Second Lieutenant

Second Lieutenant is the lowest ranking commissioned officer in many armed forces, including the US Army, Air Force and Marine Corps. The corresponding US Navy rank is Ensign. In Germany, this rank is Leutnant. In the US army, the rank bore no insignia until 1917 when a gold bar was introduced to contrast with the silver bar of a First Lieutenant. As a result those in the rank have often been referred to as "Butterbars" 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 and Royal Engineers. At first the rank bore no distinct insignia until 1902 with the introduction of the single pip (sometimes referred to as a "star") when the rank of Lieutenant and Captain each had their number of pips increased by one to (respectively) two and three pips. The Rank is also used by the Royal Marines. In the Royal Air Force the comparible rank is Pilot Officer, but there is no Royal Navy equivalent as a Sub Lieutenant is equivalent to a Lieutenant and the most junior commissioned rank of Midshipman is considered inferior.

See also

\n*Comparative military ranks Lieutenant 2 \n