WikiPortallus: 5 star rank.html

An officer of 5 star rank is the most senior commander in the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-10. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, 5 star officers would hold the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, Grand Admiral, Field Marshal, General of the Army, Marshal of the Air Force or General of the Air Force. Five-star ranks are extremely senior and thus very rare; as an active rank, the position only exists in a minority of countries and is usually only held by a very few officers during wartime. In times of peace, it is usually only held as a ceremonial rank.

Australian 5 star ranks

Only one Australian born officer (Thomas Blamey) has held an Australian 5 star rank.¹

Indian 5 star ranks

United Kingdom 5 star ranks

United States 5 star ranks

See also

Footnotes

^ With the exception of Thomas Blamey and William Birdwood, all other holders of Australian 5 star ranks have been ceremonial.

^ The following Americans have been promoted to five star rank:

•	Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy	15 December 1944
•	General of the Army George Marshall	16 December 1944
•	Fleet Admiral Ernest King	17 December 1944
•	General of the Army Douglas MacArthur	18 December 1944
•	Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz	19 December 1944
•	General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower	20 December 1944
•	General of the Army & Air Force Henry H. Arnold	21 December 1944 & 7 May 1949
•	Fleet Admiral William Halsey, Jr.	11 December 1945
•	General of the Army Omar Bradley	20 September 1950

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.

5 star rank.html