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First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.

The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a senior (first lieutenant) and junior (second lieutenant) rank.

In navies, while certain rank insignia may carry the name lieutenant, the term may also be used to relate to a particular post or duty, rather than a rank.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, "first lieutenant" is known as Letnan Satu (Lettu), Indonesian National Armed Forces uses this rank across all three of its services. It is just above the rank of second lieutenant and just below the rank of captain.

Israel

In the Israel Defense Forces, the rank above second lieutenant is simply lieutenant (Segen). 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 rank above second lieutenant is simply lieutenant (pronounced lef-tenant), with no ordinal attached.

Before 1871, when the whole British Army switched to using the current rank of "lieutenant", the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and fusilier regiments used "first lieutenant" and "second lieutenant".

Royal Navy

The first lieutenant (often abbreviated "1st Lt") in a Royal Navy ship is a post or appointment, rather than a rank.

Historically the lieutenants in a ship were ranked in accordance with seniority, with the most senior being termed the first lieutenant and acting as the second-in-command, unless the ship was complemented with a commander. Although lieutenants are no longer ranked by seniority, the post of "first lieutenant" remains. In minor war vessels, destroyers, frigates, and submarines, the first lieutenant is second in command, executive officer (XO) and head of the executive branch; in larger ships where a commander of the warfare specialization is appointed as the executive officer, a first lieutenant is appointed as their deputy. The post of first lieutenant in a shore establishment carries a similar responsibility to the first lieutenant of a capital ship. Colloquial terms in the Royal Navy for the first lieutenant include "number one", "the jimmy" (or "jimmy the one") and "James the First" (a back-formation referring to James I of England). The first lieutenant may hold the rank of sub-lieutenant, lieutenant or lieutenant-commander.

United States

First lieutenant
U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force insignia of the rank of first lieutenant. Style and method of wear vary between the services.
Shoulder boards
Country	United States
Service branch	U.S. Army  U.S. Marine Corps  U.S. Air Force  U.S. Space Force
Abbreviation	1LT (Army) 1stLt (Marine Corps) 1st Lt (Air Force and Space Force)
Rank group	Junior officer
NATO rank code	OF-1
Pay grade	O-2
Next higher rank	Captain
Next lower rank	Second lieutenant
Equivalent ranks	Lieutenant (junior grade)

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

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In the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force, a first lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer. It is just above the rank of second lieutenant and just below the rank of captain. It is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) in the other uniformed services.

Promotion to first lieutenant is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest all "fully qualified" officers should be promoted to first lieutenant. A second lieutenant (grade O-1) is usually promoted to first lieutenant (grade O-2) after 18 months in the Army or 24 months in the Marine Corps and Air Force. The difference between the two ranks is slight, primarily being experience and a higher pay grade. It is not uncommon to see officers moved to positions requiring more experience after promotion to first lieutenant. For example, in the Army and Marine Corps these positions can include leading a specialty platoon, or assignment as the executive officer for a company-sized unit (70–250 soldiers or marines). In the Air Force, a first lieutenant may be a flight commander or section's officer in charge with varied supervisory responsibilities, including supervision of as many as 100+ personnel, although in a flying unit, a first lieutenant is a rated officer (pilot, navigator, or air battle manager) who has just finished training for his career field and has few supervisory responsibilities.

U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard

In the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, "first lieutenant" is the name of a billet and position title, rather than rank. Officers aboard early sailing ships were the captain and a number of lieutenants. The senior among those lieutenants was known as the first lieutenant, and would have assumed command if the captain were absent or incapacitated. As modern ships have become more complex, requiring specialized knowledge of engineering, communications, and weapons, the "first lieutenant" is the officer in command of the deck department responsible for line handling during mooring and underway replenishment. On smaller ships, the officer of the "first lieutenant" billet holds the rank of lieutenant, junior grade or ensign. On larger vessels, the position of "first lieutenant" is held by a lieutenant or, in the case of extremely large warships such as cruisers or aircraft carriers, the position of "first lieutenant" may be held by a lieutenant commander or even commander. However, on submarines and in aircraft squadrons, where the deck department may only have a few junior sailors, the "first lieutenant" billet may be filled by a first-class petty officer or chief petty officer. What is known in the U.S. Navy as the "first lieutenant division" is usually composed of junior sailors (E-3 and below) who are completing their ninety days of temporary assigned duty, or TAD, that all enlisted personnel are required to perform when initially assigned to a command. The primary mission of the division is servicing, cleaning, organizing and inventorying items within a command.

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.

Gallery

Army

• First lieutenant
  (Antigua and Barbuda Regiment)
• Teniente primero
  (Argentine Army)
• First lieutenant
  (Australian Army)
• First lieutenant
  (Botswana Ground Force)
• Primeiro tenente
  (Brazilian Army)
• Primeiro tenente
  (Cape Verdean National Guard)
• Primer teniente
  (Cuban Revolutionary Army)
• Premierløjtnant
  (Royal Danish Army)
• Primer teniente
  (Dominican Army)
• Yliluutnantti
  Swedish: Premiärlöjtnant
  (Finnish Army)
• First lieutenant
  (Gambian National Army)
• Primeiro tenente
  (Army of Guinea-Bissau)
• Letnan satu
  (Indonesian Army)
• First lieutenant
  (Liberian Ground Forces)
• Lieutenant en premier
  (Luxembourg Army)
• 1e Luitenant
  (Royal Netherlands Army)
• First lieutenant
  (New Zealand Army)
• Teniente primero
  (Nicaraguan Army)
• Teniente primero
  (Paraguayan Army)
• First lieutenant
  (Philippine Army)
• First lieutenant
  (United States Army)
• Teniente primero
  (National Army of Uruguay)
• Primer teniente
  (Venezuelan Army)

Marines

• First lieutenant
  (United States Marine Corps)

Navy

• Primeiro-tenente
  (Cape Verdean Coast Guard)

Air Force

• First lieutenant
  (Botswana Defence Force Air Wing)
• First lieutenant
  (United States Air Force)

Space Force

• First lieutenant
  United States Space Force

Notes

Citations

1. Partridge, p 612, p 621, p 884
2. Hayes, David. "Ranks & Duties". Historic Naval Fiction. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
3. Barnebey, Matthew; "1st Lieutenant Division plays significant role in supporting base", Jax Air News
4. Cutler and Cutler, p.90
5. Cipra, Dave; "A History of Sea Service Ranks & Titles", Commandant's Bulletin, (May, June, July 1985), U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office.
6. Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force. "Paratus" (PDF). Regional Publications Ltd. pp. 12–13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
7. "Grados". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
8. "Badges of rank" (PDF). defence.gov.au. Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
9. ^ "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
10. "Postos e Graduações - Exército". eb.mil.br (in Portuguese). Brazilian Army. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
11. "Patente". fa.gov.cv (in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
12. "Grados militares". minfar.gob.cu (in Spanish). Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Cuba). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
13. "Hærens Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
14. "Insignias". mide.gob.do (in Spanish). Ministry of Defense (Dominican Republic). Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
15. "Sotilasarvot Puolustusvoimissa". puolustusvoimat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
16. "Pangkat Harian". tni.mil.id (in Indonesian). Indonesian National Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
17. "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
18. "Grades". Armee.lu. Luxembourg Army. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
19. "De rangonderscheidingstekens van de krijgsmacht" (PDF) (in Dutch). Ministry of Defence (Netherlands). 19 December 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
20. "Badges of Rank" (PDF). nzdf.mil.nz. New Zealand Defence Force. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
21. "Insignias de Grados Militares". ejercito.mil.ni (in Spanish). Nicaraguan Armed Forces. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
22. Cooke, Melinda W. (1990). "Chapter 5: National Security". In Hanratty, Dennis M.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.). Paraguay: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series (2nd ed.). Library of Congress. pp. 216–217. LCCN 89600299. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
23. "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
24. "U.S. Army Ranks". army.mil. United States Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
25. Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W., eds. (1992). "Chapter 5. National Security". Uruguay: A Country Study (PDF) (2nd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 222–223. ISBN 0-8444-0737-2. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
26. "Grados de Oficiales Subalternos". ejercito.mil.ve. Government of Venezuela. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019.
27. "Ranks". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
28. "Anexo A". Boletim Oficial (in Portuguese). 1 (4). Government of Cape Verde: 133–136. 18 January 2017.

References used

• Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, Marine Corps Order P1020.34G with changes 1-5, Chapter 4. Insignia and Regulations for Wear, Sec. 4005. Insignia of Grade, Officers, Para. 2. Description by Grade, h. Captain, i. First Lieutenant, j. Second Lieutenant (p. 4-25) and Figure 4-11. Officers' Grade Insignia (Shoulder/Collar). Washington, DC: United States Marine Corps.
• Barnebey, Matthew (29 June 2011). "1st Lieutenant Division plays significant role in supporting base". Jax Air News. Jacksonville.com website. Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
• Cipra, Dave (May 1985). "A History of Sea Service Ranks & Titles" (PDF). Commandant's Bulletin. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
• Cutler, Deborah W. and Thomas J. Cutler (2005). Dictionary of Naval Terms. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. ISBN 978-1-59114-150-1.
• Partridge, Eric (1984). A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (8th ed.). London and New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0025949805.

v t e United States uniformed services commissioned officer and officer candidate ranks

Pay grade / branch of service Officer candidate O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6 O-7 O-8 O-9 O-10 Wartime grade Special grade Insignia Army CDT / OC 2LT 1LT CPT MAJ LTC COL BG MG LTG GEN GA GAS Marine Corps Midn / Cand 2ndLt 1stLt Capt Maj LtCol Col BGen MajGen LtGen Gen Navy MIDN / OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM FADM Air Force Cdt / OT 2d Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Gen Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen GAF Space Force Cdt / OT 2d Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Gen Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen Coast Guard CDT / OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM PHS Corps OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM NOAA Corps OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM No universal insignia for officer candidate rank No official insignia and not currently listed by the Army as an obtainable rank. John J. Pershing's GAS insignia: (collar) (epaulettes) These ranks are reserved for wartime use only, and are still listed as ranks within their respective services Grade is authorized by the U.S. Code for use but has not been created Grade has never been created or authorized

• 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