Second Lieutenant

Second Lieutenant is the junior most commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.

Contents

Etymology

The word lieutenant derives from French; the lieu meaning "in place" as in a position (cf. in lieu of); and tenant meaning "holding" as in "holding a position"; thus a "lieutenant" is somebody who holds a position in the absence of his or her superior (compare the Latin locum tenens). Similar words in other languages include the Arabic mulāzim (Arabic: ملازم‎), meaning "holding a place", and the Hebrew word segen (Hebrew: סגן‎), meaning "deputy" or "second to".

In the nineteenth century, British writers who either considered this word an imposition on the English language, or difficult for common soldiers and sailors, argued for it to be replaced by the calque "steadholder." However, their efforts failed, and the French word is still used, along with its Lieutenant-Colonel variation, in both the Old and the New World.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation of lieutenant is generally split between the forms lef-tenant (/lɛfˈtɛnənt/) and lieu-tenant (/ljuːˈtɛnənt/  ( listen)), with the former generally associated with the United Kingdom, Ireland and Commonwealth countries, and the latter generally associated with the United States.[1] The earlier history of the pronunciation is unclear; Middle English spellings suggest that the /ljuː-/ and /lɛf-/ pronunciations existed even then.[2] The rare Old French variant spelling luef for Modern French lieu ('place') supports the suggestion that a final [w] of the Old French word was in certain environments perceived as an [f].[2]

In Royal Naval—and other English-speaking navies outside the United States—tradition, the intermediate pronunciation /ləˈtɛnənt/ was preserved. This is not recognized as current by the OED, however, and by 1954 the Royal Canadian Navy, at least, regarded it as "obsolescent" even while regarding "the army's 'LEF-tenant'" to be "a corruption of the worst sort".[3]

Common anglophone military ranks
Navies Armies Air forces
Officers
Admiral of
the Fleet		 Marshal /
Field Marshal		 Marshal of
the Air Force
Admiral General Air Marshal
Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore
Captain Colonel Group Captain
Commander Lt. Colonel Wing Commander
Lieutenant
Commander		 Major /
Commandant		 Squadron
Leader
Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer
Ensign 2nd Lieutenant Pilot Officer
Midshipman Officer Cadet Officer Cadet
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer Sergeant Major Warrant Officer
Petty Officer Sergeant Sergeant
Leading Seaman Corporal Corporal
Seaman Private Aircraftman

United Kingdom and Commonwealth

The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign (cornet in the cavalry), although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Fusilier and Rifle regiments. At first the rank bore no distinct insignia. In 1902 a single bath star (now commonly referred to as a pip) was introduced; the ranks of lieutenant and captain had their number of stars increased by one to (respectively) two and three. The rank is also used by the Royal Marines.

In the Royal Air Force the comparable rank is pilot officer. The Royal Navy has no exactly equivalent rank, and a second lieutenant is senior to a Royal Navy midshipman but junior to a Sub-Lieutenant. The Royal New Zealand Navy – breaking with Royal Navy tradition – uses the ensign grade for this rank equivalent. The Royal Australian Navy also breaks tradition in the sense that it has the equivalent rank of Ensign, but it is titled "acting sub lieutenant."

The Canadian Forces adopted the rank with insignia of a single gold ring around the service dress uniform cuff for both army and air personnel upon unification in 1968. For a time, naval personnel used this rank but reverted to the Royal Canadian Navy rank of acting sub-lieutenant, though the CF Green uniform was retained until the mid-1980s.

NATO Rank code Student Officer OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6
*		 OF-7
**		 OF-8
***		 OF-9
****		 OF-10
*****
Royal Navy Mid SLt Lt Lt Cdr Cdr Capt Cdre RAdm VAdm Adm Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt Gen Gen
Army O Cdt 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt Gen Gen FM
Royal Air Force OC APO / Plt Off Fg Off Flt Lt Sqn Ldr Wg Cdr Gp Capt Air Cdre AVM Air Mshl Air Chf Mshl MRAF

United States

Insignia of a United States Second Lieutenant
2nd Lieutenant rank insignia of the Confederate Army as used during the American Civil War

In the United States, second lieutenant is typically the entry-level rank for most commissioned officers.

In the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps, a second lieutenant typically leads a platoon-size element (16 to 44 soldiers or Marines). In the Army, the rank bore no insignia until December 1917, when a gold bar was introduced to contrast with the silver bar of a first lieutenant.

In the U.S. Air Force, a second lieutenant may supervise flights of varying sizes, depending upon the career field, as a flight commander or assistant flight commander or may work in a variety of administrative positions at the squadron, group, or wing level.

As a result of the gold color of the bars, second lieutenants are often colloquially referred to as Butterbars or Nuggets. Other colloquialisms include Commissioned Privates, 2nd Luey, or Brown Bars (this last is due to the subdued gold color of the bar as worn on tactical uniforms).

The corresponding United States Coast Guard and United States Navy rank is ensign.

People who have a bachelor's degree, or members of ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) in college may also enter as a 2nd Lieutenant. Newly commissioned 2nd lieutenants usually attend a Basic Officer Training course.

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 Special Special
Approximate
insignia:		 (no universal insignia) Second Lieutenant / Ensign First Lieutenant / Lieutenant (junior grade) Captain / Lieutenant Major / Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Colonel / Commander Colonel / Captain Brigadier General / Rear Admiral (lower half) Major General / Rear Admiral Lieutenant General / Vice Admiral General / Admiral General of the Army / General of the Air Force / Fleet Admiral (no authorized insignia)
Air Force: CDT / OT 2d Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Gen Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen GAF[1][4]
 [2]
Army: CDT / OC 2LT 1LT CPT MAJ LTC COL BG MG LTG GEN GA[1][4]
 General of the
Armies[1][4]
Marine Corps: Midn / Cand 2ndLt 1stLt Capt Maj LtCol Col BGen MajGen LtGen Gen [2] [2]
Navy: MIDN / OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT CDRE[1] / RDML RADM VADM ADM FADM[1][4]
 Admiral of the
Navy[1][4]
Coast Guard: CDT ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT CDRE[1] / RDML RADM VADM ADM [2] [2]
Public Health Service: [2] ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RADM RADM VADM ADM [2] [2]
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration:		 [2] ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM[1][4]
 [3] [2] [2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2]
Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3] Grade requires Congressional approval for re-activation [4]
W-1 W-2 W-3 W-4 W-5
Air Force: WO-1[1] CWO-2[1] CWO-3[1] CWO-4[1] CWO-5[1]
Army: WO1 CW2 CW3 CW4 CW5
Marine Corps: WO-1 CWO-2 CWO-3 CWO-4 CWO-5
Navy: WO-1[1] CWO-2 CWO-3 CWO-4 CWO-5
Coast Guard: [3] CWO-2 CWO-3 CWO-4 [3]
Public Health Service: [3] [3] [3] [3] [2]
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: [2] [2] [2] [2] [2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2]
Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3]

Norway

The equivalent rank in Norway(O-1) is "fenrik", but the function of the rank differs drastically from other armies. Although it is an officer rank, it strongly resembles an NCO-rank in practice. The ranking system in Norway is quite different, while they don't have a professional army, Fenriks are usually former experienced sergeants but to become a sergeant one has to go through officer's training and education. Though they still fill such roles as squad leaders and platoon sergeants while at the rank Fenrik, in some cases Fenriks are XOs. Most Fenriks have finished the War Academy as well, and are fully trained officers. This is due to the lack of an NCO-corps in the Norwegian army.

NATO Code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) Student Officer
 Norway
(Edit)		 No Equivalent Badge of rank of General of the Norwegian Army.svg
General		 Badge of rank of Generalløytnant of the Norwegian Army.svg
Generalløytnant		 Badge of rank of Generalmajor of the Norwegian Army.svg
Generalmajor		 Badge of rank of Brigader of the Norwegian Army.svg
Brigader		 Badge of rank of Oberst of the Norwegian Army.svg
Oberst		 Badge of rank of Oberstløytnant of the Norwegian Army.svg
Oberstløytnant		 Badge of rank of Major of the Norwegian Army.svg
Major		 Badge of rank of Kaptein of the Norwegian Army.svg
Kaptein / Rittmester		 Badge of rank of Løytnant of the Norwegian Army.svg
Løytnant		 Badge of rank of Fenrik of the Norwegian Army.svg
Fenrik		 No Equivalent No Equivalent

Other countries

See also

References

  1. ↑ American Heritage Dictionary, s.v. "Lieutenant".
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oxford English Dictionary.
  3. ↑ A. D. Taylor, Customs of the Navy, 1954.