Brigadier general (O-7)
Brigadier general (BGen) is the first Marine Corps general officer rank, pay grade O-7. Its insignia is one silver star.
How to read it
Above Colonel (O-6) (O-6) and below major general (O-8), brigadier general is the first of the ranks the Department of Defense calls general officers, O-7 and higher; the department also says commissioned officers are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate. The uniform regulations describe a single silver-colored star, 9/16 inch across.
Also searched as: BGen.
Ranks and insignia as the Marine Corps’ own orders and pages set them out. Pay grades are the Department of Defense’s.
One star in the Navy
The Navy’s O-7, rear admiral lower half, also wears one silver five-pointed star on the collar.
Read next
- Next in Marine Corps ranksMajor general (O-8)Major general (MajGen) is the second Marine Corps general officer rank, pay grade O-8. Its insignia is two silver stars in a row.
- In Army ranksBrigadier general (O-7)One silver star is the insignia of a brigadier general (BG), pay grade O-7, the lowest general officer rank in the US Army.
More marine Corps ranks
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with stars.
Sources
- Marine Corps Ranks, marines.mil, Ranks, United States Marine Corps, Officer
- Marine Corps Uniform Regulations (MCO 1020.34H), MCO 1020.34H, 1 May 2018, Commandant of the Marine Corps, para 4005.2.d, p. 1-99
- Officer Knowledge (Officer Development School), Officer Training Command Newport, ODS Knowledge Book, Naval Service Training Command, U.S. Navy, Navy and Marine Corps Officer Rank Structure
- U.S. Military Rank Insignia, Resources: U.S. Military Rank Insignia (enlisted and officer insignia by paygrade), U.S. Department of Defense (defense.gov), Officer insignia, O-7
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 30, 2026. How we research
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