Addressing Invites to Military Guests

I would address them Colonel and Mrs. Smith and Colonel and Mrs. Jones. In the Navy we addressed Lieutenant Commanders (equivelant rank to Lt. Colonel) as Commanders. Also, you can leave off the retired altogether.

When you address the labels, you don't abbreviate the rank by what you call them when you speak to them. If they're Lieutenant Commanders you'd say the whole title. Lieutenant Commander and Mrs. John Smith, for example or Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. John Smith (you'd keep the first name of the male in the formal invites such as wedding's). In the Army (or Air Force) leaving off the Lieutenant gives them a promotion! (Ex. Colonel vs. Lieutenant Colonel, they're different ranks). To denote retired personnel, normally people use the (R) After their rank, but from what I've read, you should leave this off for the invites if they're retired (if they're not actually retired, as in they just got out, you don't use the rank anymore). Hope this helps...