First Lieutenant
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.
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.
|
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).
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. 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.
*
Afghanistan:
Lomri Baridman*
Albania:
Toger*
Arabic-speaking countries except former French colonies in North Africa:
Mulazim Awwal*
Argentina:
Teniente Primero (army);
Primer Teniente (air force)
*
Azerbaijan:
Baş Leytenant*
Belgium:
Lieutenant (French);
Luitenant (Dutch)
*
Bhutan:
Deda Gom*
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Porucnik*
Brazil,
Angola and
Cape Verde:
Primeiro Tenente*
Cambodia:
Ak-no-say-ney-tor*
People's Republic of China: 空军中尉 (
Zhongwei)
*
Imperial China: 下等第二级 (
Fu jun xiao)
*
Croatia:
Natporucnik*
Cuba and
Dominican Republic:
Primer Teniente*
Czech Republic,
Slovakia and
Czechoslovakia:
Nadporučík*
Denmark:
Premierløjtnant*
Estonia:
Leitnant*
Finland:
Luutnantti*
France and all other
French-speaking countries:
Lieutenant*
Georgia: უფროსი ლ"იტ"ნანტი (
Up'rosi Leytenanti)
*
Germany and
Austria:
Oberleutnant*
Greece and
Cyprus:
Ypolochagos (army);
Yposminagos (air force)
*
Hungary:
Fohadnagy*
Indonesia:
Letnant Satu*
Iran: ستوان یكم (
Setvan Yekom)
*
Republic of Ireland: Lieutenant (English);
Lefteanant (Irish)
*
Israel: ס'ן (
Segen)
*
Italy:
Tenente*
Japan:
Nitō Rikui (or
Nii) (modern);
Chūi (historical)
*
North Korea:
Jungwi*
South Korea:
Chungwi*
Laos:
Roithõäkäd*
Latvia:
Virslietnants*
Lithuania:
Vyresnysis Leitenantas*
Luxembourg:
Premier Lieutenant*
Malaysia:
Leftenan*
Nepal:
Upa-Senani*
Serbia,
Republic of Macedonia and
Yugoslavia: Лоручник (
Porucnik)
*
Netherlands:
Eerste-Luitenant*
Nicaragua,
Paraguay and
Uruguay:
Teniente Primero*
Norway:
Løytnant*
Poland:
Porucznik*
Portugal and
Mozambique:
Tenente*
Romania:
Locotenent (current);
Locotenet-Major (Warsaw Pact)
*
Russia,
Belarus,
Bulgaria,
Kazakhstan,
Ukraine and
Soviet Union: Cтарший Лейтенант (
Starshiy Leytenant)
*
Slovenia:
Nadporočnik*
Spain and all other
Spanish-speaking countries except
Argentina,
Cuba,
Dominican Republic,
Nicaragua,
Paraguay and
Uruguay:
Teniente*
Suriname:
Luitenant*
Sweden:
Löjtnant*
Switzerland:
Oberleutnant (German);
Premier Lieutenant (French);
Primotenente (Italian)
*
Taiwan:
Chungwei*
Thailand:
Roi Tho*
Turkey:
Űsteğmen*
Uzbekistan:
Katta Leytenant*
Vietnam:
Trung Uy
