indicated that there were no plans to promote any modern-day general officers to the rank of General of the Army. The rank of General of the Army is still maintained as a rank of the U.S. military, and could again be bestowed pending approval of the United States Congress. The rank would carry a special pay grade just as the current ranks of officers do. Currently, U.S. military policy is that General of the Army, General of the Air Force, and Fleet Admiral are rankings only to be used in time of war when the commanding officer must be equal to or of higher rank than those commanding armies from another nation. George Washington After World War II, which saw the introduction of U.S. "five-star" officers who outranked Washington, both Congress and the President revisited the issue of Washington's rank. To maintain George Washington's proper position as the first Commanding General of the United States Army, he was appointed, posthumously, to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by congressional joint resolution Public Law 94-479 19 January 1976, approved by President Gerald R. Ford on 11 October 1976. The Department of the Army Order 31-3, issued on 13 March 1978, by Secretary of the Army Clifford Alexander, Jr., had an effective appointment date of 4 July 1976. The rank ensures that no United States Army officer outranks George Washington. See also List of active duty United States four-star officers List of United States Army four-star generals List of United States Navy four-star admirals List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals List of United States Air Force four-star generals List of United States Space Force four-star generals List of United States Coast Guard four-star admirals List of United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps four-star admirals List of United States military leaders by rank List of General Officers of the United States Army Medical Department in World War II United States Army officer rank insignia United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia United States Air Force officer rank insignia Joint Force Air Component Commander Joint Force Land Component Commander Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Flag officer General's enlisted aide References Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, . Commanding Generals and Chiefs of Staff (United States Army Center of Military History) How many U.S. Army five-star generals have