character idea: "Colonel"

I am reading a biography of Teddy Roosevelt, which mentions that in his later life he liked being called "Colonel" from his days in the Rough Riders.  A character in my novel (when I write it someday) could be a retired soldier who wants people to call him Colonel-- but actually only ever made it to Lieutenant Colonel.  The shame of the dishonesty of this is in tension with his anger that civilians wouldn't know the difference.