Lieutenant The senior grade of lieutenant is known as first lieutenant in the
United States, and as lieutenant in the
United Kingdom and the rest of the
English-speaking world. In countries that do not speak English, the rank title usually translates as "lieutenant", but may also translate as "first lieutenant" or "senior lieutenant". The Israel Defense Forces rank
segen (סגן) literally translates as "deputy", which is equivalent to a lieutenant. In the Finnish military there is a
senior lieutenant grade that ranks above lieutenant and second lieutenant but below captain; it does not have an English equivalent. In Germany it is called (senior lieutenant).
Army rank Conventionally, armies and other services or branches that use army-style rank titles have two grades of lieutenant, but a few also use a third, more junior, rank. Historically, the "lieutenant" was the deputy to a "captain", and as the rank structure of armies began to formalise, this came to mean that a
captain commanded a
company and had several lieutenants, each commanding a
platoon. Where more junior officers were employed as deputies to the lieutenant, they went by many names, including second lieutenant, sub-lieutenant,
ensign and
cornet. Some parts of the
British Army, including the
Royal Artillery,
Royal Engineers and
fusilier regiments, used first lieutenant as well as second lieutenant until the end of the 19th century, and some British Army regiments still preserve cornet as an official alternative to second lieutenant. There is great variation in the insignia used worldwide. In most English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries, as well as a number of European and South American nations, full lieutenants (and equivalents) usually wear two stars (pips) and second lieutenants (and equivalents) one. An example of an exception is the United States, whose armed forces distinguish their lieutenant ranks with a silver bar for first lieutenant and a gold bar for second lieutenant. File:08.AlgA-1LT.svg|(
Algerian Land Forces) File:Angola-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Angolan Army) File:Argentina-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Argentine Army) File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Armenian Ground Forces) File:Australian Army OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Australian Army) File:Lt OF1b-Rockkragen AT.png|(
Austrian Army) File:10.AzAF-LT.png|(
Azerbaijani Land Forces) File:Bangladesh-army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Bangladesh Army) File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Belarusian Ground Forces) File:Army-BEL-OF-01a.svg|(
Belgian Land Component) File:Belize-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Belize Ground Forces) File:Benin Army OF-1b.svg|(
Benin Army) File:TteEB.svg|(
Bolivian Army) File:08.Bhutan Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Royal Bhutan Army) File:11.RBrLF-1LT.svg|(
Royal Brunei Land Force) File:Rank insignia of Лейтенант of the Bulgarian Army.png|(
Bulgarian Land Forces) File:09. Burkina Faso Army - 1LT.svg|(
Burkina Faso Ground Forces) File:Burundi-Army-OF-1a.svg|(
Burundi Ground Forces) File:Cameroon-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Cameroon Ground Forces) File:Canadian Army OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Canadian Army) File:Cape Verde-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Cape Verdean National Guard) File:11.CAGF-1LT.svg|(
Central African Ground Forces) File:Chad-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Chadian Ground Forces) File:SS.OO.3.EJER.TENIENTE.svg|(
Chilean Army) File:Colombia-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Colombian Army) File:Comoros-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Comorian Army) File:DR Congo Army OF-1b.svg|(
Land Forces of the DR Congo) File:09-ROCongo Army-1LT.svg|(
Congolese Ground Forces) File:Cuba-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Cuban Revolutionary Army) File:Denmark-Army-OF-1a-M11.svg|(
Royal Danish Army) File:Djibouti-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Djiboutian Army) File:10.ECA-1LT.svg|(
Ecuadorian Army) File:El-Salvador-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Salvadoran Army) File:08. EGLF-1LT.svg|(
Army of Equatorial Guinea) File:ES-Army-OF13.svg|(
Estonian Land Forces) File:Fijian-OF-01b.svg|Lieutenant(
Fiji Infantry Regiment) File:Luutnantti M05.svg|(
Finnish Army) File:Army-FRA-OF-01a.svg|(
French Army) File:10.GLF-LT.svg|(
Gabonese Army) File:Georgia Army OF-1b.png|(
Georgian Land Forces) File:HD H 41 Leutnant FschJg.svg|(
German Army) File:08-Ghana Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Ghana Army) File:Guatemala-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Guatemalan Army) File:Mali-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Guinea Ground Forces) File:Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant rank insignia.svg|Lieutenant(
Guyana Army) File:Haiti-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Haitian Army) File:HON-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Honduran Army) File:Lieutenant of the Indian Army.svg|Lieutenant(
Indian Army) File:Ireland-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Irish Army) File:Rank insignia of tenete of the Army of Italy (1973).svg|(
Italian Army) File:Ivory Coast-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Ivory Coast Ground Forces) File:Jamaica-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Jamaican Army) File:11-RKGF-LT.svg|(
Kazakh Ground Forces) File:08. Kenyan Army LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Kenya Army) File:08.Kyrgyzstan Army-LT.svg|(
Kyrgyz Army) File:LV-Army-OF1b.png|(
Latvian Land Forces) File:Blank.svg|Lieutenant(
Lesotho Army) File:13-Lithuania Army-2LT.svg|(
Lithuanian Land Forces) File:Army-LUX-OF-01b.svg|(
Luxembourg Army) File:Madagascar-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Madagascar Ground Forces) File:08. Malawi Army - LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Malawian Army) File:09.Malta Army-1LT.svg|(
Army of Malta) File:Malaysia-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Malaysian Army) File:06.Mali Army-1LT.svg|(
Malian Army) File:Mexico army OF1b.svg|(
Mexican Army) File:09-Moldovan Army-2LT.svg|(
Moldovan Ground Forces) File:Monaco-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Army of Monaco) File:11-Moroccan Army-1LT.svg|(
Royal Moroccan Army) File:Mozambique-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Mozambican Army) File:08-Namibia Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Namibian Army) File:12.Nepalese Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Nepali Army) File:New Zealand-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
New Zealand Army) File:08-Nicaragua Army-2LT.svg|(
Nicaraguan Army) File:Blank.svg|(
Niger Ground Forces) File:Nigeria-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Nigerian Army) File:OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg|Lieutenant(
Pakistani Army) File:Paraguay-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Paraguayan Army) File:Peru-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Peruvian Army) File:Army-POR-OF-01a.svg|(
Portuguese Army) File:Romania-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Romanian Land Forces) File:Russia-Army-OF-1b-2010.svg|(
Russian Ground Forces) File:08-Rwanda Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Rwandan Land Forces) File:Belize-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
SKN Regiment) File:Guardia di Rocca OF1b.png|(
Sammarinese Guard of the Rock) File:STeP OF-1b.svg|(
Army of São Tomé and Príncipe) File:Senegal-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Senegalese Army) File:Seychelles Army OF-01b (2018).svg|Lieutenant(
Seychelles Infantry Unit) File:02-RSA-OF01b.svg|Lieutenant(
Singapore Army) File:SAA-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
South African Army) File:Spain-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Spanish Army) File:Sri Lanka-army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Sri Lanka Army) File:Sweden-Field-OF-1b (2019).svg|(
Swedish Army) File:CHE OF1b Lt.svg|(
Swiss Army) File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Tajik Ground Forces) File:09-Tanzania Army-1LT.svg|Lieutenant(
Tanzanian Army) File:Timor-Leste-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Timor-Leste Army) File:Togo-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Togolese Army) File:Tonga-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Tongan Land Component) File:TaT-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Trinidad and Tobago Regiment) File:Post-Soviet-Army-OF-1b.svg|(
Turkmen Ground Forces) File:Uganda-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Ugandan Land Forces) File:UA shoulder mark 12.svg|(
Ukrainian Ground Forces) File:British Army OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
British Army) File:Rank insignia of Leutnant (OF-1b) Pontifical Swiss Guard.svg|(
Swiss Guard) File:TTEEJB-GNB.png|(
Venezuelan Army) File:Uzbekistan-army-OF-1b.svg|(
Uzbek Ground Forces) File:Blank.svg|Lieutenant(
Zambian Army) File:Zimbabwe-Army-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
Zimbabwe National Army)
Marine rank The
United States Marine Corps and British
Royal Marines both use army ranks, while many former Eastern-Bloc marine forces retain the naval rank structure. Before 1999 the Royal Marines enjoyed the same rank structure as the army, but at a grade higher; thus a Royal Marine captain ranked with and was paid the same as a British Army major. This historical remnant caused increasing confusion in multi-national operations and was abolished. File:Generic-Navy-3.svg|(
Colombian Naval Infantry) File:Maldives Army OF-1a.svg|(
Maldivian Marine Corps) File:Spain-Marines-OF-1b.svg|(
Spanish Marine Infantry)
Air force rank While some air forces use the army rank system, the British
Royal Air Force and many other
Commonwealth air forces use another rank system in which
flight lieutenant ranks with an army captain and naval lieutenant, a
flying officer ranks with an army lieutenant and a
pilot officer with an army second lieutenant. File:RAAF O3 rank.png|Flight lieutenant(
Royal Australian Air Force) File:CDN-Air Force-Lieutenant (OF1A)-2015.svg|Lieutenant(
Royal Canadian Air Force) File:Indian IAF OF-2.svg|Flight lieutenant(
Indian Air Force) File:Teniente de la FAM.gif|(
Mexican Air Force) File:RO-Airforce-OF-2bs.PNG|(
Romanian Air Force) File:SAAF-OF-1b.svg|Lieutenant(
South African Air Force) File:Tte-ea.svg|(
Spanish Air Force) File:SWE-Airforce-löjtnant.png|(
Swedish Air Force) File:Thai air O2.png|Flight lieutenant(
Royal Thai Air Force) File:British RAF OF-2.svg|Flight lieutenant(
Royal Air Force) In the US Air Force, the Third Lieutenant Program refers specifically to a training program at active duty air force bases for cadets of the
Air Force Academy and
Air Force ROTC the summer before their fourth and final year before graduation and commissioning. A single silver or subdued pip is used to designate this rank. The Royal Air Force also has an
acting pilot officer designation, the most junior commissioned rank in the British armed forces. It is functionally equivalent to third lieutenant.
Naval rank During the early days of the naval rank, a lieutenant might be very junior indeed, or might be on the cusp of promotion to captain; by modern standards, he might rank with any army rank between second lieutenant and lieutenant colonel. As the rank structure of navies stabilized, and the ranks of commander, lieutenant commander and sub-lieutenant were introduced, the naval lieutenant came to rank with an army captain (NATO OF-2 or US O-3). The insignia of a lieutenant in many navies, including the Royal Navy, consists of two medium
gold braid stripes (top stripe with loop) on a
navy blue or black background. Where in Myanmar Navy, they're Sub Lieutenant with the insignia of 2 gold stars. This pattern was copied by the United States Navy and various Air Forces for their equivalent ranks grades, except that the loop is removed (see
flight lieutenant). File:French Navy-Rama NG-OF1b.svg|France File:GR-Navy-OF2.svg|Greece File:IN Lieutenant.png|India File:PN LTSG WhtDr.svg|Philippines (Lieutenant Senior Grade) File:POR-Navy-primeiro-tenente.png|Portugal File:Russia-Navy-OF-1b.svg|Russia File:US Navy O3 insignia.svg|United States File:08. Myanmar Navy 1LT.png|Myanmar
Lieutenant commander Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a commander or captain: such a lieutenant was called a "lieutenant commanding" or "lieutenant commandant" in the United States Navy, and a "lieutenant in command" or "lieutenant and commander" in the Royal Navy. The USN settled on "lieutenant commander" in 1862, and made it a distinct rank; the Royal Navy followed suit in March 1914. The insignia of an additional half-thickness stripe between the two full stripes of a lieutenant was introduced in 1877 for a Royal Navy lieutenant of 8 years seniority, and used for lieutenant commanders upon introduction of their rank.
Senior lieutenant First lieutenant "First lieutenant" in naval use The first lieutenant in the
Royal Navy and other Commonwealth navies, is a post or appointment, rather than a rank. Historically the lieutenants in a ship were ranked in accordance with seniority, with the most senior being termed the "first lieutenant" and acting as the
second-in-command. Although lieutenants are no longer numbered by seniority, the post of "first lieutenant" remains. In minor war vessels,
destroyers and
frigates the first lieutenant (either a lieutenant or lieutenant-commander) is second in command,
executive officer (XO) and head of the executive branch; in larger ships where a commander of the warfare specialization is appointed as the executive officer, a first lieutenant (normally a lieutenant-commander) is appointed as his deputy. The post of first lieutenant in a
shore establishment carries a similar responsibility to the first lieutenant of a
capital ship. In the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard the billet of first lieutenant describes the officer in charge of the
deck department or division, depending upon the size of the ship. In smaller ships with only a single deck division, the billet is typically filled by an ensign while in larger ships with a deck department, consisting of multiple subordinate divisions, the billet may be filled by a lieutenant commander. On submarines and smaller Coast Guard cutters the billet of first lieutenant may be filled by a
petty officer.
Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is usually the most junior grade of commissioned officer. In most cases, newly commissioned officers do not remain at the rank for long before being promoted, and both university graduates and officers commissioned from the ranks may skip the rank altogether.
Third lieutenant Philippines The following military and paramilitary services had the grade of third lieutenant: In the American Period, the Philippine Constabulary (PC) and the Philippine Army (PA), for which there was no insignia; During the Japanese period, the Bureau of Constabulary (BOC), whose insignia was a white-metal half-diamond which resembled a "V"; and in the forties, by the Philippine Army and the Philippine Air Force (PAF), during the postcolonial republic
United States rank In March 1813, the US Army created the rank of third lieutenant. The rank was used as the entry level officer rank for the Ordnance Department and the Corps of Artillery until March 1821. Throughout the 19th century and until as late as World War II the
United States Army sometimes referred to
brevet second lieutenants as "third lieutenants". These were typically newly commissioned officers for which no authorized second lieutenant position existed. Additionally, the
Confederate States Army also used "third lieutenant", typically as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in an infantry company. Notably, the
United States Revenue Cutter Service used a simple officer rank structure with Captain, First, Second and Third Lieutenants, each of whom had distinct insignia. The title of Third Lieutenant, essentially equal to the rank of
ensign, existed until 1915 when the Service became the nucleus of the new
United States Coast Guard. Because of the time required to fully establish this organization the rank continued for some time afterwards; the first Coast Guard aviator,
Elmer F. Stone, was a third lieutenant until 1918.
Sub-lieutenant In the Royal Navy, the commissioned rank of mate was created in 1840, and was renamed sub-lieutenant in 1860. In the US Navy, the rank was called
master until 1883, when it was renamed
lieutenant, junior grade. In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval
commissioned or
subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant, but in Brazil it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain it is the second highest non-commissioned rank. In Portugal, sub-lieutenant is the rank of a junior naval officer graduated from a civil university or promoted from a NCO rank, while the equivalent rank of an officer graduated in the naval academy is designated midshipman. ==Other uses==