SIX STAR GENERAL

[Absalom]

On a lighter note, not too many people know that after finishing his second term as president, George Washington retired to Mount Vernon and became one of America's largest whiskey distillers.

The distillery was rebuilt as a historical but operational replica in the early 2000s.

You can buy the unaged rye for $98 per 375ml bottle, unfortunately only in person at Mt. Vernon or shipped in VA and DC due to today's laws, and since I'm on the wrong coast I may never taste it. Otherwise, I might just be crazy enough to spend the bucks for the "historic experience"

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x4CGAS8F3SU[/ame]

 

[Retired W4]

I'm kinda partial to the rank of Lord Commander

I had a friend that was known as the Air VICE Marshal.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Air Vice Marshal is an RAF rank, equivalent to two stars for us.
Bradley received his 5th star as Army Chief of Staff so MacArthur wouldn't outrank him.
Admiral of the Fleet is the Royal Navy's equivalent of Field Marshal.
The idea was to recognize our senior officers and give them rank parity with Allied officers. Montgomery was promoted to Field Marshall in September, 1944, Stalin was fairly generous in promoting succesful commanders to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

 

[RWPBR]

They can keep their stars...I'm happy with my Chiclets

 

[Muley Gil]

Back around 1971, when I was a senior in high school, I was in the exchange at 8th and I (Headquarter Marine Corps). I looked over saw a Lieutenant General (three star). At that point in time, I believe the Marine Corps only had 2 Lt Generals and one four star-the Commandant.

 

[tripledipper]

Some small size City Police Chiefs here in SE VA are satisfied with a full bird insignia with the subordinate wearing a Lt. Col. or Major insignia. If ones ego requires stars, so be it, but competence knows no insignia.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

When the authorization for the 5 star ranks was debated, it was proposed the Navy have the rank of Captain Admiral.
The story was that the Army rejected the rank of Field Marshal because George C. Marshall didn't want to be known as "Marshal Marshall".

 

[PALADIN85020]

Quite a few years ago, I purchased this relic from the estate of 5-star General of the Army Omar Bradley. It is an Army field phonograph. Bradley had owned it since he was a Major and instructor at Fort Benning during the early 1930s. He used it to play Reveille and Taps over the loudspeaker system to wake his troops up in the morning and put them in their bunks in the evening.

This picture is from a televised antiques show in Phoenix where it was evaluated by experts for value not too long ago.

Although I never met Bradley, I did attend his funeral services in El Paso, where he maintained his active duty status and residence at Fort Bliss until he died.

John

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

When the authorization for the 5 star ranks was debated, it was proposed the Navy have the rank of Captain Admiral.
The story was that the Army rejected the rank of Field Marshal because George C. Marshall didn't want to be known as "Marshal Marshall".

While I previously wrote here that I doubt we'll ever have a five star general again. On thinking about it, it might be cause to ressureect the rank for one purpose, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...the highest ranking military officer. He/she out ranks everyone else in the armed forces except the secretaries and the POTUS.

 

[Absalom]

While I previously wrote here that I doubt we'll ever have a five star general again. On thinking about it, it might be cause to ressureect the rank for one purpose, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...the highest ranking military officer. He/she out ranks everyone else in the armed forces except the secretaries and the POTUS.

Of course he can also be an admiral.

I think the command structure will just have to live with the fact that in armed forces as complex as ours, functions can supersede ranks. Chairman is a function to which an officer is appointed, which derives authority from that, not the rank of the officer who holds that function.

The Chairman is actually not in the formal chain of command. He advises the president and presides over the chiefs, but has no operational command authority.

 

[black1970]

I used to work full time at a National Guard maintenance shop as a mechanic. The state Maint. Office hired a major full time. They wanted him to learn the workings from the ground up. He was assigned to our shop. The shop chief put him with me in my bay. I had him do the dirtiest, nasty jobs there was to do. He did just fine and was just a good old country boy. So after about 6 months he went to the state Maint. Office. This was in 2001. I retired in 06. About 2 months ago my wife and I were at a restaurant one Sunday afternoon. It was on a Sunday. In walked this Major that I had trained so many years ago except this time he was wearing 2 stars on his BDU's. We had a good conversation and as he was leaving I told him if he ever needed a reccomendation tell them to call me.

 

[Frank46]

I learned a very important lesson while in the navy. I was standing by the hatch to the thrust block which is where the propeller shaft passes through the stern packing gland and is in the ocean. A 3 Star comes down the ladder and I yell "attention officer on deck) we exchanges salutes and he asks what space is this. #1 thrust block Sir. Standing by for inspection. He looks down the hatch and says carry on sailor. Aye Aye Sir. Now the other dummy sees him and gets everything right, except for "ready for inspection Sir. So the admiral and his entourage all squeeze through the hatch look around and said this place is a mess. He gets on the sound powered phones and tells the top watch he wants that space cleaned by the time the ship leaves. Needless to say Standing by is way better than ready for inspection. Frank

 

[dasnake]

Me too.

Read the post had the answer, and I live in this rathole.

 

[Retired W4]

Air Vice Marshal is an RAF rank, equivalent to two stars for us.
Bradley received his 5th star as Army Chief of Staff so MacArthur wouldn't outrank him.
Admiral of the Fleet is the Royal Navy's equivalent of Field Marshal.
The idea was to recognize our senior officers and give them rank parity with Allied officers. Montgomery was promoted to Field Marshall in September, 1944, Stalin was fairly generous in promoting succesful commanders to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.

In the case of CW4 Rex R. it was more a matter of vice than rank.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

A while back, my Buddy Ron is assigned to fly F-5s with the Moroccan Air Force.
And told to go to the Pentagon and be briefed by the Moroccan Military Aid Program Director.
Wow! That sounds like a Very Important job.
So it takes Ron most of the day to find this Navy Commander who is in charge.
His desk is in a remote back corner of a larger office, under a stairwell.
Ron knows the Navy don't salute indoors, but why pass up a chance to harass the Boat Boys?
So Ron snaps a Salute and says something like Reporting as Ordered Sir.
The Commander stands, avoids bumping his head and returns the salute.
In doing so he loses control of a huge continuous computer printout.
It starts shooting out the front toward Ron.
He yells Push that back in! Ron pushes with both hands and restacks it.
It is once again peaceful in the puzzle palace.
What can I do for you Major?

 

[RWPBR]

In the case of CW4 Rex R. it was more a matter of vice than rank.

It's our vices that define us!

 

[Retired W4]

It's our vices that define us!

Actually it's our dedication and hard work that define us. We will not let the perceptions of our vices over shadow our accomplishments or interfere with our mission. At least, that is always how I and my compatriots think about it.