First lieutenant

See also: Lieutenant

Common military ranks in English
Navies	Armies	Air forces
Commissioned officers
Admiral of the fleet	Marshal or Field marshal	Marshal of the air force
Admiral	General	Air chief marshal
Vice admiral	Lieutenant general	Air marshal
Rear admiral	Major general	Air vice-marshal
Commodore	Brigadier or Brigadier general	Air commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group captain
Commander	Lieutenant colonel	Wing commander
Lieutenant commander	Major or Commandant	Squadron leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant	Lieutenant or First lieutenant	Flying officer
Ensign	Second lieutenant	Pilot officer
Midshipman	Officer cadet	Officer cadet
Enlisted grades
Warrant officer or Chief petty officer	Warrant officer or Sergeant major	Warrant officer
Petty officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading seaman	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman

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

The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations (see comparative military ranks), but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior (first lieutenant) and junior (second lieutenant) rank. In navies it may relate to a particular post rather than a rank.

United Kingdom

British Army

Main article: Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)

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 and frigates 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 specialisation is appointed as the executive officer, a first lieutenant 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. 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).

United States

U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force insignia of the rank of first lieutenant. Style and method of wear may vary between the services.

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

In the United States Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air 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 experienced and having higher pay. 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 that of a rank. It is held by the officer in command of the deck department. On smaller ships, the first lieutenant holds the rank of lieutenant, junior grade or ensign. On larger vessels, the position is held by a lieutenant or, in the case of extremely large warships such as aircraft carriers, 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 may be an enlisted member, such as a first-class petty officer or chief petty officer. The 1st lieutenant division is usually composed of junior sailors (E-3 and below) who are completing their 90 days of temporary assigned duty, or TAD, that all enlisted personal are required to do 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 U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. The position title of first lieutenant was held by a junior officer that was in charge of deck operations and gunnery. The rank of first lieutenant was the equivalent to lieutenant in the current rank structure of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. The next senior officer ranking above first lieutenant was captain and the next lower rank was that of second lieutenant. The rank of first lieutenant carried over to the formation of the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915 and was used until 1918 when the rank structure of the U.S. Navy was adopted.

Indonesia

Main article: Indonesian military ranks

The First lieutenant rank insignia of the Indonesian Army

In Indonesia, "First lieutenant" is known as Letnan Satu (Lettu). The Lieutenant rank has two levels, which are: Second lieutenant (Letda) and First lieutenant (Lettu).

Israel

Main article: Israel Defense Forces ranks

IDF Rank:(קצין מקצועי אקדמאי (קמ"א - Katsín miktsoí akademai (Kama) - Professional Academic Officer

In the Israel Defense Forces, the rank above second lieutenant 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.

Other countries

For other countries, the equivalent rank to a US Army first lieutenant (O-2) is listed below.

• Afghanistan: Lomri baridman
• Albania: Toger
• Angola: Primeiro tenente
• Arabic-speaking countries except former French colonies in North Africa: Mulazim awwal
• Argentina: Teniente primero (army); primer teniente (air force)
• Australia: Army lieutenant (pronounced left-enant); Royal Australian Navy sub-lieutenant (pronounced "loo-tenant")
• Austria: Oberleutnant
• Azerbaijan: Baş leytenant
• Belarus: Cтарший лейтенант (starshiy leytenant)
• Belgium: Lieutenant (French); luitenant (Dutch)
• Bhutan: Deda gom
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Poručnik
• Brazil: Primeiro tenente
• Bulgaria: Cтарши лейтенант (starshiy leytenant)
• Cambodia: Ak-no-say-ney-tor
• Canada: Lieutenant
• Cape Verde: Primeiro tenente
• Imperial China (Qing Dynasty): 副軍校 (Fù jūn xiào)
• People's Republic of China: 中尉 (Zhōngwèi)
• Republic of China (Taiwan): 中尉(Chungwei)
• Croatia: Natporučnik
• Cuba: Primer teniente
• Chile: Teniente
• Cyprus: Ypolokhagos (army); yposminagos (air force); anthypoploiarchos (navy)
• Czech Republic (and former Czechoslovakia): Nadporučík
• Denmark: Premierløjtnant
• Dominican Republic: Primer teniente
• Estonia: Leitnant
• Finland: Yliluutnantti
• France and all other French-speaking countries: Lieutenant (air force/army), enseigne de vaisseau de première classe (navy)
• Georgia: უფროსი ლეიტენანტი (Up’rosi leytenanti)
• Germany: Oberleutnant
• Greece: Ypolokhagos (army); yposminagos (air force); anthypoploiarchos (navy)
• Hungary: Főhadnagy
• Indonesia: Letnan satu
• Iran: ستوان یكم (Setvan yekom)
• Republic of Ireland: Lieutenant (English); lefteanant (Irish)
• Italy: Tenente
• Japan: Nitō rikui 2等陸尉 (or Nii 2尉) (modern) / Chūi 中尉 (historical)
• Jordan: ملازم أول (Moulazem awal)
• Kazakhstan: Старший лейтенант (Russian), аға лейтенант (Kazakh)
• North Korea and South Korea: 중위 (Jungwi)
• Laos: Roithõäkäd
• Latvia: Virsleitnants
• Lithuania: Vyresnysis leitenantas
• Luxembourg: Premier lieutenant
• Malaysia: Leftenan
• Mexico: Teniente primero
• Nepal: Upa-senani
• Republic of Macedonia: Поручник (poručnik)
• Mongolia: Ахлах дэслэгч (Ahlah deslegch)
• Mozambique: Tenente
• Netherlands: Eerste luitenant
• Nicaragua: Teniente primero
• Norway: Løytnant
• Pakistan: Lieutenant (army)
• Paraguay: Teniente primero
• Philippines: First lieutenant (English); pulimagat (Tagalog); primero teniente (Philippine Spanish)
• Poland: Porucznik
• Portugal: Tenente
• Romania: Locotenent (current); locotenent-major (Warsaw Pact)
• Russia: Russian: Старший лейтенант (starshy leytenant)
• Serbia: Поручник (poručnik)
• Singapore: Lieutenant
• Slovakia: Slovak: Nadporučík
• Slovenia: Nadporočnik
• Somalia: Dagaal
• Spain and all other Spanish-speaking countries except Argentina, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Uruguay: Teniente
• Suriname: Luitenant
• Sweden: Löjtnant
• Switzerland: German: Oberleutnant; French: premier lieutenant; Italian: 'primotenente'code: it is deprecated
• Thailand: Roi tho
• Tunisia: ملازم أول (moulazem awal)
• Turkey: Üsteğmen
• Ukraine: Ukrainian: Cтарший лейтенант; (starshy leytenant)
• Uruguay: Teniente primero
• Uzbekistan: Katta leytenant
• Vietnam: Thượng úy
• Venezuela: Primer teniente
• Yugoslavia: Поручник (poručnik)

Notes

Citations

References used

NATO rank code / Service branch	student officer	OF-1		OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6 ★	OF-7 ★★	OF-8 ★★★	OF-9 ★★★★	OF-10 ★★★★★
Royal Navy	OC	Midshipman	Sub-Lt	Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Admiral	Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines	OCdt	2Lt	Lt	Capt	Major	Lt Col	Colonel	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt-Gen	General	Captain-General
British Army	OCdt	2Lt	Lt	Capt	Major	Lt Col	Colonel	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt-Gen	General	Field marshal
Royal Air Force	Off Cdt / SO	APO / Plt Off	Fg Off	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	Air Cdre	AVM	Air Mshl	Air Chf Mshl	Mshl of the RAF
lists	rear admirals vice admirals admirals RM full generals Army full generals air chief marshals female senior officers