Brigadier general (United States)

In the United States Armed Forces, a brigadier general is a one-star general officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. This rank is an important leadership position in the military.

A brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below a major general. The pay grade for this rank is O-7. It is similar to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in other United States uniformed services that use naval ranks.

In the Civil Air Patrol, this rank is also used for its National Vice Commander and some past National commanders. The title is shortened to BG in the Army, BGen in the Marine Corps, and Brig Gen in the Air Force and Space Force.

History

The rank of brigadier general has been part of the U.S. military since June 1775, when the Continental Army was created. At first, these officers wore special ribbons to show their rank. Later, they began wearing a single silver star on their shoulders. Originally, brigadier generals led groups of soldiers called brigades, but over time their jobs changed a lot.

For a while, from 1802 to 1812, brigadier general was the highest rank in the U.S. Army. But when war seemed likely, the rank of major general was brought back in 1812. Today, a brigadier general helps the leader of a big military group and handles planning and organizing. In the Marine Corps, they often lead groups of up to 20,000 Marines. In the Air Force, they might lead a large group of aircraft or help the leader of an important base.

Statutory limits

In the United States, laws set limits on how many generals can serve at one time. For example, the Army can have up to 219 generals, the Marine Corps up to 64, the Air Force up to 171, and the Space Force up to 21. These numbers can be adjusted if the President or the Secretary of Defense moves spots from one branch to another.

Promotion, appointment and tour length

To become a permanent brigadier general, officers must be reviewed by a special group of higher-ranking officers from their branch. This group makes a list of who they think should be promoted, and it goes to the service secretary and the Joint Chiefs for approval. Then, the President, with help from the Secretary of Defense, chooses who to nominate for the promotion. The Senate must approve this choice before the officer can officially become a brigadier general.

Once approved, the officer is promoted when they start a job that needs this rank. These jobs usually last between two to four years, but this can change based on the specific role or new assignments.

Retirement

Brigadier generals have certain rules about when they must retire from service. They usually need to retire after five years in their rank or after 30 years of total service, whichever comes later. If they are not picked for a higher rank, they must retire the month after turning 64. Special leaders can sometimes ask to let them stay longer, up until age 66 or even 68.

Since there are only a limited number of top positions, officers often retire before they reach the normal age limits. This helps make space for younger officers to move up in their careers.