Private (rank) - Definition and Overview

This article is about the military rank of Private. For alternative meanings see: Private (disambiguation).

A Private is a military soldier of the lowest military rank. The term dates from the Middle Ages where Privates were known as "Private Soldiers" who were either hired, conscripted, or feudalized into service by a nobleman forming an Army. The usage of Private as a military rank dates from the 18th century, when the Army of Napoleon Bonaparte first established the permanent rank of Private.

United States

In the U.S. Army, Private refers to the two lowest enlisted ranks, just below Private First Class. The lowest rank (officially known as Private E-1 and sometimes referred to as recruit) wears no uniform insignia, while the second (Private E-2) wears the insignia shown here. Advancement to the higher version of private (with insignia) is currently automatic after six months time in service, but may get shortened to four months if given a waiver (but an automatic pay raise takes effect after four months of service, even absent advancement to Private E-2, meaning that the rank of Private E-1 has two separate pay grades).

In the U.S. Marine Corps, Private refers to the lowest Marine Corps enlisted rank, just below Private First Class. A Marine Corps private wears no uniform insignia.

U.S. military enlisted ranks
	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
Air Force:	AB	Amn	A1C	SRA	SSgt	TSgt	MSgt	SMSgt	CMSgt - CCM - CMSAF
Army:	PV1	PV2	PFC	SPC - CPL	SGT	SSG	SFC	MSG - 1SG	SGM - CSM - SMA
Marine Corps:	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	MSgt - 1st Sgt	MGySgt - SgtMaj - SMOMC
Navy:	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO - CMCPO - MCPON

United Kingdom

In the British Army, many regiments and corps have distinctive (and descriptive) names for this rank:

• Trooper - Cavalry Regiments
• Sapper - Royal Engineers
• Craftsman - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
• Gunner - Royal Artillery
• Signaller - Royal Signals
• Musician - Military bands
• Guardsman - Foot Guards
• Fusilier - Fusilier regiments
• Rifleman - Rifle regiments
• Kingsman - The King's Regiment
• Highlander - The Highlanders

In the Royal Marines the equivalent rank is Marine.

Germany

The German rank of private is known as Schutze. The rank of Schutze has existed as a military rank since at least the 18th century with usage as a tile from the Middle Ages. The Naval equivalent is known as Matrose.

Related articles

• Comparative military ranks