A general officer is an
officer of high rank in the
armies, and in some nations'
air and
space forces,
marines
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included Raid (military), raiding ashor ...
or
naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
.
["general, adj. and n.". OED Online. March 2021. Oxford University Press. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/77489?rskey=dCKrg4&result=1 (accessed May 11, 2021)]
The adjective ''general'' had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction.
French Revolutionary system
Arab system
Other variations
Other nomenclatures for general officers include the titles and ranks:
*
Adjutant general
*
Commandant-general
*
Inspector general
*
General-in-chief
*
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
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
and
Ulysses S. Grant
* ("
general admiral") (German Navy)
* Air general and aviation general
* Wing general and group 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 in some national police)
* Commissioner (highest rank of the
Bureau of Immigration)
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
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
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) 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 second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
and directly below
field marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
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,
army general
Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime.
In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...
or
colonel general
Colonel general is a military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically General officer#Old European system, general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, ...
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
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)
* (China) – People's Republic of China (PRC) and Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan)
*
General (Denmark),
*
General (Estonia),
*
General (Finland),
*
General (Germany)
''General'' () is the highest rank of the German Army and German Air Force. As a four-star rank it is the equivalent to the rank of admiral in the German Navy.
The rank is rated Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers, OF-9 in NATO. It is gra ...
,
* (Greece)
*
General (India)
General is a Four-star rank, four-star general officer rank in the Indian Army. It is the highest active rank in the Indian Army. General ranks above the three-star rank of Lieutenant General (India), lieutenant general and below the five-star ran ...
* (North and South Korea)
*
*
General (Nigeria)
*
General (Pakistan)
General ; ; abbreviated as GEN) is a Four-star rank, four-star general officer military rank, rank of the Pakistan Army, officially used by the government of Pakistan to denote a supreme leader of the army. It is given to an army general officer ...
*
General (Poland),
*
General (Sri Lanka)
*
General (Sweden),
*
General (Switzerland)
The General (, , , ) is an office and rank in the armed forces of Switzerland. It is held by the commander-in-chief of the Army in time of war only. Under the Swiss Constitution, he must be elected by the Federal Assembly, assembled as th ...
*
General (United Kingdom)
General (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the British Army and the Royal Marines. The rank can also be held by Royal Marines officers in tri-service p ...
*
General (United States)
*
General (Yugoslav People's Army)
Army generals' insignia
File:13.PNA-BG.svg,
( Algerian People's National Army)
(Angolan Army
The Angolan Army () is the land component of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA).
History
On August 1, 1974, a few months after a military coup d'état had overthrown the Lisbon regime and proclaimed its intention of granting independence to Angola, ...
)
File:Australian Army OF-9.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
)
File:Bundesheer - Rank insignia - General.png,
( Austrian Army)
File:Bangladesh-army-OF-9.svg,
General
( Bangladesh Army)
File:Belgium-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Belgian Land Component)
File:16.Bhutan Army-GEN.svg, General
( Royal Bhutan Army)
File:19.RBrLF-GEN.svg,
( Royal Brunei Land Force)
File:Rank insignia of Генерал of the Bulgarian Army.png,
( Bulgarian Army)
File:Canadian Army OF-9.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(Canadian Army
The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), 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 re ...
)
File:Colombia-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Colombian Army)
File:Denmark-Army-OF-9-M69-service.svg,
( Royal Danish Army)
File:Timor-Leste-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Timor-Leste Army)
File:Estonia-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Estonian Land Forces)
File:Ethiopia-Army-OF-9 (2022).svg,
( Ethiopian Ground Forces)
File:Kenraali M05.svg,
( Finnish Army)
File:16.Gambian Army-GEN.svg, General
( Gambian National Army)
File:Georgia-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Georgian Land Forces)
File:HD H 64 General.svg,
(German Army
The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
)
File:16-Ghana Army-GEN.svg, General
(Ghana Army
The Ghana Army is the principal land warfare force of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast became independent from the British Empire, the Ghana Regiment, Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West ...
)
File:15. Guinea-Bissau GEN.svg,
( Army of Guinea-Bissau)
File:Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Minister of Defence rank insignia.svg, General
( Guyana Army)
File:General of the Indian Army.svg,
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
( Indian Army)
File:22-TNI Army-GEN.svg,
( Indonesian Army)
File:Rank insignia of generale of the Army of Italy (1973).svg,
( Italian Army)
File:16. Kenyan Army GEN.svg, General
( Kenya Army)
File:Luxembourg-Army-OF-6.svg,
( Luxembourg Army)
File:North-Macedonia-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Army of North Macedonia)
File:16. Malawi Army - GEN.svg, General
( Malawian Army)
File:Malaysia-army-OF-9.svg,
( Malaysian Army)
File:Mexico army OF9.svg,
( Mexican Army)
File:Mongolian Army-GEN-service.svg,
( Mongolian Ground Force)
File:Namibia-army-OF-9.svg, General
( Namibian Army)
File:22.Nepalese Army-FM.svg, General
( Nepal Army)
File:Netherlands-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Royal Netherlands Army)
File:Nigeria-Army-OF-9.svg, General
( Nigerian Army)
File:Norway-army-OF-9.svg,
( Norwegian Army)
File:OF-9 Pakistan Army.svg,
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
)
File:PA General.png,
( Philippine Army)
File:Army-POL-OF-09.svg,
(Polish Army
The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...
)
File:Portugal-Army-OF-9.svg,
( Portuguese Army)
File:Romania-Army-OF-9.svg,
(Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces () is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. Since 2007, full professionalization and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Land Forces.
The Romanian Land Force ...
)
File:16-Rwanda Army-GEN.svg, General
( Rwandan Defence Forces)
File:18-Serbian Army-GEN.svg,
( Serbian Army)
File:Army-SVK-OF-09.svg,
( Ground Forces of the Slovak Republic)
File:SAA-OF-9.svg, General
(South African Army
The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...
)
File:Sri Lanka-army-OF-9.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
( Sri Lanka Army)
File:Sweden-Army-OF-9 (M1987).svg,
(Swedish Army
The Swedish Army () is the army, land force of the Swedish Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. Beginning with its service in 1521, the Swedish Army has been active for more than 500 years.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1 ...
)
File:CHE OF9 General.svg,
( Swiss Land Forces)
File:17-Tanzania Army-GEN.svg,
( Tanzanian Army)
File:Uganda-Army-OF-9 (2019).svg, General
( Ugandan Land Forces)
File:Погон генерала ЗСУ (2020).svg,
( Ukrainian Ground Forces)
File:British Army OF-9.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
)
File:US Army O10 (Army greens).svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
( U.S. Army)
File:Zimbabwe-Army-OF-9.svg, General
( Zimbabwe National Army)
Air force generals' insignia
File:16.ANAF-GEN.svg,
( National Air Force of Angola)
File:BE-Air Force-OF9.svg,
( Belgian Air Component)
File:19.RBrAF-GEN.svg,
( Royal Brunei Air Force)
File:Rank insignia of Генерал of the Bulgarian Air forces.png,
( Bulgarian Air Force)
File:Canada-Air force-OF-9-collected.svg, General
( Royal Canadian Air Force)
File:General del Aire FACH.png,
(Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force () is the air force of Chile and branch of the Chilean military.
History
The first step towards the current FACh is taken by Lieutenant Colonel, Teniente Coronel training as a pilot in France. Although a local academy was c ...
)
File:Colombia-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
(Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, ) is the air force of the Republic of Colombia. The Colombian Aerospace Force is one of the three institutions of the Military Forces of Colombia charged, according to the 1991 Constitution, with working to exe ...
)
File:RDAF-OF-9 Sleeve.svg,
( Royal Danish Air Force)
File:17.Ecuadorian Air Force-GEN.svg,
( Ecuadorian Air Force)
File:Estonia-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Estonian Air Force)
File:Finland-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Finnish Air Force)
File:Georgia Air Force OF-10.png,
( Georgian Air Force)
File:LD B 64 General.svg,
( German Air Force)
File:16. Kenyan Air Force GEN.svg, General
( Kenya Air Force)
File:Malaysia-Air Force-OF-9.svg,
( Royal Malaysian Air Force)
File:Mongolian Army-GEN-service.svg,
( Mongolian Air Force)
File:Netherlands-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Royal Netherlands Air Force)
File:Norway-air force-OF-9.svg,
( Royal Norwegian Air Force)
File:Peru-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Peruvian Air Force)
File:PAF GEN Svc.svg,
( Philippine Air Force)
File:Rank insignia of generał of the Air Force of Poland.svg,
(Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force () is the aerial warfare Military branch, branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 26,000 military personnel an ...
)
File:Portugal-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Portuguese Air Force)
File:Romania-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Romanian Air Force)
File:16-Rwanda Air Force-GEN.svg, General
( Rwandan Air Force)
File:18-Serbian Air Force-GEN.svg,
( Serbian Air Force and Air Defence)
File:SVK-Air Force-OF-09.svg,
( Slovak Air Force)
File:SAAF-OF-9.svg, General
(South African Air Force
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...
)
File:SP-09 General del Aire.svg,
(Spanish Air and Space Force
The Spanish Air and Space Force () is the Aerial warfare, aerial and space warfare branch of the Spanish Armed Forces.
History
Early stages
Hot air balloons have been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with th ...
)
File:Sweden-AirForce-OF-9.svg,
( Swedish Air Force)
File:17-Tanzania Air Force-GEN.svg, General
( Tanzania Air Force Command)
File:Turkey-air-force-OF-9a.svg,
( Turkish Air Force)
File:Uganda-AirForce-OF-9.svg, General
( Ugandan Air Force)
File:Ukraine-AirForce-OF-9 (2020).svg,
( Ukrainian Air Force)
File:US Air Force O10 shoulderboard.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
)
File:Uruguay-AirForce-OF-9.svg, General del aire
( Uruguayan Air Force)
Naval infantry generals' insignia
File:Generic-Navy-O12.svg,
( Colombian Naval Infantry)
File:22-TNI Navy-ADM.svg,
( Indonesian Marine Corps)
File:Maldives Army OF-9.svg,
General
( Maldivian Marine Corps)
File:Netherlands-Navy-OF-9.svg,
( Netherlands Marine Corps)
File:Sweden-Navy-OF-9.svg,
( Swedish Amphibious Corps)
File:British Royal Marines OF-9.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
)
File:US Marine 10 shoulderboard vertical.svg, General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
( US Marine Corps)
Air force and naval equivalents
Some countries (such as the United States) use the general officer ranks for both the
army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
and the
air force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
, as well as their
marine corps; other states only use the general officer ranks for the army, while in the air force they use
air officer
An air officer is an air force officer of the rank of air commodore or higher. Such officers may be termed "officers of air rank". While the term originated in the Royal Air Force, air officers are also to be found in many Commonwealth of Natio ...
s 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
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
and many current and former Commonwealth air forces—e.g.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
,
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
,
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF; ) is the aerial warfare, aerial military service, service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed initially in 1923 as a branch of the New Zealand Army, being known as the New Zealand Perm ...
,
Nigerian Air Force,
Pakistan Air Force, etc.
In most
navies,
flag officers are the equivalent of general officers, and the naval rank of
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
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
*
General officers in the United States
*
List of comparative military ranks
This article is a list of various Sovereign state, nations' armed forces military rank, ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. S ...
*
List of Roman generals
*
General officer commanding
* ''
Général''
* ''
Generalissimo''
* ''
Shogun
, officially , was the title of the military aristocracy, rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor of Japan, Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, exc ...
''
Notes
References
External links
Generals of World War IISchema-root.org: US GeneralsNews 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 HistoryInformation on 10 Generals who influenced Western History
{{DEFAULTSORT:General Officer
Military ranks