Private (rank)


A private is a soldier, usually with the lowest rank in many armies. Soldiers with the rank of private may be conscripts or they may be professional soldiers.
The term derives from the term "private soldier". "Private" comes from the Latin word privus or perhaps privo that meant an individual person and later an individual without an office.

Asia

Indonesia

In Indonesia, this rank is referred to as Prajurit, which is the lowest rank in the Indonesian National Armed Forces. In the Indonesian Army, Indonesian Marine Corps, and Indonesian Air Force, "Private" has three levels, which are: Private Second Class, Private First Class, and Chief Private. After this rank, the next promotion is to Corporal.

People's Republic of China

In the People's Liberation Army of the People'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."

Philippines

In the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the rank of Private is the lowest enlisted personnel rank. It is currently being used by the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps. It stands below the rank of Private first class. It is equivalent to the Airman of the Air Force and the Apprentice Seaman of the Navy and Coast Guard.

Singapore

Once recruits complete their Basic Military Training or Basic Rescue Training, they attain the rank of private. Privates do not wear ranks on their rank holder. PTEs who performed well are promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. 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. Recruits who did not complete BMT but completed two years of National Service will be promoted to private.

Commonwealth

Australia

In the Australian Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia. Like its British Army counterpart, the Australian Army rank of private 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 the New Zealand Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia. Like its British Army counterpart, the New Zealand Army rank of private 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 the Canadian Army, the term private refers to the two lowest non-commissioned member ranks.
The lowest rank is Private. 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, 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, equivalent to a NATO OR-2, is achieved following successful completion of the applicable trades training and 30 months of service. A holder of this rank wears rank insignia consisting of a single chevron.
The equivalent ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy are Sailor 1st Class, and Sailor 2nd Class.
The equivalent ranks in the Royal Canadian Air Force are Aviator, and Aviator
Canadian Army Privates may be known by other titles, depending on their personnel branch and their regiment's tradition:
In the South 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 the British Army, a private 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 and corps 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. In the contemporary British Armed Forces, the army rank of private is broadly equivalent to able seaman in the Royal Navy, aircraftman, leading aircraftman and senior aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and marine or bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank in the Royal Marines. In the Boys' 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 the Corps of Royal Marines, the rank structure follows that of British infantry regiments with the exception that the Royal Marines equivalent of private is Marine.
During the course of the First World War, some Royal Marines also took the rank of Sapper, this was usually found as part of the Royal Marine Divisional Engineers of the Royal Naval Division.

Europe

Belgium

Upon enlistment to the Belgian army, one is given the rank of soldaat or soldat, whether one wishes to be a volunteer, non-commissioned officer or officer. Subsequent rank depends on the branch of the service: for example, at the Royal Military Academy one is soon promoted to the rank of korporaal or caporal 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.

Finland

The Finnish equivalent rank is sotamies, although since 1973 this has been purely a paper term as all infantry troopers were renamed as jääkäri troops, previously reserved only to mobile light infantry. As in the British army, the various branches use different names:
In the Finnish Air Force, the basic rank is lentosotamies. In the Finnish Navy, the basic rank is matruusi or tykkimies in the marine infantry.
Special corps troopers may be referred by their function or unit, such as kaartinjääkäri, panssarijääkäri, laskuvarjojääkäri, rajajääkäri or rannikkojääkäri.

France

In the French army, soldat de seconde classe is the lowest military rank. This rank is also referred to as recrue.

Hungary

The name of the lowest rank in the Hungarian army is the honvéd which means "homeland defender". The word is also used informally for a soldier in general of any rank. This is because Hungarian military traditions are strictly defensive, despite the Hungarian army participating in offensives on foreign soil in both world wars. The word honvéd has been in use since the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. The term is not used for soldiers of foreign armies: a foreign soldier with no rank is called közlegény, literally "common lad" or "common man".