Talk:Public Law 94-479

This is the Congressional joint resolution requesting George Washington to be appointed General of the Armies, effective July 4, 1976, the highest rank available in the United States military (he and John Pershing are the only two to possess the rank).

I found a picture from the Congressional Record online at [1]. I am highly doubtful this image is GFDL compatible (it's someone else's website), so I will see if I can get a copy from microfilm (a picture of the text would be nice to accompany it).

As the Wikipedia article mentions, the promotion was backdated to July 4, 1776. It also mentions that Gerald Ford (the President during the Bicentennial year) issued an executive order that "[he] would always remain senior and could never be outranked by any other officer of the U.S. military." (Wikipedia:General of the Armies). I would like to get my hands on a copy of that executive order if I can too. (In addition there was apparently an Army order that promoted him as well).

Granted this is symbolic and posthumous, but I find it interesting nonetheless. –Pakman044 02:38, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

And here comes the Army to save my tail:

"GEORGE WASHINGTON resumed the life of a gentleman farmer at his Mount Vernon estate in Virginia following his resignation as commander in chief of the Army, December 1783; made an exploratory trip to the western frontier, 1784; served as president of the Constitutional Convention, 1787; served as the first president of the United States, 1789-1797; returned to private life at Mount Vernon, 1797; was appointed by President John Adams to be lieutenant general and commander in chief of all armies raised or to be raised for service in a prospective war with France, 1798; was the senior officer of the United States Army, 13 July 1798-14 December 1799; participated in the planning for a Provisional Army to meet any emergency that might arise, but did not take the field; died at his Mount Vernon home on 14 December 1799; was appointed posthumously to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States by congressional joint resolution of 19 January 1976, approved by President Gerald R. Ford on 11 October 1976, and formalized in Department of the Army Order Number 31-3 of 13 March 1978 with an effective appointment date of 4 July 1776. (For details of General Washington's early life, see page 48.)" (emphasis added)

This of course conflicts with PL 94-479, which holds that the Congressional joint resolution was approved on October 11 (and since Congression Joint Resolutions are not signed by the President, this would not constitute Presidential approval). I still wish I had a better idea how Ford approved the appointment so I could find the hard copy.... –Pakman044 04:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

There is no conflict. The resolution "authorized and requested" the President to promote Washington, which Ford promptly did by Executive Order.86.145.48.45 20:48, 8 January 2007 (UTC)