Air Force GeneralO-10 Gen (Previous)
General

Air Force General of the Air Force

O-10 General Officer, U.S. Air Force
No rank

Air Force Ranks » General of the Air Force RankGAF PayGAF Rank History

O-10 General of the Air Force - U.S. Air Force Ranks

Air Force General of the Air Force
Air Force O-10 General of the Air Force Air Force Military Ranks
Class General Officer
Abbr. GAF
Title General (last name)
Paygrade O-10 (DoD Paygrade)
OF-11 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $16,975/mo

General is the four star General Officer rank in the United States Air Force. It is just above Lieutenant General and below General of the Air Force. The rank General is reserved for war-time use only and is limited much more than lower ranks. It is a temporary rank that is based on being appointed to a specific position that requires them to be a four star General Officer, and the rank expires when their term in office does. There may only be nine four star Generals in the Air Force at a given time. A few slots for four star Generals are reserved, such as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs. There are many exceptions to these limitations; the most vague limitation is that the President may in a time of war or national emergency may appoint any number of four star Generals, when needed. Several officers also do not add to the cap, such as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, and a few joint-position officers. Many statutes limit the tour length of four star General Officers, but extensions to their tour dates can be made by the President, Congress, the Air Force Secretary, or the Secretary of Defense, but this is rare, as it keeps lower ranks from moving up.

The rank insignia of a General is the same as that of a Lieutenant General, but it has four silver stars instead of three.

General of the Air Force is the 27th rank in the United States Air Force , ranking above General. A general of the air force is a General Officer at DoD paygrade O-10, with a starting monthly pay of $16,975.

What is the proper way to address a General of the Air Force?

The correct way to address a General of the Air Force named Mr. Weber is "General Weber", or written as GAF Weber. In formal situations, a General of the Air Force should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a General of the Air Force earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level General of the Air Force with Over 20 years of experience is $16,974.90 per month.

A General of the Air Force receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a General of the Air Force's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Air Force General of the Air Force may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including hazard pay, personal money allowance, clothing allowance, education allowance, and more.

For full details on the Air Force's General of the Air Force compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Air Force General of the Air Force Pay Chart. A full table of the Air Force's current paygrades are available at the Air Force Pay Chart.

Equivalent Ranks to the Air Force's O-10 General of the Air Force

Coast Guard Admiral - Equivalent to General of the Air Force
Coast Guard
Admiral
Marine Corps General - Equivalent to General of the Air Force
Marine Corps
General

To learn more about the Air Force's rank structure, see our complete list of Air Force ranks.

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a General of the Air Force is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Air Force rank to GS grade conversion table .

To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Air Force and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.