Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a
military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of
sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a
lieutenant general outranking a major general, whereas a major outranks a lieutenant.
In the
Commonwealth and in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, when appointed to a field command, a major general is typically in command of a
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
consisting of around 6,000 to 25,000 troops (several
regiments or
brigades). It is a
two-star rank that is subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the rank of
brigadier or
brigadier general. In the Commonwealth, major general is equivalent to the navy rank of
rear admiral. In air forces with a separate rank structure (Commonwealth), major general is equivalent to
air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
.
In some countries including much of
Eastern Europe, major general is the lowest of the
general officer ranks, with no brigadier general rank.
Countries
Major general ranks by country
Australia
Canada
In the
Canadian Armed Forces, the rank of major-general (MGen) (french: major-général) is both a
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
and
Royal Canadian Air Force rank equivalent to the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
's rank of
rear-admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
. A major-general is a
general officer, the equivalent of a naval
flag officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command.
The term is used differently in different countries:
*In many countries ...
. The major-general rank is senior to the ranks of
brigadier-general and
commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
, and junior to
lieutenant-general and
vice-admiral. Prior to 1968, the
Air Force used the rank of
air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
, instead.
The rank insignia for a major-general in the Royal Canadian Air Force is a wide braid under a single narrow braid on the cuff, as well as two silver maple leaves beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown. In the Canadian Army, the rank insignia is a wide braid on the cuff, as well as two gold maple leaves beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown. It is worn on the shoulder straps of the service dress tunic, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. On the visor of the service cap are two rows of gold oak leaves.
Major-generals are initially addressed as "general" and name, as are all general officers; thereafter by subordinates as "sir" or "ma'am" as applicable in English (french: mon général). Major-generals are normally entitled to
staff cars.
India
Japan
Because no brigadier-general rank is used in Japan, major-general is the rank of brigade commander. Therefore, the designation in the
French Revolutionary System is the
brigade general. In the past, ''rikugun-shōshō'' (陸軍少将) in the
Imperial Japanese Army was equivalent to major-general; in the current
Japan Self-Defense Forces, ''rikushō-ho'' (陸将補) in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and ''kūshō-ho'' (空将補) in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force are equivalent to it.
New Zealand
In the
New Zealand Army, major-general is the rank held by the chief of army (formerly the chief of general staff). The more senior rank of lieutenant-general is reserved for when an army officer holds the position of chief of defense force, who commands all New Zealand's armed forces. This position is subject to rotation between the heads of the air force, army, and navy.
Pakistan
Major general in the
Pakistan Army is equivalent to rear admiral in the
Navy and air vice marshal in the
Air Force. It is the lowest of the general officer ranks, ranking between brigadier and lieutenant general.
Portugal
The rank of major-general was reintroduced in the
Portuguese Army,
Air Force and
National Republican Guard in 1999, replacing the former rank of
brigadier in the role of brigade commander. As a rank, it had previously been used in the Army only for a brief period (from 1862 to 1864). It is equivalent to the rank of ''contra-almirante'' (rear-admiral) in the
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...
. In 2015, the rank of major-general was moved up one level, with the role of brigade commander being assumed by the below rank of brigadier-general.
In most of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, major-general was not used as a rank in the Portuguese military, but as an appointment title conferred to the general officer that acted as the military head of a
service branch
Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state.
Types of branches
Unified armed forces
The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifi ...
. The roles of Major-General of the Navy (''Major-General da Armada'') and Major-General of the Army (''Major-General do Exército'') became extinct in 1950, with their roles being unified in the then created
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
Russia
In the
Russian Army
The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска �ВSukhoputnyye voyska V}), also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the land forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Force ...
, the rank "major general" is known as russian: генера́л-майо́р, Generál-mayór. It is equivalent to a British
brigadier or an American
brigadier general.
Sri Lanka
Turkey
The Turkish Army and Air Force refer to the rank as . The Turkish Navy equivalent is . The name is derived from , the Turkish word for a military division ( itself is an older Turkish word meaning "10,000"). Thus, linguistically, it is similar to the French equivalent for a major general, .
United Kingdom
United States
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, the rank of major general exists in the
United States Air Force,
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
,
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
, and
United States Space Force.
''Generalmajor''
''Generalmajor'' is the
Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of
Central and
Northern European countries, including
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
Finland,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, and
Sweden.
Insignia
Army
File:ALB-Army-OF-7.svg,
(Albanian Land Force
The Albanian Land Force ( sq, Forca Tokësore të Republikës së Shqipërisë) is the land force branch of the Albanian Armed Forces.
Mission
The Albanian Land Force's main mission is the defense of the independence, sovereignty and territorial ...
)
)
( Algerian Land Forces)
(Armenian Ground Forces
The Armenian Ground Forces () is the collective term for personnel branches of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia that are responsible for the country's land-based operations. It was established in conjunction with the other compone ...
)
( Australian Army)
(Austrian Land Forces
The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria.
The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of natio ...
)
(Azerbaijani Land Forces
The Azerbaijani Land Forces ( az, Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri Quru Qoşunları) are the land force component of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has been trying to create professional, well trained ...
)
(Barbados Regiment
The Barbados Regiment is the land force component of the Barbados Defence Force. Its main tasks are the defence of Barbados from external threats, internal security and assisting the local police in maintaining law and order. The regiment also pr ...
)
File:Bangladesh-army-OF-7.svg, Major general
)
(Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and defe ...
)
(Belarusian Ground Forces
The Belarusian Ground Forces is a service branch of the Armed Forces of Belarus.
History
The ground forces were founded on March 20, 1992, on the same day the Defence Ministry of Belarus was established. By 1994, the ground forces had over 5 ...
)
( Belgian Land Component)
(Belize Defence Force
The Belize Defence Force (BDF) is the military of Belize, and is responsible for protecting the sovereignty of the country. The BDF is under the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security, which is currently headed by Hon. Florencio Marin Jr ...
)
File:14.Bhutan Army-MG.svg, Major general
)
( Royal Bhutan Army)
( Bosnian Ground Forces)
(Botswana Ground Force
The Botswana Ground Forces is the army of the country of Botswana, and the land component of the Botswana Defence Force.
History
The Botswana Defence Force was raised in April 1977 by an Act of Parliament called the 'BDF Act NO 13 of 1977. At it ...
)
(Royal Brunei Land Forces
The Royal Brunei Land Forces (Malay: Tentera Darat Diraja Brunei, abbreviated TDDB) is the land component of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. The RBLF has responsibility for maintaining the territorial defence of Brunei
Brunei ( , ), form ...
)
(Bulgarian Land Forces
The Bulgarian Land Forces ( bg, Сухопътни войски на България, Sukhopŭtni voĭski na Bŭlgariya, lit=Ground Forces of Bulgaria) are the ground warfare branch of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The Land Forces were established ...
)
)
(Burundi Army
The ''Burundi'' National Defence Force (french: Force de defense nationale ''du Burundi'', or FDNB) is the state military organisation responsible for the defence of Burundi.
A general staff (''État-Major Général'') commands the armed forces, ...
)
)
(Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
)
( Cape Verdean National Guard)
(Colombian National Army
The National Army of Colombia ( es, Ejército Nacional de Colombia) is the land warfare service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia. With over 361,420 active personnel as of 2020, it is the largest and oldest service branch in Colombia, an ...
)
( Land Forces of the DR Congo)
File:Army-HRV-OF-07.svg,
(Croatian Army
The Croatian Army ( hr, Hrvatska kopnena vojska or HKoV) is the largest and most significant component of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF).
Role and deployment
The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national i ...
)
(Czech Land Forces
The Czech Land Forces ( cs, Pozemní síly) are the land warfare force of the Czech Republic. The Land Forces consisting of various types of arms and services complemented by air and special operations forces constitute the core of the Czech Ar ...
)
( Royal Danish Army)
(Dominican Army
The Dominican Army ( es, Ejército de República Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Dominican Navy, Navy and the Dominican Air Force, Air Force.
The Dominican army with 28,75 ...
)
(Eritrean Army
The Eritrean Army is the main branch of the Defense Force of the State of Eritrea and is one of the largest armies in Africa. The main roles of the army in Eritrea is defense from external aggressors, border security, and developing national coh ...
)
File:Estonia-Army-OF-7.svg,
( Estonian Land Forces)
( Eswatini Army)
File:16.EA-MG.svg,
( Ethiopian Ground Forces)
( Fiji Infantry Regiment)
File:Kenraalimajuri M05.svg,
)
(Finnish Army
The Finnish Army ( Finnish: ''Maavoimat'', Swedish: ''Armén'') is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Army is divided into six branches: the infantry (which includes armoured units), field artillery, anti-aircraf ...
)
( Gambian National Army)
File:Georgia-Army-OF-7.svg,
(Georgian Land Forces
The Georgian Land Forces ( ka, საქართველოს სახმელეთო ძალები) are the land force component of the Defense Forces of Georgia. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk o ...
)
( German Army)
(Ghana Army
The Ghana Army (GA) is the main ground warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal Wes ...
)
File:13. Guinea-Bissau MG.svg,
( Army of Guinea-Bissau)
File:Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major General rank insignia.svg, Major general
( Guyana Army)
)
( Indian Army)
( Indonesian Army)Major-general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
)
(Irish Army
The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. The A ...
)
( Jamaican Army)
(Kazakh Ground Forces
The Kazakh Ground Forces (, ; ) is the land service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is one of the three uniformed military services, and is the most senior branch of the Kazakh military in order of precedence. The mai ...
)
(Kenya Army
The Kenya Army is the land arm of the Kenya Defence Forces.
History
The origin of the present day Kenya Army lie with the British Army's King's African Rifles. In the last quarter of the 19th Century the British began actively enforcing the abo ...
)
( Kosovo Security Force)
( Kyrgyz Army)
(Latvian Land Forces
The Latvian Land Forces ( lv, Sauszemes spēki, SzS) together with the Latvian National Guard form the land warfare branch of the Latvian National Armed Forces. Since 2007, land forces are organized as a fully professional standing army.
Mission ...
)
(Lithuanian Land Forces
The Lithuanian Land Forces (LLF) form the backbone of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, capable of acting as an integral part of NATO forces. Lithuanian Land Forces consist of three brigades, the Engineer Battalion, and the National Defence Volunte ...
)
( Lesotho Army)
( Liberian Ground Forces)
(Malawi Army
The Malawian Defence Force is the state military organisation responsible for defending Malawi. It originated from elements of the British King's African Rifles, colonial units formed before independence in 1964.
The military is organized under ...
)
File:Malaysia-army-OF-7.svg,
( Malaysian Army)
)
( Maldivian Marine Corps)
( Mongolian Ground Force)
( Montenegrin Ground Army)
( Mozambican Army)
File:14-Namibia Army-MG.svg, Major general
(Namibian Army
The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force.
History
Development of Namibia's army was fastest of the three arms of Service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when ...
)
File:Netherlands-Army-OF-7.svg,
( Royal Netherlands Army)
( New Zealand Army)
(Nicaraguan Army
The Nicaraguan Armed Forces are the military forces of Nicaragua. There are three branches: the Navy, the Army, and Air Force.
History
National Guard, 1925–1979
The long years of strife between the liberal and conservative political faction ...
)
( Nigerian Army)
( North Macedonian Ground Forces)
(Norwegian Army
The Norwegian Army ( no, Hæren) is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway ...
)
( Pakistan Army)
( Papua New Guinea Land Element)
File:PA Maj. Gen.png, Major general
(Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
)
( Portuguese Army)
( Romanian Land Forces)
( Russian Ground Forces)
( Rwandan Land Forces)
(Serbian Army
The Serbian Army ( sr-cyr, Копнена војска Србије, Kopnena vojska Srbije, lit=Serbian Land Army) is the land-based and the largest component of the Serbian Armed Forces.
History
Originally established in 1830 as the Army of Pr ...
)
(Sierra Leone Army
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) are the armed forces of Sierra Leone, responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's borders and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone, within the framework of the 1991 Si ...
)
File:09-RSA-OF07.svg, Major general
( Singapore Army)
( Slovak Ground Forces)
( Slovenian Ground Force)
)
( Somali National Army)
( South African Army)
(Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
)
( Swedish Army)
( Tajik Ground Forces)
( Tanzanian Army)
File:Timor-Leste-Army-OF-7.svg,
( Timor-Leste Army)
File:TaT-Army-OF-7.svg, Major general
( Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)
( Turkmen Ground Forces)
( Ugandan Land Forces)
( Ukrainian Ground Forces)
(British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
)
(United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
)
(National Army of Uruguay
The National Army of Uruguay ( es, Ejército Nacional del Uruguay) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Organization
The army consists of some 15,000 personnel organized into four divisions. His s ...
)
(Uzbek Ground Forces
The Uzbek Ground Forces are the land component of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Operating since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the army is made up of former Soviet Army units that were in the territory of Uzbekistan. A ...
)
( Venezuelan Army)
(Zambian Army
The Zambian Army, is the land military branch of the Zambian Defence Force. Like all branches of the Zambian military, citizens of the nation are required to register at 16 years old, and citizens can join at 16 years old with parental consent or ...
)
File:Zimbabwe-Army-OF-7.svg, Major general
( Zimbabwe National Army)
Air force
File:Canada-Air force-OF-7-collected.svg, '')
File:Czech-Airforce OF-7.svg,
File:RDAF Maj Gen.svg,
File:Georgia Air Force OF-8.png,
File:Luftwaffe-321-Generalmajor.png,
File:Hellenic Air Force OF-7.svg,
File:Ireland-AirForce-OF-7.svg,
File:JASDF Major General insignia (b).svg,
File:Malaysia-Air Force-OF-7.svg,
File:RNAF Maj Gen.svg,
File:PAF MGEN Svc.svg,
File:Rank insignia of generał dywizji of the Air Force of Poland.svg,
File:Portugal-AirForce-OF-7.svg,
File:RO-Airforce-OF-7s.PNG,
File:Russia-Airforce-OF-6-2010.svg,
File:16-Serbian Air Force-MG.svg,
File:OF-7 Generalmajor FV hylsa.jpg,
File:Turkey-air-force-OF-7.svg,
File:UAAF shoulder mark 19.svg,
File:US Air Force O8 shoulderboard.svg,
File:RTAF OF-7 (Air Vice Marshal).svg, alt=, Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air Force March"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day)
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles ...
Major general (พลอากาศตรี)
Naval infantry
File:OF-7 Konteramiral FL hylsa.jpg,
File:British Royal Marines OF-7.svg,
File:US Marine O8 shoulderboard vertical.svg,
File:20-TNI Navy-RADM.svg,
File:UAN shoulder mark 19.svg,
Other services
File:US Space-force O8 (interim).svg,
See also
*
Comparative military ranks
This article is a list of various nations' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention '' ...
*
Military unit
*
Major General's Song
References
Citations
Sources
* Boatner, Mark M., III. ''The Civil War Dictionary.'' New York: David McKay, 1959. .
* Bowden, Scotty & Tarbox, Charlie. ''Armies on the Danube 1809.'' Arlington, TX: Empire Games Press, 1980. .
* Foote, Shelby. ''The Civil War: A Narrative. Vol. 2''. New York: Random House, 1986. .
External links
*
Military ranks of Canada
Military insignia
Military ranks
Military ranks of Australia
Military ranks of Singapore
Military ranks of Pakistan
Military ranks of British India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Major_General