First Lieutenant

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First Lieutenant is a military rank.

The rank of Lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations (see comparative military ranks), but in all cases it is common for it to be divided.

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[edit] United Kingdom

In the British Army and Royal Marines, the rank is only Lieutenant, with no ordinal attached.

The Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and Fusilier regiments, the only branches which used Second Lieutenant (instead of Ensign or Cornet), did use the term First Lieutenant, but this ended when the whole Army switched to using Second Lieutenant in 1871.

In the Royal Navy, the rank of Lieutenant is equivalent to that of a Captain in the army, and First Lieutenant is a position rather than a rank.

In the days of sail, the Lieutenants in a ship were ranked according to their seniority (i.e. how long they had been a Lieutenant), with the senior being the First Lieutenant, followed by the Second Lieutenant, Third Lieutenant, etc. The First Lieutenant (familiarly known as the "Number One") was the second-in-command (unless the ship was big enough to carry a Commander as well as a Captain, which sometimes happened from the mid-19th century onwards). When this system was abolished in the late 19th century, the position of First Lieutenant (only) was retained, remaining as second-in-command of a smaller ship or third-in-command of a larger ship.

Today, the First Lieutenant often holds the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. In smaller ships he also holds the position of Executive Officer, although in larger ships he is the XO's deputy.

Flag of the United Kingdom

British officer ranks
  Student Officer OF(D) OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6 OF-7 OF-8 OF-9 OF-10
Royal Navy: O/C Mid SLt Lt Lt Cdr Cdr Capt Cdre RAdm VAdm Adm Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines: OCdt 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen
Army: OCdt 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen FM
Royal Air Force: OC / SO APO / PO Fg Off Flt Lt Sqn Ldr Wg Cdr Gp Capt ACdre AVM AM ACM MRAF

[edit] United States

[edit] US Army, US Air Force, US Marine Corps

Insignia of a United States Air Force First Lieutenant.

In the United States Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, First Lieutenant is the second-lowest ranking commissioned officer. It is one step above the rank of Second Lieutenant, usually promoted after 18 to 24 months service. A First Lieutenant usually leads more specialized platoons or may be the Executive Officer of a company-sized unit (110 to 140 personnel).

[edit] US Navy and US Coast Guard

In the United States Navy, First Lieutenant is a position title and is held by the officer in command of the Deck department. On smaller ships, a 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 full Commander. However, on US submarines, where the deck department may only have a few junior sailors, the First Lieutenant may be a senior enlisted member, such as a first class petty officer or chief petty officer.

Flag of the United States
U.S. commissioned officer ranks
  Student Officer O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6 O-7 O-8 O-9 O-10 O-11 (wartime only) Special Grade
United States Navy: MIDN/OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM FADM Admiral of
the Navy
United States Marine Corps: Midn 2ndLt 1stLt Capt Maj LtCol Col BGen MajGen LtGen Gen (no equivalent) (no equivalent)
United States Army: CDT/OC 2LT 1LT CPT MAJ LTC COL BG MG LTG GEN General of
the Army		 General of the Armies
United States Air Force: Cadet 2nd Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Gen Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen General of
the Air Force		 (no equivalent)
United States Coast Guard: CDT ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM (no equivalent) (no equivalent)

[edit] Other countries

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