[Joe 6-pack]

"Can some one tell me how you can be a 2 star generalwith less than 2 years of service?"

That is done because NOAA and the Public Health Service have commissioned corps that are paid on a military pay scale and some of those are appointed positions. For example a Deputy Surgeon General of the US is the (pay) equivalent on an 0-8.

[eastforker]

In other words whizz kids so to speak.