when did they come up with private second class?

[Alpo]

This is, the way I've always understood it, Army enlisted rank

 

You had a private - slick sleeve. Private first class - one stripe. Corporal - two stripes. And on from there.

 

The book I am reading the guy is telling about something that happened in Iraq in 06, and he said he was a private second class. A what? So I looked that up.

 

Now the ranks, according to wiki, are

 

Private - slick sleeve. Private second class - one stripe. Private first class - one stripe with a rocker. Corporal - two stripes, and it goes from there.

 

So how long has one stripe been a "second class" and "first class" had a stripe with a rocker? Is my mental image of Army enlisted ranks still stuck in Korea?

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

In my 83+ years I have seen the Army struggling to find its place in the world.  Ranks, uniforms, berets, weaponry, facial hair, titles and descriptions, even serial numbers, and the dissolving of the Womans Army Corp  ( a good thing.)

 

I am very proud of my four years of active duty and eight years associated with the Army.  My first grievance is the current logo., a gold bordered white star on a black back ground that signifies NOTHING.  It looks like some kindergarten kid's drawing.  Where are the proud eagle and the meaningful banner?  There is no history, no heraldry in this thing.  It's blivet.

 

It took me several months to find  suitable patches for my cap and jacket.  Some one asked why I didn't just get a star-ih-a-box.  Because I never served a single second under that embarrassing and insulting sketch.

 

They have changed their motto at least twice.  "This we'll defend"?  No kidding?  I'll defend the country, the way of life, my family and friends and even some passers-by myself...hell, I'll even defend my car and my dog.  This new "motto" says nothing, means nothing.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

Lower ranks, (Non Rates in the Marine Corps) were re-organized in the early 1960s. The Army did that, The Corps Added Lance Corporal, (E-3) to the ratings, and The Navy and Air Force did what ever they did.

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Never saw pvt 2nd. Was it a temporary thing?

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

18 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Never saw pvt 2nd. Was it a temporary thing?

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

On 9/20/2025 at 12:21 PM, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

No pvt second class there. E2 was never second class.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2025 by Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984

[Trailrider #896]

Great chart, but you forgot the Space Force EM's. 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

Sometimes the 'troops' would make up their own ranks. We had a few "Senior" Sp 4s in the boonies in RVN

[Dr. Zook]

1 hour ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

that's how I remember it from the Blue Jackets Manual (also how to properly turn down the top sheet exactly to the length of its spine) --- only other was if you had 3yrs of JROTC upon completion of bootcamp you were advanced to E3 [Seaman] instead of E2 [Seaman Apprentice].   please correct me if I am mistaken in memory from 1987.

[Texas Jack Black]

4 hours ago, Alpo said:

This is, the way I've always understood it, Army enlisted rank

 

You had a private - slick sleeve. Private first class - one stripe. Corporal - two stripes. And on from there.

 

The book I am reading the guy is telling about something that happened in Iraq in 06, and he said he was a private second class. A what? So I looked that up.

 

Now the ranks, according to wiki, are

 

Private - slick sleeve. Private second class - one stripe. Private first class - one stripe with a rocker. Corporal - two stripes, and it goes from there.

 

So how long has one stripe been a "second class" and "first class" had a stripe with a rocker? Is my mental image of Army enlisted ranks still stuck in Korea?

 KOREA man you are old 😄

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

41 minutes ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

Sometimes the 'troops' would make up their own ranks. We had a few "Senior" Sp 4s in the boonies in RVN

When I was a Lance Corporal the Corps was seemingly on a promotion hold for some reason. Many of us had two plus years Time in Grade. We took to shining our chevrons and declared ourselves Senior Lance Corporals.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

When I was in the Army (12/63 to 12/65) we had Specialists all the to E8 as I remember (E4 thru E8). Private (E1 & E2) were both slick sleeve and E3 PFC had on stripe (no rocker). When I got out after 2 years , I was a Spec 5 (E5) eagle insignia with a rocker.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

4 hours ago, Trailrider #896 said:

Great chart, but you forgot the Space Force EM's. 

I don't put much credence in the Space Patrol since the late '50s when Buzz Corey, Commander in Chief of the Spaaaaaace Patrooool had a Cadet as his primary side kick.

[Trailrider #896]

5 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

I don't put much credence in the Space Patrol since the late '50s when Buzz Corey, Commander in Chief of the Spaaaaaace Patrooool had a Cadet as his primary side kick.

I don't recall the insignia of Tom Corbett and the other Space Cadets in the year 2350 AD, but I remember the rockets landing at Space Acedemy USA, by backing down on their exhaust plumes. Of course, that was science fiction and probably wouldn't happen for another 300 years or so. Wait a minute....