Army corps general Army corps general An army corps general or corps general is a senior rank in several armies, including those of France and Italy. The rank is the equivalent of a lieutenant general in the armies of other countries and of ancient regime France. The rank of "général de corps d'armée" was created in November 1994 as the highest rank in the Armée nationale populaire (ANP), the rank below it being Major General. Its rank badge shows three stars. The first officer to be promoted to the rank was general Mohamed Lamari, chief of staff of the ANP (1993-2004). In 2006
Brigadier general in the armies of most other NATO nations, brigadier general is the lowest of the general ranks, usually a brigade commander. In the Estonian military, the rank is called "Brigaadikindral". France uses the rank of "brigade general" ("général de brigade"). It formerly used the historic rank, until 1793, of "brigadier des armées" ("brigadier of the armies"). The rank contrasts with the French sub-officer rank of brigadier. As with all French general officers, a French brigade general is titled "general" without any implication that he is an army general; for instance General Charles de Gaulle never rose higher than brigade general.