Private first class

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Private first class (PFC) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in some countries' armed forces.

Germany[]

Germany has the rank "Obergefreiter" which is awarded after a minimum of 6 months of active military service, having passed a physical and theoretical test (including shooting exercises and sleeping outside in the field) that completes the initial 3-month intensive training after initial recruitment and being sworn in ("Gelöbnis"). For infantry members, the rank "Obergefreiter" is marked on their uniform's shoulder straps by 2 diagonal black lines.

France[]

Soldat de première classe

France has the rank of Soldat de première classe indicated with a single red chevron.

Philippines[]

The Philippine Army private first class rank insignia.

The rank of private first class is similar to its original U.S. counterpart. The insignia consist of a single chevron with a triangle below. The rank is also in use with the Philippine Marine Corps.

Singapore[]

Singaporean private first class rank insignia.

Introduced in 1983, the honorific rank is awarded to hardworking conscript citizen-soldiers who performed well in their National Service term. Private first class (一等兵) wear a rank insignia of a single chevron pointing down.^[1]

The Private First Class (PFC) rank is rarely awarded nowadays by the Singapore Armed Forces. All private enlistees can be promoted directly to Lance Corporal (LCP) should they meet the minimum qualifying requirements, conduct appraisal and work performance.^[2]

United States[]

United States Army[]

U.S. Army private first class insignia

U.S. Army private first class insignia (1920–1968)

In the United States Army, recruits usually enter service as a private in pay grade E-1. Private (E-2), designated by a single chevron, is typically an automatic promotion after six months of service. Private first class (E-3), equivalent to NATO grade OR-3, is designated by a single chevron with one arc or "rocker," and is more common among soldiers who have served in the U.S. Army for one year or more. Soldiers who have achieved an associate degree or its equivalent are entitled to enter the Army at this pay grade.^[3] Advancement from private first class is to specialist (E-4); advancement to corporal (also at the E-4 pay grade) requires that the soldier also complete the Basic Leader Course (BLC), the first course of study in a US Army noncommissioned officer's professional development course.^[4] Thus, in order to qualify for leadership posts such as team leader, the soldier must have first served as a corporal; a team leader is nominally a sergeant (E-5).

The rank of private first class has existed since 1846^[5] and, prior to 1919, its insignia consisted of the branch of service insignia without any arcs or chevrons. The Secretary of War approved "an arc of one bar" (i.e., a "rocker") under the branch of service or trade insignia for privates first class on 22 July 1919. From August 5, 1920 to May 28, 1968, the rank insignia for private first class was a single chevron, per War Department Circular No. 303. On May 28, 1968, the insignia was changed to its current form, consisting of a single chevron with one arc.^[6]

United States Marine Corps[]

U.S. Marine Corps private first class insignia.

In the United States Marine Corps, the rank of private first class is the second lowest, just under lance corporal and just above Private, equivalent to NATO grade OR-2, being pay grade E-2. It was established on June 3, 1916 to match the already existing Army rank, primarily because US Marine units were "often called upon to serve" with US Army organizations, such as in the American Expeditionary Force that served in Europe during World War I (e.g. 4th Marine Brigade of the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division). At the time the two ranks were directly equivalent. However, the USMC rank of PFC is one grade lower (E-2) than the similarly titled US Army rank.^[7]

Vietnam[]

Vietnam People's Army private first class insignia.

In the Vietnam People's Army, private first class (Vietnamese: binh nhất) is the highest junior enlisted rank. Private first class is below corporal and above private second class.

See also[]

• Comparative military ranks
• Gefreiter
• U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. uniformed services pay grades
• United States military pay

References[]

show v t United States enlisted ranks
Pay grade Branch of service	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9
Army	PVT	PV2	PFC	SPC – CPL	SGT	SSG	SFC	MSG – 1SG¹	SGM – CSM – SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	MSgt – 1stSgt¹	MGySgt – SgtMaj – SMMC – SEAC
Navy	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO – CMDCS	MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM – MCPON – SEAC
Air Force	AB	Amn	A1C	SrA	SSgt	TSgt	MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM – SEANGB – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force	Spc1	Spc2	Spc3	Spc4	Sgt	TSgt	MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM – CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG2 – MCPOCG – SEAC
For the Army, Air Force and Space Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.

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