Private
Private, in most armies, is the lowest grade of enlisted personnel. In the United States, Germany, and France armies, a private ranks below a private first class, which ranks below a corporal. In the People’s Republic of China army, the private second class ranks below the private first class. The grade equivalent to private in other branches of the armed services in the United States varies; in the U.S. Navy, it is seaman; in the U.S. Air Force, airman [Encyclopædia Britannica].
In the US Army, private is the lowest ranking that is usually given during basic combat training to a soldier without a four-year degree. From there, a soldier can move to private second class, private first class, and specialist before becoming a corporal.
Private’s first recorded use related to officer ranks dates back to the mid-1700s. The word is derived from the Latin word prīvātus (“private,” as in belonging to a particular person) [Dictionary.com].
The rank of Private is attained by all those who enlist in the United States Army. Upon successful completion of Basic Training, this rank is attained until arrival at an active unit in the Army, whereupon all Privates proceed to the next rank. Oftentimes, when soldiers are demoted or found guilty of serious wrongdoing, they will hold this rank of private until they either proceed back through the ranks or are separated from the Army. Basic pay for an entry-level Private with two or fewer years of experience is $1,833.30 per month. A Private receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Private's final compensation package. In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, an Army Private may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay, including housing allowance, hostile fire pay, education allowance, personal money allowance, and more [military-ranks.org].
Private. Military rank. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/private-military-rank
General To Private: What’s The Order Of Military Ranks? Dictionary.com. Retrieved from: https://www.dictionary.com/e/corporal-general-private-order-meaning/
Army Private. Military-Ranks.org. Retrieved from: https://www.military-ranks.org/army/private