Second lieutenant is a junior

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent conte ...

military rank Military ranks are a system of hierarchy, hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibi ...

in many

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.

Australia

The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, 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 (Austral ...

until 1986. In the colonial forces, which closely followed the practices of the British military, the rank of second lieutenant began to replace ranks such as ensign and cornet from 1871. New appointments to the rank of second lieutenant ceased in the regular army in 1986. Immediately prior to this change, the rank had been effectively reserved for new graduates from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea which closed in 1985. (Graduates of the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and the Royal Military College, Duntroon (RMC-D) are commissioned as

lieutenant 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), but it is often ...

s.). The rank of second lieutenant is only appointed to officers in special appointments such as training institutions, university regiments and while under probation during training. Trainees undertaking Special Service Officer (SSO) training are also appointed at higher rank (as second lieutenants) than General Service Officer (GSO) trainees who start off at the rank of officer cadet (ADFA/ Australian Army Reserve officer trainees) or staff cadet ( Royal Military College, Duntroon). Ranks equivalent to second lieutenant are acting sub-lieutenant in the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

and

pilot officer Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countrie ...

in the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

Canada

The

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Ai ...

adopted the rank with insignia of a single gold ring around the service dress uniform cuff for both army and air personnel upon unification in 1968 until the late 2000s. For a time, naval personnel used this rank but reverted to the Royal Canadian Navy rank of acting sub-lieutenant, though the CF green uniform was retained until the mid-1980s. Currently, the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases acr ...

insignia for second lieutenant is a ''pip'' and the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environ ...

insignia for lieutenant is one thick braid. The equivalent rank for the Royal Canadian Navy is acting sub-lieutenant. Also known as an Ensign in the Foot Guards units ( Canadian Grenadier Guards & Governor General's Foot Guards).

France

A second-lieutenant is equivalent to a junior commissioned officer (the French army does not use the terms commissioned or non-commissioned). During classes at officer training schools such as Saint Cyr the cadets rise quickly through the non-commissioned ranks of private, corporal, sergeant and reach the rank of ''aspirant'' which is the first officer rank. After additional training at specialised schools they get the bar of second-lieutenant. The insignia consists of a metal-colored bar in accordance with the color of the ceremonial uniform buttons and hat symbol. For example, for the infantry, gold being the metal of the ceremonial dress buttons, the symbol on the béret being a golden grenade with two crossed rifles, and the symbol on the '' képi'' being a single golden grenade, therefore the insignia of a ''sous-lieutenant'' is a gold-colored bar. For cavalry or forest rangers (light infantry mobilised from the Water and Forests Corp), ceremonial dress buttons were silver, as was the hunting horn on the forest commissioned officer's ''képi'', therefore the insignia of a ''sous-lieutenant'' is a silver-colored bar.

Indonesia

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, "second lieutenant" is known as ''letnan dua'' (''letda'') which is the most junior ranked officer in the Indonesian Military. Officers in the Indonesian National Armed Forces are commissioned through one of four major commissioning programs. Upon graduation the candidates are promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, thus becoming

s. The four programs are: * National Armed Forces Academy (''Akademi TNI''): a four-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions, preparing men and women to take on the challenge of being officers in the armed forces (Army:

Military Academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

, Navy: Naval Academy, Air Force: Air Force Academy); * Officer Candidate School: a 28-week program that is attended by senior NCOs or

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...

s from all services; * Career Officer Program for college graduates: a 7–8 month program that is designed to recruit civilian professionals (e.g., doctors, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists) into the armed forces; * Pilot Short Service School: a 34-month program to train pilots to serve in the armed forces.

New Zealand

Like many other Commonwealth countries, the rank structures of the New Zealand Defence Force usually follow British traditions. Hence the

New Zealand Army , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...

maintains a rank of second lieutenant and the Royal New Zealand Air Force has its exact equivalent,

. However, the

Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...

breaks with British tradition and uses the name ensign for its most junior commissioned officer rank (rather than the usual equivalents, such as acting sub-lieutenant or second lieutenant).

Pakistan

The Pakistan Army follows the British pattern of ranks. A second lieutenant is represented by one metal pip on each shoulder in case of "khaki uniform" and one diamond star on the chest in case of camouflage combat dress. However a second lieutenant in the Pakistan Army is usually promoted to lieutenant 6 months after commissioning. Test for 2nd lieutenant is held every year twice in Pakistan. It is the smallest rank among commissioned officers.

Philippines

In the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...

, the rank of second lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer rank used by the

Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the A ...

, Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Marine Corps. It stands below the rank of

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 ...

Singapore

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, the rank of second lieutenant (2LT) is awarded to officer cadets who have graduated from the completion of their officer cadet course, and is the lowest commissioned rank in the Singapore Armed Forces, below the rank of lieutenant and above the rank of chief

. The rank insignia of a second lieutenant is a bar.

United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries

The rank of second lieutenant (2Lt) was introduced throughout 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 Gur ...

in 1877 to replace the short-lived rank of

sub-lieutenant Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces. In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second hig ...

, although it had long been used in 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,

Fusilier Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has been used in con ...

and Rifle

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 conscripted ...

s. At first the rank bore no distinct insignia. In 1902, a single

Bath star The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one ...

was introduced; the ranks of

and

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

had their number of stars increased by one to (respectively) two and three. The rank is also used by the Royal Marines. New British Army officers are normally commissioned as second lieutenants at the end of their commissioning course at

RMA Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...

, and continue with specific training with their units. Progression to lieutenant rank usually occurs after about a year. In the British armed forces, ''second lieutenant'' is a rank which is not used as a form of address. Instead a second lieutenant named, for example, ''Smith'' is addressed and referred to as ''Mr Smith'', with the exception that the alternative titles ''ensign'' ( Foot Guards) and ''cornet'' (in the Blues and Royals and Queen's Royal Hussars) are still used. In the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

, the comparable rank is

. The

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

has no exact equivalent rank, and a second lieutenant is senior to a Royal Navy

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Af ...

but junior to a

United States

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 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

, second lieutenant is the normal entry-level rank for most commissioned officers in the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, Marine Corps,

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ar ...

, and Space Force. It is equivalent to the rank of ensign in the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It include ...

, Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. In the Army and Marine Corps, a second lieutenant typically leads a

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrol A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as Law enforcement officer, law enforcement officers, military personnel, or Security guard, secur ...

-size element (16 to 44 soldiers or marines). In the Army, until December 1917, the rank bore no insignia other than a brown sleeve braid on blouses and an officer's cap device and hat cord. In December 1917, a gold-colored bar similar to the silver-colored bar of a

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 ...

was introduced. In US military slang, the rank is sometimes called "butterbar" in reference to the insignia.

Gallery

Army

Botswana-Army-OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Botswana Ground Force) File:US Army O1 (Army greens).svg, Second lieutenant
(

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

)

Marines

Generic-Navy-O1.svg,
(

Brazilian Marine Corps ) , colors=Red and white , colors_label=Colors , march= , mascot= , battles =Portuguese conquest of French Guiana, Invasion of Cayenne (1809)Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental, Banda Oriental Conquest (1816)War of Independence of Brazil, Wa ...

) 13-TNI Navy-ENS.svg,
( Indonesian Marine Corps) Maldives Army OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant

( Maldivian Marine Corps) Generic-Navy-O1.svg,
( Netherlands Marine Corps) POR-Navy-OF1b.svg,
( Portuguese Marine Corps) British Royal Marines OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Royal Marines)
(

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 ...

) US Marine O1 shoulderboard vertical.svg, Second lieutenant
(

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

)

Navy

Generic-Navy-O1.svg,
(

Brazilian Navy ) , colors= Blue and white , colors_label= Colors , march= " Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship '' Cisne Branco'' , mascot= , equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious ...

) blank.svg,
( Navy of Guinea-Bissau) 13-TNI Navy-ENS.svg,
( Indonesian Navy) A VNN-OF-1A.svg, Second lieutenant
( Kenya Navy) Malawi Navy - OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Malawi Navy) Maldives-Navy-OF-1b.svg, Second lieutenant

( Maldivian Coast Guard) Malta-navy-OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant

( Maritime Squadron of Malta) Generic-Navy-O3.svg,
( Mozambique Naval Command) Peru-Navy-OF-1b.svg,
( Peruvian Navy) POR-Navy-OF1b.svg,
( Portuguese Navy) STeP OF-1b.svg,
( Coast Guard of São Tomé and Príncipe) Seychelles Coast Guard OF-01a (2018).svg, Second lieutenant
( Seychelles Coast Guard) 01-RSN-OF01a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Republic of Singapore Navy) POR-Navy-OF1b.svg,
( Timor-Leste Naval Component)

Air Force

07.Botswana Air Force-2LT.svg, Second lieutenant
( Botswana Defence Force Air Wing) Segundo-TenenteFAB.gif,
(

Brazilian Air Force "Wings that protect the country" , colours = , colours_label = , march = Hino dos Aviadores , mascot = , anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...

) Canadian RCAF OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant

(

) RDAF 2nd_Lt.svg,
( Royal Danish Air Force) Capona segundo teniente fuerza aerea.svg,
( Dominican Air Force) 13-TNI Air Force-2LT.svg,
(

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU), literally "''Indonesian National Military-Air Force''") sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF, is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The I ...

) Ireland-AirForce-OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant

( Irish Air Corps) Jamaican Air Force OF-1A.svg, Second lieutenant
( Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing) 07. Kenyan Air Force 2LT.svg, Second lieutenant
( Kenya Air Force) blank.svg, Second lieutenant
( Lesotho Air Squadron) blank.svg, Second lieutenant
( Liberian Air Wing) Malawi Air Force - OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Malawi Air Force) Netherlands-AirForce-OF-1a.svg,
(

Royal Netherlands Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force'' , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

) PNGDF AF 2LT.png, Second lieutenant
( Papua New Guinea Air Element) PAF 2LT Svc.svg, Second lieutenant
( Philippine Air Force) 07-Rwanda Air Force-2LT.svg, Second lieutenant
( Rwandan Air Force) 01-RSAF-OF01a.svg, Second lieutenant
( Republic of Singapore Air Force) Seychelles Air Force OF-01a (2018).svg, Second lieutenant
( Seychelles Air Force) SAAF-OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant

(

South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

) 08-Tanzania Air Force-2LT.svg, Second lieutenant
(

Tanzania Air Force Command The Tanzania Air Force Command ( sw, Kamandi ya Jeshi la Anga) is the aerial service branch of the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF). The current commander of the Tanzania Air Force Command is Major General SB MANI , who replaced major gen ...

) Uganda-AirForce-OF-1a.svg, Second lieutenant
(

Uganda Air Force Ugandan People's Defence Force Air Force, more commonly known as Ugandan Air Force, is the branch of the Uganda People's Defence Force that deals with the air warfare. It headquarters is located at Entebbe, Uganda. The current air force command ...

) US Air Force O1 shoulderboard.svg, Second lieutenant
(

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...

) Hellenic Air Force OF-1B.svg,
( Uruguayan Air Force) blank.svg, Second lieutenant
( Zambian Air Force)

Space Force

US Air Force O1 shoulderboard.svg, Second lieutenant
(

United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the Space force, space service branch of the United States Armed Forces, U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only inde ...

)

References

{{US officer ranks, collapse=collapsed Military ranks of Canada Military ranks of Australia Military ranks of Pakistan Military ranks of the British Army Military ranks of the Commonwealth Military ranks of the Royal Marines Military ranks of the United States Army Officer ranks of the United States Air Force Officer ranks of the United States Space Force Military ranks of the United States Marine Corps Military ranks of Singapore Military ranks of the Nepali Army