Lieutenant Facts for Kids

A Lieutenant is a rank for an officer in the military, police, and fire departments. It's often one of the first leadership roles an officer gets. The word "lieutenant" comes from the French language. "Lieu" means "place," and "tenant" means "holding." So, a lieutenant is someone who "holds the place" for a higher-ranking officer when they are not there. They can also be a helper or assistant to someone else in their job.

Military Ranks
- Second Lieutenant
- First Lieutenant
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Military Ranks

In many military organizations, a lieutenant is an entry level commissioned officer's rank. A commissioned officer is someone who has received a special document, called a commission, from the government, allowing them to be an officer. This rank is usually split into two levels.

Second Lieutenant

A second lieutenant (sometimes called 2LT or 2ndLt) is the lower rank of lieutenant. Even though they are "second" lieutenants, they are still addressed as "lieutenant."

For example, in the United States Army, a second lieutenant often leads a platoon. A platoon is a group of about 16 to 44 soldiers. In this role, they act as a platoon leader or commander. The time an officer stays at this rank can be different in various military services. For instance, in the British Army, an officer might be a second lieutenant for up to two years.

Australia

Bangladesh

Canada

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Indonesia

Iran

Israel

Italy

Macedonia

Mexico

Poland

Pakistan

Sweden

Romania

First Lieutenant

A first lieutenant (sometimes called 1LT or 1stLt) is the higher rank of lieutenant. Like second lieutenants, they are also addressed as "lieutenant."

In the army, a first lieutenant often works as the executive officer of a company. A company is a larger group of soldiers, usually between 110 and 140 people. In the British Army, an officer might hold this rank for up to three years.

The symbols (insignia) used to show these ranks are different around the world. In many English-speaking countries, and several European and South American nations, full lieutenants usually wear two stars (or "pips"). Second lieutenants wear one star. However, the United States is an exception. Their armed forces use one silver bar for a first lieutenant and one gold (brass) bar for a second lieutenant.