Officers holding this rank serve either as nuch commanders of a platoon-sized element soldiers or as staff officers. All second lieutenants hold both types of positions during their time holding this rank. The former job of commanding a platoon, known formally as being a platoon leader, is the more prestigious position of the two and the one required for officers to move on to the next rank. Second lieutenants will serve in such capacity for anywhere from months, usually advancing to the next rank of First Lieutenant during this time. Work as a staff officer is done before receiving command of a platoon in order to prepare the officer for the magnitude of such a task. While serving in the leadership position of platoon leader, Second Lieutenants have five senior non-commissioned officers NCO’sone platoon sergeant E-6 or Thd and four squad leaders E-5 or E-6 serving underneath. The rest of the platoon—that is to say the bulk of the platoon—is made of soldiers E-1 to E