Major general
Major general (abbreviated MG,[1] 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.[2]
Comparative military ranks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the Commonwealth and in the United States, when appointed to a field command, a major general is typically in command of a division 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.
In some countries including much of Eastern Europe, major general is the lowest of the general officer ranks, with no brigadier general rank.
Countries
Canada
In the Canadian Armed Forces, the rank of major-general (MGen) (French: major-général) is both a Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force rank equivalent to the Royal Canadian Navy's rank of rear-admiral. A major-general is a general officer, the equivalent of a naval flag officer. The major-general rank is senior to the ranks of brigadier-general and commodore, and junior to lieutenant-general and vice-admiral. Prior to 1968, the Air Force used the rank of air vice-marshal, 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.
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. 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. 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 rank "major general" is known as Russian: генера́л-майо́р, romanized: Generál-mayór. It is equivalent to a British brigadier or an American brigadier general.[3]
Turkey
The Turkish Army and Air Force refer to the rank as tümgeneral. The Turkish Navy equivalent is tümamiral. The name is derived from tümen, the Turkish word for a military division (tümen itself is an older Turkish word meaning "10,000"). Thus, linguistically, it is similar to the French equivalent for a major general, général de division.
United States
In the United States, the rank of major general exists in the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Space Force, and Civil Air Patrol.
Insignia
Army
- Major general
(Barbados Regiment) - Major general
(Belize Defence Force) - Major general
(Botswana Ground Force)[15] - Général-major
(Land Forces of the DR Congo) - Major general
(Eritrean Army) - Major general
(Eswatini Army) - Major general
(Fiji Infantry Regiment) - Major general
(Gambian National Army) - Major general
(Ghana Army) - Major-general
(Army of Guinea-Bissau) - Major general
(Guyana Army)[31] - Major general
(Jamaican Army)[35] - Major general
(Kenya Army)[37] - Major general
(Lesotho Army)[42] - Major general
(Liberian Ground Forces)[43] - Major general
(Malawi Army) - Major-general
(Mozambican Army) - Major general
(Namibian Army) - Major-general
(New Zealand Army)[49] - Major general
(Nigerian Army)[51] - Major general
(Papua New Guinea Land Element) - Major general
(Philippine Army)[55] - Major general
(Rwandan Land Forces)[59] - Major general
(Sierra Leone Army) - Major general
(Singapore Army)[61] - Major general
(South African Army)[65] - Major general
(Sri Lanka Army)[66] - Meja jenerali
(Tanzanian Army) - Major general
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)[69] - Tümgeneral (Turkish Land Forces)
- Major general
(Ugandan Land Forces)[71] - Major general
(Zambian Army) - Major general
(Zimbabwe National Army)
Air force
- Czech Air Force
(Generálmajor) - Royal Danish Air Force
(Generalmajor) - Georgian Air Force
- Luftwaffe
(Generalmajor) - Greece
(Υποπτέραρχος) - Irish Air Corps
(Maor-ghinearál) - Japan Air Self-Defense Force
(Kūshō-ho) - Royal Malaysian Air Force
(Mejar Jeneral) - Royal Netherlands Air Force
(Generaal-majoor) - Philippine Air Force
(Magat Heneral) - Poland
- Portuguese Air Force
- Romanian Air Force
(General-maior) - Russian Air Force
(Генера́л-майор) - Serbian Air Force
(Генерал-мајор) - Swedish Air Force
(Generalmajor) - Turkish Air Force
Tümgeneral - Ukrainian Air Force
Генерал-майор - United States Air Force
Major general - Royal Thai Air Force Major general (พลอากาศตรี)
Naval infantry
- Swedish Amphibious Corps
(Generalmajor) - Indonesian Marine Corps
(mayor jenderal) - Ukrainian Marine corps
(Генерал-майор)
Other services
- United States Space Force
See also
- Comparative military ranks
- Military unit
- Major General's Song
References
Citations
- MILITÄRISCHES STUDIENGLOSAR ENGLISCH Teil I, L – Z, Bundessprachenamt (Stand Januar 2001), page 742, definition: Major General [MG].
- "Why does a major-general rank below a lieutenant-general?". 16 August 2003.
- Soper, Karl Wheeler (1991). "Armed Forces and Defence Organization". In Zickel, Raymond E. (ed.). Soviet Union: a country study. Area Handbook (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 740. LCCN 90025756. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- "GRADAT, FORCA TOKËSORE" (PDF). aaf.mil.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- "ԶԻՆՎՈՐԱԿԱՆ ԾԱՌԱՅՈՒԹՅԱՆ ԵՎ ԶԻՆԾԱՌԱՅՈՂԻ ԿԱՐԳԱՎԻՃԱԿԻ ՄԱՍԻՆ". arlis.am (in Armenian). Legal information system of Armenia. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- "Badges of rank" (PDF). defence.gov.au. Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- "Dienstgrade". bundesheer.at (in German). Federal Ministry of Defence (Austria). Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- "Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri hərbi qulluqçularının hərbi geyim forması və fərqləndirmə nişanları haqqında Əsasnamə" (PDF). mod.gov.az (in Azerbaijani). Ministry of Defense. 25 June 2001. pp. 64–70. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- "Ranks & insignia". joinbangladesharmy.army.mil.bd. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- "Указ Президента Республики Беларусь от 21.07.2009 N 388 "О военной форме одежды, знаках различия по воинским званиям и внесении дополнений в Указ Президента Республики Беларусь от 9 июня 2006 г. N 383"". pravo.levonevsky.org/ (in Russian). Government of Belarus. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- "IPR Landcomponent". mil.be (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 17 February 2005. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- "Army ranks". rba.bt. Royal Bhutan Army. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- "OBILJEŽJA I ČINOVI OS BIH". os.mod.gov.ba (in Bosnian). Oružane snage Bosne i Hercegovine. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- "Akta angkatan bersenjata diraja Brunei (Penggal 149)" (PDF). agc.gov.bn (in Malay). 16 December 2013. pp. 1999–2000. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- "ЗАКОН ЗА ОТБРАНАТА И ВЪОРЪЖЕНИТЕ СИЛИ НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ". lex.bg (in Bulgarian). Глава седма. ВОЕННА СЛУЖБА. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- "Loi organique N°1/ 04 du 20 février 2017 portant Missions, Organisation, Composition, Instruction, Conditions de service et Fonctionnement de la Force de Défense Nationale du Burundi" (PDF). fdnb.bi/ (in French). Government of Burundi. p. 45. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- "Ranks and appointment". canada.ca. Government of Canada. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "Patente". fa.gov.cv (in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Capítulo V: Insignias militares". RGE 4-20.1: Reglamento de Uniformes, Insignias y Distinciones (in Spanish) (7th ed.). Colombia: National Army of Colombia. pp. 301–331. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "Oznake činova". osrh.hr (in Croatian). Republic of Croatia Armed Forces. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Ranks". army.cz. Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Hærens Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Insignias". mide.gob.do (in Spanish). Ministry of Defense (Dominican Republic). Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "Sümboolika: Maaväe Auastmed". mil.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- Wetaderawī ma‘iregochi # fana k’elemati ወታደራዊ ማዕረጎች # ፋና ቀለማት [Military titles #Fana Colors] (in Amharic). YouTube: Fana Television. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- "Sotilasarvot Puolustusvoimissa". puolustusvoimat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "სამხედრო წოდებები და ინსიგნიები" [Military Ranks and Insignia]. mod.gov.ge (in Georgian). Ministry of Defense of Georgia. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- "Dienstgradabzeichen Heer". bundeswehr.de (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- Merrill, Tim (1993). Guyana and Belize: country studies. Library of Congress. p. 138. LCCN 93010956. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- "Indian Army Rank Badges". indianarmy.nic.in. Indian Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- "Pangkat Harian". tni.mil.id (in Indonesian). Indonesian National Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- "Army Rank Markings". military.ie. Defence Forces (Ireland). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "BADGES OF RANK". Official Jamaica Defence Force Website. 2019. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- "Қазақстан Республикасының Қарулы Күштері, басқа да әскерлері мен әскери құралымдары әскери қызметшілерінің әскери киім нысаны және айырым белгілері туралы". adilet.zan.kz (in Kazakh). Ministry of Justice (Kazakhstan). 25 August 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "Emblems and Ranks". mod.rks-gov.net. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- "Кыргыз Республикасынын жарандарынын жалпыга бирдей аскердик милдети жөнүндө, аскердик жана альтернативдик кызматтар жөнүндө". cbd.minjust.gov.kg/ (in Kyrgyz). Ministry of Justice (Kyrgyzstan). 9 February 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- "Pakāpju iedalījums". mil.lv/lv (in Latvian). Latvian National Armed Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Karių laipsnių ženklai". kariuomene.kam.lt (in Lithuanian). Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania). Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Ranks in the Army". Lesotho Defence Force. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- "Pangkat". mafhq.mil.my (in Malay). Malaysian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- "ރޭންކް ސްޓްރަކްޗަރ". mndf.gov.mv (in Divehi). Maldives National Defence Force. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- Chief of General Staff (25 November 2019). "Order of the Chief of the General Staff: Number A / 595". gsmaf.gov.mn (in Mongolian). pp. 20–26. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- "IV. Izgled Činova u Vojsci". Official Gazette of Montenegro (in Montenegrin). 50/10: 22–28. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- "De rangonderscheidingstekens van de krijgsmacht" (PDF) (in Dutch). Ministry of Defence (Netherlands). 19 December 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- "Badges of Rank". nzdf.mil.nz. New Zealand Defence Force. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- "Insignias de Grados Militares". ejercito.mil.ni (in Spanish). Nicaraguan Armed Forces. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN 92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "УРЕДБА ЗА ОЗНАКИТЕ ЗА УНИФОРМИТЕ НА АРМИЈАТА НА РЕПУБЛИКА СЕВЕРНА МАКЕДОНИЈА" [Regulation on the Markings for the Uniforms of the Army of the Republic Northern of Macedonia]. dejure.mk (in Macedonian). 12 November 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- "Militære grader". forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Pakistan Army Ranks with Salary and Insignia". pakistanforces.com. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- "POSTOS E DISTINTIVOS EXÉRCITO". antigo.mdn.gov.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- "Grade militare (Military ranks)". defense.ro (in Romanian). Romanian Defence Staff. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 11 марта 2010 года № 293 "О военной форме одежды, знаках различия военнослужащих и ведомственных знаках отличия"". rg.ru (in Russian). Российской газеты. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "RDF Insignia". mod.gov.rw. Government of the Republic of Rwanda. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- "ЧИНОВИ У ВОЈСЦИ СРБИЈЕ". vs.rs (in Serbian). Serbian Armed Forces. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- "SAF Rank Insignias". mindef.gov.sg. Ministry of Defence (Singapore). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- "Označenie vojenských hodností príslušníkov Ozbrojených síl Slovenskej republiky od 1.1.2016" [Designation of military ranks of members of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic from 1.1.2016]. vhu.sk (in Slovak). Military History Institute. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- "Čini in razredi". slovenskavojska.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian Armed Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 257. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "Uniform: Rank insignia". army.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "Dress Regulation PDF - Part I" (PDF). army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. January 2019. pp. 10-4–10-11. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- "Nya gradbeteckningar införs". Försvarsmakten. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- "ҚОНУНИ ҶУМҲУРИИ ТОҶИКИСТОН ДАР БОРАИ ЎҲДАДОРИИ УМУМИИ ҲАРБӢ ВА ХИЗМАТИ ҲАРБӢ". majmilli.tj (in Tajik). The National Assembly of the Republic of Tajikistan. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- "Rank Chart (Commissioned Officers)". 69.0.195.188. Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- "TÜRKMENISTANYŇ KANUNY Harby borçlulyk we harby gulluk hakynda (Türkmenistanyň Mejlisiniň Maglumatlary 2010 ý., № 3, 58-nji madda) (Türkmenistanyň 01.10.2011 ý. № 234-IV Kanuny esasynda girizilen üýtgetmeler we goşmaçalar bilen)" [LAW OF TURKMENISTAN On military service and military service (Information of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 2010, No. 3, Article 58) (as amended by the Law of Turkmenistan of October 1, 2011 No. 234-IV)] (PDF). milligosun.gov.tm (in Turkmen). Ministry of Defense (Turkmenistan). pp. 28–29. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- "Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act" (PDF). The Uganda Gazette. Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation. CXII (46): 1851–1854. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "НАКАЗ 20.11.2017 № 606". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- "Rank structure". army.mod.uk. British Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- "U.S. Army Ranks". army.mil. United States Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W., eds. (1992). "Chapter 5. National Security". Uruguay: A Country Study (PDF) (2nd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 222–223. ISBN 0-8444-0737-2. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- "O'zbekiston Respublikasi fuqarolarining harbiy xizmatni o'tash tartibi to'g'risida". lex.uz (in Uzbek). Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- "Grados de Generales y Almirantes". ejercito.mil.ve. Government of Venezuela. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019.
Sources
- Boatner, Mark M., III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1959. ISBN 0-679-50013-8.
- Bowden, Scotty & Tarbox, Charlie. Armies on the Danube 1809. Arlington, TX: Empire Games Press, 1980. OCLC 6649795.
- Foote, Shelby. The Civil War: A Narrative. Vol. 2. New York: Random House, 1986. ISBN 0-394-74621-X.
External links
- Media related to Major generals at Wikimedia Commons