Second Lieutenant

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"2LT" redirects here. For the radio station in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia; see 2LT (AM).
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Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces.

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In British English the word is pronounced second /lɛf'tɛnənt/ (lef-tenent), in American English it is pronounced second /lu'tɛnənt/ (lew-tenent). The rank 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 and Fusilier regiments. At first the rank bore no distinct insignia. In 1902 a single bath star (sometimes 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.

Officer ranks of the Flag of the United Kingdom British Armed Forces
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: 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: OCdt 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

Insignia of a United States Air Force Second Lieutenant

In the United States, Second Lieutenant is typically the entry-level rank for most Commissioned Officers. An Army Second Lieutenant typically leads a platoon-size element (16 to 44 soldiers). In the Air Force, Second Lieutenants 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.

In the United States Army, the rank bore no insignia until December of 1917, when a gold bar was introduced to contrast with the silver bar of a First Lieutenant. The rank is also used in the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps. As a result of the gold color of the bars, second lieutenants are often referred to colloquially as "Butterbars", "Nuggets" or "2nd Luey." The corresponding United States Coast Guard and United States Navy rank is Ensign.

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 Special
(wartime only)		 Special
(post war honor only)
Army: CDT/OC 2LT 1LT CPT MAJ LTC COL BG MG LTG GEN GA General of
the Armies
Marine Corps: Midn 2ndLt 1stLt Capt Maj LtCol Col BGen MajGen LtGen Gen (no equivalent) (no equivalent)
Navy: MIDN/OC ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM FADM Admiral of
the Navy
Air Force: Cadet (CDT)/OT 2nd Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Gen Maj Gen Lt Gen Gen Gen of the
Air Force		 (no equivalent)
Coast Guard: CDT ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM (no equivalent) (no equivalent)
PHSCC: (no equivalent) ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM ADM (no equivalent) (no equivalent)
NOAA Corps: (no equivalent) ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT RDML RADM VADM (no equivalent) (no equivalent) (no equivalent)

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