off topic but relevant.
http://www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp
Was looking at current pay scales for military, looks like a O-10/4 star with 28 years makes about 200K a year. But this is what caught my eye, an o8/2star under 2 years is about 120K a year. Can some one tell me how you can be a 2 star generalwith less than 2 years of service?
Not total time in the military, I’m guessing, but Time In Grade.
The “less than 2 years” scale is usually for direct commission or enlistment.
I believe it started during the Civil War when certain influential folks rec’d direct commissions.
I don’t think there would be any direct commission 2 Stars in this day and age...
But there are Doctors and other specialists that can receive direct commissions and have less than 2 years of service.
Ref: “Can some one tell me how you can be a 2 star general with less than 2 years of service?”
There are some very rare circumstances where that can occur. In WWII,there were civilians appointed to active duty ranks as general officers for their senior leadership experience in industry and research and to head up major wartime industrial and military production projects.
The most frequent occurrences in this day and age would probably be in the National Guard. The Adjutant General of a State basically serves as the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of the “militia” for the Governor who appoints him/her. AGs hold the rank and pay of a Major General. In many states, the AG is also the head of the state emergency response system. Although the authority exists for Governors to appoint anyone to this position, the most likely situation would be someone with a long time service in police, fire, or public health systems of the state to be appointed as the AG based on his emergency management experience, without ever serving in the Army.