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Aprivate is asoldier, usually with the lowestrank in many armies. Soldiers with the rank of private may beconscripts or they may be professional (career) soldiers.
The term derives from the term "private soldier". "Private" comes from theLatin wordprivus or perhapsprivo that meant an individual person and later an individual without anoffice.[1][2]
InIndonesia, this rank is referred to asTamtama (specificallyPrajurit which means soldier), which is the lowest rank in theIndonesian National Armed Forces. In theIndonesian Army,Indonesian Marine Corps, andIndonesian Air Force, "Private" has three levels, which are: Private (Prajurit Dua), Private First Class (Prajurit Satu), and Chief Private (Prajurit Kepala). After this rank, the next promotion is toCorporal.
In thePeople's Liberation Army of thePeople's Republic of China, Privates and Privates First Class are typically conscripted soldiers serving for a two-year period; conscripts who volunteer to continue beyond this period may become professional soldiers: "After the end of induction training, conscripts are awarded the rank of private; in their second year they become privates first class. At the end of two years, conscripts may be demobilized or, if they volunteer, they may be selected to become NCOs. They can also attend a military academy to become officers after passing a test. In effect, the two-year conscription period is a probation period."[3]
In theArmed Forces of the Philippines, the rank ofPrivate is the lowest enlisted personnel rank. It is currently being used by thePhilippine Army and thePhilippine Marine Corps. It stands below the rank ofPrivate first class. It is equivalent to theAirman of the Air Force and theApprentice Seaman of the Navy and Coast Guard.
Once recruits complete theirBasic Military Training (BMT) orBasic Rescue Training (BRT), they attain the rank of private (PTE). Privates do not wear ranks on their rank holder. PTEs who performed well are promoted to the rank ofLance Corporal (LCP). The PFC rank is rarely awarded today by the Singapore Armed Forces. All private enlistees can be promoted directly to lance corporal should they meet the minimum qualifying requirements, conduct appraisal and work performance.[4] Recruits who did not complete BMT but completed two years ofNational Service will be promoted to private.
In theAustralian Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia.[5] Like its British Army counterpart, the Australian Army rank of private (PTE) has other titles, depending on the corps and specification of that service member.
The following alternative ranks are available for privates in the Australian Army:
In theNew Zealand Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia. Like its British Army counterpart, the New Zealand Army rank of private (PTE) has other titles, depending on the corps and specification of that service member.
The following alternative ranks are available for privates in the New Zealand Army:
In theCanadian Army, the term private refers to the two lowest non-commissioned member ranks.
The lowest rank is Private (Recruit). Canadian Army recruits hold this rank upon enrolment until they complete the requirements of the next rank, a holder of this rank wears a blank rank insignia that reads "Canada" because they are technically considered to generically belong to the Canadian Armed Forces rather than a specific regiment.
The next rank is Private (Basic), is equivalent to a NATO OR-1, and a holder of this rank still wears blank rank insignia and a blank rank legend with the abbreviation of their regiment at the bottom. Canadian Army recruits hold this rank upon completion of Basic training until they complete the requirements of the next rank.
The rank of Private (Trained), equivalent to a NATO OR-2, is achieved following successful completion of the applicable trades training (QL3/DP1) and 30 months of service. A holder of this rank wears rank insignia consisting of a single chevron.
The equivalent ranks in theRoyal Canadian Navy are Sailor 1st Class (for Private (Basic)), and Sailor 2nd Class (for Private (Trained)).
The equivalent ranks in theRoyal Canadian Air Force are Aviator (Basic), and Aviator (Trained)
Canadian Army Privates (Trained) may be known by other titles, depending on their personnel branch and their regiment's tradition:
In theSouth African Army the lowest enlisted rank is Private. Privates do not wear insignia on their uniforms. In the different corps it is known with different titles.
In theBritish Army, a private (Pte) equates to both OR-1 and OR-2 on the NATO scale, although there is no difference in rank. Privates wear no insignia. Many regiments andcorps use other distinctive and descriptive names instead of private, some of these ranks have been used for centuries; others are less than 100 years old.[8] In the contemporaryBritish Armed Forces, the army rank of private is broadly equivalent toable seaman in theRoyal Navy,aircraftman,leading aircraftman andsenior aircraftman in theRoyal Air Force, and marine (Mne) or bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank in theRoyal Marines. In theBoys' Brigade the rank of private is used when a boy moves from the junior section to the company section.
Distinctive equivalents for private include:
In theCorps of Royal Marines, the rank structure follows that of British infantry regiments with the exception that the Royal Marines equivalent of private is Marine (Mne).
During the course of the First World War, someRoyal Marines also took the rank ofSapper, this was usually found as part of the Royal Marine Divisional Engineers of theRoyal Naval Division.[9]
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Upon enlistment to theBelgian army, one is given the rank ofsoldaat (Dutch) orsoldat (French), whether one wishes to be a volunteer, non-commissioned officer or officer. Subsequent rank depends on the branch of the service: for example, at theRoyal Military Academy (for officer training) one is soon promoted to the rank ofkorporaal (Dutch) orcaporal (French) i.e. "corporal". The insignia is a simple black mark or the simplified version of the Royal Military Academy's coat of arms for candidate officers.
The Finnish equivalent rank issotamies (literally "war man"), although since 1973 this has been purely a paper term as all infantry troopers were renamed asjääkäri troops, previously reserved only to mobile light infantry. As in the British army, the various branches use different names:
In theFinnish Air Force, the basic rank islentosotamies ("airman"). In theFinnish Navy, the basic rank ismatruusi ("seaman") ortykkimies ("artilleryman") in the marine infantry.
Special corps troopers may be referred by their function or unit, such askaartinjääkäri (Guards jaeger),panssarijääkäri (armored jaeger),laskuvarjojääkäri (paratroop jaeger),rajajääkäri (border jaeger) orrannikkojääkäri (coastal jaeger).
In the French army,soldat de seconde classe is the lowest military rank. This rank is also referred to asrecrue ("recruit").
The name of the lowest rank in the Hungarian army (Magyar Honvédség) is thehonvéd which means "homeland defender". The word is also used informally for a soldier in general of any rank (i.e. "ourhonvéds" or an officer referred as ahonvédtiszt,honvéd officer). This is because Hungarian military traditions are strictly defensive, despite the Hungarian army participating in offensives on foreign soil in both world wars. The wordhonvéd has been in use since theHungarian Revolution of 1848. The term is not used for soldiers of foreign armies: a foreign soldier with no rank is calledközlegény, literally "common lad" or "common man".
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Private (Pte) (saighdiúr singil in Irish), is the lowest enlisted rank in theIrish Army. Soldiers enlist as recruits then undergo a basic course of instruction. There are three grades of private in the army. After basic training the soldier is upgraded (rather than promoted) from recruit to private 2 star (Pte 2*) (saighdiúr singil, 2 réalta). After more corps-specific training (usually lasting eight weeks) the soldier is upgraded to private 3 star (Pte 3*) (saighdiúr singil, 3 réalta). All are usually just addressed as "private", although before being upgraded, recruits may be addressed as "recruit".
In corps units, the rank designation changes. In the artillery, the rank is known asgunner (Gnr), but usually only after the completion of a gunners' course, and in the cavalry it is known astrooper (Tpr). Communications and Information Services privates are known assignalman orsignalwoman. Medical orderlies are sometimes referred to as medic, although this can apply to privates andcorporals.
In theItalian Armysoldato is the lowest military rank. This rank is also referred to asrecluta (meaningrecruit).Soldato is the generic term for private. But in many specialized corps this term is never used, as a more specific, corp related, term is preferred. For instance the lowest rank in Alpine troops isalpino, and the lowest rank in the artillery isartigliere. In the air force this is ranked asaviere and in the navy asmarinaio. While in theinfantry is ranked asfante and in themechanized infantry is ranked ascarrista.
In the Royal Netherlands Army, theLandmacht, the equivalent ranks aresoldaat (soldier), similar to the original French, with different classes:
Depending on where thesoldaat serves, he may be deemed akanonnier (gunner in the artillery),huzaar (hussar in the cavalry) orfuselier (rifleman in the rifles) as well ascommando,jager (hunter) orrijder (rider). Asoldaat can be promoted tokorporaal (corporal).
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The beginning of military service in the Armed Forces of Russia for citizens who are not in the reserve of theRussian Armed Forces, called up for military service, is considered to be the day of assignment of the military rank - Private (Sailor).
The word "guards" is added before the military rank of a serviceman serving in aguards military unit, on a guards ship.
The words "justice" or "medical service" are added to the military rank of a serviceman or citizen in the reserve, who has a military registration speciality in a legal or medical profile, respectively.
The words "reserve" or "retired" are added to the military rank of a citizen in the reserve or retired, respectively.
In the category of military personnel of the ship composition of theRussian Navy, the rank of private corresponds to the ship military rank of sailor.
Students ofmilitary schools are called "cadets". During their training, they are awarded the military ranks of private or sailor, and in the event of successful completion of a military educational institution, they are immediately awarded the officer rank of junior lieutenant or lieutenant, depending on the school.
| Private | |
|---|---|
.svg) U.S. Army private E-2's insignia | |
| Country |  United States |
| Service branch |  United States Army United States Marine Corps |
| Abbreviation | PV1 & PV2[a](USA) Pvt(USMC) |
| Rank group | Enlisted |
| NATOrank code | OR-1(Pvt & PV1) OR-2(PV2) |
| Pay grade | E-1(Pvt & PV1) E-2(PV2) |
| Next higher rank | Private first class(USA & USMC) |
| Equivalent ranks | E-1 Seaman recruit(Navy and USCG) Airman basic(Air Force) Specialist 1(USSF)
Airman(Air Force) Specialist 2(USSF) |
In theUnited States Army, private is used for the two lowestenlisted ranks, just belowprivate first class (E-3) or PFC. The lowest rank is "private (E-1)" or PV1,[a] sometimes referred to as"recruit", but this rank can also be held by some soldiers afterpunishment through theUniform Code of Military Justice, or by soldiers punished under the UCMJ as a demotion until they aredischarged. A PV1 wears no uniform rank insignia; since the advent of theArmy Combat Uniform (ACU), the slang term "fuzzy" has come into vogue, referring to the blank velcro patch area on the ACU where the rank would normally be placed.
The single "stripe" rank insignia of private was originally the insignia of aprivate first class (Grade 6) beginning in 1921, prior to that there was no insignia at all for privates. InMay of 1968, the Army created the current PFC rank and the single stripe moved to E-2.
The second rank, "private (E-2)" or PV2, wears a single chevron, known colloquially as "mosquito wings". In pay tables, the rank is listed as "private second class."[11] Advancement to PV2 is automatic after six months' time in service, but may be shortened to four months by a waiver. A person who has earned theEagle Scout award or theGold Award or has completed at least two years ofJROTC may enlist at any time at the rank of PV2.[12] The third rank isprivate first class or "PFC", which is designated by an arc or "rocker" under the chevron. The term of address "Private" may be properly applied to any Army soldier E-1 (PV1) to E-3 (PFC). The abbreviation "Pvt" may be used whenever the specific grade of private is immaterial (such as intables of organization and equipment).
In theUnited States Marine Corps,private (Pvt) refers only to the lowestenlisted rank,[13] also known as a "boot",[14] just belowprivate first class. A Marine Corps private wears no insignia on their uniform and is sometimes described as having a "slick sleeve"[15] for this reason. Most new, non-officer marines (a.k.a. "boots" or "non-rates") begin their military career as privates. In the Marine Corps, privates are addressed as "Private" to differentiate them from Private First Class Marines who are often called PFCs.
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