Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military rank, the equivalent of which is used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional naval grade, Lieutenant is the second third line officer rank.

Use in Starfleet

The Starfleet rank of Lieutenant sits between the ranks of Lieutenant Junior Grade and Lieutenant Commander. It also the most common commissioned rank that is currently in use by Starfleet. Lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of the Starfleet Marine Corp rank of Captain.

Lieutenants can be found serving on Department heads on many Starfleet vessels and facilities. Besides this Lieutenants are considered to be section leaders and technical experts, many of whom are still developing their leadership skills in preparation for promotion to Lieutenant Commander. Along with serving as Specialists and technical experts, Liutenants can serve as the Assistant Chief of their respective departments and can assist where needed with the day to day running of their departments.

Advancement

Generally commissioned officers must spend at least four years at the rank of Lieutenant before being considered for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. This is not always the case however as officers can be promoted earlier if the situation calls for it. Dependant on career advancement and their specialites officers can expect to spend anywhere from 4 to 10 years as a Lieutenant. Many officers who chose to remain as specialists in their chosen fields instead of focusing on moving into more senior roles will often see out their Starfleet careers at this rank.