Lets Talk Military

Four Star General Five-star generals are rare and mostly belong to history books, only showing up around major wars or big global conflicts. In many countries, they don’t exist in practice anymore. So in most militaries, the four-star general ends up being the highest active rank. The Real Career Path to Becoming a Four-Star General (40+ Years) Early Career Phase in the Military Why do so few people ever reach this level? Think about guys like Nick Carter in the UK—he spent roughly 40 years climbing before he finally pinned on that top job as Chief of the Defence Staff. Forty years. That number alone tells you most people never even get close.  But honestly? Most four-stars only wear the rank for a handful of years before mandatory retirement kicks in somewhere in their late fifties or mid-sixties.  The first fifteen years or so? You’re a lieutenant or ensign learning how not to get lead your platoon. You’re out in the mud, on ships, or in cockpits, soaking up every gritty le...

A lieutenant general is a three-star general officer. This rank sits above a major general, who has two stars, and below a full general, who has four stars. In navies, the equivalent rank is vice admiral. At this level, the focus is no longer on direct battlefield leadership but about managing large parts of the military and planning big scale operations. Lieutenant General vs Major General (Why the Names Feel Backwards) This confuses a lot of people. Normally, a major outranks a lieutenant. But in this case, a lieutenant general is above a major general. The rank of major general originally came from “ sergeant major general ,” which was below lieutenant general. Over time, the name was shortened to major general, but the ranking order stayed the same. What Does a Lieutenant General Actually Do? There are two main categories of lieutenant generals. A commanding lieutenant general. A staff/institutional lieutenant general. A commanding lieutenant general   A lieutenant general comm...

What Rank Is a Major General in the Army? (Two star) Most people recognize a general by the stars, but fewer understand what those stars actually represent. Among them, the rank of major general sits at an important point in the military hierarchy, marking the shift into high-level leadership and large-scale command. Origin of the Rank The term “major general” comes from the older title “sergeant major general.” Over time, the name was shortened, leaving the modern version still used today. In the United States, the rank dates back to 1775, during the formation of the Continental Army, and has remained a core part of military structure ever since. Where a Major General Fits in the Chain of Command A major general is a two-star general officer, ranked at O-8. It sits: Above brigadier general (one star) Below lieutenant general (three stars) This position is not just another promotion. It represents a transition from senior leadership into command roles that involve managing large forces...

A brigadier is a one-star military rank above the colonel and below a major general. A brigadier commands a brigade of 4000 soldiers in groups of battalions. Mostly, the terms brigadier, brigade general and brigadier general mean the same thing.  Sometimes, there exists a difference between the rank of brigadier and a brigade/brigadier general. A brigadier is the highest field officer, while a brigadier general is the lowest of the generals. All generals operate away from the field.  Alternatively, the brigadier rank can be an honorary rank awarded to a retiring colonel. A colonel can also hold the position of a brigadier on a temporary basis whenever a need to execute a special order arises. Furthermore, a colonel can temporarily hold the rank of brigadier when transitioning to a major general.  DUTIES OF A BRIGADIER  1. Command of a brigade. A brigade consists of several battalions. A brigadier must ensure smooth coordination between all the battalions there-in....

 A colonel is a rank above the lieutenant colonel and a rank junior to a brigadier/brigade general/brigadier general. The colonel is a senior officer in command of a regiment. A colonel is in charge of a regiment or a brigade with 1000-6000 soldiers under their command. Another colonel or a lieutenant colonel can deputize him. A colonel can be the highest rank in small armies. Before promotion to the colonel rank, candidates undertake joint professional military education (JPME) in military schools. Most colonels are graduates of war colleges. In some countries, a colonel does not take any leadership or operational duties but acts as a staff officer in the regiment.  Sometimes, the colonel rank is of a ceremonial/honorary nature. This happens where a regiment is a ceremonial unit rather than an actual battle unit. Some militaries accept the battalion to be the most convenient military unit size for battle deployment. In this case, a lieutenant colonel is the highest level of a...

 A lieutenant colonel, abbreviated as LTC or Lt Col, is a commisioned field grade officer in the military ranking. They rank directly above a major and below a colonel. Sometimes they are referred to as half colonel. These soldier hold cumulative commisioned service experience of about 15-22 years. Officers are promoted to the lieutenant colonel rank after serving as major for about 3 years, although promotion from lower ranks happens on special display of leadership qualities. Advanced education can also facilitate a quicker promotion to this rank. Lieutenant colonels command battalions of 300-1200 soldiers, with one or more majors as their deputies. They have a Command Sergeant Major as a principal enlisted advisor and several junior non-commissioned officers at their disposal. Lieutenant Colonel also  command squadrons in mission support group, mediacal group, maintenance group and operation group. Under the colonel, a lieutenant colonel serves as a principal staff officer ...

Major is a commisioned military officer ranking directly above a captain and directly below a lieutenant colonel. This is the first/lowest field grade officer rank who is a senior officer in the military. An officer usually attains a Major rank through promotion from the Captain rank. A Major officer has an experience of about 10-15 years. Its noteworthy to state that a single regiment can consist of more than 3 Major officers, each leading a military battalion. Duties of a Major Officer Duties of a Major are diverse. They operate mainly in batallions and brigades as Staff Officers. Sometimes, Majors are commanders or deputy commanders in their respective companies. In a batallion, Major officers serve as specialized executives officers (XO) thus becoming the second-in-command. Here, duties of a Major inclde daily managerial responsibilities consequently freeing up the commanding officer to focus on strategic, tactical, planning and execution of mission objectives. Basically, a XO Majo...