Aiguillette
Encyclopedia
Cord (sewing)
In sewing, cord is a trimming made by twisting or plying two or more strands of yarn together. Cord is used in a number of textile arts including dressmaking, upholstery, macramé, and couching.Soft cotton cord forms the filling for piping.-References:...
most often worn on uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s, but may also be observed on other costumes such as academic dress
Academic dress
Academic dress or academical dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, primarily tertiary education, worn mainly by those that have been admitted to a university degree or hold a status that entitles them to assume them...
, where it will denote an honour. Originally, the word "aiguillette" referred to the lacing used to fasten plate armor together. As such, a knot or loop arrangement was used which sometimes hung from the shoulder.
Aiguillettes should not be confused with lanyard
Lanyard
A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
s, which are cords also worn from the shoulder (or around the neck), but do not have the pointed aiguillette tips (see Aiguillette (ornament)
Aiguillette (ornament)
An aiguillette, aguillette or aiglet is a decorative tag or tip for a cord or ribbon, usually of gold and sometimes set with gemstones or enameled...
) and are usually of fibre rather than gold or silver wire, and often not braided.
A series of fanciful legends has developed about the origin of aiguillettes. One account relates that when certain European troops behaved reprehensibly on the field of battle, their commander decided to hang certain of them. The troops asked to be given a chance to redeem themselves and started wearing a rope and spike about their shoulders with the promise that if they ever behaved badly again, they were ready to be hanged on the spot. It is further related that these troops covered themselves with glory thereafter. Another tale recounts that aiguillettes originated with cord and pencil worn by generals and staff officers for writing dispatches. Still another account has it that the idea is French in origin and goes back to the use of horses in battle. A general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
's aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
carried a loop of cord to tie up the general's horse during dismount. As a practical approach, the aides would loop the cord around the epaulette
Epaulette
Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the...
flap on the shoulder of their tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
. All such accounts have no known basis in fact.
Further, it has been argued by gunners that the aiguillette originates with the practice of carrying a pick on a shoulder rope, with which a gun captain would clear the touch-hole of a fouled cannon. Musketeer arguments suggest that the "tags" on the aiguillette are representations of wooden charge carriers. Another discounted gunner-related origin suggests that the "tag" represents a spike carried by the gun captain with which he would "spike" the gun if capture was imminent. Finally it has been suggested that the aiguillettes derive from the shoulder decoration worn by standard bearers in the French Imperial (Grande) Army under Napoleon. The standards were topped by the imperial eagle, or "aigle" in French. The standard bearers were known as "aiglettes" to their comrades-in-arms.
A more probable explanation is that the aiguillette derived from the laces used to secure plates of armor together—the breast- and back-plates would be attached on one side with short loops of cord acting as a hinge, and on the other by a longer and more ornate tied one. (As with combat boots, the longer the lace, the less the need to undo the entire lace.) As armour became more ornamental and less practical, so too did the ties. This would also explain the aiguillettes of varying levels of complexity in the uniforms of the Household Cavalry (see picture above), as opposed to other "unarmored" troops.
Canada
Aiguillettes with shoulder boards are worn by military aides-de-camp to the Governor General. The aiguillette is gold with brass tags and worn on the right shoulder. Aides-de-camp to the provincial lieutenant governors wear the same gold-pattern aiguilette on the right shoulder, but do not wear shoulder boards. Aiguillettes are worn on the left shoulder by aides-de-camp to generals, flag officers and diplomats. Aides-de-camp assigned to the Sovereign or officers holding a royal appointment wear the aiguillette on the right shoulder. Obsolete-style gold-braid aiguilettes mixed with army crimson, navy blue, or air force blue may also still be worn by aides-de-camp to lieutenant governors, flag and general officers and diplomats who still have them.France
- Aiguilettes on the right shoulder are worn by officers filling certain duties.
- Staff officers in the President's Staff, the Prime Minister's Staff, the Defense Minister's Staff and the Maréchaux's Staff. The aiguillette is always in gold wire.
- The aides-de-campAide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the President, the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, the chiefs of staff and the DGADélégation Générale pour l'ArmementThe Direction générale de l’armement, which could be translated as “General Directorate for Armament”, or DGA, is the French Government Defence procurement agency responsible for the program management, development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military.-Armament programs...
. The aiguillette can be silver or gold, depending on the officer's corps. The AdC to the generals in the army and the air force and all the staff officers in the navy can also wear this aiguillette. - The military attachéMilitary attachéA military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
s of an embassy. The aiguillette is always in gold wire.
- Aiguillettes on the left shoulder are worn by all members of some units :
- The GendarmesGendarmerie Nationale (France)In France, the National Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces, in charge of public safety, with police duties among the civilian population. It also contains a military police force and a special forces component . It has a strength of more than 105,975 persons...
. The aiguillette is white for the Gendarmerie départementale and gold for the Gendarmerie mobile, including the Garde Républicaine. - The Bands. This aiguillette can be blue, red, or gold.
- The Gendarmes
Aiguillettes should not be confused with fourragère
Fourragère
The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
s, which can be worn in the same way on the left shoulder in parade dress.
Ghana
In GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, aiguillettes form part of the uniform of certain branches of the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, including the customs police, and immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
police. Ordinary police officers wear white aiguillettes with dark-blue uniforms, while customs and immigration officials wear red aiguillettes with olive-green outfits. When worn, the aigullettes denote on-duty status.
Ireland
Aiguillettes are only worn by the aides-de-camp to the PresidentPresident of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
and Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
. The President's ADC wears it on the right shoulder, the Taoiseach's ADC on the left.
Civil Defence (Cosaint Sibhialta) personnel wear a white aiguillette on their dress uniform.
Gold aiguillettes are also worn by officers in the Defence Forces with their Mess Dress uniform. They are worn on the left hand shoulder.
Israel
In the IDFIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, soldiers who wear an aiguillette are mostly instructors.
Russian Federation
Singapore
Aiguillettes are worn on the right shoulder by officers of certain appointments only. They include the:- Chief of Defence Force (CDF)Chief of Defence Force (Singapore)The Chief of Defence Force of Singapore is the head of the Singapore Armed Forces , who holds the rank of three-star general or admiral. The position was created in 1974 as the Chief of General Staff with the appointment of Winston Choo, and re-titled to its current name in May 1990...
- Commissioner of Police (CP)Commissioner of Police (Singapore)The Commissioner of Police is the top-ranking police officer of the Singapore Police Force. Assisted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, he reports to the Minister for Home Affairs....
- Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force
- Aides-de-camp (ADC)Aide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the President - Honorary aides-de-camp to the President
- Military attachés and assistant military attachés
- MA/SA/NA to the Chief of Defence Force and service chiefs
Aiguillettes are also worn on the left shoulder by musicians of the Singapore Armed Forces Band and the Singapore Police Force Band.
In Singapore, ADCs who are officers of the Singapore Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
and the Singapore Civil Defence Force
Singapore Civil Defence Force
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...
wear gold aiguillettes and police officers wear silver aiguillettes.
Sri Lanka
Aiguillettes of gold-wire cord are worn on the right shoulder by;- Chief of Defence StaffChief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The Chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch but does not have operational command authority over them or their service branches, however overseas inter service corporations...
- The three service commanders,
- Commander of the ArmyCommander of the Army (Sri Lanka)Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
- Commander of the NavyCommander of the Navy (Sri Lanka)The Commander of the Navy is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Navy. The current Commander of the Navy is Vice Admiral D.W.S. Dissanayake...
- Commander of the Air ForceCommander of the Air Force (Sri Lanka)The Commander of the Air Force is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Commander of the Air Force is Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama since 2011...
- Commander of the Army
- The Inspector General of PoliceInspector General of Police (Sri Lanka)The Inspector General of Police is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Police. He is the most senior police officer in Sri Lanka and oversees all police personnel throughout the country. The IGP reports to the minister of defense, when the Police Service is under the Ministry of Defence as it...
- Aides-de-camp to the President.
Aiguillettes of gold are worn on the right shoulder by;
- General officers, flag officerFlag OfficerA flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
s and air officerAir OfficerAn air officer is a Royal Air Force officer of the rank of air commodore or higher. Such officers may be termed "officers of air rank". The term is also used by many Commonwealth nations who have a similar rank structure to the RAF....
s - Aides-de-camps to general, flag and air officers
- Military attachéMilitary attachéA military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
s
Aiguillettes of black are worn on the right shoulder by;
- Police offices senior gazetted officers
United Kingdom
- Aiguillettes (1st Class or Royal) are of gold-wire cord and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, admirals of the fleetAdmiral of the FleetAn admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
, field marshalField MarshalField Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
s and marshals of the RAF (including members of the Royal FamilyRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
who hold these ceremonial ranks, but not members such as The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, The Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and The Duke of Cambridge who hold earned military ranks); honorary physicians, honorary chaplains, honorary surgeons and aides-de-camp to the Sovereign; equerriesEquerryAn equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to members of the royal familyBritish Royal FamilyThe British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. Some appointments carry the privilege of wearing miniature Sovereign's Cypher on the points of the aiguillettes. These aiguillettes are also worn by commissioned officers of the Household CavalryHousehold CavalryThe term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
(in full dress only). They are worn on the left shoulder in full dress by warrant officerWarrant OfficerA warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
s of the Household Cavalry. - Aiguillettes (2nd Class or Board) are of gold and dark blue, crimson or light blue depending if worn by Royal Navy, Army or RAF officers and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, military members of the Defence Board and each Service Board and the personal staff of governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
s. A simplified version with no coils is worn on the left shoulder by staff corporalStaff CorporalStaff Corporal is the equivalent rank to Staff Sergeant in the Household Cavalry, ranking between Corporal of Horse and Warrant Officer Class 2. He may hold an appointment such as Squadron Quartermaster Corporal. A Staff Corporal wears four point-up rank chevrons on his cuff, surmounted by a crown...
s, corporals of horseCorporal of HorseCorporal of horse is a rank in the British Army's Household Cavalry corresponding to sergeant in other regiments. Formerly, no cavalry regiments had sergeants, but the Household Cavalry are the only ones to keep this tradition alive. It is said to stem from the origin of the word sergeant, which...
and lance corporals of horse of the Household Cavalry in full dress. - Aiguillettes (3rd Class or Staff) are of gold and dark blue, crimson or light blue depending if worn by Royal Navy, Army or RAF officers. They are worn on the left shoulder by, among others, attachéAttachéAttaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
s, assistants and aides-de-camp. - Simple aiguillettes are worn by lance corporalLance CorporalLance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
s of the Household Cavalry and by bandsmen of Dragoon GuardsDragoon guardsDragoon Guards was the designation used to refer to certain heavy cavalry regiments in the British Army from the 18th century onwards. While the Prussian and Russian armies of the same period included dragoon regiments amongst their respective Imperial Guards, different titles were applied to these...
and DragoonDragoonThe word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
regimentRegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s in full dress.
United States
The aiguillette, in gold cord, is worn on the right shoulder by military aides to the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. It is worn on the left shoulder by military attachés, General Staff Corps
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
officers, and aides to flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
s; the cord colors are gold for the Marine Corps & Army, gold and blue for the Coast Guard and Navy, and silver for the Air Force. The gold cord aiguillette is worn by the directors of the United States Marine Band, while the enlisted personnel wear aiguillettes of white cord.
A red aiguillette is worn on the left shoulder by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Recruit Division commanders, whereas a blue aiguillette is worn by Recruit Division commanders in training, Recruit Division commanders wearing these are referred colloquially as "red ropes" and "blue ropes" respectively. The U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard in Washington, D.C. wears a blue aiguillette on summer white uniforms and a white one on winter blue uniforms.
A blue aiguillette is worn on the left shoulder by cadets in charge of quarters at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, as well as by military training leaders at technical training bases. Student airmen leaders at technical training bases (sometimes called "ropes" in reference to the aiguillette) also wear aiguillettes, with green representing the lowest level of student leadership, yellow representing the intermediate level of student leadership, and red representing the highest level of student leadership. Students wearing a white rope are commonly referred to as chapel guides, and are charged with providing social or moral support to their fellow airmen. Airmen who wear the black rope are experts in drill, choir, or ceremonies, and pride themselves on appearance and uniform wear. Airmen who wear a blue and white rope are members of the drum & bugle corps for their base. In the United States Air Force as well as in the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
, honor guard members wear a silver aiguillette on the left shoulder. CAP cadets acting as Cadet Advisory Council representatives at the national level wear a gold aiguillette, at the regional level a blue aiguillette, and at the wing level a red aiguillette.
The aiguillette should not be confused with the fourragère
Fourragère
The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
, which is worn by soldiers and marines who are assigned to units that were awarded certain decorations by the French and Belgian governments for valorous conduct in the First and Second World Wars (see fourragère
Fourragère
The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
for details). Nor should it be confused with the Shützenschnur
German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship
The German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany....
, a multi-weapon marksmanship decoration awarded by Germany to qualifying soldiers of NATO countries serving in Germany.
A similar, albeit thicker, device, the Blue Infantry Cord
Blue Infantry Cord
The Infantry Blue Cord is a U.S. Army decoration worn over the right shoulder of all qualified U.S. Army infantryman. It is a fourragere in light blue worn under the right shoulder and under the right epaulette of a U.S. Army infantryman's Class A dress green or dress blue uniform jacket or Class...
, is worn on the right shoulder by all enlisted soldiers and officers whose primary military occupational speciality is infantry.