▁by ▁Arnold . ▁Public ▁Law ▁ 3 3 3 ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 9 th ▁Congress ▁had ▁previously ▁changed ▁the ▁five - star ▁rank ▁to ▁a ▁permanent ▁grade , ▁and ▁established ▁that ▁officers ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁ret irement ▁list ▁while ▁in ▁that ▁grade ▁would ▁receive ▁full ▁pay ▁and ▁allow ances ▁( under ▁Public ▁Law ▁ 2 8 2 ▁first ▁establish ing ▁this ▁grade , ▁ret irement ▁had ▁been ▁at ▁ 7 5 ▁per ▁cent um ), ▁meaning ▁that ▁Arnold ▁did ▁receive ▁full ▁pay ▁as ▁a ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁Modern ▁usage ▁ ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Arnold ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁with ▁no ▁further ▁Air ▁Force ▁officer ▁since ▁promoted ▁to ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁a ▁pet ition ▁was ▁raised ▁with ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁to ▁promote ▁General ▁Curt is ▁Le May ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁due ▁to ▁Le May ' s ▁accomplish ments ▁with ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁the ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Command . ▁The ▁Air ▁Force ▁officially ▁respond ed ▁to ▁the ▁Le May ▁promotion ▁proposal ▁in ▁a ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁General ▁Offic ers ▁Branch ▁letter ▁dated ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 : ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁General ▁M err ill ▁Mc Pe ak ▁introduced ▁an ▁extremely ▁un pop ular ▁uniform ▁design ▁which ▁changed ▁Air ▁Force ▁officer ▁ins