|
Air Force Second LieutenantO-2 Commissioned Officer, U.S. Air Force |
No rank |
Air Force Ranks » Second Lieutenant Rank • 2d Lt Pay • 2d Lt Rank History
O-1 Second Lieutenant -
Commissioned Officer -
U.S. Air Force Ranks
Second Lieutenant Air Force Military Ranks
| Class | Commissioned Officer |
| Abbr. | 2d Lt |
| Title | Lieutenant (last name) |
| Paygrade |
O-1 (DoD Paygrade) OF-1 (NATO Code) |
| Basic Pay | $3,826/mo |
Second Lieutenant (2Lt) is the lowest Commissioned Officer rank of the United States Air Force. It is just below First Lieutenant, and most often do not stay at the rank Second Lieutenant for long before being promoted. Airmen commissioned from the ranks and college graduates are allowed to skip the rank completely. Second Lieutenants are responsible for supervising flights of different sizes as a flight commander or assistant flight commander, or they may work in an administrative position.
The rank insignia for a Second Lieutenant is simply a gold bar.
Second Lieutenant is the 17th rank in the United States Air Force , ranking above Second Lieutenant. A second lieutenant is a Commissioned Officer at DoD paygrade O-1, with a starting monthly pay of $3,826.
How do you become a Second Lieutenant?
A Second Lieutenant is most often promoted from Second Lieutenant (2d Lt), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.
Most cadets, with the exception of medical, legal, and musical professions, will be promoted to second lieutenant upon taking the oath. The only requirements are to complete the training for commissioning. Commissioning sources include Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Officer Training School (OTS), U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), and Direct-Commissioning programs.
What is the proper way to address a Second Lieutenant?
The correct way to address a Second Lieutenant named Mr. Miller is "Lieutenant Miller", or written as 2d Lt Miller. In formal situations, a Second Lieutenant should always be addressed by their full rank.
How much does a Second Lieutenant earn?
Basic pay for an entry-level Second Lieutenant with 2 or less years of experience is $3,826.20 per month.
A Second Lieutenant receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Second Lieutenant's final compensation package.
In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Air Force Second Lieutenant may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including housing allowance, retirement benefits, and more.
For full details on the Air Force's Second Lieutenant compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Air Force Second Lieutenant Pay Chart. A full table of the Air Force's current paygrades are available at the Air Force Pay Chart.
Equivalent Ranks to the Air Force's O-1 Second Lieutenant
To learn more about the Air Force's rank structure, see our complete list of Air Force ranks.
The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Second Lieutenant is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Air Force rank to GS grade conversion table 
.
To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Air Force and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.