A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) 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 contex ...
rank in the
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 ...
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) 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 s ...
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 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
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nort ...
. In the
United Kingdom, 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 cou ...
, 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 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 rank ...
,
flight lieutenant,
second lieutenant and many non-English language examples), in both the
Old
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
*Old, Baranya, Hungary
*Old, Northamptonshire, England
* Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...
and the
New World.
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, 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 spellings suggest that both pronunciations may have existed even then.
[ Oxford English Dictionary.] The majority of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century sources show pronunciations with /v/ or /f/, but
Bullokar has /liu/.
The rare
Old French variant spelling ''leuf'' for
Modern French ''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, and as lieutenant in the
United Kingdom 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 language ...
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, l ...
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
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 ...
commanded a
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
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 range ...
. 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 differ ...
and
cornet
The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a sopr ...
. 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 Gur ...
, 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
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 head ...
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 word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has been used in con ...
regiments, used first lieutenant as well as second lieutenant until the end of the 19th century, and some British Army regiments still preserve cornet as an official alternative to second lieutenant.
There is great variation in the insignia used worldwide. In most English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries, as well as a number of European and South American nations, full lieutenants (and equivalents) usually wear two stars (pips) and second lieutenants (and equivalents) one. An example of an exception is the United States, whose armed forces distinguish their lieutenant ranks with a silver bar for first lieutenant and brass bar for second lieutenant.
ALB-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Albanian Army
The Albanian Land Force ( sq, Forca Tokësore të Republikës së Shqipërisë) is the land force branch of the Albanian Armed Forces.
Mission
The Albanian Land Force's main mission is the defense of the independence, sovereignty and territorial ...
)
(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 forc ...
)
( Angolan Army)
(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), who ...
)
(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 nat ...
)
(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 ...
)
(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, both from attack from outs ...
)
(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)
( Cape Verdean National Guard)
( Central African Ground Forces)
Chad-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Chadian Ground Forces The Chadian Ground Forces (french: Armée de terre tchadienne) are the main and largest component of the Chadian National Army (''Armée nationale tchadienne''). Historically Chad has had one of the strongest armies in the Sahara region, larger tha ...
)
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 a ...
)
(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, ...
)
( Comorian Army)
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)
( Djiboutian Army)
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 Pol ...
)
( Army of Equatorial Guinea)
ES-Army-OF13.svg,
( Estonian Land Forces)
(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-aircraft ...
)
( French Army)
( Gabonese 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 ...
)
(German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwa ...
)
( Ghana Army)
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)
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)
(Irish Army
The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing bran ...
)
(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)
(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 abol ...
)
Kosovo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Kosovo Security Force)
( Kyrgyz Army)
(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 Lesot ...
)
(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 Volunteers ...
)
(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 d ...
)
( 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 th ...
)
(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)
(Moldovan Ground Forces
The Moldovan Ground Forces, known officially as Land Forces Command is the land armed-forces branch of the National Army of the Moldovan Armed Forces. The Moldovan Ground Forces date back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union between 1991 and 1 ...
)
( 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 Ground Forces)
(Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is governed by the Nigerian Army Council (NAC). The Chief of Army Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army.
History Formation
The Nigerian ...
)
OF-1(B) Pakistan Army.svg, Lieutenant
( Pakistani Army)
(Paraguayan Army
The Paraguayan Army ( es, Ejército Paraguayo) is the ground force branch of the Armed Forces of Paraguay. It is organized into three corps and nine divisions, and several commands and direction. It has gone to war on many occasions, notably in t ...
)
(Peruvian Army
The Peruvian Army ( es, Ejército del Perú, abbreviated EP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missi ...
)
(Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With it ...
)
(Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the La ...
)
( Russian Ground Forces)
( Rwandan Land Forces)
( SKN Regiment)
( Sammarinese Guard of the Rock)
STeP OF-1b.svg,
( Army of São Tomé and Príncipe)
Senegal-Army-OF-1b.svg,
(Senegalese Army
The Armed Forces of Senegal (french: Forces armées du Sénégal) consists of about 17,000 personnel in the army, air force, navy, and gendarmerie. The Senegal military force receives most of its training, equipment, and support from France and th ...
)
Seychelles Army OF-01b (2018).svg, Lieutenant
( Seychelles Infantry Unit)
(Singapore Army
The Singapore Army is the land service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The largest of the four branches of the SAF, the Singapore Army traces its origins to the 1st Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (1 SIR), which was formed ...
)
(South African Army
The South African Army is the principal land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Service. T ...
)
(Spanish Army
The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century.
The ...
)
( Sri Lanka Army)
(Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gustav Vas ...
)
( Swiss Army)
(Tajik Ground Forces
The Tajik Ground Forces (), known officially as the Ground Forces of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan is the land army of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan. Created during the Tajik civil war, it makes up about 70 percent of the ...
)
(Tanzanian Army
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
)
Timor-Leste-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Timor-Leste Army)
Togo-Army-OF-1b.svg,
( Togolese Army)
( Tongan Land Component)
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment
The Trinidad and Tobago Regiment is the main ground force element of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. It has approximately 10,000 men and women organized into a Regiment Headquarters (located in Port of Spain) and four battalions. There is ...
)
( Turkmen Ground Forces)
( Ugandan Land Forces)
( Ukrainian Ground Forces)
(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 ...
)
(Swiss Guard
The Pontifical Swiss Guard (also Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard; la, Pontificia Cohors Helvetica; it, Guardia Svizzera Pontificia; german: Päpstliche Schweizergarde; french: Garde suisse pontificale; rm, Guardia svizra papala)
is ...
)
(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 know ...
)
(Uzbek Ground Forces
The Uzbek Ground Forces are the land component of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Operating since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the army is made up of former Soviet Army units that were in the territory of Uzbekistan. ...
)
(Zambian Army
The Zambian Army, is the land military branch of the Zambian Defence Force. Like all branches of the Zambian military, citizens of the nation are required to register at 16 years old, and citizens can join at 16 years old with parental consent or ...
)
Zimbabwe-Army-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
( Zimbabwe National Army)
Marine rank
The
United States Marine Corps and British
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 ...
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
The Colombian Naval Infantry, also referred to as Colombian Marines ( es, Infantería de Marina Colombiana), is the marine force of the Colombian National Armada. The 53,123-member Colombian Marine Infantry is organized into a single division wi ...
)[ ]
Maldives Army OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
( Maldivian Marine Corps)
(Spanish Marine Infantry
The Spanish Naval Infantry ( es, Infantería de Marina) is the naval infantry unit of the Spanish Navy () responsible for conducting amphibious warfare by utilizing naval platforms and resources. The Marine Corps is fully integrated into the ...
)
( Swedish Amphibious Corps)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 sub ...
(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 ...
)
Air force rank
While some air forces use the army rank system, the British
Royal Air Force and many other
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
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
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
)
CDN-Air Force-Lieutenant (OF1A)-2015.svg, Lieutenant
(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 environm ...
)
Indian IAF OF-2.svg, Flight lieutenant
(Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
)
Teniente de la FAM.gif,
(Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force (FAM; es, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) is the primary aerial warfare service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat ( SEDENA). The objective of ...
)
RO-Airforce-OF-2bs.PNG,
( Romanian Air Force)
SAAF-OF-1b.svg, Lieutenant
(South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
)
Tte-ea.svg,
(Spanish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
)
SWE-Airforce-löjtnant.png,
(Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
)
Thai air O2.png, Flight lieutenant
(Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air Force March"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day)
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles ...
)
British RAF OF-2.svg, Flight lieutenant
( Royal Air Force)
In the US Air Force, the Third Lieutenant Program refers specifically to a training program at active duty air force bases for cadets of the
Air Force Academy
An air force academy or air academy is a national institution that provides initial officer training, possibly including undergraduate level education, to air force officer cadets who are preparing to be commissioned officers in a national air forc ...
and
Air Force ROTC
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is one of the three primary commissioning sources for officers in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, the other two being the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) ...
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
Acting pilot officer (A/Plt Off) is the lowest commissioned grade in the Royal Air Force. Acting pilot officer is not an actual military rank, therefore acting pilot officers are regraded to pilot officer instead of receiving a promotion. Unl ...
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
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
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
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 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
The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet.
Strategic im ...
.
In the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard the billet of first lieutenant describes the officer in charge 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 fl ...
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
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be superio ...
.
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
Brevet may refer to:
Military
* Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay
* Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college
* Aircre ...
second lieutenants as "third lieutenants". These were typically newly commissioned officers for which no authorized second lieutenant position existed. Additionally, the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
also used "third lieutenant", typically as the lowest ranking commissioned officer in an infantry company.
Notably, the
United States Revenue Cutter Service
)
, colors=
, colors_label=
, march=
, mascot=
, equipment=
, equipment_label=
, battles=
, anniversaries=4 August
, decorations=
, battle_honours=
, battle_honours_label=
, disbanded=28 January 1915
, flying_hours=
, website=
, commander1=
, co ...
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 differ ...
, 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
Elmer "Archie" Fowler Stone (January 22, 1887 – May 20, 1936) was a United States naval aviator and a commander in the United States Coast Guard.
Biography
Stone was born in Livonia, New York and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He joined the U.S ...
, 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
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
*Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National Master, ...
until 1883, when it was renamed
lieutenant, junior grade. In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval
commissioned or
subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant, but in Brazil it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain it is the second highest non-commissioned rank. In Portugal, sub-lieutenant is the rank of a junior naval officer graduated from a civil university or promoted from a NCO rank, while the equivalent rank of an officer graduated in the naval academy is designated midshipman.
Other uses
Police rank
France and the French Union
The first French Lieutenant of Police,
Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie
Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie (1625 – 14 June 1709) is considered to be the founder of the first modern police force.
Early career
Born in 1625 in Limoges, France to a poor family, Gabriel Nicolas made a wealthy marriage in 1645 and took the nam ...
, was appointed in Paris by Louis XIV on 15 March 1667 to command a reformed police force. He was later elevated to
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 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
Chief inspector (Ch Insp) is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police (CIP).
Usage by country Australia
The rank of chief inspector is us ...
. 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
The Bangladesh Police ( bn, বাংলাদেশ পুলিশ) of the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a law enforcement agency, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It plays a crucial role in maintaining peace, and enforcement ...
)
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
(Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service ( IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Raj.
Along with the Indian Administ ...
)
PNP PI.png, Police Lieutenant
( Philippine National Police)
POL policja komisarz.svg, Komisarz
(Polish Policja
Policja () is the generic name for the national police force of the Republic of Poland. The Polish police force was known as ''policja'' throughout the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939), and in the modern Republic of Poland since 1990. Its cu ...
)
Inspector.png, Inspector
( Romanian Police)
Ukrainian police shoulder mark 06.svg, Police Lieutenant
(National Police of Ukraine
The National Police of Ukraine ( uk, Націона́льна полі́ція Украї́ни, translit=Natsionálʹna polítsiya Ukrayíny, ; , NPU), often simply referred to as the ( uk, Поліція, lit=Police, label=none), is the nation ...
)
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
commissioned rank. The rank insignia of LTA is two pips.
Political titles
Canada
In Canada, the representative of the
Canadian monarch
The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The monarchy is the founda ...
in each province is called the
Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor exercises all the royal prerogative powers that the monarch holds.
France
In
French history
The first written records for the history of France appeared in the Iron Age. What is now France made up the bulk of the region known to the Romans as Gaul. The first writings on indigenous populations mainly start in the first century BC. Gree ...
, "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 and
lieutenant colonel.
United Kingdom
The
British monarch
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Baili ...
's representatives in the counties of the
United Kingdom are called
Lords Lieutenant. The
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kin ...
performed the function of
viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
in
Ireland.
United States
The
Lieutenant Governor is an official in
state governments
A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, o ...
of 45 out of 50
United States. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the
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, a
governor serves as the
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
and
commander-in-chief in each of the fifty
states and in the five permanently inhabited
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
Captain lieutenant or captain-lieutenant is a military rank, used in a number of navies worldwide and formerly in the British Army.
Northern Europe Denmark, Norway and Finland
The same rank is used in the navies of Denmark (), Norway () and Finl ...
*
Military rank
*
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 '' ...
*
Tenentism
Tenentism ( pt, tenentismo) was a political philosophy of junior army officers ( pt, tenentes, , ''lieutenants'') who significantly contributed to the Brazilian Revolution of 1930.
Background
The first decades of the 20th century saw marked econ ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Military ranks
Naval ranks
Police ranks
Military ranks of the Nepali Army