Australia has a small number of Generals (four-star rank), with the highest-ranking being the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF), currently Admiral David Johnston, and a few other Lieutenant Generals (three-star) in senior roles, but the exact total number varies, with around one General and a handful of Lieutenant Generals active at any given time, plus several Major Generals (two-star) in key commands. The highest rank is usually held by the CDF, while other top posts like Chief of Army and Navy are often Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral.
The Australian Army, which boasts more than 27,000 personnel, has a total of 58 Brigadiers, 22 Major-Generals, 5 Lieutenant-Generals (including the ADF's Chief of Joint Operations) and one General, Angus Campbell, who serves as Chief of Defence.
Only the five-star rank of field marshal is higher, but it is reserved for exceptional circumstances and only Sir Thomas Blamey (1950) has attained the rank in a non-ceremonial capacity.
The highest active rank in the Australian Defence Force is reserved for the Chief of the Defence Force. This is a four-star rank and the CDF is the only Australian military officer at that level.
There have been five 5-star generals: George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold, and Omar Bradley.
There are currently 37 active-duty four-star officers in the uniformed services of the United States: seven in the Army, three in the Marine Corps, 10 in the Navy, 11 in the Air Force, four in the Space Force, one in the Coast Guard, and one in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
In September 1950, Omar N. Bradley became the fifth Army general to be promoted to five-star rank. The five-star rank still exists, although no U.S. officers have held it since the death of General Bradley in 1981.
Australia has received its full fleet of 72 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, with the final aircraft delivered in late 2024, forming the backbone of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) air combat capability alongside Super Hornets and Growlers. While the current fleet is 72, there are discussions and potential plans to acquire more, possibly increasing the total to 100 aircraft in the future.
General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commander in Chief of Australian Military Forces during World War II, was our highest-ranking soldier and arguably our most controversial. Blamey was an abrasive and shrewd commander, who could act both decisively and brutally, creating enemies within and outside the military.
In 1952, Gruenther became the youngest four-star general in U.S. history He is also sometimes credited to be the youngest major general in the U.S. Army in World War II, but that distinction belongs to James M.
The United States is consistently ranked as having the #1 most powerful military in the world for 2025 by organizations like Global Firepower and Business Insider. This ranking stems from its massive defense budget, advanced technology, global power projection, and dominance in air, sea, and cyber warfare, though China has the largest number of active personnel.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel held great respect for Australian soldiers, viewing them as tough, skilled, and formidable fighters, especially in attack, famously stating he'd use Australians to take hell and New Zealanders to hold it, though some historians question the exact phrasing while confirming his admiration for their fighting prowess in North Africa, documented in his letters.
The Special Air Service Regiment is officially abbreviated SASR although commonly referred to as the SAS. The Regiment is an elite special operations force of the Australian Army and is a direct command unit of the Australian Special Operations Command.
Today, the Australian military is on par with the best in the world in terms of technology, training and readiness. The RAAF, for example, can execute more mission sets than the RAF.
Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), Australian special forces unit that exists within Australia's Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in July 1957 as the 1st Special Air Service Company, Royal Australian Infantry, and it was modeled on the British Special Air Service.
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.
On 16 November, they were married in Chelsea, and after a short honeymoon in Scotland, Bennett returned to the front. On 3 December 1916, he was given command of the 3rd Infantry Brigade and promoted to brigadier general, becoming at 29 the youngest general in the Australian Army.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Arguably the greatest general who has ever lived, Napoleon Bonaparte's military genius redefined warfare and reshaped Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.
F-35A Lightning II.
🇺🇸 United States The U.S. Air Force and Navy combined operate over 13,000 aircraft, making it the largest and most advanced air fleet in the world. With 183 F-22 Raptors, more than 450 F-35 Lightning II, 750+ F-16 Fighting Falcons, and hundreds of F-15s and A-10s, America maintains unmatched dominance.
Australia's Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operates 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets (twin-seat, multi-role fighters) and 11 EA-18G Growlers (electronic warfare aircraft), complementing their newer F-35A fleet, with the older F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets having been retired by late 2021. The Super Hornets and Growlers are based at RAAF Base Amberley and provide key air combat and electronic attack capabilities.
Pennypacker, I. R. (1917) Galusha Pennypacker: Brigadier General and Brevet Major General, United States Volunteers, Brigadier General and Brevet Major General, United States Army, America's youngest general .
As of Jan 4, 2026, the average annual pay for an Us Army General in the United States is $96,229 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $46.26 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,850/week or $8,019/month.
Bradley and Patton were never close friends, but both realized that they owed much of their respective success to the other.