准尉 (美國)

在美国军队中，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（比如說英联邦）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只需要中士（美軍E-5（英语：Template:United States uniformed services comparative ranks）），而飛行員範疇的則需要上士（美軍E-6）；隨後於准尉學員軍校（英语：Warrant Officer Candidate School (United States Army)）或准尉軍事學院（英语：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