Colonel Üsönov, 68 years old, and his family live in Osh. In an interview with Turmush, he shared that many people, upon hearing his name, assume that he served in the army and attained the rank of colonel.
The Colonel's father, who was engaged in beekeeping and selling honey, served as a private in the Panfilov division during the war. "It was a great honor to serve under the command of the famous General Panfilov. At the front, he was inspired by commanders with high military ranks, which prompted him to name his children after these ranks. Before the war, my parents had nine children, but only four survived. After returning from the front, we had six brothers and one sister. The first son was named Captain, then Lieutenant, Colonel, General Panfilov, and Major. One of the brothers, large and tall, was named Semetey, and our younger sister was called Pazilat, but we always referred to her as Sergeant so she wouldn't lag behind us," shares Colonel Üsönov.
Unfortunately, the Colonel's brother, General Panfilov, passed away when he was only four years old. "At that time, my mother said it wasn't right to name a child after someone who is no longer alive. I served in the Soviet army in Korday, Almaty, Vienna, and the Caucasus. Every time the captain called my name during roll call, he thought he had made a mistake. Some recruits even addressed me as 'Comrade Colonel.' When we met with friends, I always responded to questions about my name with: Kоңurbay [Chinese Khan]," he recalls.
The Colonel also recounts how his daughter fell ill with jaundice at the age of two and was hospitalized. "At that time, I was managing two large stores in the Oblkom. When I arrived at the hospital in an official car, the nurses lined up and held my daughter in their arms. Perhaps this was due to the respect for our surname Polkovnikov and my wife. During the Soviet era, the rank of 'colonel' was held in high esteem," he says.
According to Kyrgyz belief, children born on the road are traditionally named Zholchu. One of the sons was born on the road, and I named him Zholchu. However, at the registry office, I was offered to register the name as "On the Way," but I decided to name him "Putin" for convenience. Later, due to issues with documents, his name was changed to Askat after finishing school. In school, he studied under the name Putin Polkovnikov, but at home, we continue to call him Putin," the Colonel shares.
The Colonel and his wife raised eight children — six daughters and two sons. "Now I am retired. Job offers have come in, but I didn't want to work under the leadership of the youth. There is strict discipline in our house. I always tell the children that their happy future largely depends on their parents," he shares.
The Colonel's father, Mamy chon ata, passed away in 1950. "All participants of the Great Patriotic War are true heroes. Participation in a war that lasted five years is already a manifestation of heroism. I urge my fellow villagers to participate in the 'Immortal Regiment' march. Even the cook who worked at the front contributed to the Great Victory. Our names are a gift from our fathers and grandfathers who won the war," believes Üsönov.
Turmush first reported on this family back in April 2015. At that time, Colonel Üsönov mentioned that the tradition of giving boys unusual names continues in his family. "When my wife was expecting our second child, we were at the jailoo, as fresh air is beneficial for the expectant mother. Suddenly, she went into labor, and while we were on our way to the medical post, she gave birth to a son. I named him Zholchu, but at the registry office, the name was recorded as 'On the Way,' and in the end, it turned out to be Putin [Colonel's son Putin]. My son studied at a local school and later at a Suvorov military school in Russia. Before enrolling, I had to urgently change his passport and name, as by that time, V.V. Putin had become the president of Russia. Many acquaintances and relatives were afraid that he would encounter problems," he recounted.
According to his daughter Aiperi, the unusual surname always attracts attention. That year, she graduated from college with a degree in clothing design. "In school, when the roll call is taken, everyone stops and asks if it's true that my last name is Polkovnik. I proudly respond that yes, I have that last name, and my father is a Colonel. I am proud of my large family; we have many uncles and aunts, and all of them have interesting destinies thanks to their unusual names," she shares.
