Private
The entry enlisted grade of the US Army, NATO code OR-1, held by new soldiers arriving at basic training.
Overview
New soldiers enter the Army as Private, pay grade E-1, wearing no insignia. Advancement to Private E-2, one chevron, typically follows months later with little friction. The grade exists for learning: absorbing discipline, occupational training, and unit routine. Privates hold no command responsibility yet form the foundation of every squad. The word comes from Latin privatus, a private person stripped of office, and entered military use in late medieval England for hired common soldiers paid wages rather than bound by feudal levy. Nearly every soldier passes through it quickly.
Related Topics
Private First Class
Private First Class wears one chevron with one rocker and typically arrives within the first one to two years of service. PFCs are...
Corporal
Corporal wears two chevrons and is the smallest true command rank: a corporal can lead a fire team of about four soldiers and enfo...
Sergeant
Sergeant wears three chevrons and typically leads a squad of eight to twelve soldiers, the smallest unit that fights as a complete...
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant wears three chevrons over one rocker and usually leads a full squad or a support section, with responsibility for t...