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Cadets to be commissioned as lieutenants.
This coming June 15, at the commissioning of God’s Fellow Workers Session of cadets, these newest officers of The Salvation Army will receive the rank of “lieutenant.”
Following a long period of consideration and discussion with the International Management Council and the General’s Consultative Council, General Shaw Clifton has decided that, effective March 1, 2008, the rank of lieutenant will be reinstated into the officer rank structure, as the first commissioned officer rank. Thus, on and from that date, all cadets—including those who are currently in training—will be commissioned with the rank of lieutenant.
The effective date of March 1 is necessary to meet the requirements of the worldwide Army, as different countries celebrate commissioning at various times throughout the year.
Many have found it confusing that the Army uses an officer rank to describe the position of a non-officer worker. Reintroducing the rank of lieutenant as a commissioned officer rank will eliminate that confusion. The rank will also clearly identify those officers who are newly commissioned or within their initial years of service, and will assist in setting a clearly defined target date for completion of post-commissioning studies.
The rank of lieutenant will be held for five years from the date of commissioning—facilitating once again the linking of a satisfactory five-year review with the possibility of promotion to the rank of captain.
The insignia for a lieutenant will be as it was before: a silver “S” on a red patch on each lapel, and one star on a red background on each epaulet.
Regarding those currently serving as lieutenants, Chief Secretary Lt. Colonel Donald Bell stated: “International Headquarters gives territorial commanders discretion to identify the position of those in service; existing lieutenants will receive a new designation.”
Along with these changes to the Army’s Orders and Regulations, the General has decided that, with effect on and from March 1, 2008, the term “cadet-lieutenant” will no longer be used at all. For territories that have only one year of residential training, cadets will hold that designation throughout their training period, whether in residence at the training college in their first year of training or serving in an appointment during their second year of training—they will remain cadets until the day they are commissioned as officers.
In summary, as of March 1, 2008, all Salvation Army cadets will be commissioned with the rank of lieutenant, and will hold that rank for five years before being eligible for promotion to the rank of captain.