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"General" and "Generals" redirect here. For other uses, see General (disambiguation).
Comparative military ranks
Armies
Air forces
Space forces		NaviesAir forces
(Commonwealth system)
Commissioned officers
Field marshal or
General of the army or
General of the air force		Admiral of
the fleet		Marshal of
the air force
GeneralAdmiralAir chief marshal
Lieutenant generalVice admiralAir marshal
Major generalRear admiralAir vice-marshal
Brigadier or
brigadier general		CommodoreAir commodore
ColonelCaptainGroup captain
Lieutenant colonelCommanderWing commander
Major or
commandant		Lieutenant
commander		Squadron leader
CaptainLieutenantFlight lieutenant
Lieutenant or
first lieutenant		Lieutenantjunior grade or
sub-lieutenant		Flying officer
Second lieutenantEnsign or
midshipman		Pilot officer
Officer cadetOfficer cadetFlight cadet
Enlisted ranks
Warrant officer or
sergeant major		Warrant officer or
chief petty officer		Warrant officer
SergeantPetty officerSergeant
Corporal or
bombardier		Leading seamanCorporal or Leading aircraftman
Private or
gunner or
trooper or
specialist		SeamanAircraftman or
airman or
aviator
  • v
  • t
  • e
The 4-star rank general George S. Patton in 1945, at the end of World War II

A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, or marines.[a]

The term general is used in two ways: as the generic title for all grades of general officer and as a specific rank. It originates in the 16th century, as a shortening of captain general, which rank was taken from Middle French capitaine général. The adjective general had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction.

Today, the title of general is known in some countries as a four-star rank. However, different countries use different systems of stars or other insignia for senior ranks. It has a NATO code of OF-9 and is the highest rank currently in use in a number of armies, air forces, and marine organizations.

General officer ranks[edit]

The various grades of general officer are at the top of the military rank structure. Lower-ranking officers in land-centric military forces are typically known as field officers or field-grade officers, and below them are company-grade officers.

Common systems[edit]

There are two common systems of general ranks used worldwide. In addition, there is a third system, the Arab system of ranks, which is used throughout the Middle East and North Africa but is not used elsewhere in the world.

Variations of one form, the old European system, were once used throughout Europe. It is used in the United Kingdom (although it did not originate there), from which it eventually spread to the Commonwealth and the United States. The general officer ranks are named by prefixing "general", as an adjective, with field officer ranks, although in some countries the highest general officers are titled field marshal, marshal, or captain general.

The other is derived from the French Revolution, where generals' ranks are named according to the unit they (theoretically) command.

Old European system[edit]

Marshal, field marshal or field marshal general
Colonel general
General (of the infantry / cavalry / artillery etc.)
Lieutenant general
Sergeant major general or major general
Brigadier or brigadier general

The system used either a brigadier general or a colonel general rank (i.e. exclude one of the italicised ranks).

In 17th and 18th century, it became customary in Prussia and other German states to confer the rank of "full" general with the addition of the branch of service from which the general emerged and which originally also determined the character of the formations which he commanded, e.g. general of the infantry, general of the cavalry and general of the artillery. Such rank designations were also introduced in the Imperial Russian Army, firstly by the emperor Peter I.

The rank of field marshal was used by some countries as the highest rank, while in other countries it was used as a divisional or brigade rank. Many countries (notably pre-revolutionary France and eventually much of Latin America) actually used two brigade command ranks, which is why some countries now use two stars as their brigade general insignia. Mexico and Argentina still use two brigade command ranks.

In some nations (particularly in the Commonwealth since the 1920s), the equivalent to brigadier general is brigadier, which is not always considered by these armies to be a general officer rank, although it is always treated as equivalent to the rank of brigadier general for comparative purposes.

As a lieutenant outranks a sergeant major; confusion often arises because a lieutenant is outranked by a major. Originally the serjeant major was, exclusively, the commander of the infantry, junior only to the captain general and lieutenant general. The distinction of serjeant major general only applied after serjeant majors were introduced as a rank of field officer. Serjeant was eventually dropped from both rank titles, creating the modern rank titles. Serjeant major (later spelled sergeant major) as a senior rank of non-commissioned officer was a later creation.

The equivalent of the rank of general in the navy was admiral.

French (Revolutionary) system[edit]

For more information, see général.
Marshal or Captain general
Army general
Army corps general
Divisional general
Brigade general

Arab system[edit]

The armies of Arab countries use traditional Arabic titles. These were formalized in their current system to replace the Turkish system that was formerly in use in the Arab world and the Turco-Egyptian ranks in Egypt.

RankTranslationNotes
مشيرmushīrCounsellorcompare Counsellor of State, State Counsellor etc.
compare etymology "mushir" with "shura"
فريق أول farīq awwalFirst generalequivalent to Commonwealth
"full" general
فريقfarīqGeneralequivalent to lieutenant general or corps general
لواءliwāʾEnsign(more loosely "flag officer" or "banner")
عميدʿamīdColonel
(not to be confused with aqīd, the
equivalent rank to a Commonwealth colonel)		compare etymology with "ʿamood" ("column");
etymologically, translates as "colonel" but
equivalent to brigadier/brigade general

Other variations[edit]

Other nomenclatures for general officers include the titles and ranks:

  • Adjutant general
  • Commandant-general
  • Inspector general
  • General-in-chief
  • General of the Army (which is distinct from the title army general)
  • General of the Air Force (USAF only)
  • General of the Armies of the United States (of America), a title created for General John J. Pershing, and subsequently granted posthumously to George Washington
  • Generaladmiral ("general admiral") (German Navy)
  • Air general and aviation general (Chilean Air Force; roughly equivalent to air chief marshal and air vice-marshal)
  • Wing general and group general (Mexican Air Force; roughly equivalent to air commodore and acting air commodore)
  • General-potpukovnik ("lieutenant colonel general", a Serb/Slovenian/Macedonian rank immediately inferior to colonel general, and roughly equivalent to Commonwealth/US major general)
  • Director general (a common administrative term sometimes used as an appointment in military services)
  • Director general of national defence (most senior rank in the Mexican Armed Forces)
  • Controller general (general officer rank in the French National Police)
  • Prefect general (the most senior rank of the Argentine Naval Prefecture)
  • Master-General of the Ordnance (very senior British military position)
  • Police General (most senior rank of the Philippine National Police)
  • Commissioner (highest rank of the Bureau of Immigration)
  • Admiral (highest rank of the Philippine Coast Guard & Philippine Navy)

In addition to militarily educated generals, there are also generals in medicine and engineering. The rank of the most senior chaplain, (chaplain general), is also usually considered to be a general officer rank.

Specific rank of general[edit]

General C. G. E. Mannerheim in 1918 during the Finnish Civil War

In the old European system, a general, without prefix or suffix (and sometimes referred to informally as a "full general"), is usually the most senior type of general, above lieutenant general and directly below field marshal as a four-star rank (NATO OF-9).

Usually it is the most senior peacetime rank, with more senior ranks (for example, field marshal, marshal of the air force, fleet admiral) being used only in wartime or as honorary titles.

In some armies, however, the rank of captain general, general of the army, army general or colonel general occupied or occupies this position. Depending on circumstances and the army in question, these ranks may be considered to be equivalent to a "full" general or to a field marshal five-star rank (NATO OF-10).

The rank of general came about as a "captain-general", the captain of an army in general (i.e., the whole army). The rank of captain-general began appearing around the time of the organisation of professional armies in the 17th century. In most countries "captain-general" contracted to just "general".

General ranks by country[edit]

The following articles deal with the rank of general, or its equivalent, as it is or was employed in the militaries of those countries:

  • General (Australia)
  • General (Bangladesh)
  • General (Canada)
  • Shangjiang (China) – People's Republic of China (PRC) and Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan)
  • General (Denmark), General
  • General (Estonia), Kindral
  • General (Finland), Kenraali
  • General (Germany), General
  • Strategos (Greece)
  • General (India)
  • Daejang (North and South Korea)
  • General (Mexico)
  • General (Pakistan)
  • General (Poland), Generał
  • General (Sri Lanka)
  • General (Sweden), General
  • General (Switzerland)
  • General (United Kingdom)
  • General (United States)
  • General (Yugoslav People's Army)
  • General (Zimbabwe)

Army generals' insignia[edit]

  • ستر جنرال
    Setar Jenral
    (Afghan National Army)

  • General de exército
    (Angolan Army)

  • Բանակի գեներալ
    Banaki general
    (Armenian Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Australian Army)

  • General
    (Austrian Land Forces)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Bahraini Army)

  • জেনারেল
    General
    (Bangladesh Army)

  • Generaal
    (Belgian Army)

  • General
    (Royal Bhutan Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Bolivian Army)

  • General de exército
    (Brazilian Army)

  • Jeneral
    (Royal Brunei Land Forces)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Bulgarian Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Burkina Faso Army)

  • នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍
    Neay uttamseni
    (Royal Cambodian Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Cameroon Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Canadian Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Central African Ground Forces)

  • Général d'armée
    (Chadian Ground Forces)

  • General de ejército
    (Chilean Army)

  • 一級上將
    Yi Ji Shang Jiang
    (Republic of China Army)

  • 上将
    Shang Jiang
    (People's Liberation Army)

  • General
    (Colombian Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Land Forces of the DR Congo)

  • Général d'armée
    (Ground Forces of Côte d'Ivoire)

  • General zbora
    (Croatian Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Cuban Ground Forces)

  • Armádní generál
    (Army of the Czech Republic)

  • General
    (Royal Danish Army)

  • General
    (Timor-Leste Army)

  • General de ejercito
    (Ecuadorian Army)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Egyptian Army)

  • Kindral
    (Estonian Land Forces)

  • General
    (Ethiopian Ground Forces)

  • Kenraali
    (Finnish Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (French Army)

  • General
    (Armed Forces of Gabon)

  • General
    (Gambian National Army)

  • არმიის გენერალი
    Armiis generali
    (Georgian Land Forces)

  • General
    (German Army)

  • General
    (Ghana Army)

  • στρατηγός
    Strategos
    (Hellenic Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Guinea Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Army of Guinea-Bissau)

  • General
    (Guyana Army)

  • Vezérezredes
    (Hungarian Ground Forces)

  • जनरल
    General
    (Indian Army)

  • Jenderal
    (Indonesian Army)

  • ارتشبد‎
    Arteshbod
    (Iranian Army)

  • ارتشبد‎
    Arteshbod
    (Revolutionary Guard Corps)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Iraqi Army)

  • Generale di Corpo d'Armata con Incarichi Speciali
    (Italian Army)

  • 幕僚長たる陸将
    Rikushō
    (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Jordanian Army)

  • Армия Генералы
    Armiya generaly
    (Kazakh Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Kenya Army)

  • 대장
    Taejang
    (Korean People's Army)

  • 대장
    Daejang
    (Republic of Korea Army)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Kuwait Army)

  • ພົນເອກ
    Phonoek
    (Lao People's Army)

  • General
    (Liberian Ground Forces)

  • Général
    (Luxembourg Army)

  • генерал
    General
    (Army of North Macedonia)

  • Général d'armée
    (Malagasy Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Malawian Army)

  • Jeneral
    (Malaysian Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Malian Army)

  • General
    (Mexican Army)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Mongolian Ground Force)

  • General Pukovnik
    (Montenegrin Ground Army)

  • Général d'armée
    (Royal Moroccan Army)

  • ဗိုလ်ချုပ်ကြီး
    Bolhkyaotekyee
    (Myanmar Army)

  • General
    (Namibian Army)

  • महारथी
    Mahārathī
    (Nepali Army)

  • Generaal
    (Royal Netherlands Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Nicaraguan Army)

  • General
    (Nigerian Army)

  • General
    (Norwegian Army)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Army of Oman)

  • جنرل
    General
    (Pakistan Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Paraguayan Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Peruvian Army)

  • Heneral
    (Philippine Army)

  • Generał
    (Polish Army)

  • General
    (Portuguese Army)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Army of Oman)

  • General
    (Romanian Land Forces)

  • генера́л а́рмии
    General armii
    (Russian Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Rwandan Defence Forces)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Saudi Arabian Army)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Serbian Army)

  • Generál
    (Ground Forces of the Slovak Republic)

  • General polkovnik
    (Slovenian Ground Force)

  • General
    (South African Army)

  • General de ejército
    (Spanish Army)

  • General
    (Sri Lanka Army)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Sudanese Army)

  • General
    (Swedish Army)

  • General
    (Swiss Land Forces)

  • عماد أول
    Eimad 'awal
    (Syrian Arab Army)

  • Генерали артиш
    Generali artiş
    (Tajik National Army)

  • Jenerali
    (Tanzanian Army)

  • พลเอก
    Phon Ek
    (Royal Thai Army)

  • Orgeneral
    (Turkish Land Forces)

  • Goşun generaly
    (Turkmen Ground Forces)

  • General
    (Ugandan Land Forces)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Ukrainian Ground Forces)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (United Arab Emirates Army)

  • General
    (British Army)

  • General
    (US Army)

  • Armiya generali
    (Uzbek Ground Forces)

  • General en Jefe
    (Venezuelan Army)

  • Đại tướng
    (People's Army of Vietnam)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Yemeni Army)

  • General
    (Zimbabwe National Army)

Air force generals' insignia[edit]

  • ستر جنرال
    Setar Jenral
    (Afghan Air Force)

  • General de aviaçao
    (National Air Force of Angola)

  • Բանակի գեներալ
    Banaki general
    (Armenian Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Bahraini Air Force)

  • Generaal
    (Belgian Air Component)

  • General de fuerza aeréa
    (Bolivian Air Force)

  • Jeneral (Udara)
    (Royal Brunei Air Force)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Bulgarian Air Force)

  • Général d'armée
    (Air Force of Burkina Faso)

  • នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍
    Neay uttamseni
    (Royal Cambodian Air Force)

  • Général d'armée aérienne
    (Cameroon Air Force)

  • General
    (Royal Canadian Air Force)

  • General de aire
    (Chilean Air Force)

  • 空军上将
    Kōngjūn shàng jiàng
    (PLA Air Force)

  • 一級上將
    Yījí Shàngjiàng
    (Republic of China Air Force)

  • General de aire
    (Colombian Air Force)

  • Général d'armée
    (Air Force of the DR Congo)

  • Général d'armée
    (Ivory Coast Air Force)

  • General zbora
    (Croatian Air Force)

  • General de ejército
    (Cuban Air and Air Defense Force)

  • Armádní generál
    (Czech Air Force)

  • General
    (Royal Danish Air Force)

  • General del aire
    (Ecuadorian Air Force)

  • فريق أول طيار
    Fariq 'awal tayar
    (Egyptian Air Force)

  • Kindral
    (Estonian Air Force)

  • Kenraali
    (Finnish Air Force)

  • Général d'armée aérienne
    (French Air and Space Force)

  • Général d'armée
    (Gabonese Air Force)

  • გენერალი
    Generali
    (Georgian Air Force)

  • General
    (German Air Force)

  • Πτέραρχος
    Ptérarchos
    (Hellenic Air Force)

  • Vezérezredes
    (Hungarian Air Force)

  • ارتشبد
    Arteshbod
    (Iranian Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Iraqi Air Force)

  • Generale di Squadra Aerea con Incarichi Speciali
    (Italian Air Force)

  • 幕僚長たる陸将
    Rikushō
    (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Jordanian Air Force)

  • Армия Генералы
    Armiya generaly
    (Kazakh Air Defense Forces)

  • General
    (Kenya Air Force)

  • 대장
    Taejang
    (Korean People's Air Force)

  • 대장
    Daejang
    (Republic of Korea Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Kuwait Air Force)

  • ພົນເອກ
    Phonoek
    (Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force)

  • Général d'armée
    (Malagasy Air force)

  • Jeneral
    (Royal Malaysian Air Force)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Mongolian Air Force)

  • General pukovnik
    (Montenegrin Air Force)

  • Général d'armée aerienne
    (Royal Moroccan Air Force)

  • ဗိုလ်ချုပ်ကြီး
    Bolhkyaotekyee
    (Myanmar Air Force)

  • Generaal
    (Royal Netherlands Air Force)

  • General de ejército
    (Nicaraguan Air Force)

  • Армиски Генерал
    Armiski general
    (North Macedonia Air Brigade)

  • General
    (Royal Norwegian Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Air Force of Oman)

  • General del aire
    (Peruvian Air Force)

  • Heneral
    (Philippine Air Force)

  • Generał
    (Polish Air Force)

  • General
    (Portuguese Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Qatar Air Force)

  • General
    (Romanian Air Force)

  • генера́л а́рмии
    General armii
    (Russian Aerospace Forces)

  • General
    (Rwandan Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Royal Saudi Air Force)

  • Генерал
    General
    (Serbian Air Force and Air Defence)

  • Generál
    (Slovak Air Force)

  • General polkovnik
    (Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence)

  • General
    (South African Air Force)

  • General del aire
    (Spanish Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Sudanese Air Force)

  • General
    (Swedish Air Force)

  • عماد أول
    Eimad 'awal
    (Syrian Air Force)

  • General
    (Tanzania Air Force Command)

  • Orgeneral
    (Turkish Air Force)

  • General
    (Ugandan Air Force)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (United Arab Emirates Air Force)

  • General
    (Ugandan Air Force)

  • General en Jefe
    (Bolivarian Military Aviation)

  • فريق أول
    Fariq 'awal
    (Yemeni Air Force)

Naval infantry generals' insignia[edit]

  • 二級上將
    Èr jí shàng jiàng
    (Republic of China Marine Corps)

  • General
    (Colombian Naval Infantry)

  • Jenderal
    (Indonesian Marine Corps)

  • 대장
    Daejang
    (Republic of Korea Marine Corps)

  • ޖެނެރަލް
    General
    (Maldivian Marine Corps)

  • Generaal
    (Netherlands Marine Corps)

  • General
    (Swedish Amphibious Corps)

  • General
    (UK Royal Marines)

  • General
    (US Marine Corps)

Generals' insignia of disbanded armies[edit]

  • Generaloberst (Heer)
  • SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
  • Armeegeneral
    (National People's Army (GDR))
  • 上将
    (Manchukuo Imperial Army)
  • 上将
    (Inner Mongolian Army)
  • Heneral
    General
    (Philippine Revolutionary Army)
  • General
    (Rhodesian Army)
  • Army general
    (Army of the Soviet Union)
  • Đại Tướng, 1967–1975
    (Army of the Republic of Vietnam)

Air force and naval equivalents[edit]

Some countries (such as the United States) use the general officer ranks for both the army and the air force, as well as their marine corps; other nations only use the general officer ranks for the army, while in the air force they use air officers as the equivalent of general officers. They use the air force rank of air chief marshal as the equivalent of the specific army rank of general. This latter group includes the British Royal Air Force and many current and former Commonwealth air forces—e.g. Royal Australian Air Force, Indian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Nigerian Air Force, Pakistan Air Force, etc.

In most navies, flag officers are the equivalent of general officers, and the naval rank of admiral is equivalent to the specific army rank of general. A noteworthy historical exception was the Cromwellian naval rank "general at sea". In recent years in the American service there is a tendency to use flag officer and flag rank to refer to generals and admirals of the services collectively.

See also[edit]

  • General officers in the United States
  • List of comparative military ranks
  • List of Roman generals
  • General officer commanding
  • Général
  • Generalissimo
  • Shōgun

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ In the United States, General Officers authorized to display a flag showing their rank are also called "flag officers". Refer: "Flag officer". Merriam-Webster.[permanent dead link]. In other nations the term "flag officer" usually applies to admirals.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

  • Generals of World War II
  • Schema-root.org: US Generals News feeds for US Generals in the news
  • Marines.mil: General Officer Biographies Biographies of US Marine Corps General Officers
  • Bios & Information on Generals of Western History Information on 10 Generals who influenced Western History