List of active duty United States three-star officers

There are currently 161 active-duty three-star officers in the uniformed services of the United States: 51 in the Army, 18 in the Marine Corps, 38 in the Navy, 44 in the Air Force, four in the Space Force, four in the Coast Guard, one in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and one in the United States Maritime Service.

List of designated three-star positions

Department of Defense

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Direct reporting officers
Office of the Secretary of Defense	Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense	Lieutenant General Ronald P. Clark	U.S. Army
National intelligence agencies
Defense Intelligence Agency	Director, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)	Lieutenant General Jeffrey A. Kruse	U.S. Air Force
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency	Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)	Vice Admiral Frank D. Whitworth III	U.S. Navy
Defense Agencies
Defense Contract Management Agency	Director, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)	Lieutenant General Gregory L. Masiello	U.S. Marine Corps
Defense Health Agency	Director, Defense Health Agency (DHA)	Lieutenant General Telita Crosland	U.S. Army
Defense Information Systems Agency Joint Force Headquarters Department of Defense Information Network	Director, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DoDIN)	Lieutenant General Robert J. Skinner	U.S. Air Force
Defense Logistics Agency	Director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)	Lieutenant General Mark T. Simerly	U.S. Army
Missile Defense Agency	Director, Missile Defense Agency (MDA)	Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins	U.S. Air Force

Joint Staff

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Joint Staff
Joint Staff	Director of the Joint Staff (DJS)	Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II	U.S. Army
Joint Staff directorates
Joint Staff	Director for Intelligence (J-2), Joint Staff	Lieutenant General Dimitri Henry	U.S. Marine Corps
Joint Staff	Director for Operations (J-3), Joint Staff	Vacant
Joint Staff	Director for Logistics (J-4), Joint Staff	Lieutenant General Leonard J. Kosinski	U.S. Air Force
Joint Staff	Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J-5), Joint Staff and Senior Member, United States Delegation to the United Nations Military Staff Committee	Vice Admiral Stephen T. Koehler Promotable	U.S. Navy
Joint Staff	Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computers and Cyber and Chief Information Officer (J-6), Joint Staff	Lieutenant General David T. Isaacson	U.S. Army
Joint Staff	Director for Joint Force Development (J-7), Joint Staff	Lieutenant General Dagvin R.M. Anderson	U.S. Air Force
Joint Staff	Director of Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J-8), Joint Staff	Vice Admiral Sara A. Joyner	U.S. Navy

Unified Combatant Commands

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
U.S. Africa Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM)	Lieutenant General Kirk W. Smith	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Central Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)	Lieutenant General Gregory M. Guillot Promotable	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Cyber Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM)	Lieutenant General William J. Hartman	U.S. Army
U.S. European Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM)	Lieutenant General Steven L. Basham	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM)	Lieutenant General Stephen D. Sklenka	U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Northern Command North American Aerospace Defense Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)	Lieutenant General A.C. Roper Jr.	U.S. Army
U.S. Southern Command	Military Deputy Commander, U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)	Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey	U.S. Navy
U.S. Space Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM)	Lieutenant General Thomas L. James	U.S. Army
U.S. Special Operations Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)	Vice Admiral Collin P. Green	U.S. Navy
U.S. Special Operations Command	Vice Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)	Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan	U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Strategic Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM)	Vice Admiral Richard A. Correll	U.S. Navy
U.S. Transportation Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)	Lieutenant General John P. Sullivan	U.S. Army

Other joint positions

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
National Guard
Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau	Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau (VCNGB)	Lieutenant General Marc H. Sasseville	U.S. Air Force
Sub-unified commands
Alaskan Command Eleventh Air Force	Commander, Alaskan Command (ALCOM) and Commander, Eleventh Air Force (11 AF)	Lieutenant General David S. Nahom	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Forces Japan Fifth Air Force	Japan Commander, U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) and Commander, Fifth Air Force (5 AF)	Lieutenant General Ricky N. Rupp	U.S. Air Force
Joint Special Operations Command	Commander, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and Commander, Joint Special Operations Command Forward, U.S. Special Operations Command	Vice Admiral Frank M. Bradley	U.S. Navy
Special activities (domestic)
Joint Task Force Red Hill	Commander, Joint Task Force Red Hill (JTF-RH)	Vice Admiral John F.G. Wade	U.S. Navy
National Defense University	President, National Defense University (NDU)	Lieutenant General Michael T. Plehn	U.S. Air Force
F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office	Program Executive Officer, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office	Lieutenant General Michael J. Schmidt	U.S. Air Force
Office of the Director of National Intelligence	Director's Advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)	Lieutenant General Michele H. Bredenkamp	U.S. Army
Central Intelligence Agency	Associate Director for Military Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)	Lieutenant General John D. Caine	U.S. Air Force
Special activities (international)
Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee	Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC)	Vacant
NATO Military Committee	U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP)	Vice Admiral Shoshana S. Chatfield	U.S. Navy
NATO Special Operations Headquarters	Commander, NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ)	Lieutenant General Antonio M. Fletcher	U.S. Army
Allied Command Transformation	Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Headquarters Allied Command Transformation (ACT)	Lieutenant General David J. Julazadeh	U.S. Air Force
	Germany Commander, Security Assistance Group–Ukraine (SAG–U)	Lieutenant General Antonio A. Aguto Jr.	U.S. Army
Israel-Palestinian Authority	Israel United States Security Coordinator, Israel-Palestinian Authority	Lieutenant General Michael R. Fenzel	U.S. Army

Department of the Army

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Secretary
United States Army Rapid Capabilities Office	Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology)	Lieutenant General Robert A. Rasch Jr.	U.S. Army
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller)	Military Deputy for Budget to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller)	Lieutenant General Paul A. Chamberlain	U.S. Army
Inspector General of the United States Army	Inspector General of the United States Army (IG)	Lieutenant General Donna W. Martin	U.S. Army

United States Army

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Army Staff
Director of the Army Staff	Director of the Army Staff (DAS)	Lieutenant General Laura A. Potter	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1)	Lieutenant General Douglas F. Stitt	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2)	Lieutenant General Anthony R. Hale	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training (G-3/5/7)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training (G-3/5/7)	Lieutenant General Patrick E. Matlock	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (G-4)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (G-4)	Lieutenant General Heidi J. Hoyle	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Cyber (G-6)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Command, Control, Communications, Cyber Operations and Networks (G-6)	Lieutenant General John B. Morrison Jr.	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs (G-8)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Programs (G-8)	Lieutenant General Karl H. Gingrich	U.S. Army
Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations (G-9)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations (G-9)	Lieutenant General Kevin Vereen	U.S. Army
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General of the United States Army	Judge Advocate General of the United States Army (TJAG) and Dean, U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School	Lieutenant General Stuart W. Risch	U.S. Army
Army commands (and subordinated units)
U.S. Army Forces Command	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)	Lieutenant General Paul T. Calvert	U.S. Army
Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve U.S. Army Reserve Command	Chief of the United States Army Reserve (CAR) and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC)	Lieutenant General Jody J. Daniels	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Futures Command	Deputy Commanding General for Combat Development, U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC)	Lieutenant General Richard R. Coffman	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Futures Command Futures and Concepts Center	Deputy Commanding General for Futures and Concepts, U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) and Director, Futures and Concepts Center (FCC)	Lieutenant General David M. Hodne	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Materiel Command	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) and Senior Commander, Redstone Arsenal	Lieutenant General Christopher O. Mohan	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Installation Management Command	Commanding General, U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM)	Lieutenant General Omar J. Jones IV	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command	Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)	Lieutenant General Maria R. Gervais	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Army University	Commanding General, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (USACAC), Commandant, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) Executive Vice Chancellor, Army University (ArmyU) and Commanding General, Fort Leavenworth	Lieutenant General Milford H. Beagle Jr.	U.S. Army
Army service component commands
U.S. Army Central	Commanding General, U.S. Army Central (ARCENT) and Commanding General, Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC)	Lieutenant General Patrick D. Frank	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Cyber Command Joint Force Headquarters - U.S. Army Cyber Command	Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters - U.S. Army Cyber Command (JFHQ-ARCYBER)	Lieutenant General Maria B. Barrett	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Europe and Africa	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF)	Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Pacific	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC)	Lieutenant General James B. Jarrard	U.S. Army
U.S. Army North	Commanding General, U.S. Army North (ARNORTH) and Senior Commander, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis	Lieutenant General John R. Evans Jr.	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Special Operations Command	Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)	Lieutenant General Jonathan P. Braga	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense	Commanding General, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC/ARSTRAT) and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense (JFCC IMD)	Lieutenant General Sean A. Gainey	U.S. Army
Direct reporting units
U.S. Army Acquisition Corps	Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) and Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Corps (AAC)	Lieutenant General Robert M. Collins	U.S. Army
U.S. Army Chief of Engineers U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	United States Army Chief of Engineers (COE) and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)	Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon	U.S. Army
Surgeon General of the United States Army U.S. Army Medical Command Army Medical Department	Surgeon General of the United States Army (TSG), Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) and Chief, Army Medical Department (AMEDD)	Lieutenant General Mary K. Izaguirre	U.S. Army
U.S. Military Academy	Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (USMA)	Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland	U.S. Army
Operating forces
First Army	Commanding General, First Army	Vacant	U.S. Army
Eighth Army ROK/US Combined Forces Command	Commanding General, Eighth Army and Chief of Staff, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC)	Lieutenant General Willard M. Burleson III	U.S. Army
I Corps	Commanding General, I Corps and Commanding General, Joint Base Lewis-McChord	Lieutenant General Xavier T. Brunson	U.S. Army
III Armored Corps	Commanding General, III Armored Corps and Commanding General, Fort Cavazos	Lieutenant General Sean C. Bernabe	U.S. Army
V Corps	Commanding General, V Corps	Lieutenant General John S. Kolasheski	U.S. Army
XVIII Airborne Corps	Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Commanding General, Fort Liberty	Lieutenant General Christopher T. Donahue	U.S. Army
Army National Guard
Army National Guard	Director, Army National Guard (ARNG)	Lieutenant General Jon A. Jensen	U.S. Army
In transit
		Lieutenant General Erik C. Peterson	U.S. Army

Department of the Navy

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Secretary
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition)	Principal Military Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition)	Vice Admiral Francis D. Morley	U.S. Navy
Naval Inspector General	Naval Inspector General (NAVIG) and Special Assistant for Inspection Support (N09G)	Vice Admiral John V. Fuller	U.S. Navy
Judge Advocate General of the Navy	Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG), Special Assistant for Legal Services (N09J) and Department of Defense Representative for Ocean Policy Affairs (REPOPA)	Vice Admiral Darse E. Crandall Jr.	U.S. Navy

United States Marine Corps

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Headquarters Marine Corps
Director of the Marine Corps Staff	Director of the Marine Corps Staff (DMCS)	Lieutenant General Gregg P. Olson	U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs	Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (DC M&RA)	Lieutenant General James F. Glynn	U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations	Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations (DC, PP&O)	Lieutenant General James W. Bierman Jr.	U.S. Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps Aviation	Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DCA)	Lieutenant General Michael S. Cederholm	U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics	Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics (DC I&L)	Lieutenant General Edward D. Banta	U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration Marine Corps Combat Development Command	Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration (DC, CD&I) and Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC)	Lieutenant General Karsten S. Heckl	U.S. Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps	Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources (DC P&R)	Lieutenant General James H. Adams III	U.S. Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant for Information	Deputy Commandant for Information (DCI) and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT)	Lieutenant General Matthew G. Glavy	U.S. Marine Corps
Supporting establishment
U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command	Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command (TECOM)	Lieutenant General Kevin M. Iiams	U.S. Marine Corps
Operating forces
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command U.S. Marine Corps Forces Northern Command Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic	Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM), Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Northern Command (MARFORNORTH) and Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT)	Lieutenant General Brian W. Cavanaugh	U.S. Marine Corps
II Marine Expeditionary Force	Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF)	Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon	U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific	Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC) and Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC)	Lieutenant General William M. Jurney	U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Japan III Marine Expeditionary Force	Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Japan (MARFORJ) and Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF)	Lieutenant General Roger B. Turner Jr.	U.S. Marine Corps
I Marine Expeditionary Force	Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF)	Vacant	U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Forces Reserve
Marine Forces Reserve U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South	Commander, Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South (MARFORSOUTH)	Lieutenant General David G. Bellon Retiring	U.S. Marine Corps

United States Navy

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Bureau of Naval Personnel	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education (N1/NT) and Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP)	Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman Jr.	U.S. Navy
Director of Naval Intelligence	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (N2/N6) and Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI)	Vacant	U.S. Navy
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5)	Vice Admiral Eugene H. Black III	U.S. Navy
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Installations and Logistics (N4)	Vice Admiral Jeffrey T. Jablon	U.S. Navy
Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (N7)	Vice Admiral Jeffrey W. Hughes	U.S. Navy
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (N8)	Vice Admiral John B. Skillman	U.S. Navy
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities (N9)	Vice Admiral James E. Pitts	U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy Reserve	Chief of Navy Reserve (N095) and Commander, Navy Reserve Force (CNRF)	Vice Admiral John B. Mustin	U.S. Navy
Type commands
Commander, Naval Air Forces Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet	Commander, Naval Air Forces (COMNAVAIRFOR) and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC)	Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cheever	U.S. Navy
U.S. Naval Information Forces	Commander, Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR)	Vice Admiral Kelly A. Aeschbach	U.S. Navy
Commander, Naval Submarine Forces Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Allied Submarine Command	Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR), Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT), Commander, Allied Submarine Command (ASC), Commander, Task Force 114 (CTF-114), Commander, Task Force 88 (CTF-88) and Commander, Task Force 46 (CTF-46)	Vice Admiral Robert M. Gaucher	U.S. Navy
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet	Commander, Naval Surface Forces (COMNAVSURFOR) and Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVSURFPAC)	Vice Admiral Brendan R. McLane	U.S. Navy
Operating forces (and subordinated units)
U.S. Fleet Forces Command U.S. Naval Forces Strategic Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF), Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command (NAVNORTH), Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Strategic Command (NAVSTRAT) and Commander, Task Force 80 (CTF-80)	Vice Admiral John E. Gumbleton	U.S. Navy
U.S. Second Fleet Joint Force Command Norfolk Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence	Commander, U.S. Second Fleet (C2F), Commander, Joint Force Command – Norfolk (JFC-NF) and Director, Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence (CJOS COE)	Vice Admiral Douglas G. Perry	U.S. Navy
U.S. Sixth Fleet U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa	Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet (C6F), Commander, Task Force Six, Commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (COMSTRIKFORNATO), Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (CNE-CNA) and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Europe	Vice Admiral Thomas E. Ishee	U.S. Navy
U.S. Pacific Fleet	Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT)	Vice Admiral Blake L. Converse	U.S. Navy
U.S. Third Fleet	Commander, U.S. Third Fleet (C3F)	Vice Admiral Michael E. Boyle	U.S. Navy
U.S. Seventh Fleet	Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet (C7F)	Vice Admiral Karl O. Thomas	U.S. Navy
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command U.S. Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Forces	Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet (C5F) and Commander, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)	Vice Admiral George M. Wikoff	U.S. Navy
Fleet Cyber Command U.S. Tenth Fleet U.S. Navy Space Command Joint Force Headquarters - U.S. Fleet Cyber Command	Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FCC), Commander, U.S. Tenth Fleet (C10F), Commander, U.S. Navy Space Command (NAVSPACECOM) and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters - U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (JFHQ-FCC)	Vice Admiral Craig A. Clapperton	U.S. Navy
Shore establishment
Naval Sea Systems Command	Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)	Vice Admiral James P. Downey	U.S. Navy
Naval Air Systems Command	Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)	Vice Admiral Carl P. Chebi	U.S. Navy
Navy Installations Command	Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)	Vice Admiral Christopher S. Gray	U.S. Navy
Strategic Systems Programs	Director for Strategic Systems Programs (SSP)	Vice Admiral Johnny R. Wolfe Jr.	U.S. Navy
United States Naval Academy	Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy (USNA)	Vice Admiral Yvette M. Davids	U.S. Navy
In transit
		Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II	U.S. Navy
		Vice Admiral Daniel W. Dwyer	U.S. Navy

Department of the Air Force

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Secretary
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics	Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SAF/AQ)	Vacant	U.S. Air Force
Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force	Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force (DAF/IG)	Lieutenant General Stephen L. Davis	U.S. Air Force

United States Air Force

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Air Staff
Air Staff	Director of Staff of the United States Air Force (AF/DS)	Lieutenant General Kevin B. Schneider Promotable	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services (A1)	Lieutenant General Caroline M. Miller	U.S. Air Force
Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations (A2/6)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations (A2/6)	Lieutenant General Leah G. Lauderback	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (A3)	Lieutenant General Adrian L. Spain	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection (A4)	Lieutenant General Tom D. Miller	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures (A5/7)	Lieutenant General David A. Harris Jr.	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs (A8)	Lieutenant General Richard G. Moore Jr.	U.S. Air Force
Air Staff	Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration (A10)	Lieutenant General Andrew J. Gebara	U.S. Air Force
Judge Advocate General of the Air Force (AF/JA)	United States Air Force Judge Advocate General (AF/JA) and Judge Advocate General of the United States Space Force (SF/JA)	Lieutenant General Charles L. Plummer	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Medical Service	Surgeon General of the United States Air Force (AF/SG) and Surgeon General of the United States Space Force (SF/SG)	Lieutenant General (Dr.) Robert I. Miller	U.S. Air Force
Direct reporting units
U.S. Air Force Academy	Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)	Lieutenant General Richard M. Clark	U.S. Air Force
Air Force major commands (and subordinated units)
Air Combat Command	Deputy Commander, Air Combat Command (ACC)	Vacant	U.S. Air Force
First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) Continental U.S. NORAD Region – Air Forces Northern Continental U.S. NORAD Region	Commander, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern/AFNORTH and Air Forces Space/AFSPACE) (1 AF), Commander, Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR), Combined Force Air Component Commander for North American Aerospace Defense Command and Joint Force Air Component Commander for U.S. Northern Command	Lieutenant General Steven S. Nordhaus	U.S. Air Force
Ninth Air Force U.S. Air Forces Central Command	Commander, Ninth Air Force (9 AF), Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) and Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command	Lieutenant General Alexus G. Grynkewich	U.S. Air Force
Sixteenth Air Force Air Forces Cyber Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber	Commander, Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber/AFCYBER) (16 AF) and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber (Air Force) (JFHQ-C)	Lieutenant General Kevin B. Kennedy	U.S. Air Force
Air Education and Training Command	Commander, Air Education and Training Command (AETC)	Lieutenant General Brian S. Robinson	U.S. Air Force
Air University	Commander and President, Air University	Lieutenant General Andrea D. Tullos	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Global Strike Command	Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command	Vacant	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Materiel Command	Deputy Commander, Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)	Lieutenant General Linda S. Hurry	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center	Commander, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and Program Executive Officer for the Rapid Sustainment Office	Lieutenant General Donna D. Shipton	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Sustainment Center	Commander, Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC)	Lieutenant General Stacey T. Hawkins	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Reserve Command	Chief of Air Force Reserve (AF/RE) and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)	Lieutenant General John P. Healy	U.S. Air Force
Air Force Special Operations Command	Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)	Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfeind	U.S. Air Force
Air Mobility Command	Deputy Commander, Air Mobility Command (AMC)	Lieutenant General Randall Reed	U.S. Air Force
Pacific Air Forces	Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command	Lieutenant General James A. Jacobson Retiring	U.S. Air Force
Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) U.S. Forces Korea	Commander, Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF), Commander, Air Component Command, United Nations Command (UNC), Commander, Air Component Command, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)	Lieutenant General David R. Iverson	U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Forces in Europe U.S. Air Forces in Africa	Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)	Lieutenant General John D. Lamontagne	U.S. Air Force
Air National Guard
Air National Guard	Director, Air National Guard (ANG)	Lieutenant General Michael A. Loh	U.S. Air Force
In transit
		Lieutenant General Scott L. Pleus	U.S. Air Force

United States Space Force

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Space Staff
Space Staff	Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear (S3/4/6/7/10)	Lieutenant General DeAnna M. Burt	U.S. Space Force
Space Staff	Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analysis (S5/8)	Lieutenant General Shawn N. Bratton	U.S. Space Force
Field commands
Space Operations Command	Commander, Space Operations Command (SpOC)	Lieutenant General David N. Miller Jr.	U.S. Space Force
Space Systems Command	Commander, Space Systems Command (SSC)	Lieutenant General Philip A. Garrant	U.S. Space Force
United States Space Forces – Space	Commander, U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S) and Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander, U.S. Space Command	Lieutenant General Douglas A. Schiess	U.S. Space Force

Department of Homeland Security

United States Coast Guard

Position insignia	Position	Incumbent	Service branch
Headquarters support units
Deputy Commandant for Operations	Deputy Commandant for Operations (DCO)	Vice Admiral Peter W. Gautier	U.S. Coast Guard
Deputy Commandant for Mission Support	Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS)	Vice Admiral Paul F. Thomas	U.S. Coast Guard
Area commands
Coast Guard Atlantic Area	Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area (USCGLANTAREA) and Director, Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force – East (JTF-E)	Vice Admiral Kevin E. Lunday	U.S. Coast Guard
Coast Guard Pacific Area	Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area (PACAREA) and Commander, Defense Force West	Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson	U.S. Coast Guard

Department of Health and Human Services

United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

Position insignia	Position	Photo	Incumbent	Service branch
Office of the Surgeon General
Surgeon General of the United States	Surgeon General of the United States (SG)		Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy	U.S. Public Health Service

Department of Transportation

United States Maritime Service

Position insignia	Position	Photo	Incumbent	Service branch
United States Merchant Marine Academy
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy	Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA)		Vice Admiral Joanna M. Nunan	U.S. Maritime Service

List of pending appointments

Appointments should be listed in order of service branch, and thereafter by the assigned position, identical to the above list. Promotions with no announced position should be listed below those with such positions by qualification of initial or lateral promotion and thereafter by alphabetical order of surname.

Current position	Designated position insignia	Designated position	Name	Service branch	Status and date
Joint assignments
Commander, Ninth Air Force (9 AF), Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) and Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command	Joint Staff	Director for Operations (J-3), Joint Staff	Lieutenant General Alexus G. Grynkewich	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 31 January 2024
Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)	U.S. Africa Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM)	Major General John W. Brennan Jr.	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
In transit	U.S. Central Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)	Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II	U.S. Navy	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
The Adjutant General, Georgia	U.S. Northern Command North American Aerospace Defense Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)	Major General Thomas M. Carden Jr.	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 31 January 2024
Deputy Commander, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)	U.S. Special Operations Command	Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)	Major General Sean M. Farrell	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF)	Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee	Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC)	Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (N7)	Allied Command Transformation	Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development, Headquarters Allied Command Transformation (ACT)	Vice Admiral Jeffrey W. Hughes	U.S. Navy	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023 Scheduled to assume office 25 March 2024
United States Army
Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC)	U.S. Army Forces Command	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)	Major General Stephen G. Smith	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 13 December 2023
Commanding General, V Corps	U.S. Army Europe and Africa	Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF)	Lieutenant General John S. Kolasheski	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Special Assistant to the Commanding General, III Armored Corps	First Army	Commanding General, First Army	Major General John B. Richardson IV	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)	Eighth United States Army ROK/US Combined Forces Command	Commanding General, Eighth Army and Chief of Staff, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC)	Major General Christopher C. LaNeve	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 19 December 2023
Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM)	V Corps	Commanding General, V Corps	Major General Charles D. Costanza	U.S. Army	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
United States Marine Corps
Acting Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF)	United States Marine Corps Aviation	Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DCA)	Major General Bradford J. Gering	U.S. Marine Corps	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER), Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Information Command (MARCORINFOCOM) and Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Space Command (MARFORSPACE)	Deputy Commandant for Information	Deputy Commandant for Information (DCI) and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT)	Major General Ryan P. Heritage	U.S. Marine Corps	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DCA)	I Marine Expeditionary Force	Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF)	Lieutenant General Michael S. Cederholm	U.S. Marine Corps	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023 Scheduled to assume office 16 February 2024
Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations (PP&O)	Marine Forces Reserve U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South	Commander, Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South (MARFORSOUTH)	Major General Leonard F. Anderson IV	U.S. Marine Corps	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
United States Navy
Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet (C7F)	Director of Naval Intelligence	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (N2/N6) and Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI)	Vice Admiral Karl O. Thomas	U.S. Navy	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023 Scheduled to assume office 28 February 2024
In transit	Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development	Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (N7)	Vice Admiral Daniel W. Dwyer	U.S. Navy	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023 Scheduled to assume office 15 February 2024
In transit	U.S. Seventh Fleet	Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet (C7F)	Rear Admiral Frederick W. Kacher	U.S. Navy	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023 Scheduled to assume office 15 February 2024
United States Air Force
In transit	Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics	Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SAF/AQ)	Brigadier General Dale R. White	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
In transit	Air Staff	Director of Staff of the United States Air Force (AF/DS)	Lieutenant General Scott L. Pleus	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
In transit	Air Combat Command	Deputy Commander, Air Combat Command (ACC)	Major General Michael G. Koscheski	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
In transit	Air Force Global Strike Command	Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command	Major General Michael J. Lutton	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
Director of Operations (J-3), U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)	Pacific Air Forces	Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command	Major General Laura L. Lenderman	U.S. Air Force	Confirmed by the Senate 5 December 2023
United States Coast Guard
Director of Operations (J-3), U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)	Deputy Commandant for Mission Support	Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS)	Rear Admiral Thomas G. Allan Jr.	U.S. Coast Guard	Nomination sent to the Senate 10 January 2024
Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area (USCGLANTAREA)	Coast Guard Atlantic Area	Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area (USCGLANTAREA) and Director, Department of Homeland Security Joint Task Force – East (JTF-E)	Rear Admiral Nathan A. Moore	U.S. Coast Guard	Nomination sent to the Senate 10 January 2024
United States Public Health Service
Surgeon General of the United States (SG)	Surgeon General of the United States World Health Organisation	Surgeon General of the United States (SG) and U.S. Representative, Executive Board of the World Health Organization (USREPWHO)	Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy	U.S. Public Health Service	Nomination sent to the Senate 8 January 2024

Statutory limits

As with four-star officers, the U.S. Code explicitly limits the number of three-star officers that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active-duty general or flag officers is capped at 218 for the Army, 149 for the Navy, 170 for the Air Force, 62 for the Marine Corps, and 21 for the Space Force. For the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force, no more than about 23% of each service's active-duty general or flag officers may have more than two stars, and statute sets the total number of three-star officers allowed in each service. This is set at 38 three-star Army generals, 15 three-star Marine Corps generals, 28 three-star Navy admirals, 35 three-star Air Force generals, five three-star Space Force generals, and five three-star Coast Guard admirals.

While a number of these positions are set by statute, most do not have the accompanying statutory three-star grade. By convention, however:

For the Army, lieutenant generals constitute corps and field army commanders, deputy and assistant chiefs of staff of the Army staff, deputies of Army four-star commands, commanders of high-level geographic or component commands, the chief of Army reserve, as well as high-level specialty positions including the inspector general, surgeon general, and judge advocate general.
For the Navy, vice admirals constitute commanders of numbered fleets, deputy chiefs of naval operations, deputies of Navy four-star commands, commanders of high-level geographic and component commands, and specialty positions such as the type commanders of naval air forces, naval submarine forces and naval surface forces, as well as the naval inspector general and judge advocate general.
For the Air Force, lieutenant generals constitute commanders of large numbered air forces or major commands, deputy and assistant chiefs of staff of the Air staff, deputies of four-star major commands, the chief of Air Force Reserve, as well as the specialty positions of the inspector general, surgeon general and judge advocate general.
For the Marine Corps, lieutenant generals constitute commanders of high-level geographic and functional Marine commands including the marine expeditionary forces, deputy commandants attached to Headquarters Marine Corps and commander of the Marine Forces Reserve.
For the Space Force, lieutenant generals constitute the deputy chiefs of staff of the Space Staff and commanders of high-level field commands.
For the Coast Guard, vice admirals constitute the deputy commandants for operations and mission support, as well as the operational area commanders of the Atlantic and Pacific region. By statute, there may not be more than five three-star positions in the Coast Guard and, if there are five, one must be the chief of staff of the Coast Guard.
For the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the surgeon general of the United States is a three-star vice admiral by statute, equivalent in grade to the surgeon general of the Army.
Although the grade of vice admiral exists in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps), its use is rare. Only two officers of the NOAA Corps or its ancestor organizations have reached the grade of vice admiral.

The President may also designate positions of importance and responsibility to other agencies in the executive branch aside from the Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to be held by an officer with the grade of vice admiral, with corresponding pay and allowance.

Exceptions

Exceptions exist that allow for the promotion of three-star officers beyond statutory limits. The secretary of defense can designate up to 49 three-star officers, who do not count against any service's general- or flag-officer limit, to serve in one of several joint positions. For three-star officers, these include senior positions on the Joint Staff such as the director of the Joint Staff, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, and deputy commanders of unified combatant commands. Officers serving in certain intelligence positions are not counted against statutory limits, including the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, associate director for military affairs of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the advisor for military affairs to the director of National Intelligence. The President may also add up to 15 three-star slots to one service if they are offset by removing an equivalent number from other services. Finally, all statutory limits may be waived at the President's discretion during time of war or national emergency.

Appointment

Like four-star ranks, three-star grades are temporary, being tied to positions where the officeholder is authorized to assume said grade. Their grade expires with the expiration of their term of office, which is normally set by statute. The president nominates three-star officers from any eligible officers holding one-star grade and above who also meet the other requirements for the position, based on the advice of their respective executive department secretary, service secretary, and if applicable the joint chiefs. The nominee must be confirmed via majority by the Senate before the appointee can take office and thus assume the grade. Senate committees may hold hearings to consider any nominee for appointment to three-star grade, but usually only convene for nominations of selected four-star positions.

While it is rare for three-star or four-star nominations to face even token opposition in the Senate, nominations that do face opposition due to controversy surrounding the nominee in question are typically withdrawn.

For example, the nomination of Major General Ryan F. Gonsalves to be commanding general of U.S. Army Europe in 2017 was withdrawn after an investigation was launched into the general's inappropriate comment to a female Congressional staffer.

Rear Admiral Elizabeth L. Train was once the leading candidate to be director of naval intelligence and deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare in 2015, but her nomination was withdrawn the following year due to dysfunction within the naval intelligence community leadership, and her superior's suspected role in the Fat Leonard scandal.

The President withdrew the nomination of Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms to become vice commander of Air Force Space Command in 2013 after eight months of inaction in the Senate, owing to concerns about her overturning the ruling in a sexual assault case under her command.

Lieutenant General Mary A. Legere was widely considered a leading candidate to succeed Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014, but her name was removed from consideration following House backlash over her involvement in several controversial Army intelligence projects.

Major General Raphael J. Hallada was withdrawn from consideration to become commanding general of Fifth Army in 1991, relating to his decision to not prosecute two soldiers responsible for an artillery accident at his command of Fort Sill.

Major General Joseph J. Taluto withdrew himself from consideration to become director of the Army National Guard in 2010, due to public controversy and subsequent Senate inaction over his handling of the deaths of Phillip Esposito and Louis Allen.

And Rear Admiral Elizabeth A. Hight's nomination to be director of the Defense Information Systems Agency in 2008 was withdrawn due to concerns about a possible conflict of interest with her husband, a retired Air Force general who was employed by a prominent Defense contractor.

Nominations that are not withdrawn are allowed to expire without action at the end of the legislative session, with said nominations being returned to the President.

For example, the Senate declined to schedule a vote for Major General Charles M. Gurganus to be elevated to three-star grade in 2013 and assigned as director of the Marine Corps staff due to concerns of negligence leading to the September 2012 Camp Bastion raid.

The nomination of Rear Admiral Thomas P. Ostebo for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as deputy commandant for mission support of the Coast Guard in 2014 was returned to the President, due to a hold from a senator who opposed the closure of two Coast Guard facilities in response to sequestration cuts.

Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office, necessitating that another nominee be selected and considered by the Senate. Even after the nominee assumes command, various events can occur that alter their circumstances in holding the office.

For example, Major General John G. Rossi, who had been confirmed for appointment as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in April 2016 committed suicide two days before his scheduled promotion. As a result, the incumbent commander, Lieutenant General David L. Mann, remained in command beyond statutory term limits until another nominee, Major General James H. Dickinson was confirmed by the Senate.

Vice Admiral Scott A. Stearney assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces in May 2018. His death in December 2018 resulted in the speedy confirmation of Rear Admiral James J. Malloy in the same month for appointment to three-star grade as his replacement.

Command elevation and reduction

Any billet in the armed forces may be designated as a position of importance requiring the holder of the position to be of three-star or four-star grade. One-star and two-star billets may be elevated to three-star or four-star level as appropriate, either by act of Congress, or within statutory limits by the services at their discretion. Congress may propose such elevations or reductions to the President and Department of Defense. Due to the higher number of three-star appointments available by statute compared to four-star appointments, shuffling of such billets within services and between services occurs at a relatively steady pace, with significant changes on average every two to three years, compared to those at four-star grade which shuffle on average every four to five years.

The existing commander of a lower-level command or office elevated to three-star grade can be appointed to grade in their present position, reassigned to another office of equal grade, or face retirement if another nominee is selected as their relief.

For example, Major General Scott C. Black became judge advocate general of the Army in October 2005. With the elevation of the office to three-star grade in 2008, Black was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general, and assumed said grade in December 2008.
Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz Jr., commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet, was dual-hatted as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in August 1990. The incumbent commander, Captain Robert Sutton did not receive appointment to three-star grade and was thus reassigned as commander of the U.S. Naval Logistics Support Force under Mauz's command.

A two-star billet may be elevated to three-star level, in accordance with being designated as a position of importance, to highlight importance to the defense apparatus as a whole or achieve parity with equivalent commands in the same area of responsibility or service branch.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2001 elevated all service reserve and National Guard components to three-star level. Consequently, all affected components (the Army Reserve and Army National Guard, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, and Marine Forces Reserve) had their existing commanders promoted to three-star grade, or promoted the first commander assigned after passage of the Act to three-star grade.
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 elevated the office of vice chief of the National Guard Bureau to three-star level, achieving parity with the three-star directors of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. Major General Joseph L. Lengyel was subsequently appointed to the grade of lieutenant general and assumed office on 18 August 2012.
Headquarters Marine Corps Bulletin 5400 directed the elevation of U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command to three-star level and transitioning it to a direct reporting unit responsible to the commandant of the Marine Corps. The incumbent commanding general, Major General William F. Mullen III, subsequently relinquished command to Lieutenant General Lewis A. Craparotta on 3 August 2020.

A four-star billet may also be reduced to three-star level, usually to compensate for another billet being elevated to four-star level and thus remain within statutory limits. Congressional approval must be obtained if it is determined that a new three-star appointment beyond statutory limits is necessary.

For example, Air Education and Training Command, a four-star major command since 1975, was downgraded to three-star level to compensate for the elevation of Air Force Global Strike Command to four-star level, as congressional approval was required to bypass the authorized limit of nine four-star commands. Lieutenant General Darryl Roberson relieved General Robin Rand as AETC commander on 21 July 2015.
U.S. Army Europe was a three-star command four separate times: from establishment to 1944; the tours of Lieutenant Generals Clarence R. Huebner in 1949 and Manton S. Eddy from 1952 to 1953; and after the deactivation of Seventh Army from 2011 to 2020. The final three-star general to command USAREUR was Lieutenant General Christopher G. Cavoli, who was promoted to general in 2020, with the consolidation of USAREUR and U.S. Army Africa into U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

Tour length

The standard tour length for a three-star officer is three years, specifically a two-year term with a one-year extension. Unlike with grade, many three-star positions do have stipulated term lengths in the U.S. Code, which may not necessarily equate to the standard term length:

Deputy commanders of unified combatant commands, as a joint duty assignment, serve for one to two years.
Inspectors general of the Army, Navy, and Air Force serve for a nominal four-year term.
Judge advocates general of the Army, Navy, and Air Force serve for a nominal four-year term.
Three-star chiefs of service reserve components serve for a nominal four-year term in office, but may serve for up to eight years if reappointed to serve for a second term. Typically, a reserve component chief serves for two to three years.
Three-star chiefs of Army branches, (except the judge advocate general) serve for a nominal four-year term.
Superintendents of the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy serve for a nominal three-year term, though it is common for them to serve for four to five years.
The surgeon general of the United States serves for a nominal four-year term.

All appointees serve at the pleasure of the president. Extensions of the standard tour length can be approved, within statutory limits, by their respective service secretaries, the secretary of defense, the president, and/or Congress but these are rare, as they block other officers from being promoted. Some statutory limits of tour length under the U.S. Code can be waived in times of national emergency or war. Three-star grades may also be given by act of Congress but this is extremely rare.

Rear Admiral John D. Bulkeley was promoted to vice admiral on the retired list in the Senate by unanimous voice vote in 1988, in recognition of his years of service to the country, including the rescue of General Douglas MacArthur from Corregidor that earned him the Medal of Honor.

Retirement

Besides voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. A three-star officer may serve for a maximum of 38 years of commissioned service unless reappointed to grade to serve longer or appointed to a higher grade. Three-star officers on reserve active duty must retire after five years in grade or 30 days after completion of 38 years of commissioned service, whichever is later, unless reappointed to grade to serve longer. Three-star reserve officers of the Army and Air Force can have their retirements deferred by their service secretary until the officer's 66th birthday, which the secretary of defense may do for all active-duty officers, and the president can defer it until the officer's 68th birthday. Otherwise all general and flag officers must retire the month after their 64th birthday. Officers that served several years in the enlisted ranks prior to receiving their commission typically don't make it to the 38 years in commission mark, because they are still subject to the age restrictions for retirement.

By statute, any three-star officer assigned as superintendent of the United States Military Academy, superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, and superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy must retire upon completion of their assignment, unless a waiver is granted by the secretary of defense. The secretary of defense must also notify the House and Senate Armed Services committees and include a written notification of intent from the president to nominate the officer for reassignment. If a waiver is granted, the subsequent nomination and appointment of such officer having served as superintendent of the Academy to a further assignment in lieu of retirement shall be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

Lieutenant General Sidney Bryan Berry is the last superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy not subject to the mandates for retirement, serving as commanding general of V Corps from 1977 to 1980 after his tenure as superintendent from 1974 to 1976. His successor, General Andrew J. Goodpaster is the latest retired officer recalled to serve as superintendent, serving from 1977 to 1981.

Rear Admiral Thomas C. Lynch is the last superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy not subject to the mandates for retirement, serving as director of the Navy staff from 1994 to 1995 after his tenure as superintendent from 1991 to 1994. His successor, Admiral Charles R. Larson is the last four-star admiral to serve as superintendent, from 1994 to 1998.

Major General Robert E. Kelley is the last superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy not subject to the mandates for retirement, serving as the vice commander of Tactical Air Command from 1983 to 1986 after his tenure as superintendent from 1981 to 1983.

Senior 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. The higher number of available three-star slots overall (ranging from around 100 to 200) means that lateral promotion is more likely for officers at grade before they either retire or are appointed to a higher grade. An officer who vacates a position bearing that grade has no more than 60 days to be appointed or reappointed to a position of equal or greater importance, including positions of four-star grade, before involuntary retirement.

For example, Lieutenant General H. Steven Blum was appointed as deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command in 2009. The incumbent deputy commander, Lieutenant General William G. Webster Jr., was appointed as commanding general of U.S. Army Central, whose incumbent commanding general, Lieutenant General James J. Lovelace Jr., received no further appointment and retired at the age of 60, with 39 years of service and six years in grade.
Rear Admiral Ronald A. Route was promoted to vice admiral and appointed as naval inspector general in 2004. The incumbent inspector general, Vice Admiral Albert T. Church, was appointed as director of the Navy staff, whose incumbent director, Vice Admiral Patricia A. Tracey, received no further appointment and retired at the age of 52, with 34 years of service and six years in grade.
Major General William H. Etter was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed as commander of First Air Force in 2013. The incumbent commander, Lieutenant General Stanley E. Clarke III, was appointed as director of the Air National Guard, whose incumbent director, Lieutenant General Harry M. Wyatt III, received no further appointment and retired at the age of 63, with 42 years of service and four years in grade.
Rear Admiral Steven D. Poulin was promoted to vice admiral and appointed as commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area in 2020. The incumbent commander, Vice Admiral Scott A. Buschman, was appointed as deputy commandant for operations; the incumbent deputy commandant, Vice Admiral Daniel B. Abel, received no further appointment and retired at the age of 59, with 37 years of service and two years in grade.

A three-star officer may also be reduced to their permanent grade pending circumstances that delay appointment to another three-star position of importance. Historically, officers leaving three-star or four-star positions were allowed to revert to their permanent two-star grades to mark time in lesser jobs until statutory retirement, but now such officers are expected to retire immediately to avoid obstructing the promotion flow.

For example, Lieutenant General Timothy J. Kadavy reverted to his permanent grade of major general while awaiting confirmation as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau in 2019, as he had not been assigned to another three-star position within 60 days of his relief as director of the Army National Guard. After his nomination was returned to the president without action, he was certified to retire as a lieutenant general in 2020.

Vice Admiral John Poindexter reverted to his permanent grade of rear admiral in 1986, as he was not appointed by the Senate to another three-star post within 90 days after resigning as national security advisor to the President due to controversy surrounding the Iran-Contra affair, and was reassigned to the Navy staff until retirement in 1987. His request to retire as a vice admiral was deferred by the secretary of the Navy due to expected congressional opposition.

To retire at three-star grade, an officer must accumulate at least three years of satisfactory active-duty service in that grade, as determined by the secretary of defense. The president and Congress must also receive certification by either the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, the deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, or the secretary of defense that the retiree served satisfactorily in grade. The secretary of defense may reduce this requirement to two years, but only if the officer is not being investigated for misconduct. The president may also reduce these requirements even further, or waive the requirements altogether, if he so chooses. Three-star officers who do not meet the service-in-grade requirement will retire at the last permanent grade satisfactorily held for six months. The retiree may also be subject to congressional approval by the Senate before the retiree can retire in grade. It is extraordinarily rare for a three-star or four-star officer not to be certified to retire in grade or for the Senate to seek final approval.

For example, Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft was certified by the Senate in 1975 to retire as a lieutenant general despite holding said grade for only a year as national security advisor to the President. Scowcroft could have been reappointed to grade to serve as national security advisor while on active duty, but instead held the office as a civilian.

Lieutenant General Craig A. Franklin retired on 1 April 2014, with two years and two days in grade, in response to charges of partiality in overseeing cases of sexual assault in Third Air Force. Despite not being penalized for misconduct, his retirement before accumulating statutory time in grade resulted in his reduction to major general on the retired list.

Lieutenant General Ronald F. Lewis was relieved as senior military assistant to the secretary of defense on 12 November 2015, with approximately four months in grade. He subsequently reverted to his permanent grade of major general pending an investigation by the Department of Defense inspector general for misconduct. His certification of satisfactory service as a major general was revoked, thus reducing his retirement grade to brigadier general.

Officers who are under investigation for misconduct typically are not allowed to retire until the investigation completes, so that the secretary of defense can decide whether to certify that their performance was satisfactory enough to retire in their highest grade.

For example, Lieutenant General Lee K. Levy II relinquished his three-star command in 2018, but remained on active duty for over a year after his retirement ceremony in his permanent grade of major general pending an investigation by the Air Force inspector general, before being allowed to retire as a major general.

Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller relinquished his three-star command as scheduled in 2014, but remained on active duty for almost a year in his permanent grade of rear admiral while under investigation for the Fat Leonard corruption scandal. He was permitted to retire at three-star grade after being censured by the secretary of the Navy.

Furthermore, all retired officers may still be subjected to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and disciplinary action, including reduction in retirement grade, by the secretary of defense or the president if they are deemed to have served unsatisfactorily in grade, after their retirement.

Lieutenant General Philip R. Kensinger Jr., who retired from the Army as a lieutenant general, faced court martial and demotion nearly two years after his retirement date of 1 February 2006, for making false statements regarding the Pat Tillman friendly fire incident. He was allowed to retain his three-star grade after the secretary of the Army opted not to pursue the heavier punishment, instead issuing Kensinger an official reprimand and censure.

Officers holding a temporary three-star or four-star grade typically step down from their posts up to 60 days in advance of their official retirement dates. Officers retire on the first day of the month, so once a retirement month has been selected, the relief and retirement ceremonies are scheduled by counting backwards from that date by the number of days of accumulated leave remaining to the retiring officer. During this period, termed transition leave or terminal leave, the officer is considered to be awaiting retirement but still on active duty.

For example, Lieutenant General Donald C. Wurster was relieved as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command on 24 June 2011, and held his retirement ceremony the same day, but remained on active duty until his official retirement date on 1 August 2011.

A statutory limit can be waived by the president with the consent of Congress if it serves national interest. However, this is extremely rare. Only two four-star officers have been granted such a waiver in American history: General Lewis B. Hershey, who served as director of the Selective Service System from 1941 to 1970, and Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, who served as director of Naval Reactors from 1949 to 1982.