Which sequence correctly lists the Junior Officer ranks from lowest to highest?

Which sequence correctly lists the Junior Officer ranks from lowest to highest?

• A. Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander
• B. Ensign, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant Commander
• C. Lieutenant Junior Grade, Ensign, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander
• D. Ensign, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant Junior Grade

Answer: (A)

In the Navy, junior officer ranks advance by pay grade, from Ensign at the bottom up through Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, and then Lieutenant Commander. This makes the correct sequence Ensign (O-1), Lieutenant Junior Grade (O-2), Lieutenant (O-3), Lieutenant Commander (O-4) in ascending order. The other options mix the ranks out of that progression—one places Lieutenant before Lieutenant Junior Grade, another starts with Lieutenant Junior Grade as if it were the lowest, and another puts Lieutenant Junior Grade after Lieutenant Commander. Understanding the pay-grade ladder clarifies why this order is correct.

In the Navy, junior officer ranks advance by pay grade, from Ensign at the bottom up through Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, and then Lieutenant Commander. This makes the correct sequence Ensign (O-1), Lieutenant Junior Grade (O-2), Lieutenant (O-3), Lieutenant Commander (O-4) in ascending order. The other options mix the ranks out of that progression—one places Lieutenant before Lieutenant Junior Grade, another starts with Lieutenant Junior Grade as if it were the lowest, and another puts Lieutenant Junior Grade after Lieutenant Commander. Understanding the pay-grade ladder clarifies why this order is correct.