Which rank would you most likely see as the first general officer in the listing?

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

Answer: (B)

Understanding how general officer ranks are ordered helps you see why this is the first one you'd list. In the Army, a general officer is anyone with a general-rank designation, which begins at Brigadier General, a one-star rank. A Colonel, while a senior and prestigious rank, is not a general officer—it’s a senior field-grade officer (O-6) but lacks the general designation. From there, the sequence continues to Major General (two stars), then Lieutenant General (three stars), and finally General (four stars). So, the first general officer you’d encounter in an ascending list is Brigadier General.