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Lieutenant commander is a junior office in the US navy, corrected from senior officer.
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{{Short description|Naval rank of the United States}}
{{Short description|Naval rank of the United States}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
[[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|thumb|right|250px|Insignia of the rank of lieutenant commander in the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]], [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]], [[NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps|U.S. NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps]] and [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. PHS]] (full)]]
{{Infobox military rank
⚫
[[File:US Navy 090713-F-1333S-029 Lieutenant Commander Todd Gleeson, embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), provides medical care to a Nicaraguan woman.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A lieutenant commander providing medical care aboard [[USNS Comfort|USNS ''Comfort'' (T-AH 20)]].]]
| name = Lieutenant commander
| native_name =
| image = US-O4 insignia.svg
| image_size = 100px
| alt =
| caption = Insignia of the rank of lieutenant commander
| image2 =
| image_size2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| image3 =
| image_size3 =
| alt3 =
| caption3 =
| country = {{flag|United States}}
| service branch = {{unbulleted list|[[United States Navy|Navy]]|[[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]]|[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|Public Health Service]]|[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps|NOAA Corps]]|[[United States Maritime Service|Maritime Service]]}}
| abbreviation =
| rank group = [[Field officer|junior officer]]
| rank =
| NATO rank = OF-3
| Non-NATO rank =
| pay grade = O-4
| formation =
| abolished =
| higher rank = [[Commander (United States)|Commander]]
| lower rank = [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]]
| equivalents = [[Major (United States)|Major]]
| history =
}}


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[[File:US Navy 090713-F-1333S-029 Lieutenant Commander Todd Gleeson, embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), provides medical care to a Nicaraguan woman.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A lieutenant commander providing medical care aboard [[USNS Comfort|USNS ''Comfort'' (T-AH 20)]]]]
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'''Lieutenant Commander''' ('''LCDR''') is a [[Junior Officer]] rank in the [[United States Navy]], the [[United States Coast Guard]], the [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]], and the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps]] (NOAA Corps), with the pay grade of O-4 and [[Naval officer ranks#NATO Rank Codes|NATO rank code]] OF-3. When introducing a lieutenant commander their full rank should always be used; however, in general conversation they are usually called "commander" even though they are not a "full" commander (which is one rank higher). Simply "lieutenant" is never used because it is one rank lower. The predecessors of the NOAA Corps, the [[United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps]] (1917–1965) and the [[Environmental Science Services Administration Corps]] (1965–1970), also used the lieutenant commander rank, and the rank is also used in the [[United States Maritime Service]] and the [[United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps]]. Lieutenant commanders rank above [[Lieutenant#Naval rank|lieutenants]] and below [[Commander (United States)|commanders]]. The rank is equivalent to a [[Major (United States)|major]] in the [[United States Army]], [[United States Air Force]], [[United States Marine Corps]], and United States Space Force.


⚫
'''Lieutenant commander''' ('''LCDR''') is a [[Field officer|junior officer]] rank in the [[United States Navy]], the [[United States Coast Guard]], the [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]], and the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps]] (NOAA Corps), with the pay grade of O-4 and [[Naval officer ranks#NATO Rank Codes|NATO rank code]] OF-3. Lieutenant commanders rank above [[Lieutenant#Naval rank|lieutenants]] and below [[Commander (United States)|commanders]]. The rank is also used in the [[United States Maritime Service]] . The rank is equivalent to a [[Major (United States)|major]] in the [[United States Army]], [[United States Air Force]], [[United States Marine Corps]], and [[United States Space Force]].
⚫
Promotion to Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy is governed by [[United States Department of Defense]] policies derived from the [[Defense Officer Personnel Management Act]] of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 80% of Lieutenants should be promoted to Lieutenant Commander after serving a minimum of three years at their present rank and after attaining nine to eleven years of cumulative commissioned service.{{fact|date=September 2013}}


When introducing a lieutenant commander, their full rank should always be used; however, in general conversation they are usually called "commander" even though they are not "full" commanders (which is one rank higher). Simply "lieutenant" is never used because it is one rank lower.
⚫
While lieutenant commander is the U.S. Navy's first commissioned officer to be selected by a board, they are still considered to be junior officers due to their origin as "lieutenant, commanding".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lieutenant Commander|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/w/naval-traditions-names-of-rank/officer/lieutenant-commander.html|access-date=2021-03-15|language=en-US}}</ref> This can be seen by lieutenant commanders not wearing the headgear embellishment (colloquially known as "[[Scrambled eggs (uniform)|scrambled eggs]]") on their combination covers.{{fact|date=September 2013}}


⚫
Promotion to lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy is governed by [[United States Department of Defense]] policies derived from the [[Defense Officer Personnel Management Act]] of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 80% of lieutenants should be promoted to lieutenant commander after serving a minimum of three years as lieutenants and after attaining nine to eleven years of cumulative commissioned service.{{fact|date=September 2013}}
⚫
The [[United States Coast Guard]] used their own rank system until World War I. In 1916, discontent grew among Coast Guard captains:<ref>J. G. Ballinger to Commodore Bertholf. Letter Received 19 April 1916. USCG Records</ref> By law, they ranked below a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy despite similar roles and duties. Pursuant to the Appropriations Act of 1918, the Coast Guard adopted the Navy rank structure to prevent disagreements over seniority.<ref>Navy Circular 28762-115</ref>


⚫
While lieutenant commander is the U.S. Navy's first commissioned officer rank to be selected by a board, lieutenant commanders are still considered to be junior officers due to their origin as "lieutenant, commanding".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lieutenant Commander|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/w/naval-traditions-names-of-rank/officer/lieutenant-commander.html|access-date=2021-03-15|language=en-US}}</ref> This can be seen by lieutenant commanders not wearing the headgear embellishment (colloquially known as "[[Scrambled eggs (uniform)|scrambled eggs]]") on their combination covers.{{fact|date=September 2013}}
⚫
There are two insignia used by lieutenant commanders. On service khakis and all working uniforms, lieutenant commanders wear a gold oak leaf collar device, similar to the ones worn by majors in the [[United States Air Force|USAF]] and [[United States Army|Army]], and identical to that worn by majors in the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]. In all dress uniforms, they wear sleeve braid or shoulder boards bearing a single gold quarter-inch stripe between two gold half-inch strips (nominal size). In the case of officers of the U.S. Navy, above or inboard of the stripes, they wear their specialty insignia, notably a star for officers of the line, crossed oak leaves for Civil Engineer Corps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/prhome/poprep2000/html/chapter4/chapter4_2.htm|title=United States Department of Defense|website=www.defenselink.mil|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>


⚫
The U.S. Coast Guard used its own rank system until [[World War I]]. In 1916, discontent grew among Coast Guard captains:<ref>J. G. Ballinger to Commodore Bertholf. Letter Received 19 April 1916. USCG Records</ref> By law, they ranked below a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy despite similar roles and duties. Pursuant to the Appropriations Act of 1918, the Coast Guard adopted the U.S. Navy rank structure to prevent disagreements over seniority.<ref>Navy Circular 28762-115</ref>


⚫
There are two insignia used by lieutenant commanders. On service khakis and all working uniforms, lieutenant commanders wear a gold oak leaf collar device, similar to the ones worn by majors in the [[United States Air Force]] and [[United States Army]], and identical to that worn by majors in the [[United States Marine Corps]]. In all dress uniforms, they wear sleeve braid or shoulder boards bearing a single gold quarter-inch stripe between two gold half-inch strips (nominal size). In the case of officers of the U.S. Navy, above or inboard of the stripes, they wear their specialty insignia, notably a star for officers of the line, crossed oak leaves for Civil Engineer Corps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/prhome/poprep2000/html/chapter4/chapter4_2.htm|title=United States Department of Defense|website=www.defenselink.mil|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>


<gallery class="center" widths="120" heights="200" caption="Insignia of lieutenant commanders in different uniformed services in the United States">
<gallery class="center" caption="Insignia of lieutenant commanders in different uniformed services in the United States">
File:US Navy O4 insignia.svg|United States Navy
File:US Navy O4 insignia.svg|[[United States Navy]]
File:USCG O-4 insignia.svg|United States Coast Guard
File:USCG O-4 insignia.svg|[[United States Coast Guard]]
File:US PHS O4 insignia.svg|United States Public Health Service
File:US PHS O4 insignia.svg|[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]]
File:US NOAA O4 insignia.svg|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
File:US NOAA O4 insignia.svg|[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps]]
</gallery>
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Military unit]]
*[[Comparative military ranks]]
*[[U.S. Navy officer rank insignia]]
*[[U.S. Navy officer rank insignia]]


Latest revision as of 01:58, 26 January 2024

Lieutenant commander
Insignia of the rank of lieutenant commander
Country United States
Service branch
Rank groupjunior officer
NATO rank codeOF-3
Pay gradeO-4
Next higher rankCommander
Next lower rankLieutenant
Equivalent ranksMajor
A lieutenant commander providing medical care aboard USNS Comfort (T-AH 20)

Lieutenant commander (LCDR) is a junior officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps), with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3. Lieutenant commanders rank above lieutenants and below commanders. The rank is also used in the United States Maritime Service . The rank is equivalent to a major in the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Space Force.

When introducing a lieutenant commander, their full rank should always be used; however, in general conversation they are usually called "commander" even though they are not "full" commanders (which is one rank higher). Simply "lieutenant" is never used because it is one rank lower.

Promotion to lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy is governed by United States Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 80% of lieutenants should be promoted to lieutenant commander after serving a minimum of three years as lieutenants and after attaining nine to eleven years of cumulative commissioned service.[citation needed]

While lieutenant commander is the U.S. Navy's first commissioned officer rank to be selected by a board, lieutenant commanders are still considered to be junior officers due to their origin as "lieutenant, commanding".[1] This can be seen by lieutenant commanders not wearing the headgear embellishment (colloquially known as "scrambled eggs") on their combination covers.[citation needed]

The U.S. Coast Guard used its own rank system until World War I. In 1916, discontent grew among Coast Guard captains:[2] By law, they ranked below a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy despite similar roles and duties. Pursuant to the Appropriations Act of 1918, the Coast Guard adopted the U.S. Navy rank structure to prevent disagreements over seniority.[3]

There are two insignia used by lieutenant commanders. On service khakis and all working uniforms, lieutenant commanders wear a gold oak leaf collar device, similar to the ones worn by majors in the United States Air Force and United States Army, and identical to that worn by majors in the United States Marine Corps. In all dress uniforms, they wear sleeve braid or shoulder boards bearing a single gold quarter-inch stripe between two gold half-inch strips (nominal size). In the case of officers of the U.S. Navy, above or inboard of the stripes, they wear their specialty insignia, notably a star for officers of the line, crossed oak leaves for Civil Engineer Corps.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Lieutenant Commander". Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  2. ^ J. G. Ballinger to Commodore Bertholf. Letter Received 19 April 1916. USCG Records
  3. ^ Navy Circular 28762-115
  4. ^ "United States Department of Defense". www.defenselink.mil. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
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