Major general (United States) Major general (United States) In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general. A major general typically commands division-sized units of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Major general is equivalent to the two-star rank of rear admiral in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard and is the highest permanent rank during peacetime in the uniformed services. Higher ranks are technically temporary ranks linked to specific positions, although virtually all officers
Ranks in the French Army a company ("compagnie") of infantry, a squadron ("escadron") of cavalry or a battery ("batterie") of artillery. A "lieutenant" (lieutenant or first lieutenant) commands a platoon ("section") of infantry, a troop ("peloton") of cavalry, or a "brigade" of the "Gendarmerie". A "Sous-lieutenant" (sub-lieutenant or second lieutenant) commands at the same level as a "lieutenant", but is a more junior officer rank. Note the difference with many army rank systems of other countries where the term "major" is used for a rank above that of "captain". For example, the rank of "major" in the US Army or British army is equivalent to