Military rank
First lieutenant
is a
commissioned officer
military rank
in many
armed forces
; in some forces, it is an
appointment
.
The rank of
lieutenant
has
different meanings
in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a senior (first lieutenant) and junior (
second lieutenant
) rank.
In navies, while certain rank insignia may carry the name lieutenant, the term may also be used to relate to a particular post or duty, rather than a rank.
Indonesia
[
edit
]
In
Indonesia
, "first lieutenant" is known as
Letnan Satu
(
Lettu
), Indonesian National Armed Forces uses this rank across all three of its services. It is just above the rank of
second lieutenant
and just below the rank of
captain
.
Israel
[
edit
]
In the
Israel Defense Forces
, the rank above
second lieutenant
is simply
lieutenant
. The rank of (???? ?????? ?????? (??"? (
katsin miktsoi akademai
or "kama"), a professional academic officer (that is, a medical, dental or veterinary officer, a justice officer or a religious officer), is equivalent to a professional officer of the second class in the reserve and equivalent to first lieutenant.
United Kingdom
[
edit
]
British Army
[
edit
]
In the
British Army
and
Royal Marines
, the rank above
second lieutenant
is simply
lieutenant
(pronounced
lef-tenant
), with no ordinal attached.
Before 1871, when the whole British Army switched to using the current rank of "lieutenant", the
Royal Artillery
,
Royal Engineers
and
fusilier
regiments
used "first lieutenant" and "second lieutenant".
Royal Navy
[
edit
]
The
first lieutenant
(often abbreviated "1st Lt") in a
Royal Navy
ship 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
, unless the ship was complemented with a
commander
. Although lieutenants are no longer ranked by seniority, the post of "first lieutenant" remains. In minor war vessels,
destroyers
,
frigates
, and
submarines
, the
first lieutenant
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
is appointed as their deputy. The post of
first lieutenant
in a
shore establishment
carries a similar responsibility to the
first lieutenant
of a
capital ship
. Colloquial terms in the
Royal Navy
for the
first lieutenant
include "
number one
", "the jimmy" (or "jimmy the one") and "James the First" (a back-formation referring to
James I of England
).
[1]
The first lieutenant may hold the rank of
sub-lieutenant
, lieutenant or
lieutenant-commander
.
United States
[
edit
]
U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force
[
edit
]
In the
U.S. Army
,
U.S. Marine Corps
,
U.S. Air Force
, and
U.S. Space Force
, a first lieutenant is a junior
commissioned officer
. It is just above the rank of
second lieutenant
and just below the rank of
captain
. It is equivalent to the rank of
lieutenant (junior grade)
in the other
uniformed services
.
Promotion to first lieutenant is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the
Defense Officer Personnel Management Act
of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest all "fully qualified" officers should be promoted to first lieutenant. A second lieutenant (
grade
O-1) is usually promoted to first lieutenant (grade O-2) after 18 months in the Army or 24 months in the Marine Corps and Air Force. The difference between the two ranks is slight, primarily being experience and a higher pay grade. It is not uncommon to see officers moved to positions requiring more experience after promotion to first lieutenant. For example, in the Army and Marine Corps these positions can include leading a specialty
platoon
, or assignment as the
executive officer
for a
company
-sized unit (70?250 soldiers or marines). In the Air Force, a first lieutenant may be a flight commander or section's officer in charge with varied supervisory responsibilities, including supervision of as many as 100+ personnel, although in a flying unit, a first lieutenant is a rated officer (pilot, navigator, or air battle manager) who has just finished training for his career field and has few supervisory responsibilities.
U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard
[
edit
]
In the
U.S. Navy
and
U.S. Coast Guard
, "first lieutenant" is the name of a
billet
and position title, rather than rank. Officers aboard early sailing ships were the captain and a number of lieutenants. The senior among those lieutenants was known as the first lieutenant, and would have assumed command if the captain were absent or incapacitated.
[2]
As modern ships have become more complex, requiring specialized knowledge of engineering, communications, and weapons, the "first lieutenant" is the officer in command of the
deck department
responsible for
line
handling during
mooring
and
underway replenishment
. On smaller ships, the officer of the "first lieutenant" billet holds the rank of
lieutenant, junior grade
or
ensign
. On larger vessels, the position of "first lieutenant" is held by a lieutenant or, in the case of extremely large warships such as cruisers or
aircraft carriers
, the position of "first lieutenant" may be held by a
lieutenant commander
or even
commander
. However, on
submarines
and in aircraft squadrons, where the deck department may only have a few junior sailors, the "first lieutenant" billet may be filled by a first-class
petty officer
or
chief petty officer
. What is known in the U.S. Navy as the "first lieutenant division" is usually composed of junior sailors (E-3 and below) who are completing their ninety days of temporary assigned duty, or TAD, that all enlisted personnel are required to perform when initially assigned to a command. The primary mission of the division is servicing, cleaning, organizing and inventorying items within a command.
[3]
[4]
U.S. Revenue Cutter Service
[
edit
]
The term "first lieutenant" had a dual meaning in the
United States Revenue Cutter Service
(known until 1894 as the United States Revenue-Marine). The position title of first lieutenant was held by a junior officer who was in charge of deck operations and gunnery. The rank of first lieutenant was the equivalent of lieutenant in the current rank structure of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy,
United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
, and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
. The next senior officer ranking above first lieutenant was captain and the next two lower officer ranks were second and third lieutenant, respectively. When the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the
United States Life-Saving Service
to form the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, the rank of first lieutenant carried over into Coast Guard and remained in use until 1918, when the Coast Guard adopted the rank structure of the U.S. Navy.
[5]
Gallery
[
edit
]
Army
[
edit
]
Marines
[
edit
]
Navy
[
edit
]
Air Force
[
edit
]
Space Force
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- Citations
- ^
Partridge, p 612, p 621, p 884
- ^
Hayes, David.
"Ranks & Duties"
.
Historic Naval Fiction
. Retrieved
22 April
2018
.
- ^
Barnebey, Matthew; "1st Lieutenant Division plays significant role in supporting base",
Jax Air News
- ^
Cutler and Cutler, p.90
- ^
Cipra, Dave; "A History of Sea Service Ranks & Titles",
Commandant's Bulletin
, (May, June, July 1985), U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office.
- ^
Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force.
"Paratus"
(PDF)
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(PDF)
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2020
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2021
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2016
.
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2021
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fa.gov.cv
(in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Archived from
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2021
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- ^
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(in Spanish). Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Cuba)
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(PDF)
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.
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on 26 February 2021
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2021
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- ^
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.
puolustusvoimat.fi
(in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces
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2021
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- ^
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tni.mil.id
(in Indonesian). Indonesian National Armed Forces. Archived from
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- ^
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- ^
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Armee.lu
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(PDF)
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2021
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- ^
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.
ejercito.mil.ni
(in Spanish). Nicaraguan Armed Forces
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29 May
2021
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- ^
Cooke, Melinda W. (1990).
"Chapter 5: National Security"
. In Hanratty, Dennis M.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.).
Paraguay: A Country Study
. Area Handbook Series (2nd ed.). Library of Congress. pp. 216?217.
LCCN
89600299
. Retrieved
5 October
2021
.
- ^
"Ranks and insignia"
.
army.mil.ph
. Philippine Army. Archived from
the original
on 28 April 2010
. Retrieved
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2021
.
- ^
"U.S. Army Ranks"
.
army.mil
. United States Army
. Retrieved
27 May
2021
.
- ^
Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W., eds. (1992). "Chapter 5. National Security".
Uruguay: A Country Study
(PDF)
(2nd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 222?223.
ISBN
0-8444-0737-2
. Retrieved
13 June
2021
.
- ^
"Grados de Oficiales Subalternos"
.
ejercito.mil.ve
. Government of Venezuela. 28 August 2017. Archived from
the original
on 17 July 2019.
- ^
"Ranks"
.
marines.mil
. U.S. Marine Corps
. Retrieved
13 June
2021
.
- ^
"Anexo A"
.
Boletim Oficial
(in Portuguese).
1
(4). Government of Cape Verde: 133?136. 18 January 2017.
- References used
- Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, Marine Corps Order P1020.34G with changes 1-5, Chapter 4. Insignia and Regulations for Wear, Sec. 4005. Insignia of Grade, Officers, Para. 2. Description by Grade, h. Captain, i. First Lieutenant, j. Second Lieutenant (p. 4-25) and Figure 4-11. Officers' Grade Insignia (Shoulder/Collar)
. Washington, DC: United States Marine Corps.
- Barnebey, Matthew (29 June 2011).
"1st Lieutenant Division plays significant role in supporting base"
.
Jax Air News
. Jacksonville.com website. Archived from
the original
on 6 May 2014
. Retrieved
6 May
2014
.
- Cipra, Dave (May 1985).
"A History of Sea Service Ranks & Titles"
(PDF)
.
Commandant's Bulletin
. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
. Retrieved
6 May
2014
.
- Cutler, Deborah W. and Thomas J. Cutler (2005).
Dictionary of Naval Terms
. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland.
ISBN
978-1-59114-150-1
.
- Partridge, Eric (1984).
A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
(8th ed.). London and New York: Routledge.
ISBN
978-0025949805
.