Yes, we’re still spinning the DVDs. Just when we thought we knew every line and nuance by heart, one little thing struck us in (at least) two different episodes. What could “G2” or “G4” refer to? At first, I thought it may be short for a 2-Star General or 4-Star General, respectively. But, in one episode, they specifically said “a two-star General G4…” What does this mean?
First WAG: It refers to a sector over which the General is in command?
Second WAG: Military Pay Scale?
S-# is for lower-level staff departments
G-# is for General Staff departments
S-1 Personnel
S-2 Intelligence
S-3 Operations
S-4 Supply
S-5 Civil/Military affairs.
American Generals are paid in the regular ‘Officer’ pay scales:
O-1 2nd Lieutenant
O-2 1st Lieutenant
O-3 Captain
O-4 Major
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel
O-6 Colonel
O-7 Brigadier General
O-8 Major General*
O-9 Lieutenant General*
O-10 General
*Note: I know this looks messed up. “But Tripler, a Lieutenant is lower than a Major! How can a Major General be lower than a Lieutenant General?” Trust me, it is. It’s from how the ranks developed over the years. The title “Major General” came first to show who was the most senior ranking of what then was the senior rank of two stars. Later, as the standing army grew bigger, the “Lieutenant General” became in essence a ‘Lieutenant’ to his four-star General.
Paul in Saudi is right, that “G2” may refer to a staff position. I would caution you that it might have been just some Hollywood license. I am on the short calendar right now, but am still working on an Air Force Staff:
A1: Manpower
A2A3: Intelligence and Operations
A4: Logistics
A5A8: Plans and Strategic Programs
A6: Communications
A7: Mission and Installations Support
A9: Lessons Learned
We do it a little differently in the Air Force (grouping some staff functions as we see them working better together anyway), but the overall functions remain the same. A7 handles the facilities, while A4 buys the beans and bullets.
Tripler
Confused yet? If not, I’ll start throwing more acronyms your way.
I thought it was shortened from Sergeant Major General. The army used to be broken up into brigades, regiments, and companies. The company was led by a captain with his lieutenants and below them the sergeant majors. The regiment was commanded by a colonel with his lieutenant colonels and below them the sergeant majors colonels (shortened to major). At the brigade level, the general was in charge, with his lieutenant generals and below them sergeant major generals (shortened to major general).
And now, the double time cadence:
If’n I was really dumb,
I’d go to work in the old S1
Filling out paperwork all day long
Filling out paperwork and doing it wrong
If I had me a low I.Q.
I’d go to work in the old S2
Handing out access left and right
Handing out access to the other side
If I had me a low G.T.*
I’d go to work in the old S3
Daily rewrite the S.O.P.
Daily get troopers pissed at me
If there’s ever a shootin’ war
I wanna be in the old S4
Way back safe behind the lines
Way back safe where the living’s fine.