Frequently Asked Questions

In the early 1800s, the first Governor of the Commonwealth, Isaac Shelby, commissioned returning Kentucky militia members as aides-de-camp for their successful campaign during the War of 1812. Only a sitting Governor can commission a Kentucky Colonel, the honorary title that exists today.

The nomination process starts with the Governor’s online nomination form. Please visit https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Governor/KentuckyColonelCommission and complete the form. When submitted, it goes directly to the Governor’s Office. Correspondence regarding the submission is sent to you, the recommender. If approved, the certificate can be sent to you or the individual you recommend. The process takes four to six weeks.

No, you do not have to be a Kentuckian to nominate someone or to be a Kentucky Colonel. There are Colonels in all 50 United States and 76 countries. The honorary title represents someone who is making a difference in their community.

Yes, we are honored that Kentucky Colonels remember the Honorable Order in their estate plans to continue their philanthropic support and preserve their charitable legacy through a provision in a will or trust or by naming HOKC as a beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance policy. Information about ways to give to HOKC through your estate plans can be found here.

The Golden Legacy Register is our recognition society for those who have made plans to support the proud tradition and philanthropic efforts of the HOKC and its Good Works Program. If you have included HOKC in your plans, we would appreciate the opportunity to thank you appropriately. You can share your plans with us through the Golden Legacy Register Statement of Intent (and remain confidential if you wish). A link to the Golden Legacy Register Statement of Intent can be found on our Ways to Give Page. 

A cornerstone of this program, the Legacy of Honor recognizes Colonels who have committed $100,000 or more through their estate plans (and are age 65 or older). These gifts can establish an endowment in the Colonel’s name for the Good Works category of the Colonel’s choice. You can learn more about the Legacy of Honor here.

These two groups are loosely formed social media groups that were found in contempt of court in August 2023 for violation of the Agreed Permanent Injunction entered by the Court on February 23, 2021 for the lawsuit filed by The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (“HOKC”) against the now defunct Kentucky Colonels International, Globcal International, Ecology Crossroads Cooperative Foundation, Inc., and Unknown Defendants (collectively, “Defendants”) for the enforcement of HOKC’s intellectual property rights. See court document here.

Yes! We believe that Annie Pogue was the first woman to be commissioned a Kentucky Colonel. Governor James D. Black commissioned her in 1918 for distinguished service rendered during World War I.

These plates look great on cars and trucks! You can also get a Kentucky Colonel vanity plate in Maryland! The plates are considered specialty plates and can only be used by contributing Colonels to HOKC. Those additional dollars you pay to use the plate go to support this 501(c)(3) organization. Just show your current year’s Kentucky Colonel membership card at your local County Clerk’s office when registering or renewing your registration. If you do not live in Kentucky or Maryland, check with your local DVM office and learn how to create a vanity plate. Headquarters team members can assist you in that effort.

There is no set amount to contribute to HOKC. We like to say what works within your family’s budget. The average contribution is $ 50. At the $50 level, you can receive a Great Seal sticker for your car. At the $100 level, you can receive the current year’s Medal of Distinction. 

Fill out this form or contact Headquarters at  Info@KyColonels.org  with your mailing address, year of Commission, and email. We will contact the Governor’s Office and request a replacement certificate. Please know that the replacement certificate will have the current Governor’s signature.

Great question: you can get more involved by participating in a chapter near you or even starting one yourself. You can volunteer at HOKC’s Day of Service in the fall and spring. You can come to HOKC’s special events or volunteer at Headquarters. Don’t live in Kentucky? No worries, Headquarters team members are traveling to see Colonels, and you can volunteer virtually.

See if there is a chapter in your community. If there isn’t, consider starting a Chapter. You would be amazed how many Kentucky Colonels there are throughout the world.

Unfortunately, no. HOKC’s Good Works Program grant is limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. See additional information about the Good Works Program.

Great question! No, there isn’t a complete list of all the individuals given the honorary title. However, the Headquarters team is working with the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives to create an online searchable list. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives are the keepers of the Executive Order books from each Governor. Kentucky Colonel commissions are Executive Orders that are forever held in the history of the Commonwealth. The current list, dating from the 1920s to 2020, includes over 300,000 individuals. 

A LOT. While we do not have a complete list YET, we know there are hundreds of thousands dating back to the early 1800s when individuals were given the honorary title of aide-de-camp. At some point, a Kentucky Governor changed the title to Kentucky Colonel. Since this is a Governor’s program, each Governor can determine the criteria for being named a Kentucky Colonel and how many they recognize a year. In recent years, Governors have commissioned between 4,000 and 6,000 individuals.

To become a Kentucky Colonel, you must have someone nominate you. The honorary title is typically conferred on someone who positively affects their community, like a volunteer or local business owner who gives back their time, talent, or treasures.

There is a Kentucky Colonel uniform based on a military-style uniform dating back to the 1800s. Several Colonels throughout the decades have researched and recreated the original uniform, and an example can be found in the museum cases at Headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Headquarters team members are researching a company to develop and market a uniform. 

As for badges, one was developed several years ago but discontinued. The loosely formed social media group Kentucky Colonelcy created another one, but it violated a trademark held by the Honorable Order. This badge could be misused as it looks very similar to an official law enforcement badge!

Famous Colonels date back decades, and the Headquarter team and Board of Trustees have developed criteria for what makes a Colonel famous. Reach out to Headquarters to see the criteria at Info@KyColonels.org. Currently, there are over 300 Famous Colonels. See them on our website.

The honor of knowing that you are making a difference in your community and that someone recognized that, then took the time to nominate you to the Governor’s Office Colonels team to be considered for a Kentucky Colonel commission.

In the history of the Colonels, we believe many babies were nominated to be Kentucky Colonels. We know of one example: Colonel Ben Chandler, grandson of two-time Governor Happy Chandler, was commissioned at birth when his grandfather was in office. This would have been in the 1950s, and the rules for being nominated as a Kentucky Colonel differed. Colonel Ben Chandler is an accomplished Kentuckian in his own right; he was the 47th Attorney General of Kentucky, represented the 6th District in the US House of Representatives and currently serves as the CEO of the Foundation for Healthy Kentucky. 

Colonels’ membership contributions to the Honorable Order have been called different things over the years; membership, dues, donation, contribution. No matter what you call it, it all goes to the Good Works Program to supporting nonprofits throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Your donation is also tax deductible, and you will receive a thank you letter with your tax information and a membership card.

Kentucky Colonels annual membership cards are mailed out with acknowledgement letters after a charitable contribution is made. Membership cards for the following year begin being mailed in October after the Annual Campaign is mailed and can be used to purchase the Kentucky Colonels license plate at your County Clerk’s office.

Contact us today if you have any other questions!

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