Private first class

Private first class (Template:Langx; Template:Langx) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in many armed forces.

French speaking countries

In France and other French speaking countries, the rank (Template:Literally; transl. private first class) is used.

Poland

In Poland, the rank is called (transl. Senior private).

Singapore

Introduced in 1983, the honorific rank is awarded to hardworking conscript citizen-soldiers who performed well in their National Service term. Private First Class (PFC) wear a rank insignia of a single chevron pointing down.

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.

United States

United States Army

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.

The rank of private first class has existed since 1846 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.

United States Marine Corps

In the United States Marine Corps, the rank of private first class is the second lowest (pay grade E-2), just under lance corporal and just above private, equivalent to NATO grade OR-2. It was established on July 1, 1918, 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.

Gallery

• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Benin Army)[10]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Burkina Faso Ground Forces)[11][12]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Template:Langx) (Burundi Army)[13]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Cameroon Ground Forces)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Central African Ground Forces)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Chadian Ground Forces)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Comorian Army)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Land Forces of the DR Congo)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Congolese Ground Forces)[14]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Djiboutian Army)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Gabonese Army)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Guatemalan Army)[15]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Guinea Ground Forces)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Army of Guinea-Bissau)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Ivory Coast Ground Forces)[16]
  
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• Private first class (Liberian Ground Forces)[17]
  Private first class
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Malian Army)[18]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Mexican Army)[19]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Royal Moroccan Army)[20]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Mozambican Army)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Nicaraguan Army)[21]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Niger Army)[22]
  
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• Private first class (Philippine Army)[23]
  Private first class
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Senegalese Army)
  
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• Private first class (Singapore Army)[24]
  Private first class
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Suriname Army)
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Togolese Army)[25]
  
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• Script error: No such module "Lang". (Template:Langx) (Tunisian Army)[26]
  
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• Private first class (United States Army E-3)[27]
  Private first class
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• Private First Class (USMC E-2)[28]
  Private First Class (USMC E-2)

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

Pay grade Branch of service	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9	Special
Army File:Flag of the United States Army.svg	Private PVT	Private 2 PV2	Private first class PFC	Specialist Corporal SPC – CPL	Sergeant SGT	Staff Sergeant SSG	Sergeant first class SFC	Master Sergeant First Sergeant MSG – 1SG¹	Sergeant Major Command Sergeant Major SGM – CSM	Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Sergeant Major of the Army Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SEA – SMA – SEAC
Marine Corps File:Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg	Private Pvt	Private first class PFC	Lance Corporal LCpl	Corporal Cpl	Sergeant Sgt	Staff Sergeant SSgt	Gunnery Sergeant GySgt	Master Sergeant First sergeant MSgt – 1stSgt¹	Master Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major MGySgt – SgtMaj	Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SMMC – SEAC
Navy File:Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg	Seaman recruit SR	Seaman apprentice SA	Seaman SN	Petty Officer Third Class PO3	Petty Officer Second Class PO2	Petty Officer first class PO1	File:BMC GC.svg CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer Command Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO – CMDCS	Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer / Force Master Chief Petty Officer MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman MCPON – SEAC
Air Force File:Flag of the United States Air Force.svg	Airman basic AB	Airman Amn	Airman first class A1C	Senior Airman SrA	Staff Sergeant SSgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Master Sergeant Master Sergeant MSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹	Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant Command Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM	Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman SEA – CMSAF – SEAC
Space Force File:Flag of the United States Space Force.svg	Specialist 1 Spc1	Specialist 2 Spc2	Specialist 3 Spc3	Specialist 4 Spc4	Sergeant Sgt	Technical sergeant TSgt	Master sergeant MSgt	Senior master sergeant SMSgt	Chief master sergeant CMSgt	Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman CMSSF – SEAC
Coast Guard File:Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg	Seaman Recruit SR	border SA	border SN	Petty Officer Third Class PO3	Petty Officer Second Class PO2	Petty Officer first class PO1	Chief Petty Officer CPO	Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO	Master Chief Petty Officer Command Master Chief Petty Officer Area Command Master Chief Petty Officer, CMC Reserve MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG2	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard MCPOCG
For the Army and Air 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.