In the United States military, a general is the most senior general -grade officer; it is the highest achievable commissioned officer rank (or echelon) that may be attained in the United States Armed Forces , with exception of the Navy and Coast Guard , which have the equivalent rank of admiral instead. The official and formal insignia of "general" is defined by its four stars (commonly silver and in a row).
29-600: General Horace M. Wade The SAC Elite Guard was a United States Air Force Security Police unit established in December 1956 to provide security at the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) of the U.S. Air Force, as well as personal protection for the Commander and Vice Commander of SAC. Established by order of General Curtis E. LeMay , the unit was initially known as Detachment "A" of
58-464: A four-star general. However, a number of different terms may refer to them informally, since lower-ranking generals may also be referred to as simply "General". The United States Code explicitly limits the total number of general officers (termed flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard) that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for
87-720: Is usually set by statute. Generals are nominated for the appointment by the President from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or above who meet the requirements for the position, with the advice of the Secretary of Defense , service secretary ( Secretary of the Army , Secretary of the Navy , or Secretary of the Air Force ), and if applicable the Joint Chiefs of Staff . For some positions, statute allows
116-628: The 4310th Air Division , Nouasseur Air Base , Morocco , and in October 1961, was assigned as deputy commander, Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts . In August 1962 he returned to The Pentagon to serve as the assistant deputy chief of staff, plans and programs, Headquarters United States Air Force . On December 1, 1964, Wade was named commander of the Eighth Air Force at Westover Air Force Base , and
145-642: The 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana , before being named commander of the 301st Bombardment Wing at Barksdale in February 1951. He completed the National War College in June 1955 and was assigned as director of personnel, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . In the summer of 1959, he was designated the commander of
174-485: The Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1999. General (United States) The rank of general ranks above a three-star lieutenant general and below the special wartime five-star ranks of General of the Army or General of the Air Force . The Marine Corps and Space Force do not have an established grade above general. The pay grade of general is O-10. It is equivalent to the rank of admiral in
203-538: The Army Air Corps Flying School at Randolph Field in Texas in 1937. Upon graduating and receiving his wings, in October 1938, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, U.S. Army. Upon completion of flying training, he was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Squadron , 7th Bombardment Group , Hamilton Field, California , and in December 1941, was deployed with this unit to
232-895: The Second Air Force , he was transferred, in July 1944, to the War Department , General Staff. In March 1946 he was assigned to Headquarters Air Transport Command as deputy chief of staff. In February 1948 he received his bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas . He then joined the Strategic Air Command in August 1949 and served with the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho , and
261-676: The Southwest Pacific . He also served in the China Burma India and Mediterranean and Middle East Theaters of operations, accumulating 36 combat missions in B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator Theaters before returning to the United States in 1943. After a short tour as commander of the 29th Bombardment Group , Gowen Field , Idaho , and after a few months as a tactical air inspector for
290-744: The Vice Chief of Space Operations are generals. In addition, for the National Guard, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau is a general under active duty in the Army or Air Force. There are several exceptions to these limits allowing more than allotted within the statute: Finally, all statutory limits may be waived at the President's discretion during time of war or national emergency. Four-star grades go hand-in-hand with
319-694: The 3902nd Air Police Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base . With end of the Cold War in 1992 the Strategic Air Command Elite Guards were formed into the United States Air Force Security Police and later merged in 1997 into the new United States Air Force Security Forces , which exists to this day. The Elite Guard was formed under a signed order from General Curtis LeMay, who was instrumental in modernizing USAF security forces in general and
SECTION 10
#1732772562671348-550: The Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 198 for the Air Force, and 162 for the Navy. No more than about 25% of a service's active duty general or flag officers may have more than two stars, and statute sets the total number of four-star officers allowed in each service. This is set at eight Army generals, two Marine generals, nine Air Force generals, two Space Force generals, six Navy admirals, and two Coast Guard admirals. Several of these slots are reserved by statute. For example,
377-404: The Commander for the 3902nd Air Police Squadron personally selected and procured a distinctive uniform. The initial summer uniform was a tan herringbone twill (khaki) trousers and shirts, which was changed in 1960 to a dark blue shirt and trousers. The winter uniform included a dark blue Eisenhower jacket. White silk scarves, blue canvas web belt with chrome buckle and SAC crest, a white lanyard on
406-569: The Elite Guard the first Air Force unit authorized (from 1957 onwards) to wear the blue beret. The blue beret became the prototype for the headgear later introduced for wear by all Air Force security forces. Through the years, changes in Air Force dress standards necessitated changing the colors and combination of this unique uniform. While the drill team was disbanded in 1969, the guard's primary mission continued with added responsibility for
435-482: The JCS, Vice Chairman of the JCS and Service chiefs, to include the Chief of the National Guard Bureau are usually renominated for a second two-year term. Appointment of general/flag officers (3-star or above) is a temporary promotion lasting only for the duration of the job assignment. Upon retirement general/flag officers revert to their permanent two-star rank of Major General or Rear Admiral unless they are nominated by
464-544: The President to retire at a higher rank (which has become the normal practice in recent years.) Extensions of the standard tour length can be approved, within statutory limits but these are rare, as they block other officers from being promoted. Some statutory limits can be waived in times of national emergency or war. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. A general must retire after 40 years of service unless they are reappointed to serve longer. Otherwise all general officers must retire
493-519: The President to waive those requirements for a nominee deemed to serve national interests. The nominee must be confirmed by the United States Senate before the appointee can take office and assume the rank. General ranks may also be given by act of Congress but this is extremely rare. The standard tour for most general/flag officers is a two-year term with the possibility of being renominated for an additional term(s). Note: Chairman of
522-618: The SAC strategic bomber fleet at Offutt Air Force Base in 1948, LeMay reported that at one hangar he found an Air Police sentry on duty "armed only with a ham sandwich". The exigencies of the Korean War imposed additional delays in retraining and reequipping SAC personnel. Despite these problems, LeMay continued to press for improvements in air base and SAC command security, and proposed the formation of an elite Air Police unit in charge of SAC command security at Offutt Air Force Base. In 1956, after
551-532: The Strategic Air Command in particular. At the creation of the USAF in 1947, aircraft were normally guarded by security detachments formed from airdrome or air base squadrons. In many cases "guard duty" was a detail or extra duty and not a full-time job, often given out as punishment to underperforming personnel. Security and weapons training was minimal or nonexistent. During his initial inspection of
580-678: The United States Air Force . Wade was born in 1916, in Magnolia, Arkansas . After completing high school in Wortham, Texas , he returned to Arkansas, and graduated from the Magnolia Agricultural and Mechanical Junior College (now known as Southern Arkansas University) in 1936. His military career began in 1934 when he became a member of Company D, 153rd Infantry Regiment , Arkansas National Guard . He entered
609-438: The existing SAC Provost Marshal failed to act with sufficient dispatch in forming the new unit, LeMay replaced him, instituting changes in SAC security force structure that resulted in the creation of the Elite Guard in December that year. The Elite Guards' mission was threefold. Primarily, Detachment "A" would be responsible to provide stringent security for SAC Headquarters and its resources. The second portion of their mission
SECTION 20
#1732772562671638-543: The monthly Changing of the Guard ceremony, funeral details, civic events and formal military functions. The Strategic Air Command, a USAF command, stood down in 1992, with the unified United States Strategic Command replacing it. Horace M. Wade Horace Milton Wade (March 12, 1916 – June 14, 2001) was a former general in the United States Air Force and a former Vice Chief of Staff of
667-406: The other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks . It is abbreviated as GEN in the Army and Gen in the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. Since the ranks of General of the Army and General of the Air Force are reserved for wartime use only, the rank of general is the highest general officer rank in peacetime. Formally, the term "General" is always used when referring to
696-431: The positions of office to which they are linked, so the rank is temporary; the active rank of general can only be held for so long- though upon retirement, if satisfactory service requirements are met, the general or admiral is normally allowed to hold that rank in retirement, rather than reverting to a lower position, as was formerly the usual case. Their active rank expires with the expiration of their term of office, which
725-474: The right shoulder, white gloves, and black jump boots with white laces completed the unique Guard uniform. Instead of the then-standard .45 M1911 pistol, at General LeMay's insistence the Guardsmen were armed with a special bone-handled, chrome-plated .38-caliber revolver secured in a black leather, open-top, cross-draw holster. The new uniform included a blue serge wool beret with affixed SAC patch, making
754-618: The two highest-ranking members of each service (the service chief and deputy service chief) are designated as generals. For the Army the Chief of Staff and the Vice Chief of Staff are generals; for the Marine Corps, the Commandant and the Assistant Commandant are both generals; for the Air Force, the Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff are generals; and for the Space Force, the Chief of Space Operations , and
783-484: Was appointed chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe . Wade became Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force , on May 1, 1972. At some point the United States Air Force named an award after him. Over his career as a pilot, he maintained his proficiency in multijet aircraft and has more than 8,450 hours of flying time. Wade died on June 14, 2001. Awards earned during his career: Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted Wade into
812-477: Was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general. In August 1966, he was again returned to Air Force headquarters, this time as deputy chief of staff for personnel. On August 1, 1968, he was designated as commander in chief, United States Air Forces in Europe , Wiesbaden, Germany , and concurrently as commander, Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force , Allied Command Europe , and was promoted to general. In February 1969 he
841-423: Was to provide personal protection for the Commander and Vice Commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command and their assembled staff. It also had a third, ceremonial function: acting as an official Strategic Air command representative at military and civic functions requiring military unit participation, with an official drill team . In 1957 General LeMay, General Horace M. Wade (SAC director of personnel), and
#670329