When dcfowler posted his update about the Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard I was reminded of the special pay grade above O-10 (General or Admiral). According to the pay scale I downloaded from the U.S. Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s Web site:
“While serving as Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff/Vice Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff, Chief of Navy Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Army/Air Force Chief of Staff, Chief of the National Guard Bureau Commander of a unified or specified combatant command, basic pay is $21,147.30”, which is quite a bit above the usual O-10 level.
Since I first heard about this, I’ve found it intriguing. It’s a kind of secret 5-star rank, where the 16 (I think) most senior generals are more senior than they appear.
I can see part of the problem. Except for autocracies, like North Korea, “O-11” ranks are rare, and usually only applied to great generals in wartime. Getting the real O-11 rank in place was a struggle in the U.S. Congress when America’s armed forces were counted in the millions. So I can see that 16 mostly deskbound Generals of the Army, Generals of the Air Force, and Fleet Admirals* would seem, well, odd.
What might be possible would be to call them, perhaps, Senior General or Senior Admiral, and to give them some special mark on their badges of rank. Gold stars are out: gold rather than silver betokens juniority, not seniority.
A little bar at the bottom? A wreath around the 4th star? Any thoughts on what would work in the American tradition? The Senior Admiral could have a half-stripe on top of his 3 full stripes (like a Lieutenant, j.g., or Lieutenant Commander).
* I’m about to post a separate topic about what a 5-star in the Marine Corps would be called!