Lieutenant Junior Grade

In the United Stars Navy, and the other three branches which base their ranks on it, a Lieutenant Junior Grade is a junior commissioned officer. It is just above the rank of Ensign and just below the rank of Lieutenant. It is equivalent to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the other uniformed services.

Promotion to lieutenant junior grade is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 2220. DOPMA guidelines suggest all "fully qualified" officers should be promoted to lieutenant junior grade. An ensign (grade O-1) is usually promoted to lieutenant junior grade (grade O-2) 18 months after receiving their initial commission. The difference between the two ranks is slight, primarily being experienced and having higher pay. It is not uncommon to see officers moved to positions requiring more experience after promotion to lieutenant junior grade.