Five star rank

A five-star rank is the highest military rank in many countries.Oxford English Dictionary (OED), 2nd Edition, 1989. "five" ... "five-star adj., ... (b) U.S., applied to a general or admiral whose badge of rank includes five stars;" The rank is that of the most senior operational military commanders, and within NATO's standard rank scale it is designated by the code OF-10. Not all armed forces have such a rank, and in those that do the actual insignia of the five-star ranks may not contain five stars. For example: the insignia for the French OF-10 rank contains seven stars; the insignia for the Portuguese contains four gold stars. The stars used on the rank insignias of various Commonwealth of Nations are sometimes referred to colloquially as pips, but are stars of the orders of the Garter, Thistle or Bath or Eversleigh stars depending on the wearer's original regiment or corps, and are used in combination with other heraldic items, such as batons, crowns, swords or maple leaves.

Typically, five-star officers hold the rank of general of the army, admiral of the fleet, field marshal, marshal or general of the air force, and several other similarly named ranks. As an active rank, the position exists only in a minority of countries and is usually held by only a very few officers during wartime. In times of peace, it is usually held only as an honorary rank. Traditionally, five-star ranks are granted to distinguished military commanders for notable wartime victories and/or in recognition of a record of achievement during the officer's career, whether in peace or in war. Alternatively, a five-star rank (or even higher ranks) may be assumed by heads of state in their capacities as commanders-in-chief of their nation's armed forces.

Despite the rarity and seniority of five-star officers, an even more-senior rank of general of the armies was adopted in the United States. Other names for highly senior ranks from the twentieth century include (France), (Spain) and (USSR).

Australia

* Admiral of the fleetThe Australian insignia for admiral of the fleet, field marshal and marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force, depending on the era, are either identical to, or very similar to, the British insignia. Prince Philip was the most recent holder of these Australian ranks.
Although the highest active New Zealand rank is three-star, (there are ''no'' New Zealand four-star rank holders), Prince Philip held five-star ranks in the New Zealand Armed Forces.
* Field marshal
*Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force
Only one Australian-born officer, Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey, has held a substantive Australian five-star rank. Lord Birdwood, who commanded the Australian Imperial Force in the First World War, was appointed to honorary five-star rank in the Australian Military Forces on his promotion to field marshal in the British Army in 1925. King George VI and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh have held all three Australian five-star ranks in an honorary capacity, and have been the only holders of the Australian ranks of admiral of the fleet and marshal of the RAAF.

File:Royal Australian Navy OF-10.svg, RAN Admiral of the fleet
shoulder board
File:Australian Army OF-10.svg, Australian Army Field marshal
shoulder board
File:Australia RAAF OF-10.svg, Marshal of the RAAF
sleeve/shoulder insignia

Brazil

Five-star ranks in Brazil are only used in wartime.

* Marshal (Brazil) ()
* Grand admiral ()
* Marshal of the air ()

File:AlmiranteMB.png,
File:Marechal.gif,
File:Marechal ar.gif,

Cambodia

* General of the army ( km, នាយឧត្តមសេនីយ៍អគ្គមេបញ្ចាការ), Royal Cambodian Armed Forces

File:Cambodian Army OF-10.svg, General of the army

Croatia

* (lit. "staff general", usually translated as general of the army) awarded to six men, none of whom are in active duty.
* (admiral of the fleet). The rank was called (lit. "staff admiral") until 1999; only Sveto Letica was awarded this rank – in March 1996, three months before his retirement.

File:Army-HRV-OF-10.svg, Croatian Armed Forces
() insignia
File:Rukav zimske odore admirala flote HRM.svg, Croatian Navy
() insignia

Germany

German Empire

Nazi Germany

* ''Generalfeldmarschall'' in the '' Heer'' equivalent in the English-speaking world General of the Army

* ''Generalfeldmarschall'' in the ''Luftwaffe'' equivalent in the English-speaking world Marshal of the Air Force

* ''Großadmiral'' in the '' Kriegsmarine'' equivalent in the English-speaking world Admiral of the Fleet

* ''Reichsführer-SS'' in the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) equivalent in the English-speaking world Captain of the Guard

It is also worth noting that this was not the apex and there was a Six-star rank also present in the ''Wehrmacht'' known as ''Reichsmarschall'', however it was only ever present in the ''Luftwaffe'' and only ever held by one man: Hermann Göring, arguably the 2nd most powerful man in Nazi Germany.

India

* Field marshal, held by two officers
*Marshal of the Indian Air Force, held by one officer
* Admiral of the fleet, never been held

File:Field Marshal of the Indian Army.svg, Field marshal epaulette
File:Flag of Field marshal (India).png, Flag of a field marshal
File:Star insignia of Field Marshal (India).jpg, Star insignia of a field marshal
File:India-AirForce-OF-10-collected.svg, Marshal of the Indian Air Force rank insignia
File:Flag of the Marshal of the Air Force (India).svg, Flag of the marshal of the Indian Air Force
File:Flag of Indian Marshal of the Air Forces 1950-1980.svg, Flag of the marshal of the Indian Air Force (1950-1980)
File:Indian IAF OF-10.svg, Marshal of the Indian Air Force sleeve insignia
File:IAF Marshal of the AF sleeve.png, Marshal of the Indian Air Force sleeve insignia
File:Generic-Navy-13.svg, Admiral of the fleet sleeve insignia
File:ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET (INDIA).gif, Flag of the admiral of the fleet (2001-2004)

General Sam Manekshaw was the first officer to be promoted to five-star rank. He was promoted to the rank of field marshal on 1 January 1973 after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. General K. M. Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army was promoted to the rank of field marshal in 1986. In 2001, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh was promoted to the rank of marshal of the Indian Air Force (MIAF). Around 1998, the Indian Air Force introduced gorget patches (or collar tabs) for its air officers. The MIAF's patches display five stars.

Indonesia

Refer to government regulation No. 32/1997, The Indonesian five-star ranks are:
* (grand general) - only awarded to three people:
**Soedirman, the rank was granted posthumously.
** Abdul Haris Nasution, the rank was granted 26-years after his retirement.
**Soeharto (second president of Indonesia), his rank was granted during his own rule.
* (grand admiral) - never awarded
* (grand marshal) - never awarded

The five-star ranks above are honorary rank and does not provide additional authority or responsibility.

However, as government regulation No. 32/1997 have been revoked and replaced by government regulation No. 39/2010, whereas the latest regulation don't mentioned five-star rank. Therefore, it is unlikely there will be any Indonesian military personnel to be awarded five-star rank.

File:23-TNI Army-GA.svg, (grand general) rank insignia
File:23-TNI Navy-FADM.svg, (grand admiral) rank insignia
File:23-TNI Air Force-GAF.svg, (grand marshal) rank insignia

Italy

File:Rank insignia of generale of the Army of Italy (1973).svg, General of the Italian Army - shoulder board
File:Rank insignia of ammiraglio of the Italian Navy.svg, Admiral of the Italian Navy - sleeve
File:IT-Airforce-OF-10.png, General of the Italian Air Force - sleeve

These ranks are used by the Italian Chief of General Staff only.

Myanmar

Senior general ( my, ဗိုလ်ချုပ်မှူးကြီး) is the highest rank in Myanmar Armed Forces. It is the single rank for all three branches, and held by the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services (CinCDS). It was created during the expansion of Armed Forces structure in 1990, and the first person to hold is Saw Maung promoted by himself directly from General to Senior general on 18 March 1990.

Netherlands

File:Nl-marine-vloot-admiraal.svg, Admiral of the Royal Netherlands Navy - sleeve

Admiral ( nl, Admiraal) is theoretically the highest possible military rank in the Royal Netherlands Navy, although this five-star rank is no longer awarded.

Pakistan

* Field marshal, held by Ayub Khan
* Marshal of the air force, never been held
* Admiral of the fleet, never been held

Philippines

Under the Article VII Section 18 of the constitution, the President holds the position of the Commander-in-Chief, which is considered and recognized to be a five-star rank. Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, held an equivalent rank of five-star general under the title ''generalissimo'' and and considered as the first commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Historically, five-star ranks were held by field marshals. US Army General Douglas MacArthur was the first and only field marshal in the history of the Philippine Army, a position he held while also acting as the military advisor to the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines with a rank of major general. President Quezon conferred the rank of field marshal on 24 August 1936 and MacArthur's duty included the supervision of the creation of the Philippines nation-state.

File:PR Ministro Mariscal.svg,
File:Gen Aguinaldo.jpg, General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first holder of five-star rank as the first president and commander-in-chief of the Philippines
File:MacArthur Manila.jpg, General Douglas MacArthur, the first and currently the only field marshal in Philippine History

Poland

Marshal of Poland () is a Polish Army five-star rank. There are today no living marshals of Poland, since this rank is bestowed only on military commanders who have achieved victory in war. The last appointment was in 1963 to Marian Spychalski.

File:Marszalek m.png, Marshal of Poland cap insignia
File:Marszałek Polski.svg, Marshal of Poland shoulder-strap insignia

Portugal

Differently from most of other countries, the marshals (Portuguese Army, Army and Portuguese Air Force, Air Force) and admirals of the fleet (Portuguese Navy, Navy) of Portugal are not identified by five stars, but by four golden stars, in comparison with generals and admirals who are also identified by four stars, but in silver.

Five-star appointments - and not ranks - were however foreseen in the armed forces of Portugal, at different times in the past, for the officers exercising the several government posts related with defense (minister of national defense, minister for the army, secretary of state for the army, etc.).

Romania

(marshal of the Romanian Army) is the highest military rank in the Romanian military forces. This rank can be bestowed to persons from the Romanian royal family, royal family or to four-star generals or admirals during wartime only.
After WWII, the latest surviving marshal of Romania was HM Michael I of Romania, King Michael I, who was bestowed this rank on May 10, 1941 (the national day of Romania). He died in December 2017.

File:Romania-Army-OF-10.svg, The epaulettes insignia of a Romanian marshal

South Vietnam

* General of the army ('), Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Army-held by one oficer
* Admiral of the fleet ('), Republic of Vietnam Navy, Navy
* General of the air force ('), Republic of Vietnam Air Force, Air Force
Five-star ranks were used by the former Republic of Vietnam Military Forces during the Vietnam War, from 1955 to 1975. The ranks were changed in 1964 to resemble United States Army officer rank insignia, US ranks more closely. The rank only bestowed to Lê Văn Tỵ

File:A ARVN-OF-9.svg, Ty's shoulder insignia (1955-1963)
File:B ARVN-OF-10.svg, General of the army (') (1964-1975)
File:B VNN-OF-10.svg, Admiral of the fleet (') (1964-1975)
File:B VNAF-OF-10.svg, General of the air force (') (1964-1975)

Spain

*Captain general (Spain), Captain general (Spanish Army, Army)
*Captain general of the Navy
*Air captain general (Spanish Air Force, Air Force)

Since 1922 it is not properly a rank but a "military dignity". The only full ''capitán general'' is currently His Majesty the King of Spain, the last not-royal appointment (honorary) was in 1994 to Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado. The rank of ''capitán general'' is currently bestowed also to several images of the Virgin Mary, among them la Virgen de Butarque, la Virgen del Pilar, la Virgen de Guadalupe, Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, la Virgen de los Desamparados (this one properly ''capitana generalísima''), la Virgen de la Serra, la Virgen del Canto y la Virgen de los Remedios. The latest appointment was to Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, April 2011.

File:Spain-Army-OF-10.svg, ("captain general") shoulder board
File:Spain-Navy-OF-10-collect.svg, ("captain general of the navy") shoulder board and sleeve
File:SP-10 Capitán General del Aire.svg, ("air captain general") shoulder board

Sri Lanka

*Field Marshal (Sri Lanka), Field Marshal (Sri Lanka Army five-star rank)
*Admiral of the Fleet (Sri Lanka), Admiral of the Fleet (Sri Lanka Navy five-star rank)
*Marshal of the Sri Lanka Air Force (Sri Lanka Air Force five-star rank)

File:Sri Lanka-army-OF-10.svg, Field Marshal

Thailand

* (), Royal Thai Army
* (), Royal Thai Navy
* (), Royal Thai Air Force

File:RTA OF-10 (Field Marshal).svg, (field marshal)
File:RTN OF-10 (Admiral of the Fleet).svg, (admiral of the fleet)
File:RTAF OF-10 (Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force).svg, (marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force)

The Monarchy of Thailand, monarch of Thailand is appointed to the three ranks automatically upon accession as he is the constitutional head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Since 1973 the three ranks have been reserved for members of the Chakri Dynasty, royal family.

United Kingdom

The worn insignia of British five-star commanders do not contain stars; the vehicle star plate, mounted on the front of a staff car, does display five stars.
*Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the fleet (awarded to 121 men to date)
*Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field marshal (awarded to 140 men to date)
*Marshal of the Royal Air Force (awarded to 27 men to date)

File:British Royal Navy OF-10.svg, Royal Navy admiral of the fleet (shoulder board)
File:British Royal Navy (sleeves) OF-10.svg, Royal Navy admiral of the fleet (sleeve lace)
File:British Army OF-10.svg, Field marshal of the British Army epaulette
File:British RAF OF-10 (ceremonial shoulder board).svg, Marshal of the Royal Air Force (shoulder board)
File:British RAF OF-10.svg, Marshal of the Royal Air Force (sleeve insignia)

Promotion to the ranks of admiral of the fleet and marshal of the Royal Air Force is now generally held in abeyance in peacetime with exceptions for special circumstances. Promotion to the rank of field marshal was generally stopped in 1995 as a cost-cutting measure but is still made in some cases.

The most recent appointments to five-star ranks are the promotions in 2012 of the Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince of Wales to honorary five-star rank in all three services, and of former Chief of the Defence Staff Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to the honorary rank of field marshal. In 2014 the former Chief of the Defence Staff Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, Lord Stirrup was promoted to the honorary rank of marshal of the Royal Air Force.

During World War II and after, serving NATO, a small number of British five-star commanders have held the additional title Supreme Allied Commander, given operational control over all air, land, and sea units led by the Four-star rank, four-star commanders of multi-national forces.

United States

*Fleet admiral (United States), Fleet admiral (held by four officers)
*General of the Army (United States), General of the Army (held by five officers)
*General of the Air Force (held by one officer)

Before the five-star ranks were established in 1944, two officers had previously been promoted from their four-star ranks to the superior and unique ranks of Admiral of the Navy and General of the Armies: Admiral George Dewey (appointment 1903 retroactive to 1899, died 1917) and General John J. Pershing (appointed 1919, died 1948). In 1944 the Navy and Army specified that these officers were considered senior to any officers promoted to the five-star ranks within their services (but it was not clear if they were senior by rank or by seniority due to an earlier date of rank).

Five-star ranks were created in the U.S. military during World War II because of the awkward situation created when some American senior commanders were placed in positions commanding allied officers of higher rank.

U.S. officers holding five-star rank draw full active duty pay for life, both before and after retiring from active duty. The five-star ranks were retired in 1981 on the death of General of the Army Omar Bradley.

Nine Americans have been promoted to five-star rank, one of them, Henry H. Arnold, in two services (U.S. Army then later in the U.S. Air Force). As part of the bicentennial celebration, George Washington was, 177 years after his death, permanently made senior to all other U.S. generals and admirals with the title ''General of the Armies'' effective on 4 July 1976. The appointment stated he was to have "rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present".
The following Americans have been promoted to five-star rank:

The timing of the first seven appointments was to establish both a clear order of seniority and a near-equivalence between the Army and Navy services. In 1949, Arnold was honored by being made the first, and to date only, General of the Air Force. He is the only American to serve in a five-star rank in two of its military services.

By a Congressional Act of 24 March 1903, Admiral George Dewey's rank was established as admiral of the Navy, a rank which was specified to be senior to the four-star rank of admiral and was equal to Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), admiral of the fleet in the British Royal Navy. Admiral Dewey was the only individual ever appointed to this rank, which lapsed with his death on 16 January 1917. Admiral of the Navy was considered superior to fleet admiral during World War II.
On 3 September 1919, John Pershing was promoted to the rank of General of the Armies (officially General of the Armies of the United States) in recognition of his service during World War I. He is the only person promoted to this rank during their lifetime.

: During the United States Bicentennial year, George Washington was posthumously appointed to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by the congressional joint resolution wikisophia:Public Law 94-479, Public Law 94-479 passed on 19 January 1976, with an effective appointment date of 4 July 1976 but having rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present. This restored Washington's position as the most senior U.S. military officer. Between the joint resolution concerning Washington's rank, the fact that Omar Bradley was still alive, and thus still considered to be on active duty, and statements made and actions taken during and after World War II about the relationship between General of the Armies and General of the Army, it appears General of the Armies is superior in rank to General of the Army.

: No official law or regulation established exact seniority or reciprocity between Admiral of the Navy Dewey, and Generals of the Armies Washington and Pershing. While Congress clearly indicated that Washington was senior to Pershing, and also all other "officers of the United States Army," and by decades of custom Pershing was considered senior to all 5-star and other 4-star generals of the U.S. Army, nowhere is Dewey's exact seniority established. As Washington was explicitly made senior only to Pershing and other officers of the U.S. Army, ambiguity remains whether Admiral Dewey, with a date of rank as early as 1899 above a 4-star, and senior to all later 5-stars, is not actually senior to Washington by date of rank, and by operation of naval custom making Dewey senior to all 5-stars. As Dewey died (and his rank died with him) before Pershing was appointed to his final rank, and the Army and Navy were far more independent before the creation of the Department of Defense unified them, this could indicate Admiral of the Navy Dewey, not General of the Armies Washington, is actually the most senior ranking U.S. military officer in U.S. history. By definition, officers of each Armed Force rank amongst themselves by seniority. And when they serve with other Armed Services (Army and Navy, for example), they rank amongst themselves by date of rank notwithstanding their parent Service. In the case of Dewey, he is undisputedly the seniormost Navy officer ever to have served in the U.S. Navy, and he had nearly 20 years of seniority over Pershing as a "special rank, above 4-star." Washington's own, revised, date of rank in 1976 does not precede Dewey's date of rank nearly 75 years before, nor did Congress describe in unambiguous wording that Washington was -- in fact -- senior to all officers of the U.S. Army, as well as all other U.S. Armed Forces including the U.S. Navy. Had Congress chosen to explicitly so state, there would be no ambiguity, but it remains unsettled if -- in spite of the desired outcome that Washington be the senior U.S. military officer to have ever served -- Congress' ways and means achieved their object.

During World War II and (later) serving NATO, a small number of American five-star commanders have also held the additional title of Supreme Allied Commander, given operational control over all air, land, and sea units led by the Four-star rank, four-star commanders of multi-national forces.

File:US Navy O11 insignia.svg, Fleet admiral collar device, sleeve stripes and shoulder board
File:US Army O11 (Army greens).svg, General of the Army shoulder epaulet
US Air Force O11 shoulderboard.svg, General of the Air Force shoulder epaulet

Law enforcement usage

In various law enforcement agencies, such as the Detroit Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, their respective heads wear five-star ranks.

See also

*Ranks and insignia of NATO
*List of fleet and grand admirals
*List of field marshals
*List of Marshals of the Air Force#List of marshals of the air force, List of marshals of the Air Force
*United States Army Institute of Heraldry, Design of US army insignia
*Star (heraldry), Heraldic origin of the use of five-pointed star
*Six-star rank
*Four-star rank

Notes

References

{{Highest Military Ranks

Military ranks
Five-star officers,