ign ia ▁to ▁a ▁stri pe - based ▁system ▁rem in is cent ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁and ▁often ▁der og ator ily ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁an ▁air line - p il ot ▁uniform . ▁During ▁the ▁single ▁year ▁in ▁which ▁this ▁uniform ▁was ▁official , ▁a ▁five - star ▁ins ign ia ▁was ▁designed ▁which ▁appeared ▁on ▁ins ign ia ▁charts . ▁The ▁ins ign ia ▁included ▁both ▁a ▁sle e ve - strip ▁design ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁dress ▁shoulder ▁bo ards ▁for ▁the ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁rank . ▁This ▁ins ign ia , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁entire ▁uniform ▁design ▁itself , ▁was ▁dis cont in ued ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁A ▁shoulder - board ▁design ▁for ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁dress ▁sh irt ▁and ▁swe ater ▁was ▁also ▁published . ▁ ▁The ▁Air ▁Force ▁currently ▁decl ares ▁that ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁is ▁an ▁active ▁rank ▁and ▁it ▁could ▁again ▁be ▁best owed ▁at ▁the ▁dis cret ion ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress . ▁However , ▁the ▁President , ▁with ▁consent ▁from ▁the ▁Senate , ▁may ▁award ▁a ▁fifth ▁star ▁at ▁any ▁time ▁he ▁sees ▁fit . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁there ▁were ▁propos als ▁in ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁academic ▁circles ▁to ▁best ow ▁a ▁five - star ▁rank ▁on ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff . ▁ ▁As ▁recently ▁as ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ,