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"General" and "Generals" redirect here. For other uses, see General (disambiguation).
Common military ranks
Navies1 Armies2 Air Forces3
Admiral of
the Fleet		 Field Marshal Marshal of
the Air Force
Admiral General Air Chief Marshal
Vice Admiral Lt. General Air Marshal
Rear Admiral Major General Air Vice-Marshal
Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore
Captain Colonel Group Captain
Commander Lt. Colonel Wing Commander
Lt. Commander Major Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer
Warrant Officer Sergeant Major Warrant Officer
Petty Officer Sergeant Sergeant
Leading Rate Corporal Corporal
Seaman Private Aircraftman
1 in the English-speaking world          2 also some Air Forces
3 In many Commonwealth countries

A General Officer is an officer of high military rank. Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines An Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral is a military Naval officer of the highest rank For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Marshal of the Air Force may be used as a generic term for a rank in some Air forces which use a similar title with their air force's name inserted as their most senior rank Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the This article is about the air force rank Air marshal (or Sky marshal) is also the term given to federal security agents who travel undercover aboard commercial Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in For information specifically on the Royal Navy rank of captain see Captain (Royal Navy. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned Lieutenant Commander ( Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a Commissioned officer rank in many navies Superior Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flying Officer ( Fg Off in the RAF FLGOFF in the RAAF FGOFF in the RNZAF F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is a junior commissioned A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Leading Rating (or Leading Rate) is the most senior of the junior rates in the British Royal Navy. Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Aircraftman ( AC) or Aircraftwoman ( ACW) is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force and the Air forces of several other Commonwealth Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines The term is used by nearly every country in the world. General can be used as a generic term for all grades of general officer, or it can specifically refer to a single rank that is just called General.

Contents

All General officer ranks

The various grades of general officer are at the top of the rank structure. The General Officer ranks came about by adding General as an adjective to existing names of ranks, although in some countries the highest general officers are titled Field Marshal or Marshal. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Marshal (also sometimes spelled marshall in American English, but not in British English) is a word used in several official titles of various branches All officers who commanded more than a single regiment (the most significant level of unit) came to be known as a "general officer". A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel.

Common systems

There are two common systems of using general ranks.

One form, the old European system, is used in the United Kingdom from which it eventually spread to the Commonwealth and the United States of America. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The system is not British in origin, and variations of this system were once used throughout Europe.

The other is derived from the French Revolution, where generals' ranks are named according to the unit they (theoretically) command. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an

Old European system

Field Marshal or Field Marshal General
Colonel General
General or Captain General
Lieutenant General
Sergeant Major General or Major General
Brigadier (General)

The system used either a brigadier rank, or a colonel general rank (i. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall Colonel General is a senior Military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries Captain General (and its literal equivalent in several languages is a high Military rank and a gubernatorial title Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the Sergeant Major General is a now extinct Military rank that can trace its origins to the Middle Ages. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. e. exclude one of the italicised ranks. )

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. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer 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. Brigade General is a rank used in many armies to denote the lowest rank of general corresponding to command of a brigade (Mexico and Argentina still use two brigade command ranks. )

In some nations (particularly in the Commonwealth), 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. This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

French (Revolutionary) system

Marshal
Army General
Corps General
Divisional General
Brigade General

More information about this system can be found on the page: Général. Marshal (also sometimes spelled marshall in American English, but not in British English) is a word used in several official titles of various branches For the army rank(s of General as opposed to the specific rank of Army General see General Army General is a title used in many Corps General is a rank corresponding to the Commonwealth and US rank of Lieutenant General. Divisional General is a rank used in many armies to denote a rank of general corresponding to command of a division Brigade General is a rank used in many armies to denote the lowest rank of general corresponding to command of a brigade Général is the French word for General. In France, Army generals are named after the type of unit they command

Other variations

Other nomenclatures for general officers include the titles and/or ranks:

The specific General rank

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. General Admiral was a Danish Dutch German Russian and Spanish naval rank. Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in The National Police ( police nationale) formerly the Sûreté Nationale, is one of two National police forces and the main civil law enforcement The Argentine Naval Prefecture, in Spanish Prefectura Naval Argentina or PNA, is a Military service of the Argentine Interior Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the Usually it is the most senior peace-time rank, with more senior ranks (for example, Field Marshal) being used only in war time, 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. Captain General (and its literal equivalent in several languages is a high Military rank and a gubernatorial title Colonel General is a senior Military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries 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.

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 organization of professional armies in the 17th century. In most countries "Captain-General" contracted to just "General". Captain General (and its literal equivalent in several languages is a high Military rank and a gubernatorial title

General ranks by country

The following articles deal with the rank of General as it is employed in the militaries of those countries.

General equivalent ranks

Other General ranks

Air Force and Navy Equivalents

Some countries (such as the United States) use the General Officer ranks for both the army and the air force. See General for other countries which use this rank General (abbreviated GEN is the second highest rank and the highest active rank of the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The rank of General in Canada is typically held by only one officer whose position is Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS and the senior uniformed officer of the Canadian Forces Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Général is the French word for General. In France, Army generals are named after the type of unit they command This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Please see " General " for other countries which use this rank General (genəˈraːl is presently the highest rank Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The military rank in Mexico of the general is divided in 4 categories -General Brigadier equivalent to the Brigadier and between "Coronel" ( Colonel) and "General The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. General is a rank that is held in Switzerland by the chief of the Army in time of war only Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star General officer rank The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jiang (将 (Wade-Giles Chiang; traditional Chinese 將 is the rank held by General officers in the military of both the People's Republic of China and China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Kindral is the Estonian word for General which is also the highest military position in the Republic of Estonia. Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region For the board game see Stratego. "Strategus" redirects here Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense the national military or armed service But some countries only use the General Officer ranks for the army, while in the air force they use Air Officers as the equivalent of General Officers. An Air Officer is a British Royal Air Force officer of rank Air Commodore or higher They use the air force rank of Air Marshal as the equivalent of the specific army rank of General. This article is about the air force rank Air marshal (or Sky marshal) is also the term given to federal security agents who travel undercover aboard commercial This latter group includes the British Royal Air Force and those based on it (e. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located g. India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Nigeria etc. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal ).

In most navies of the world, Flag Officers are the equivalent of General Officers. A flag officer is a commissioned officer who is senior enough to be entitled to fly a Flag to represent where he exercises command And the naval rank of Admiral is equivalent to the specific army rank of General. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers However a noteworthy historical exception was the Cromwellian naval rank General at sea. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known 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

External links


Generalissimo or Generalissimus is a military rank of the highest degree superior to a Field Marshal or Grand Admiral. Général is the French word for General. In France, Army generals are named after the type of unit they command is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" This article is a list of various States Armed forces ranking designations
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