All Topics  
Lieutenant Commander

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Lieutenant Commander
 
 
  Topics Lieutenant Commander Topic Home

Lieutenant Commander (Lieutenant-Commander (Pronounced Lef-tenant) in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 and Commonwealth
Commonwealth

The England noun commonwealth dates from the fifteenth century. The original phrase "common-wealth" or "the common weal" comes from the old meaning of "wealth," which is "well-being." The term literally meant "common well-being." Thus commonwealth originally meant a state or nation-state governed for the common good as opposed to an autho...
 navies) is a commissioned officer rank
Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchy relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms....
 in many navies
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
 superior
Superior

Superior may refer to:*Superior : something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind...
 to a Lieutenant
Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police commissioned officer military rank.Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure....
 and subordinate to a Commander
Commander

Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement....
. The corresponding rank in most armies
Army

An army , in the broadest sense, is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force....
, (armed services) and air force
Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps , is in the broadest sense, the national armed force or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare....
s is Major
Major

In many European languages, the term Major refers to a military rank, denoting seniority at one of usually various levels of rank, for example: "Sergeant-Major" denoting the most senior ranking sergeant of a large military unit; "Captain-Major", denoting a mid-level command status Officer ...
, and in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 and other Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
 air forces is Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader is a commissioned officer rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence....
 also.

A Lieutenant Commander is a senior department
Department (naval)

On a Naval Ship or shore activity, a Department is a section devoted to one of several major tasks. Most Ships have Operations, Engineering, Deck or Weapons, and Medical Departments....
 officer on a large ship
Ship

A ship is a large watercraft that floats on water. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size. Ships may be found on lakes, seas, and rivers and they allow for a variety of activities, such as the ferry or cargo ships, fishing, cruise ship, Coast guard, and warship....
 or shore installation.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Lieutenant Commander'
Start a new discussion about 'Lieutenant Commander'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Lieutenant Commander (Lieutenant-Commander (Pronounced Lef-tenant) in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 and Commonwealth
Commonwealth

The England noun commonwealth dates from the fifteenth century. The original phrase "common-wealth" or "the common weal" comes from the old meaning of "wealth," which is "well-being." The term literally meant "common well-being." Thus commonwealth originally meant a state or nation-state governed for the common good as opposed to an autho...
 navies) is a commissioned officer rank
Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchy relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms....
 in many navies
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
 superior
Superior

Superior may refer to:*Superior : something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind...
 to a Lieutenant
Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police commissioned officer military rank.Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure....
 and subordinate to a Commander
Commander

Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement....
. The corresponding rank in most armies
Army

An army , in the broadest sense, is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force....
, (armed services) and air force
Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps , is in the broadest sense, the national armed force or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare....
s is Major
Major

In many European languages, the term Major refers to a military rank, denoting seniority at one of usually various levels of rank, for example: "Sergeant-Major" denoting the most senior ranking sergeant of a large military unit; "Captain-Major", denoting a mid-level command status Officer ...
, and in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 and other Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
 air forces is Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader is a commissioned officer rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence....
 also.

A Lieutenant Commander is a senior department
Department (naval)

On a Naval Ship or shore activity, a Department is a section devoted to one of several major tasks. Most Ships have Operations, Engineering, Deck or Weapons, and Medical Departments....
 officer on a large ship
Ship

A ship is a large watercraft that floats on water. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size. Ships may be found on lakes, seas, and rivers and they allow for a variety of activities, such as the ferry or cargo ships, fishing, cruise ship, Coast guard, and warship....
 or shore installation. He may also be commanding officer
Commanding officer

The commanding officer is the Officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law....
 or executive officer
Executive officer

While executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an organization, the exact meaning of the role is variable, depending on the organization....
 (second-in-command
Second-in-command

The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army....
) of a smaller ship or installation.

Origins


Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a Commander or Captain
Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navy to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The Naval officer ranks#NATO Rank Codes is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
: such a Lieutenant was called a "Lieutenant Commanding" or "Lieutenant Commandant" in the United States Navy
United States Navy

The United States Navy is the navy of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy currently has approximately 331,682 personnel on active duty as of 31 December 2008 and 124,000 in the United States Navy Reserve....
, and a "Lieutenant in Command" or "Lieutenant and Commander" in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
. The USN settled on "Lieutenant Commander" in 1862, and made it a distinct rank; the RN followed suit in March 1914.

United Kingdom


Royal Navy


Uk Navy Of3
The insignia worn by a Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 Lieutenant-Commander (Lt Cdr) is two medium gold braid stripes with one thin gold stripe running in between, placed upon a navy blue/black background. The top stripe has the ubiquitous loop used in all RN officer rank insignia. The RAF follows this pattern with its equivalent rank of Squadron Leader.

Having fewer officer ranks than the army, the RN previously split some of its ranks by seniority (time in rank) to provide equivalence: hence a Lieutenant with fewer than eight years' seniority wore two stripes, and ranked with an army Captain; a Lieutenant of eight years or more wore two stripes with a thinner one in between, and ranked with a Major. This distinction was abolished when the rank of Lieutenant-Commander was introduced.

Royal Observer Corps

Throughout much of its existence, the British Royal Observer Corps
Royal Observer Corps

The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
 (ROC) maintained a rank of Observer Lieutenant Commander (Obs Lt Cdr). The ROC wore a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 uniform and their rank insignia appeared similar to that of an RAF Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader is a commissioned officer rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence....
 except that the stripes were shown entirely in black. Prior to the renaming, the rank had been known as Observer Lieutenant (First Class).

Other countries

Similar insignia is worn by Lieutenant-Commanders in other Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
 navies, such as the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the navy of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states....
 (which uses the abbreviation "LCDR"), the Royal New Zealand Navy
Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. In April 2006 the fleet consisted of ten ships, with the combat force consisting of two frigates....
 and the Canadian Forces Maritime Command
Canadian Forces Maritime Command

Canadian Forces Maritime Command , also known as the Canadian Navy, is the navy of the Canadian Forces. While equal in rank and position, The Chief of the Maritime Staff takes precedence over the Chiefs of the Land and Air Staffs following the tradition of the Royal Navy....
 (formerly the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy

The Royal Canadian Navy was the navy of Canada from 1911 until 1968 when the three Canadian services were unified to form the Canadian Forces. The modern Canadian navy is known as Canadian Forces Maritime Command ....
; which uses the abbreviation "LCdr"). Unlike the United States Navy, personnel in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 or other Commonwealth Navies addressing a Lieutenant-Commander do not abbreviate the rank to "Commander." The United States Navy always addresses officers in the higher grade of the rank; as an example,a LTJG is not referred to as Lieutenant Junior Grade, but instead simply Lieutenant, and a Lieutenant Commander is referred to as a Commander. If either a Commander or Lieutenant Commander have screened for and are in command of a naval vessel or installation they are casually referred to as the skipper.

Canada


United States


Russia


The corresponding rank to Lieutenant Commander is Captain 3rd Rank.