Until 1966, the vast majority of Brazilian Army officers received a two-grade promotion at retirement. For example, three-star "general de divisão" Ademar de Queirós retired as a five-star "marechal" in November 1963. Army regulations granted one promotion at retirement for each of the following: more than 35 years of service, combat against the Communist uprising of 1935, and participation in World War II. Contemplating a hypothetical three-grade promotion from four-star "general de exército", the highest active-duty rank, Army chief of staff Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco joked, "Perhaps those of us who retire as "generais de exército" are to become 'Popes'." Castelo Branco called the practice absurd, but it persisted because the only living "marechal" to hold that rank on active duty, João Baptista Mascarenhas de Morais, had commanded the Brazilian Expeditionary Force during World War II and wanted to preserve tombstone promotions for his former soldiers. By 1971, over one hundred living retirees held the highest rank of "marechal", all promoted to that rank at retirement.