Which rank is the middle when ordered by seniority from lowest to highest?

• A. Colonel
• B. Brigadier General
• C. Major General
• D. Lieutenant General

Answer: (C)

When ranks are ordered from lowest to highest, the sequence goes: Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General. With four items, the two central positions are Brigadier General and Major General. The question asks for the middle rank, and the common convention here selects the higher of the two central ranks, which is Major General, because it sits above Brigadier General and below Lieutenant General.