Divisional general

Divisional general is a rank of general in command of a division. Examples would include the Spanish general de división, the French général de division and the Polish generał dywizji. For convenience such ranks are often translated into English as "major-general", the equivalent rank used by most English-speaking nations. This equates to the NATO code of OF-7, or a "two-star rank".

Description

The rank is mostly used in countries where it is used as a modern alternative to a previous older rank of major-general. The rank is almost always above a rank corresponding to command of a brigade, and normally below a rank corresponding to command of a corps.

France

Général de division	Général de division aérienne

Further information: Ranks in the French Army and général

A French Army général de division translates as a "general of division". The French Air Force equivalent is général de division aérienne (literally "general of air division").

As well as commanding a division, a général de division may be appointed as général de corps d'armée (a "corps general") commanding an army corps, or as a général d'armée (a "general of an army"), commanding a field army. These are not ranks, but appointments. The insignia of a général de corps d'armée is four stars in a diamond formation, and that of a général d'armée is five stars in a cross-shaped arrangement. The arrangement for the air force is the same, but the ranks are called général de corps d'armée aérien ("general of an air corps") and général d'armée aérienne ("general of an air army") respectively.

Italy

Generale di divisione

Further information: Italian Army ranks, Italian Air Force ranks and rank insignia of the Arm of Carabineers

The Italian army and Carabineer rank of generale di divisione translates as "divisional general". The air force equivalent is generale di divisione aerea (literally "general of air division").

Poland

Generał dywizji

Further information: Polish Armed Forces rank insignia

The Polish equivalent is generał dywizji (literally, "general of division"). The symbols of this rank are the general's wavy line and two stars, featured both on the rogatywka (the Polish peaked, four-pointed cap), on the sleeves of the uniform and above the breast pocket of a field uniform.

Spain

Army general de división

Air force general de división

Guardia Civil general de división

Further information: Spanish Army, Spanish Air Force and Civil Guard (Spain)

The Spanish rank general de división translates literally as "general of division", and is used by the army, the air force and the Guardia Civil ("Civil Guard").

Switzerland

Divisionär

Further information: Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces

The Swiss military use 4 languages, German, French, Romansh and Italian. The names of the OF-7 rank are divisionär (German); divisionnaire (French); divisiunari (Romansh); divisionario (Italian). In all cases, these are abbreviated as "Div", and in all cases represent the head of a division, and hence can be translated as "divisional general".