What is something that you feel most 2nd lieutenants lack?

rank

Everyone is hitting on the good points. It's the next step that's crucial. That is the experience actually changes you for the good. The overall average capability to do that has been arguably declining over the years. You see the difference every day. What used to be "Wow, I will improve so my butt doesn't get chewed like that again" to a whiny "I got picked on for no reason". So you tell me which one is more likely to improve. Look around at the junior officer community. You can easily spot who's walking in open air and who has the perpetual cloud hanging over them. Good officer leadership won't let the cloud pullers hang around for long.

I got myself in trouble by getting into a fist fight with an LT. The funny thing came afterwards. I had so many senior NCOs & field grade officers up to a an O-6 all shake my hand. I did what they themselves all wanted to do that to the LTs they dealt with.

I've had experience with many who lacked humility. I had a few second lieutenants just out of OBC come in to be the platoon leader who thought they knew more about how to get the mission done than the platoon sergeant and squad leaders. Heck, even specialists had more experience than they did.

Experience.

Maturity