List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals
Encyclopedia
This is a complete list of four-star generals in the United States Marine Corps
. The rank of general
(or full general, or four-star general
) is the highest rank in the Marine Corps. It ranks above lieutenant general
(three-star general
).
There have been 63 four-star generals in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Of these, 46 achieved that rank while on active duty, 17 were promoted upon retirement in recognition of combat citations, and one
was promoted posthumously. Generals entered the Marine Corps via several paths: 26 via Officer Candidates School
(OCS), 20 via Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
(NROTC) at a civilian university, 10 via the United States Naval Academy
(USNA), 4 via Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(ROTC) at a civilian university, and 4 via ROTC at a senior military college.
The list is sortable by last name, date of rank, number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank, year commissioned, and number of years in commission when promoted to four-star rank.
, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. Combat citation promotions were colloquially known as "tombstone promotions" because they conferred the prestige of the higher rank, but not the additional retirement pay, so their only practical benefit was to allow recipients to engrave a loftier title on their business cards and tombstones. The Act of Congress of February 23, 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades. Tombstone promotions were subsequently restricted to citations issued before January 1, 1947, and finally eliminated altogether effective November 1, 1959.
Any general who actually served in a grade while on active duty receives precedence on the retirement list over any tombstone general holding the same retired grade. Tombstone generals rank among each other according to the dates of their highest active duty grade.
The following list of tombstone generals is sortable by last name, date of rank as lieutenant general, date retired, and year commissioned.
permitted the President
to appoint the Commandant of the Marine Corps
to the grade of general. Alexander Vandegrift
, then Commandant, was promoted from lieutenant general to general on April 4, 1945, to rank from March 21 of that year. He thus became the first Marine to serve in the grade of general. The Office of the Commandant was permanently fixed at the grade of four-star general under authority of the Act of August 7, 1947. All Commandants since that date have been entitled by law to serve in the grade of general and, in accordance with the provisions of 10 USC
5201, to retire in that grade.
In April 1969, the Senate
passed and sent a bill to the White House
that makes the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
a four-star general when the active duty strength of the Marine Corps exceeds 200,000. On May 5, 1969, President Richard Nixon
signed the bill, and Lieutenant General Lewis William Walt
was promoted to that rank on June 2, 1969, thus becoming the first Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to attain four-star rank
. Legislation allowing the Assistant Commandant to wear the four-star insignia regardless of the strength of the Marine Corps was approved by President Gerald Ford
on March 4, 1976.
On November 22, 1985, General George B. Crist
was promoted to four-star rank and on November 27, he assumed the position of Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command
at MacDill Air Force Base
, Florida. His appointment marked the first time a Marine headed a unified command
and the first time the Corps had three four-star generals on active duty at the same time. Since 1985, a number of Marines have served in joint positions holding four-star rank, and it is no longer uncommon for the Corps to have four or five four-star generals on active duty at the same time.
In 2005, General Peter Pace
became the first Marine to be appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
, the chief military advisor to the President of the United States and most senior appointment in the United States armed forces
. Previously, in 2001, General Pace was the first Marine officer to be appointed as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS
).
The standard tour length for the commandant (CMC
) is four years; two years for the assistant commandant (ACMC
); for a combatant commander, three years; and a total of four years served in consecutive two-year terms for the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS
/VCJCS
).
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. The rank of general
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
(or full general, or four-star general
4 star rank
Four-star rank is a term used to describe a very senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO OF-9 code. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
) is the highest rank in the Marine Corps. It ranks above lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
(three-star general
3 star rank
An officer of three-star rank is a very senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-8. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
).
There have been 63 four-star generals in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Of these, 46 achieved that rank while on active duty, 17 were promoted upon retirement in recognition of combat citations, and one
Roy Geiger
General Roy Stanley Geiger was a United States Marine Corps General who, during World War II, became the first Marine to lead an army. Marine Corps base Camp Geiger in North Carolina is named in his honor....
was promoted posthumously. Generals entered the Marine Corps via several paths: 26 via Officer Candidates School
Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps)
The United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School is the entry-level training for Marine officers, equivalent to recruit training for enlisted Marines. Located at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the school trains, screens, and evaluates potential Marine Corps officers...
(OCS), 20 via Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.-Origins:...
(NROTC) at a civilian university, 10 via the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
(USNA), 4 via Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
(ROTC) at a civilian university, and 4 via ROTC at a senior military college.
List of generals
Entries in the following list of four-star generals are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was promoted to that rank while on active duty, or by an asterisk (*) if the officer did not serve in that rank while on active duty. Each entry lists the general's name, date of rank, active-duty positions held while serving at four-star rank, number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank (Yrs), year commissioned and source of commission, number of years in commission when promoted to four-star rank (YC), and other biographical notes.The list is sortable by last name, date of rank, number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank, year commissioned, and number of years in commission when promoted to four-star rank.
| # | Name | Date of rank | Position | Yrs | Commission | YC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commandant of the Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff... , 1944–1947. |
2 | 1909 (OCS Officer Candidate School Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country.... ) |
36 | (1887–1973) Awarded Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... , 1942. |
||
| * | (posthumous) | 0 | 1909 (OCS) | 38 | (1885–1947) | ||
| 2 | Commandant, 1948–1951. | 4 | 1917 (OCS) | 31 | (1893–1970) | ||
| 3 | Commandant, 1952–1955; Chairman, Inter-American Defense Board Inter-American Defense Board The Inter-American Defense Board is an international committee of nationally appointed defense officials who develop collaborative approaches on common defense and security issues facing countries in North, Central, and South America... , 1956–1959. |
7 | 1917 (VMI Virginia Military Institute The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are... ) |
35 | (1896–1990) | ||
| 4 | Commandant, 1956–1959. | 4 | 1921 (VMI) | 35 | (1898–1961) | ||
| 5 | Commandant, 1960–1963. | 4 | 1926 (ROTC Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S... ) |
34 | (1904–1983) Awarded Medal of Honor, 1943. | ||
| 6 | Commandant, 1964–1967. | 4 | 1930 (USNA United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States... ) |
34 | (1907–2003) | ||
| 7 | Commandant, 1968–1971. | 4 | 1935 (NROTC Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.-Origins:... ) |
33 | (1913–2000) U.S. Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization Immigration and Naturalization Service The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as... , 1973–1977. |
||
| 8 | Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps is the second highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps, and serves as a deputy for the Commandant of the Marine Corps... , 1968–1971. |
2 | 1936 (ROTC) | 33 | (1913–1989) | ||
| 9 | Assistant Commandant, 1971–1972. | 1 | 1938 (ROTC) | 33 | (1915–2003) Awarded Medal of Honor, 1950. | ||
| 10 | Assistant Commandant, 1971. | 0 | 1937 (ROTC) | 34 | (1915–1971) | ||
| 11 | Commandant, 1972–1975. | 4 | 1935 (USNA) | 37 | (1914–1985) Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency The Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is a senior United States government official in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency... , 1969–1971. |
||
| 12 | Assistant Commandant, 1972–1975. | 3 | 1940 (NROTC) | 32 | (1919– ) | ||
| 13 | Commandant, 1975–1979. | 4 | 1941 (OCS) | 34 | (1920–2005) Awarded Medal of Honor, 1944. | ||
| 14 | Assistant Commandant, 1975–1978. | 3 | 1942 (OCS) | 34 | (1919– ) | ||
| 15 | Assistant Commandant, 1978–1979; Commandant, 1979–1983. | 5 | 1942 (OCS) | 36 | (1922–2008) | ||
| 16 | Assistant Commandant & Chief of Staff, 1979–1981. | 3 | 1945 (OCS) | 34 | (1925–2005) | ||
| 17 | Assistant Commandant & Chief of Staff, 1981–1983; Commandant, 1983–1987. | 6 | 1950 (NROTC) | 31 | (1928– ) | ||
| 18 | Assistant Commandant, 1983–1986. | 3 | 1950 (NROTC) | 33 | (1927– ) | ||
| 19 | Commander in Chief, United States Central Command United States Central Command The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense... , 1985–1988. |
3 | 1952 (NROTC) | 33 | (1931– ) | ||
| 20 | Assistant Commandant, 1986–1988. | 2 | 1952 (NROTC) | 34 | (1930– ) | ||
| 21 | Commandant, 1987–1991. | 4 | 1952 (OCS) | 35 | (1928– ) | ||
| 22 | Assistant Commandant & Chief of Staff, 1988–1990. | 2 | 1952 (NROTC) | 36 | (1930– ) | ||
| 23 | Assistant Commandant & Chief of Staff, 1990–1992. | 2 | 1956 (NROTC) | 34 | (1934– ) Associate Deputy Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... , 1992–1999; Director, National Air and Space Museum National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and... , 2000–present. |
||
| 24 | Commandant, 1991–1995. | 4 | 1957 (NROTC) | 34 | (1935– ) President, United Service Organizations United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and... , 1996–2000. |
||
| 25 | Commander in Chief, United States Central Command, 1991–1994. | 3 | 1957 (NROTC) | 34 | (1934– ) | ||
| 26 | Assistant Commandant, 1992–1994. | 2 | 1960 (NROTC) | 32 | (1938– ) | ||
| 27 | Assistant Commandant, 1994–1996. | 2 | 1962 (OCS) | 32 | (1939– ) | ||
| 28 | Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation , the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe . The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic, based at Norfolk, Virginia... & Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Command United States Atlantic Command United States Atlantic Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United States Joint Forces Command.-History:USLANTCOM was active from the 1947 to 1993 as a primarily U.S... , 1994–1997. |
3 | 1962 (NROTC) | 32 | (1940– ) | ||
| 29 | Commandant, 1995–1999. | 4 | 1964 (USNA) | 31 | (1942– ) | ||
| 30 | Assistant Commandant, 1996–1998. | 2 | 1965 (NROTC) | 31 | (1942– ) | ||
| 31 | Commander in Chief, United States Central Command, 1997–2000. | 3 | 1965 (NROTC) | 32 | (1943– ) U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, 2002–2003. | ||
| 32 | Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command United States Southern Command The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command... , 1997–2000. |
3 | 1964 (NROTC) | 33 | (1941– ) | ||
| 33 | Assistant Commandant, 1998–2000. | 2 | 1966 (OCS) | 32 | (1944– ) | ||
| 34 | Commandant, 1999–2003; Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, United States European Command United States European Command The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel... , 2003–2006. |
7 | 1967 (NROTC) | 32 | (1943– ) National Security Advisor National Security Advisor (United States) The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues... , 2009–2010. |
||
| 35 | Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command United States Southern Command The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command... , 2000–2001; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff... , 2001–2005; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense... , 2005–2007. |
7 | 1967 (USNA) | 33 | (1945– ) Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States... , 2008. |
||
| 36 | Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command, 2000–2002. | 2 | 1966 (USNA) | 34 | (1944– ) | ||
| 37 | Assistant Commandant, 2000–2002. | 2 | 1967 (USNA) | 33 | (1943– ) | ||
| 38 | Assistant Commandant, 2002–2005. | 3 | 1968 (NROTC) | 34 | (1946– ) | ||
| 39 | Commandant, 2003–2006. | 3 | 1968 (USNA) | 35 | (1944– ) | ||
| 40 | Commander, United States Strategic Command United States Strategic Command United States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally... , 2004–2007. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2007–2011. |
7 | 1971 (NROTC) | 33 | (1949– ) | ||
| 41 | Assistant Commandant, 2005–2008. | 3 | 1969 (NROTC) | 36 | (1947– ) | ||
| 42 | Commandant, 2006–2010. | 4 | 1970 (OCS) | 36 | (1947– ) | ||
| 43 | Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Allied Command Transformation Allied Command Transformation is a NATO military command, which was formed in 2003 after North Atlantic Treaty Organisation restructuring.... and Commander, United States Joint Forces Command United States Joint Forces Command United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno... , 2007–2009; Commander, United States Joint Forces Command United States Joint Forces Command United States Joint Forces Command was a former Unified Combatant Command of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno... , 2009–2010; Commander, United States Central Command, 2010–present. |
4 | 1972 (OCS) | 35 | (1950– ) | ||
| 44 | Assistant Commandant, 2008–2010; Commandant, 2010–present. | 3 | 1970 (NROTC) | 38 | (1946– ) First naval aviator Naval Aviator A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981... to become commandant. |
||
| 45 | Assistant Commandant, 2010–present. | 1 | 1977 (OCS) | 33 | (1955– ) | ||
| 46 | Commander, International Security Assistance Force International Security Assistance Force The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement... /Commander, U.S. Forces - Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement... (COMISAF/COMUSFOR-A), 2011–present. |
0 | 1976 (USNA) | 35 | (1954– ) | ||
Tombstone generals
The Act of Congress of March 4, 1925, allowed officers in the NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. Combat citation promotions were colloquially known as "tombstone promotions" because they conferred the prestige of the higher rank, but not the additional retirement pay, so their only practical benefit was to allow recipients to engrave a loftier title on their business cards and tombstones. The Act of Congress of February 23, 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades. Tombstone promotions were subsequently restricted to citations issued before January 1, 1947, and finally eliminated altogether effective November 1, 1959.
Any general who actually served in a grade while on active duty receives precedence on the retirement list over any tombstone general holding the same retired grade. Tombstone generals rank among each other according to the dates of their highest active duty grade.
The following list of tombstone generals is sortable by last name, date of rank as lieutenant general, date retired, and year commissioned.
| Name | Date of rank (LGEN) | Date retired | Commission | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1900 (OCS) | (1879–1965) U.S. Minister to South Africa United States Ambassador to South Africa Before 1902, The southern part of Africa that is now South Africa was under the hegemony of Great Britain. There also were two self-proclaimed independent states: Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The British and the Boers fought two wars known as the First Boer War and the Second Boer War... , 1944–1948. |
|||
| 2 | 1905 (OCS) | (1882–1967) | |||
| 3 | 1909 (OCS) | (1886–1968) | |||
| 4 | 1913 (OCS) | (1891–1971) | |||
| 5 | 1917 (OCS) | (1892–1968) | |||
| 6 | 1917 (OCS) | (1894–1967) | |||
| 7 | 1917 (OCS) | (1897–1973) Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, 1953–1961. | |||
| 8 | 1917 (OCS) | (1894–1984) | |||
| 9 | 1917 (OCS) | (1893–1977) | |||
| 10 | 1921 (Citadel) | (1898–1972) | |||
| 11 | 1919 (OCS) | (1895–1987) Awarded Medal of Honor, 1928. | |||
| 12 | 1917 (OCS) | (1894–1983) | |||
| 13 | 1922 (OCS) | (1900–1992) | |||
| 14 | 1921 (Citadel) | (1899–1982) | |||
| 15 | 1923 (USNA) | (1902–1996) Brother of Air Force General Nathan F. Twining. | |||
| 16 | 1917 (OCS) | (1896–1976) | |||
| 17 | 1925 (USNA) | (1902–1993) | |||
Timeline
By the Act of March 21, 1945, CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
permitted the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
to appoint the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
to the grade of general. Alexander Vandegrift
Alexander Vandegrift
Alexander Archer Vandegrift, KBE, CB was a General in the United States Marine Corps. He commanded the 1st Marine Division to victory in its first ground offensive of World War II — Battle of Guadalcanal. For his actions during the Solomon Islands campaign, he received the Medal of Honor...
, then Commandant, was promoted from lieutenant general to general on April 4, 1945, to rank from March 21 of that year. He thus became the first Marine to serve in the grade of general. The Office of the Commandant was permanently fixed at the grade of four-star general under authority of the Act of August 7, 1947. All Commandants since that date have been entitled by law to serve in the grade of general and, in accordance with the provisions of 10 USC
Title 10 of the United States Code
Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of armed forces in the United States Code.It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense...
5201, to retire in that grade.
In April 1969, the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
passed and sent a bill to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
that makes the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps is the second highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps, and serves as a deputy for the Commandant of the Marine Corps...
a four-star general when the active duty strength of the Marine Corps exceeds 200,000. On May 5, 1969, President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
signed the bill, and Lieutenant General Lewis William Walt
Lewis William Walt
Lewis William Walt , also known as Lew Walt, was a United States Marine Corps officer who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. His decorations included two Navy Crosses and two Distinguished Service Medals...
was promoted to that rank on June 2, 1969, thus becoming the first Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to attain four-star rank
4 star rank
Four-star rank is a term used to describe a very senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO OF-9 code. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
. Legislation allowing the Assistant Commandant to wear the four-star insignia regardless of the strength of the Marine Corps was approved by President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
on March 4, 1976.
On November 22, 1985, General George B. Crist
George B. Crist
George B. Crist is a retired four-star General of the United States Marine Corps and was the first Marine to be designated as a Unified Commander — serving as Commander in Chief, United States Central Command from 1985 to 1988...
was promoted to four-star rank and on November 27, he assumed the position of Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
at MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida. His appointment marked the first time a Marine headed a unified command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
and the first time the Corps had three four-star generals on active duty at the same time. Since 1985, a number of Marines have served in joint positions holding four-star rank, and it is no longer uncommon for the Corps to have four or five four-star generals on active duty at the same time.
In 2005, General Peter Pace
Peter Pace
Peter Pace is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first Marine appointed to the United States' highest-ranking military office. Appointed by President George W. Bush, Pace succeeded U.S. Air Force General Richard Myers on...
became the first Marine to be appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
, the chief military advisor to the President of the United States and most senior appointment in the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. Previously, in 2001, General Pace was the first Marine officer to be appointed as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
).
The standard tour length for the commandant (CMC
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
) is four years; two years for the assistant commandant (ACMC
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps is the second highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps, and serves as a deputy for the Commandant of the Marine Corps...
); for a combatant commander, three years; and a total of four years served in consecutive two-year terms for the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
/VCJCS
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
).
See also
- General (United States)General (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
- List of active duty United States four-star officers
- List of United States Army four-star generals
- List of United States Navy four-star admirals
- List of United States Air Force four-star generals
- List of United States Coast Guard four-star admirals
- List of United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps four-star admirals
- List of United States military leaders by rank