Lieutenant General

**Lieutenant General** is a superior commissioned rank in the United States Air Force one must be nominated for by the current President of the United States.

## About

A lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force is the three-star general officer rank and right above major general. It is equivalent to the rank of vice admiral in the Navy and Coast Guard. Lieutenant generals are highly ranked officers who have been selected by many different parties and individuals.

## Duties

Lieutenant generals are career officers who have demonstrated a high aptitude for leadership and management over the span of their careers. They are fully involved with the administrative and operational level of the Air Force.

Like any general, major generals are also expected to participate in morale events and to serve as a â€œfaceâ€ for the Air Force. These morale events include but are not limited to: motivational speeches, hosting morale days on base, and squadron/wing visits.

## Promotion

No more than 25% of all Air Force general officers may have more than two stars. As a result, lieutenant generals are found on very high command positions. Lieutenant generals will typically command a large Numbered Air Force or a MAJCOM. Lieutenant generals may also serve in any of the high-level headquarters including the Pentagon.

The three-star grade goes hand-in-hand with the position of an office to which it is linked, so the rank is always temporary. Officers may only achieve three-star grade if they are appointed to positions that require the officer to hold such a rank. Their rank expires with the expiration of their term of office, which is usually set by statute. Lieutenant generals are nominated for appointment by the president from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or above, who also meet the requirements for the position, with the advice of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate before the appointee can take office and thus assume the rank. The standard tour length for most lieutenant general positions is three years but some are set four or more years by statute.

Extensions of the standard tour length can be approved, within statutory limits, by their respective service secretaries, the Secretary of Defense, the president, or Congress but these are rare, as they block other officers from being promoted. Some statutory limits under the U.S. Code can be waived in times of national emergency or war. Three-star ranks may also be given by an act of Congress but this is extremely rare.

## Demotion and Dismissal

Major Generals can only be demoted by Presidential Writ and they are generally dismissed from service either through court martial for extreme mismanagement or treason or honourably through:

### Retirement

Other than voluntary retirement, the statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. Lieutenant generals must retire after 38 years of service unless appointed for promotion or reappointed to grade to serve longer.[6] Otherwise, all general officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday.[7] However, the Secretary of Defense can defer a three-star officer's retirement until the officer's 66th birthday and the president can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday.

General officers typically retire well in advance of the statutory age and service limits, so as not to impede the upward career mobility of their juniors. Since there is a finite number of three-star slots available to each service, typically one officer must leave office before another can be promoted.[8] Maintaining a three-star rank is a game of musical chairs; once an officer vacates a position bearing that rank, they have 60 days to be appointed or reappointed to a position of equal or higher importance or involuntarily retire.[5] Historically, officers leaving three-star positions were allowed to revert to their permanent two-star ranks to mark time in lesser jobs until statutory retirement, but now such officers are expected to retire immediately to avoid obstructing the promotion flow.

## People Who Held This Rank

* George S. Hammond
* Jack O'Neill