In the United States military, a general is the most senior general-grade officer; it is the highest achievable commissioned officer rank (or echelon) that may be attained in the United States Armed Forces, with exception of the Navy and Coast Guard, which have the equivalent rank of admiral instead. The official and formal insignia of "general" is defined by its four stars (commonly silver and in a row).
The rank of general ranks above a three-star lieutenant general and below the special wartime five-star ranks of General of the Army or General of the Air Force. The Marine Corps and Space Force do not have an established grade above general. The pay grade of general is O-10. It is equivalent to the rank of admiral in the other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks. It is abbreviated as GEN in the Army and Gen in the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
Since the ranks of General of the Army and General of the Air Force are reserved for wartime use only, the rank of general is the highest general officer rank in peacetime.
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Formally, the term "General" is always used when referring to a four-star general. However, a number of different terms may refer to them informally,[clarification needed] since lower-ranking generals may also be referred to as simply "General".
The United States Code explicitly limits the total number of general officers (termed flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard) that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 198 for the Air Force, and 162 for the Navy.[1] No more than about 25% of a service's active duty general or flag officers may have more than two stars,[2] and statute sets the total number of four-star officers allowed in each service.[2] This is set at eight Army generals, two Marine generals, nine Air Force generals, two Space Force generals, six Navy admirals, and two Coast Guard admirals.[2]
Four-star grades go hand-in-hand with the positions of office to which they are linked, so the rank is temporary; the active rank of general can only be held for so long- though upon retirement, if satisfactory service requirements are met, the general or admiral is normally allowed to hold that rank in retirement, rather than reverting to a lower position, as was formerly the usual case.[8] Their active rank expires with the expiration of their term of office, which is usually set by statute.[8] Generals are nominated for the appointment by the President from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or above who meet the requirements for the position, with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, service secretary (Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, or Secretary of the Air Force), and if applicable the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[8] For some positions, statute allows the President to waive those requirements for a nominee deemed to serve national interests.[9] The nominee must be confirmed by the United States Senate before the appointee can take office and assume the rank.[8]
General ranks may also be given by act of Congress but this is extremely rare. The standard tour for most general/flag officers is a two-year term with the possibility of being renominated for an additional term(s).
The chairman and the vice chairman of the JCS, the service chiefs, and the chief of the National Guard Bureau, normally serve a single four-year term.
Appointment of general/flag officers (3-star or above) is a temporary promotion lasting only for the duration of the job assignment. Upon retirement general/flag officers revert to their permanent two-star rank of Major General or Rear Admiral unless they are nominated by the President to retire at a higher rank (which has become the normal practice in recent years.) Extensions of the standard tour length can be approved, within statutory limits but these are rare, as they block other officers from being promoted. Some statutory limits can be waived in times of national emergency or war.
Retirement
Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. A general must retire after 40 years of service unless they are reappointed to serve longer.[10] Otherwise all general officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday.[11] However, the Secretary of Defense can defer a general's retirement until the officer's 66th birthday[11] and the President can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday.[11] To retire at four-star grade, an officer must accumulate at least three years of satisfactory active duty service in that grade, as certified by the Secretary of Defense.[12]
History and origins
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^ ab10 USC 604 Senior joint officer positions: recommendations to the Secretary of Defense
^10 USC 528 Officers serving in certain intelligence positions: military status; exclusion from distribution and strength limitations; pay and allowances
^10 USC 527 Authority to suspend sections 523, 525, and 526
^ abcd10 USC 601 Positions of importance and responsibility: generals and lieutenant generals; admirals and vice admirals
^10 164 Commanders of combatant commands: assignment; powers and duties
^10 USC 636 Retirement for years of service: regular officers in grades above brigadier general and rear admiral (lower half)
^ abc10 USC 1253 Age 64: regular commissioned officers in general and flag officer grades; exception
^10 USC 1370 Commissioned officers: general rule; exceptions
[1] No universal insignia for officer candidate rank [2] No official insignia and not currently listed by the Army as an obtainable rank. John J. Pershing's GAS insignia: (collar) (epaulettes) [3] These ranks are reserved for wartime use only, and are still listed as ranks within their respective services [4] Grade is authorized by the U.S. Code for use but has not been created [5] Grade has never been created or authorized
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