MILIT. RANK is an acronym for military rank, which is a system of hierarchical titles given to members of the armed forces. The three crossword solutions COL (3 letters), ENS (3 letters), and LIEUT (5 letters) refer to three different ranks in the military. COL stands for Colonel, which is a senior commissioned officer rank in the army, air force, or marine corps. ENS stands for Ensign, which is the lowest rank of commissioned officer in the navy or coast guard. LIEUT stands for Lieutenant, which is a junior commissioned officer rank in the army, air force, or marine corps.