General

General is a military rank, the equivalent of which is used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional grade, "general" is the most senior officer rank in the ground forces of a military organization. In comparison to naval ranking systems, this rank is equivalent to the admiral grade. The rank of "Marshal" is usually considered senior to that of general. A general is by definition a military officer who is entrusted with the command of a large armed force, in most cases an army of soldiers. The concept of a "general officer" has been around for almost as long as warfare itself, with even ancient interstellar empires.

By culture

Earth

• In the 18th Century, the militaries of Europe were mostly commanded by generals and marshals, such figures often dressing in elaborate uniforms adorned with various medals and awards.

• During the 20th century, the militaries of Earth were involved in several major wars, with generals commanding the many armies called upon to fight in these conflicts. By this time, various "grades" of the rank of general had come into being. In the United States armed forces, the general insignia was comprised of various silver stars with a four-star general considered a "full" general.

Ekos

German military insignia made an appearance three hundred years later on the planet Ekos, when historian John Gill recreated a government based on Nazi Germany.
This government had a military with generals using the same insignia as their Earth 20th century counterparts.

Other cultures

The Cardassian Union's rank of Legate and the Breen Confederacy's rank of Thot are both considered general rank equivalents.
The grade also exists in the Romulan Star Empire, Andorian Imperial Guard, Bajoran Militia and the Klingon Defense Force.

Many rank systems have several grades of the general officer rank, which include General, Lieutenant General, and Major General.