Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of
commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. The name of the rank is derived from the
ensign (flag) of a regiment, which was traditionally carried by a junior officer of the lowest rank. On ships, the ensign was also the responsibility of the lowest ranked officers.
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An Ensign's (RNZN) shoulder insignia |
The
Royal New Zealand Navy, unlike the
Royal Navy—whose uniforms, insignia, and traditions it copies—created the Ensign grade to equal the lowest commissioned
RNZAF grade of
Pilot Officer and the New Zealand Army grade of
Second Lieutenant. It ranks above the grade of
Midshipman. Like the grade of Pilot Officer, it uses a single thin strip of braid.The fact that the Royal Navy has no real equivalent to the lowest commissioned
Royal Air Force and
British Army grades was the driving factor behind the RNZN's decision to create the Ensign grade, as well as the fact that at the time New Zealand was actively involved with the United States Armed Forces, it also made sense to balance the rank system out with that used by the
United States Navy.
Until 1871, when it was replaced by
Second Lieutenant, Ensign was the lowest rank of
commissioned officer in
infantry regiments of the British Army (except
fusilier regiments, which always used Second Lieutenant). It was the duty of officers of this rank to carry the colours of the regiment. In the 16th century "ensign" was corrupted into "ancient," and was used in the two senses of a banner and the bearer of the banner. Today, the term "Ensign" is still used by the
Foot Guards regiments, for instance during the ceremony of
Trooping the Colour. The equivalent cavalry rank was
Cornet, also being derived from the name of a banner.
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Insignia of a United States Navy Ensign |
In the
United States Navy, the rank of "Ensign" superseded in
1862 that of "Passed
Midshipman". It designates an officer in the
United States Navy or the
United States Coast Guard ranking with a Second Lieutenant in the army. A typical Ensign is at specialty training for up to two years after receipt of the commission, depending on specialty, and after that is a division officer, leading a group of
petty officers and enlisted personnel in a
division. Even this billet, however, is for training purposes, as the division officer's duties and responsibilities are specifically designed to familiarize the "Div-O" with the appropriate naval systems, programs, and polices, under the guidance of their divisions'
Chief Petty Officers. U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Ensigns wear a collar insignia of a single gold bar, hence their nickname of "butterbars" (shared with Army, Air Force and Marine
2nd Lieutenants).
The most senior U.S. Navy ensign on board ship or in a naval aviation squadron, receives an enlarged collar insignia, often engraved with the word "BULL", and is known as the "Bull Ensign". By tradition, this officer is responsible for guiding and mentoring the other ensigns of a ship or squadron's wardroom. The Bull Ensign is also the direct social superior to the J.O.R.G. Ensign, or "George" (Junior Officer Requiring Guidance) who is the most junior officer in a naval command. The "George" normally serves as the Vice-President of the mess at formal military dinners, or "mess nights", and has key responsiblities for the success of this important military social event.
While officer rank is determined based on date of rank and line number precedence, not all ensigns typically receive the same prejudice as demonstrated by the JORG and Bull traditions.
Limited Duty Officer or other prior enlisted, are often viewed as being a bit more knowledgeable and experienced as freshly commissioned officers. As such these members often referred to as "Mustangs," who are typically given tougher assignments commensurate with those appropriate for an Ensign. They are also designated as an O1E versus an O-1 in regard to pay and benefits.
In Argentina, the rank of ensign is used by both the
air force and the
gendarmerie. It is, however, used differently in the two services. The air force uses the rank to designate officer cadets, while the gendarmerie uses "ensign" ranks as an equivalent for the army's "lieutenant" ranks. The other
armed forces of Argentina do not use the rank of ensign.
In France, like in other countries, the ensign (
ensiegne) was the banner of a regiment, particularly of the infantry regiments of the
ancien regime. Also like in other countries, the name began to be used for the officers who carried the ensign.
The term is no longer used in the army, being replaced entirely by the rank of sub-lieutenant (
sous-lieutenant). However, the rank is used in the navy:
Enseigne de vaisseau (literally "ensign of
ship-of-the-line") is the name of the two lowest officer ranks (which are distinguished as from one another as "first class", equal to an army lieutenant, and "second class", equal to an army sub-lieutenant.) The term
ensigne de marine ("naval ensign") is also sometimes used, but is not the official title.
{| border="0" |style="align="center""
French Ship-of-the-line Ensigns |  | Grade-enseigne-1classe.jpg |
|  | Grade-enseigne-2classe.jpg |
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| Ship-of-the-line Ensign, First Class | Ship-of the-line Ensign, Second Class |
| Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe | Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe |
