Army High Command

The Army High Command (Portuguese: Alto Comando do Exército; ACE) of Brazil is composed of the Army Commander (Comandante do Exército) and the army generals (four-star generals) who are on active duty. Currently, there are fifteen positions for army generals in the Brazilian Army, in addition to one position in the Ministry of Defence. Occasionally, when the Army is responsible for the Head of Education and Culture of the Ministry of Defense, the position is held by an army general who also has a seat on the ACE.

This collegiate body is responsible for the main decisions of the Land Force, including the preparation of promotion lists for general officers, which are later submitted for approval by the President of the Republic.

Within the former Ministry of the Army, the ACE and the Army General Staff were the two prominent general leadership bodies. It “consisted of meetings of the military high command, the hard and restricted core, made up of members of the highest positions in the Army,” discussing the Army’s political decisions and ensuring the minister’s disciplined command of the troops. Division and brigade generals could participate to provide advice on specific matters.