Private first class is a crew rank of a soldier.

History

In the land farmhand armies 16. Century particularly reliable and experienced soldiers were appointed gefreyten farmhands, them specified the guard and in combat at particularly critical points were used, were however released from certain services.

In 18. Century the Gefreiten the first member of a company placed, to each Gefreite was leader of a gang (is called the soldiers in the members directly behind it were located). In the Prussian army the rank was introduced starting from 1807 also for the Kavallerie and remained with the exception of the Obergefreiten of the artillery (since 1859) the only crew rank to the Prussian and/or imperial army until 1918.

Under longer office hours and higher specialization starting from the Weimar Republic the ranks upper and staff private first classes were introduced and maintained also by the armed forces (until 1945).

In the imperial navy the upper sailor ranked up with the Gefreiten. After 1919 in the realm navy the ranks of the Matrosengefreiten, the Matrosenobergefreiten and the Matrosenstabsgefreiten were set forward to the upper sailor. Starting from 1938 in the war navy the ranks of the Gefreiten, the Obergefreiten, the Hauptgefreiten and the Stabsgefreiten were introduced. The career designation sailor, radio and machine were put in front in each case.

German Federal Armed Forces

Rank

The rank private first class will was generally stopped a soldier of the German Federal Armed Forces after three-month service with the German Federal Armed Forces transferred ("§ 9,1 soldier career regulation, SLV) if it with the rank soldier. Against the earlier privileges of the Gefreiten, see above, due to which the soldier enjoyed advantages in relation to lower ranks like the release from guard services, in the German Federal Armed Forces almost exclusively soldiers from the grade category of the crews (private first class, upper private first class, main private first class, etc.) to guard services are used.

• Female soldiers with this rank lead the additive (w) in the correspondence. The designation Gefreite is not used in the German Federal Armed Forces. The official address reads Mrs. Gefreiter.
• The rank private first class can be jumped over only by the attitude with a higher rank. Also NCO candidates and cadets must go through this rank.
• The transport to the Gefreiten is mandatory and i.d.R. only with rough is refused. A transport to the Gefreiten and/or Obergefreiten is however impossible, if the soldier set a request to conscientious objection and/or the vow refuses.
• The NCO candidates carry the rank additive UA, the sergeant candidates COMPANIES and the cadets OAU. The next higher rank is upper private first class.

Abbreviations

(Designations with candidate additive only in the correspondence)

• Private first class (Gefr, G)
• Private first class - NCO candidate (Gefr UA, G UA)
• Private first class - sergeant candidate (Gefr COMPANY, G COMPANY)
• Private first class - cadet (Gefr OAU, G OAU)

Rank insignia

The rank insignia is a diagonally running bar (seen from the carrier like an opposite snow plough arranged). UA carry a horizontal bar at the internal (turned to the neck) end. COMPANIES carry a goldfarbene braid at the outside end. OAU carry at the outside end a silver braid.

Federal army

In the Austrian federal army the possibility exists 6 after that. Training month to the Gefreiten to be carried, if one successfully existed the training necessary for it ("“preparing cadre training"” or briefly "“VbK"”, training of one month). Other case one is possible it - perfect guidance presupposed - at the end for 7. Training monthly to the Gefreiten to be carried. The badge is a white star of which a Edelweiss represents.

The next higher rank is Korporal.

Swiss army

In Swiss army the Gefreite is a crew rank, which is qualified for the group leader representation. Contrary to other armies a crew rank soldier does not become automatic after some months service the Gefreiten. The rank insignia shows two diagonal bars. In international uses a mistake with the Obergefreiten of the German German Federal Armed Forces is possible.

See also: Ranks in Swiss army

Articles in category "Private first class"

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