First lieutenant is a

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 context ...

military rank 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 ...

; 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. The NATO equivalent rank for land force officers is

OF-1 Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO. Definitions NATO maintains a "standard rank scal ...

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

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 Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

and just below the rank of

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 ...

Israel

In the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, the rank above

is simply lieutenant. The rank of (קצין מקצועי אקדמאי (קמ"א (''katsín miktsoí 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

British Army

In the British Army and

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

, the rank above

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 The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

and

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 language, French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has ...

regiments used "first lieutenant" and "second lieutenant".

Royal Navy

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 Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation. Usage In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...

, unless the ship was complemented with a

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

. Although lieutenants are no longer ranked by seniority, the post of "first lieutenant" remains. In minor war vessels,

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

s, and

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

s, the ''first lieutenant'' is second in command,

executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...

(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).Partridge, p 612, p 621, p 884 The first lieutenant may hold the 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 high ...

, lieutenant or lieutenant-commander.

United States

U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force

In the U.S. Army,

U.S. 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 comb ...

, U.S. Air Force, and

U.S. Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...

, a first lieutenant is a junior

. It is just above the rank of

and just below the rank of

. It is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) in the other

uniformed services Uniformed services is an abstract term that are generally bodies of people in employment of a State (polity), state who wear a distinct uniform that differentiates them from the public sector, public and private sector. Their purpose is to maintai ...

. 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

for a

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

-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

In the U.S. Navy and

U.S. Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...

, "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. 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 The deck department is an organisational team on board naval and merchant ships. The department and its manning requirements, including the responsibilities of each rank are regulated within the STCW Convention, applicable only to the merchant ...

responsible for

line Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...

handling during mooring and underway replenishment. On smaller ships, the officer of the "first lieutenant" billet holds the rank of

lieutenant, junior grade Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), i ...

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 carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

s, the position of "first lieutenant" may be held by a lieutenant commander or even

. However, on

s 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.Barnebey, Matthew; "1st Lieutenant Division plays significant role in supporting base", ''Jax Air News''Cutler and Cutler, p.90

U.S. Revenue Cutter Service

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.Cipra, Dave; "A History of Sea Service Ranks & Titles", ''Commandant's Bulletin'', (May, June, July 1985), U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office.

Gallery

Army

File:09.RABDF-1LT.svg, First lieutenant
(

Antigua and Barbuda Regiment The Antigua and Barbuda Regiment is the infantry unit and main fighting arm of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force. Previously known as the Rifle Company, it was formed in 1995 and consists of a single light infantry battalion, commanded by a Lie ...

) File:Argentina-Army-OF-1a.svg,
( Argentine Army) File:Botswana-Army-OF-1b.svg, First lieutenant
( Botswana Ground Force) File:Barzil-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Brazilian Army) File:Cape_Verde-army-OF-1c.svg,
( Cape Verdean National Guard) File:Cuba-Army-OF-1c.svg,
( Cuban Revolutionary Army) File:Denmark-Army-OF-1b-M11.svg,
( Royal Danish Army) File:Capona de Primer Teniente Ejercito Nacional Dominicano.svg,
( Dominican Army) Yliluutnantti M05.svg,

( Finnish Army) File:08.Gambian Army-1LT.svg, First lieutenant
(

Gambian National Army The Gambia Armed Forces, also known as the Armed Forces of The Gambia, consists of three branches: the Gambia National Army (GNA), the Gambia Navy, and the Republican National Guard (RNG). It formerly included the Gambia National Gendarmerie (GNG) ...

) File:07. Guinea-Bissau 1LT.svg,
( Army of Guinea-Bissau) File:14-TNI Army-1LT.svg,
(

Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...

) File:blank.svg, First lieutenant
( Liberian Ground Forces) File:Luxembourg-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(

Luxembourg Army The Luxembourg Armed Forces (; french: Armée luxembourgeoise) are the national military force of Luxembourg. The army has been a fully volunteer military since 1967. , it has 939 personnel. The army is under civilian control, with the grand ...

) File:Netherlands-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...

) File:09-Nicaragua Army-1LT.svg,
( Nicaraguan Army) File:Paraguay-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(

Paraguayan Army To win or to die , march= Marcha al Mariscal Lopez , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= War of the Triple AllianceChaco WarParaguayan People's Army insurgency , anniversaries= 24 of July (Mariscal Lopez Birthday) , decorations= , ba ...

) File:PA 1st Lt.png, First lieutenant
( Philippine Army) File:US Army O2 (Army greens).svg, First lieutenant
( United States Army) File:blank.svg,
( National Army of Uruguay) File:PTTEEJB-GNB.png,
(

Venezuelan Army The Venezuelan Army, officially the National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Ejército Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is one of the six professional branches of the Armed Forces of Venezuela. Also known ...

)

Marines

US Marine O2 shoulderboard vertical.svg, First lieutenant
( United States Marine Corps)

Navy

Generic-Navy-O2.svg,
( Cape Verdean Coast Guard)

Air Force

08.Botswana Air Force-1LT.svg, First lieutenant
( Botswana Defence Force Air Wing) File:US Air Force O2 shoulderboard.svg, First lieutenant
( United States Air Force)

Space Force

File:US Space-force O2 (interim).svg, First lieutenant
United States Space Force

Notes

;Citations ;References used * * * * * {{US officer ranks, collapse=collapsed Military ranks of the British Army Royal Navy appointments 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