A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a
commissioned officer rank in the
armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see
comparative military ranks
This article is a list of various nations' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention '' ...
), but it is often subdivided into senior (
first lieutenant
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 ...
) and junior (
second lieutenant and even third lieutenant) ranks. In navies, it is often equivalent to the army rank of captain; it may also indicate a particular post rather than a rank. The rank is also used in
fire service
A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...
s,
emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
,
security services and
police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
forces.
Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure. It often designates someone who is "
second-in-command", and as such, may precede the name of the rank directly above it. For example, a "lieutenant master" is likely to be second-in-command to the "master" in an organisation using both ranks.
Political uses include
lieutenant governor in various governments, such as the
viceregal representatives of the
Crown
A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
in
Canadian provinces. In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, a
lord lieutenant is the sovereign's representative in a county or
lieutenancy area
Lieutenancy areas are the separate areas of the United Kingdom appointed a lord-lieutenant – a representative of the British monarch. In many cases they have similar demarcation and naming to, but are not necessarily coterminate with, the coun ...
, while a
deputy lieutenant is one of the lord lieutenant's deputies.
Etymology
The word ''lieutenant'' derives from
French; the ''lieu'' meaning "place" as in a position (
cf.
The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...
in lieu of); and ''tenant'' meaning "holding" as in "holding a position"; thus a "lieutenant" is a placeholder for a superior, during their absence (compare the Latin ''
locum tenens
A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians or clergy. For example, a ''locum tenens physician'' is a physician who works in the place of the regular physician. ...
'').
In the 19th century, British writers who considered this word either an imposition on the English language, or difficult for common soldiers and sailors, argued for it to be replaced by the
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language w ...
"steadholder". However, their efforts failed, and the French word is still used, along with its many variations (e.g.
lieutenant colonel,
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
,
lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...
,
flight lieutenant,
second lieutenant and many non-English language examples), in both the
Old and the
New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation of ''lieutenant'' as is generally associated with the armies of
British Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
countries and the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
, while is generally associated with the United States military.
American Heritage Dictionary
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
, s.v
"Lieutenant"
The early history of the pronunciation is unclear;
Middle English
Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...
spellings suggest that both pronunciations may have existed even then.
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
. The majority of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century sources show pronunciations with /v/ or /f/, but
Bullokar has /liu/.
The rare
Old French
Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...
variant spelling ''leuf'' for
Modern French
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in No ...
''lieu'' ('place') supports the suggestion that a final of the Old French word was in certain environments perceived as an .
Furthermore, in Latin, the ''lingua franca'' of the era, the letter v is used for both u and v.
In
Royal Naval (RN) tradition—and other English-speaking navies outside the United States—a reduced pronunciation is used. This is not recognised as current by recent editions of the
OED
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...
(although the RN pronunciation was included in editions of OED up until the 1970s).
Military rank
Lieutenant
The senior grade of lieutenant is known as first lieutenant in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, and as lieutenant in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and the rest of the
English-speaking
Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the '' Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest langua ...
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
Senior lieutenant is a military grade between a lieutenant and a captain, often used by countries from the former Eastern Bloc. It is comparable to first lieutenant.
Finland
( sv, premiärlöjtnant) is a Finnish military rank above ( sv, lö ...
grade that ranks above lieutenant and second lieutenant but below captain; it does not have an English equivalent. In Germany it is called
Oberleutnant (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
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
. Where more junior officers were employed as deputies to the lieutenant, they went by many names, including second lieutenant, sub-lieutenant,
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
and
cornet. Some parts of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
, including the
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
,
Royal Engineers and
fusilier regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...
s, 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 brass bar for second lieutenant.
ALB-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Albanian Army)
(Algerian Land Forces
The Algerian Land Forces ( ar, القوات البرية الجزائرية, , Algerian Land Forces) are the land forces of the Algerian People's National Army. The forces' equipment is supplied by Russia and various other countries.
The force ...
)
(Angolan Army
The Angolan Army () is the land component of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA).
History
On August 1, 1974, a few months after a military coup d'état had overthrown the Lisbon regime and proclaimed its intention of granting independence to Angola, ...
)
(Argentine Army
The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander- ...
)
(Armenian Ground Forces
The Armenian Ground Forces () is the collective term for personnel branches of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia that are responsible for the country's land-based operations. It was established in conjunction with the other compone ...
)
(Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
)
(Austrian Army
The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria.
The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of nati ...
)
(Azerbaijani Land Forces
The Azerbaijani Land Forces ( az, Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri Quru Qoşunları) are the land force component of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has been trying to create professional, well trained ...
)
(Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and defe ...
)
(Belarusian Ground Forces
The Belarusian Ground Forces is a service branch of the Armed Forces of Belarus.
History
The ground forces were founded on March 20, 1992, on the same day the Defence Ministry of Belarus was established. By 1994, the ground forces had over 5 ...
)
(Belgian Land Component
The Land Component ( nl, Landcomponent, french: Composante terre) is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Pierre Gérard ...
)
Belize-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
( Belize Ground Forces)
Benin Army OF-1b.svg,
( Benin Army)
(Bolivian Army
The Bolivian Army ( es, Ejército Boliviano) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia.
Figures on the size and composition of the Bolivian army vary considerably, with little official data available. It is estimated that the arm ...
)
08.Bhutan Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Royal Bhutan Army
The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; dz, བསྟན་སྲུང་དམག་སྡེ་, bStan-srung dmag-sde) is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereign ...
)
(Royal Brunei Land Forces
The Royal Brunei Land Forces (Malay: Tentera Darat Diraja Brunei, abbreviated TDDB) is the land component of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. The RBLF has responsibility for maintaining the territorial defence of Brunei
Brunei ( , ), form ...
)
(Bulgarian Land Forces
The Bulgarian Land Forces ( bg, Сухопътни войски на България, Sukhopŭtni voĭski na Bŭlgariya, lit=Ground Forces of Bulgaria) are the ground warfare branch of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The Land Forces were established ...
)
( Burkina Faso Ground Forces)
( Burundi Ground Forces)
( Cameroon Ground Forces)
Canadian Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
)
( Cape Verdean National Guard)
( Central African Ground Forces)
Chad-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Chadian Ground Forces)
SS.OO.3.EJER.TENIENTE.svg,
(Chilean Army
The Chilean Army ( es, Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.
In recent years, and ...
)
(Colombian Army
The National Army of Colombia ( es, Ejército Nacional de Colombia) is the land warfare service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia. With over 361,420 active personnel as of 2020, it is the largest and oldest service branch in Colombia, an ...
)
(Comorian Army
The Comorian Armed Forces (french: Armée nationale de développement; ) consist of a small standing army and a 500-member police force, as well as a 500-member defense force. A defense treaty with France provides naval resources for protection of ...
)
DR Congo Army OF-1b.svg,
( Land Forces of the DR Congo)
09-ROCongo Army-1LT.svg,
( Congolese Ground Forces)
(Cuban Revolutionary Army
The Cuban Revolutionary Army ( es, Ejército Revolucionario) serve as the ground forces of Cuba. Formed in 1868 during the Ten Years' War, it was originally known as the Cuban Constitutional Army. Following the Cuban Revolution, the revolutiona ...
)
(Royal Danish Army
The Royal Danish Army ( da, Hæren, fo, Herurin, kl, Sakkutuut) is the land-based branch of the Danish Defence, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures ...
)
(Djiboutian Army
The Djiboutian National Army is the largest branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces and is based in the Djiboutian capital of Djibouti. Djibouti has upgraded its Ground Forces with advanced additions from domestic engineering and modifications. It mu ...
)
10.ECA-1LT.svg,
(Ecuadorian Army
The Ecuadorian Army ( es, ''Ejército Ecuatoriano'', italic=unset) is the land component of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces. Its 160,500 soldiers are deployed in relation to its military doctrine. The contemporary Ecuadorian Army incorporates many jun ...
)
(Salvadoran Army
The Salvadoran Army (Spanish: ''Ejército Salvadoreño'') is the land branch and largest of the Armed Forces of El Salvador.
Conflicts The Football War
The Football War (also called The Soccer War or 100-hours War) was a term coined by Po ...
)
( Army of Equatorial Guinea)
ES-Army-OF13.svg,
(Estonian Land Forces
The Estonian Land Forces ( et, Maavägi), unofficially referred to as the Estonian Army, is the name of the unified ground forces among the Estonian Defense Forces where it has an offensive military formation role. It is currently the largest ...
)
(Fiji Infantry Regiment
The Fiji Infantry Regiment is the main combat element of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. It is a light infantry regiment consisting of six battalions, of which three are regular army and three are Territorial Force. The regiment was formed w ...
)
Luutnantti M05.svg,
(Finnish Army
The Finnish Army ( Finnish: ''Maavoimat'', Swedish: ''Armén'') is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Army is divided into six branches: the infantry (which includes armoured units), field artillery, anti-aircraf ...
)
(French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...
)
(Gabonese Army
The Armed Forces of Gabon (french: Forces armées gabonaises) or the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (french: forces de défense et de sécurité gabonaises) is the national professional military of the Republic of Gabon, divided into the Army ...
)
Georgia Army OF-1b.png,
(Georgian Land Forces
The Georgian Land Forces ( ka, საქართველოს სახმელეთო ძალები) are the land force component of the Defense Forces of Georgia. They are the largest branch of the military and constitute the bulk o ...
)
( German Army)
(Ghana Army
The Ghana Army (GA) is the main ground warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal Wes ...
)
Guatemala-army-OF-1b.svg,
(Guatemalan Army
The Guatemalan Armed Forces ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala) consists of the National Army of Guatemala (''Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala'', ENG), the Guatemalan National Defense Navy (''Marina de la Defensa Nacional'', includes Marines), the ...
)
( Guinea Ground Forces)
Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant rank insignia.svg, Lieutenant
( Guyana Army)
(Haitian Army
The Armed Forces of Haiti (french: Forces Armées d'Haïti—FAd'H), consisted of the Haitian Army, Haitian Navy (at times), the Haitian Air Force, Haitian Coast Guard, (ANI) and some police forces (Port-au-Prince Police). The Army was always ...
)
HON-army-OF-1b.svg,
(Honduran Army
The Armed Forces of Honduras ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras), consists of the Honduran Army, Honduran Navy and Honduran Air Force.
History Pre-1979
The Armed Forces of Honduras were created through article 44, subsection 4 of the First Consti ...
)
(Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
)
(Irish Army
The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. The A ...
)
(Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
)
( Ivory Coast Ground Forces)
( Jamaican Army)
(Kazakh Ground Forces
The Kazakh Ground Forces (, ; ) is the land service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is one of the three uniformed military services, and is the most senior branch of the Kazakh military in order of precedence. The mai ...
)
(Kenya Army
The Kenya Army is the land arm of the Kenya Defence Forces.
History
The origin of the present day Kenya Army lie with the British Army's King's African Rifles. In the last quarter of the 19th Century the British began actively enforcing the abo ...
)
Kosovo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Kosovo Security Force
, image = KSF logo.svg
, alt =
, caption = Emblem
, image2 = Flag of the Kosovo Security Force.svg
, alt2 =
, caption2 = Flag
, motto =
, founded ...
)
(Kyrgyz Army
The Kyrgyz Ground Forces, also commonly known as the Kyrgyz Army is the infantry branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
History
In April 1992, Kyrgyzstan formed a State Committee for Defense Affairs, and in June the republic ...
)
(Latvian Land Forces
The Latvian Land Forces ( lv, Sauszemes spēki, SzS) together with the Latvian National Guard form the land warfare branch of the Latvian National Armed Forces. Since 2007, land forces are organized as a fully professional standing army.
Mission ...
)
(Lesotho Army
The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution of Lesotho ...
)
(Lithuanian Land Forces
The Lithuanian Land Forces (LLF) form the backbone of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, capable of acting as an integral part of NATO forces. Lithuanian Land Forces consist of three brigades, the Engineer Battalion, and the National Defence Volunte ...
)
( Luxembourg Army)
( Madagascar Ground Forces)
( Malawian Army)
09.Malta Army-1LT.svg,
( Army of Malta)
(Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army ( ms, Tentera Darat Malaysia; Jawi: تنترا دارت مليسيا) is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ () as do t ...
)
(Malian Army
The Malian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Forces Armées Maliennes) consists of the Army (french: Armée de Terre, links=no), Republic of Mali Air Force (french: Force Aérienne de la Republique du Mali, links=no), and National Guard (french: G ...
)
(Mexican Army
The Mexican Army ( es, Ejército Mexicano) is the combined land and air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army.
The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National ...
)
(Moldovan Ground Forces ''
, image= Flag of the Armed Forces of Moldova.svg
, image_size =
, caption = Moldovan Ground Forces flag
, start_date = 25 December 2008
, country=
, allegiance =
, branch =
, type = Army
, role = Land warfare
, size = 4,000
, comman ...
)
( Army of Monaco)
11-Moroccan Army-1LT.svg,
(Royal Moroccan Army
zgh, ⵜⴰⵙⵔⴷⴰⵙⵜ ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⴰⵏⵜ
, image =
, caption = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Army
, start_date = active since: 1088 CE
current form: 14 May 1956
, ...
)
Mozambique-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Mozambican Army)
08-Namibia Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Namibian Army
The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force.
History
Development of Namibia's army was fastest of the three arms of Service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when ...
)
12.Nepalese Army-1LT.svg, Lieutenant
(Nepali Army)
(New Zealand Army)
(Nicaraguan Army)
(Niger Armed Forces, Niger Ground Forces)
(Nigerian Army)
OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg, Lieutenant
(Pakistani Army)
(Paraguayan Army)
(Peruvian Army)
(Portuguese Army)
(Romanian Land Forces)
(Russian Ground Forces)
(Rwanda Defence Force, Rwandan Land Forces)
(Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, SKN Regiment)
(Sammarinese Armed Forces, Sammarinese Guard of the Rock)
STeP OF-1b.svg,
(Armed Forces of São Tomé and Príncipe, Army of São Tomé and Príncipe)
Senegal-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Armed Forces of Senegal, Senegalese Army)
Seychelles Army OF-01b (2018).svg, Lieutenant
(Seychelles People's Defence Force, Seychelles Infantry Unit)
(Singapore Army)
(South African Army)
(Spanish Army)
(Sri Lanka Army)
(Swedish Army)
(Swiss Army)
(Tajik Ground Forces)
(Tanzania People's Defence Force, Tanzanian Army)
Timor-Leste-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Timor Leste Defence Force, Timor-Leste Army)
Togo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Togolese Armed Forces, Togolese Army)
(His Majesty's Armed Forces (Tonga), Tongan Land Component)
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)
(Turkmen Ground Forces)
(Uganda People's Defence Force, Ugandan Land Forces)
(Ukrainian Ground Forces)
(Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines), British Army)
(Swiss Guard)
(Venezuelan Army)
(Uzbek Ground Forces)
(Zambian Army)
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 form. 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.
Generic-Navy-O2.svg,
(Colombian Naval Infantry)[ ]
Maldives Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(MNDF Marine Corps, Maldivian Marine Corps)
(Spanish Marine Infantry)
(Swedish Amphibious Corps)
(Royal Marines)
Air force rank
While some air forces use the army rank system, the British Royal Air Force and many other Commonwealth of Nations, 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.
RAAF O3 rank.png, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Australian Air Force)
CDN-Air Force-Lieutenant (OF1A)-2015.svg, Lieutenant
(Royal Canadian Air Force)
Indian IAF OF-2.svg, Flight lieutenant
(Indian Air Force)
Teniente de la FAM.gif,
(Mexican Air Force)
RO-Airforce-OF-2bs.PNG,
(Romanian Air Force)
SAAF-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(South African Air Force)
Tte-ea.svg,
(Spanish Air Force)
SWE-Airforce-löjtnant.png,
(Swedish Air Force)
Thai air O2.png, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Thai Air Force)
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 United States Air Force Academy, 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. 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
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
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 (military), 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
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
, 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 (naval), master until 1883, when it was renamed lieutenant, junior grade. In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned officer, 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
Police rank
France and the French Union
The first French Lieutenant of Police, Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, was appointed in Paris by Louis XIV on 15 March 1667 to command a reformed police force. He was later elevated to Prefecture of Police, Lieutenant-General of Police. In the 17th century, the term "lieutenant" corresponded to "deputy" (i.e. a person appointed to carry out a task). La Reynie was the deputy for policing duties of the Provost of Paris, the ceremonial representative of the King in Paris. In 1995, the rank of ''lieutenant'' was introduced in the National Police (France), National Police as the first rank of the police officers scale.
United Kingdom and Commonwealth police forces
The rank of Lieutenant was formerly used in areas outside of the Metropolitan Police. The adoption of standardized ranks across the United Kingdom has eliminated its use. A number of city and burgh police forces in Scotland used the rank of lieutenant (and detective lieutenant) between inspector and superintendent from 1812 to 1948. It was replaced by the rank of chief inspector. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (founded 1871) had the rank of lieutenant between staff sergeant and inspector until 1997. In Australia, Queensland's first police force (founded 1864) had second lieutenants and lieutenants between the ranks of sergeant and inspector-general.
United States police forces
The rank of police lieutenant is used in most medium or large police departments in the United States, where it is one rank above sergeant and two ranks above a regular police officer (three in departments with a corporal rank). It is roughly equivalent to an inspector in the British and Canadian police forces. The usual role of a lieutenant is to carry out administrative duties and assist precinct commanders (normally a Captain, or sometimes the local police chiefs). In smaller police departments, they may command a precinct itself. Lieutenants either command a watch (8-hour "shift") of regular officers or a special unit for operations or investigations (like a Robbery-Homicide squad). The typical rank insignia for a lieutenant is a single silver bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps First Lieutenant) or a single gold bar (like that of an Army or Marine Corps Second Lieutenant). Some police departments split the rank of lieutenant into two separate grades.
Other nations
Bangladesh Police ASP Rank.svg, Assistant Superintendent
(Bangladesh Police)
Insignia PM O6.PNG, 2nd Lieutenant
(Military Police (Brazil))
Insignia PM O5.PNG, 1st Lieutenant
(Military Police (Brazil))
Assistant SP IPS 2.png, Assistant Superintendent
(Police ranks and insignia of India#Ranks of law enforcement in India, Indian Police Service)
PNP PI.png, Police Lieutenant
(Philippine National Police)
POL policja komisarz.svg, Komisarz
(Polish Policja)
Inspector.png, Inspector
(Romanian Police)
Ukrainian police shoulder mark 06.svg, Police Lieutenant
(National Police of Ukraine)
US-O1 insignia.svg, US Police 2nd Lieutenant
(Police ranks of the United States)
US-O2 insignia.svg, US Police 1st Lieutenant
(Police ranks of the United States)
Russia-Police-OF-1b-2013.svg, Police Lieutenant
(Police of Russia)
Fire services rank
Singapore
In the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the rank of lieutenant (LTA) is the second-lowest Officer (armed forces), commissioned rank. The rank insignia of LTA is two pips.
Political titles
Canada
In Canada, the representative of the Canadian monarch in each province is called the Lieutenant Governor (Canada), Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor exercises all the royal prerogative powers that the monarch holds.
France
In History of France, French history, "lieutenant du roi" was a title borne by the officer sent with military powers to represent the king in certain provinces. It is in the sense of a deputy that it has entered into the titles of more senior officers,
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
and
lieutenant colonel.
United Kingdom
The British monarch's representatives in the counties of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
are called Lord Lieutenant, Lords Lieutenant. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland performed the function of viceroy in Ireland.
United States
The Lieutenant governor (United States), Lieutenant Governor is an official in State governments of the United States, state governments of 45 out of 50
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the Governor (United States), governor, standing in for the governor when they are absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated. In the event a governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor typically becomes governor.
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, a Governor (United States), governor serves as the chief executive officer and commander-in-chief in each of the fifty U.S. state, states and in the five permanently inhabited Territories of the United States, territories, functioning as both head of state and head of government therein.
Other organisations
The Boys' Brigade
Leaders, or officers of the Boys' Brigade, particularly in the United Kingdom, are ranked as lieutenants after having completed their formal training, before which they are ranked as warrant officers. Officers serving in staff or command posts are awarded the "brevet" rank of captain, these officers then revert to their lieutenancy after having completed their tour of duty.
National Civil Defence Cadet Corps
The rank of cadet lieutenant (CLT) is given to officer cadet trainees who have passed their officer's course. The rank insignia of CLT is a pip and a bar below it. CLTs may be promoted to the rank of senior cadet lieutenant (S/CLT), which has a rank insignia of a pip and two bars below it.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army also uses lieutenant to denote first time officers, or clergymen/women.
See also
*Captain lieutenant
*Military rank
*Comparative military ranks
*Tenentism
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Military ranks
Naval ranks
Police ranks
Military ranks of the Nepali Army