准尉 (美國)

在美國軍隊中，准尉為比士官高級，但比北約OF-1軍階的軍官低級的特別階層。^[1]准尉當中分為五級，數字越大則越高級。然而，世界上絕大多數的准尉都是處於士官與軍官之間的「夾心階層」，而美軍的准尉制度之所以特別並不在於此；其餘國家（比如說英聯邦）的軍隊中，准尉是屬於士官的級別（大概在北約OR-8或OR-9的位置），但美軍的准尉是獨立一個階級，並不再是士官的類別而可以享受軍官的待遇。

訓練

在美軍中要成為准尉，不同軍種的要求亦有分別。以陸軍為例，要成為技術員範疇的准尉需要中士（美軍E-5（英語：Template:United States uniformed services comparative ranks）），而飛行員範疇的則不需要成為士官；隨後於准尉學員軍校（英語：Warrant Officer Candidate School (United States Army)）或准尉軍事學院（英語：United States Army Warrant Officer Career College）完成培訓，成功畢業後即可成為准尉。

列表

美軍各軍種的准尉軍階徽章
軍種	一級准尉	二級准尉	三級准尉	四級准尉	五級准尉
陸軍	U.S. Army warrant officer 1 rank insignia	U.S. Army chief warrant officer 2 rank insignia	U.S. Army chief warrant officer 3 rank insignia	U.S. Army chief warrant officer 4 rank insignia	U.S. Army chief warrant officer 5 rank insignia
海軍陸戰隊	USMC warrant officer 1 rank insignia	USMC chief warrant officer 2 rank insignia	USMC chief warrant officer 3 rank insignia	USMC chief warrant officer 4 rank insignia	USMC chief warrant officer 5 rank insignia
海軍	U.S. Navy warrant officer 1 rank insignia	U.S. Navy chief warrant officer 2 rank insignia	U.S. Navy chief warrant officer 3 rank insignia	U.S. Navy chief warrant officer 4 rank insignia
空軍（空軍准尉制度已終止）	U.S. Air Force warrant officer 1 rank insignia	U.S. Air Force chief warrant officer 2 rank insignia	U.S. Air Force chief warrant officer 3 rank insignia	U.S. Air Force chief warrant officer 4 rank insignia	U.S. Air Force chief warrant officer 5 rank insignia
海岸防衛隊	1975年已中止	U.S. Coast Guard chief warrant officer 2 rank Insignia	U.S. Coast Guard chief warrant officer 3 rank insignia	U.S. Coast Guard chief warrant officer 4 rank insignia	1994年設立，但未啟用