Private

Private (Pte, Pvt, PV1, PV2) is the lowest enlisted rank in the British Army, United States Army and the United States Marine Corps. Private is equivalent to OR-1 on the NATO rank scale, whilst some forces have an additional Private rank at OR-2, other forces straddle both OR-1 and OR-2.

As the lowest rank of these armed forces, Privates wear no rank insignia. However, the US Army has a second rank of Private E-2 (PVT2) which wears one stripe.

Most new entrants to these armed forces join as a Private, unless they enter as an Officer, or have experience or qualifications which earns them an automatic promotion to the rank above. In the US Marine Corps, experience in the JROTC qualifies a new entry for Private First Class.

Privates are sometimes referred to as "squaddies" or "slick sleeves" (referring to the absence of rank patches on their uniforms).

Alternative Names

In the British Army, many regiments have their own names for Privates:

• Airtrooper (Atpr) - Army Air Corps
• Bugler - Buglers in The Rifles and formerly also in other Rifle regiments
• Craftsman (Cfn) - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (women as well as men use this rank)
• Drummer (Dmr) - Drummers in infantry regiments
• Fusilier (Fus) - Fusilier regiments
• Gunner (Gnr) - Royal Artillery
• Guardsman (Gdm) - Foot Guards
• Highlander - The Highlanders
• Kingsman - Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
• Marine or Bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank- Royal Marines
• Musician (Mus) - Military bands (formerly called Bandsman)
• Piper (Ppr) - Bagpipers in Scottish and Irish regiments
• Ranger (Rgr)- Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Irish Rangers
• Rifleman (Rfm) - Rifle regiments
• Sapper (Spr) - Royal Engineers
• Signaller (Sig) - Royal Corps of Signals (formerly called Signalman)
• Trooper (Tpr) - Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps, Special Air Service and Honourable Artillery Company
• Trumpeter (Tptr) - Trumpeters in the Household Cavalry (and formerly in all cavalry regiments)

Enlisted Rates
Service	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5	OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
British Army	Pte		LCpl	Cpl	Sgt		SSgt/CSgt	WO2	WO1	all
Royal Marines	Mne		L/Cpl	Cpl	Sgt		CSgt	WO2	WO1
Royal Navy	OR	AR	N/A	LH	PO		CPO	WO2	WO1
RAF	AC	LAC/SAC	N/A	Cpl	Sgt		CT/FS	N/A	WO/MAcr
	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5	OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
US Army	PV1	PV2	PFC	CPL/SPC	SGT	SSGT	SFC	MSG/1SG	SGM	all
USMC	Pvt	PFC	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt	GySgt	MSgt	SgtMaj
USAF	AB	Amn	A1C	SrA	SSgt	TSgt	MSgt	SMSgt	CMSgt
US Navy & USCG	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO