed from the Indian Army.

Malaysia

An aide-de-camp or adikung as known locally in Malaysia is appointed by the federal government or the state government from officers of the Royal Malaysian Police or from the Malaysian Armed Forces officers comprising the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Air Force or from Royal Malaysian Navy. There were also non-military or police officers who were appointed as aide-de-camp.

New Zealand

As in other Commonwealth countries where the monarch is head of state, personnel from the New Zealand Defence Force serve as aides-de-camp to royal and vice-regal personages. The governor-general of New Zealand has two full-time aides-de-camp of the rank of army captain, lieutenant RNZN or RNZAF flight lieutenant. Additional and honorary aides-de-camp to the governor-general are of the rank of lieutenant colonel or equivalent. Aiguillettes are of the standard palace 1 type and worn on the right shoulder. Equivalent appointments also serve the minister of Defence, the chief of Defence Force and service chiefs. These are usually known as military assistants personal staff officers or, in the case of the RNZN, flag lieutenant, and wear service-specific 2 aiguillettes with coloured flecks on the left shoulder.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, the president, prime minister, and governors have their own aides-de-camp. The aide-de-camp can be from any one of the three Armed Forces and typically are of the rank of captain, lieutenant or flight lieutenant. The aide-de-camp to Justice Khan Habibullah Khan, while he was chief minister and leader of the house of West Pakistan, was his son, a senior bureaucrat, Captain Akhtar Munir Marwat and Captain Gohar Ayub Khan was to his father, President Field Marshal Ayub Khan. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and all the three service chiefs are authorised to have an aide-de-camp. In Pakistan, officers of the rank of major general and equivalent and above in the sister services who are in command of divisions or of peacetime commands have aides-de-camp who usually belong to their general's parent regiment/battalion.