why does a lt. general out rank a major general . majors out rank lieutenants.?

Answer 1

While majors outrank lieutenants, lieutenant generals outrank major generals. This comes from British tradition: Generals were appointed for campaigns and often called "captain generals." Their assistants were, naturally, "lieutenant generals." At the same time, the chief administrative officer was the "sergeant major general." Somewhere along the way, "sergeant" was dropped

Answer 2

The top non-political rank is signified by four stars on the epulets, and this is the rank called GENERAL, plain and unadorned.

All the others are "lesser generals."

Because he has three stars (only one less than four) and is next lower in rank to the GENERAL, he is called a "Lieutenant General." He's the GENERAL'S immediate subordinate.

Two stars indicate a "Major General," however his majorness is relative only to the riffraff below him, starting with that upstart known as "Brigiadier General." They call one-star generals "Brigiadier" because they'll get tossed into the brig if they start acting like they are too important.

There's a political rank higher than GENERAL. This is the five-star guy who's not only a GENERAL, but also the CHIEF OF STAFF for his service. He gets appointed by somebody or other, maybe the President. I'm not sure how it works in the Zionist States of America.

Answer 3

The word Lieutenant derives from the word "lieu" and denotes a state of being and presence and objective or duty that stands in place of another positioning.

Used in word or speech it appears as " in lieu of."

I will give you an example: " I will sign this paper "in lieu" of my father's incapacity to sign it himself. " See?

Thus, a lieutenant general (three stars) performs " in lieu" of a full general of four stars... Hence,the lieutenant general, see?

He outranks the major general because the "major" general supersedes the general just below him or her, which is a brigadier general. Thus, the major general is not just a general general, he is specifically a major (or prime) general... See?

A lieutenant outright denotes a commissioned officer standing " in lieu" of that which sets above him or her... He acts "in lieu" of all others... all other commissioned officers' unavailabilities or incapacities. See?

Answer 4

Thats the way the Military is established.
Each military services whether its the Arm, the Navy or the Marines nor the United State Air Force they all have their distinguished ranks.

Here is a website. Hope it helps.

http://www.easternct.edu/personal/faculty/pocock/ranks.htm

Answer 5

Good question!