Posted on Feb 23, 2018
Anyone know the history behind why a LTGEN > MAJGEN?
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Seems like it'd be the other way around, no?
Posted in these groups: 
Rank
Military History
Rank Military History
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 7
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Lieutenant - "a deputy or substitute acting for a superior". So in the absence of the General, his deputy is the Lieutenant General. Not very historical but my guess. Years ago in British units the MG was #3 General in a unit behind Gen and Lt Gen. That rank was in charge of formations etc. like Sgts Maj are today. It was called Sergeant Major General and they later dropped the Sergeant. I hope that doesn't confuse things more.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_major_general
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_major_general
Sergeant major general - Wikipedia
Sergeant major general is a now mostly extinct military rank. A prominent example was Philip Skippon in the English New Model Army as organized by Oliver Cromwell.
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LTC Stephen C.
Exactly correct, CWO3 (Join to see)! The etymology of the word “lieutenant” is as follows: “The word lieutenant derives from French; the lieu meaning ‘place’ as in a position (cf. in lieu of); and tenant meaning ‘holding’ as in ‘holding a position’; thus a ‘lieutenant’ is a placeholder for a superior, during their absence (compare the Latin locum tenens).”
SN Greg Wright
SN Greg Wright
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What about “Rear Admiral - Lower Half” and Rear Admiral? And Vice Admiral?
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CWO3 (Join to see)
For a while in the 90s they reverted lower half to Commodore as it once was, but it has I believe gone back to lower. The PhibRon's boss when I was with 24 MEU was Commodore Picotte. I forget which PhibGru it was. 10th maybe?
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