1st Class Private: Private First Class (PFC)

last SG · 2005-08-12T10:04:09+00:00

it has always been like that and it will probably stay like that. most appointment holders do not hold their appointment's estab rank. for example by estab...

death_burger SG

hey i saw someone with the rank of a 3rd sergeant but instead of 3 arrows, his rank has only an arrow. I believe that it is a private first class rank, but I thought the rank is no longer used? pls correct me if i’m wrong.

hmsg SG

but be some old reservist who has not bothered to change to new rank .... definitely not NSF....

death_burger SG

Ic....He looked too old to be an NSF... so i think u're right

tarutaru SG

maybe it's the old LCP

thoreldan SG

it still exists lah

most probably for soldiers holding on to appointment like MG gunner/84mm gunner/runners (infantry), etc

other vocation i not so sure liao

Gordonator SG

yes there are still some PFC that haven’t ROD yet. most of them are riflemen.

ditzy SG

lau cheow lor. Laughing

Ponders SG

is it possible to have a regular or nsf IN SERVICE to still have PFC rank as of 2003?

because i still remember a course mate who is a PFC in 2003.

never got the chance to chat him up to ask him how he got the rank.

Gordonator SG

regulars won't get PFC or LCP. they go from REC/PTE CPL 3SG.

Icemoon SG

for nsf, why not?

PFC is awarded to those with good performance who cannot get CPL due to education and cannot get LCP cos of their appointment.

hisoka SG

lucky pple who cannot get cpl rank

jeramy SG

it should still be used ba. few months ago was doing my OPs duty taking over from 6SIR and saw that most if the men were PFCs. quite shocked also.

Gordonator SG

yup. here's a pic of a PFC from 6SIR. check out the june 2005 issue of pioneer to see bigger pic.

LazerLordz SG

I wonder why appointment should be an obstacle to the LCP rank?Makes no sense, after all, 84mm gunner is an important role, why should he be merely a PFC?If during OPS, commander is down,he is the team leader and perhaps likely to hold a small leadership position in the support platoon, even acting sect comd if needed.

insouciant SG

Didn't know that LCP rank has been removed.

Funny how army started with PTE to LCP to CPL, then added in the PFC as they felt that they needed to incentivize pple who do well but not holding any appt. Then now taking it away again.

So what appt must one hold to have CPL? So what happens to all othe exisiting PFCs and LCPs?

jeramy SG

no leh the LCP rank is not removed!
i dun think that PFC was to incentivize ppl i think it just serves as an intermediate rank between PTE -> LCP -> CPL. with PFC the route of advacement is longer thus the commander (CO) will have more flexibility in terms of promoting his ground crew.

example instead of just follow the "promotion window" and promoting all the men automatically to LCP the CO can promote those better deserving ones to PFC first so that they can a sort of "headstart" compared to others.

i think 6SIR did just that.

Icemoon SG

CPL is not by appointment generally, but education level. Last time sect comd. is CPL can liao, now even estab like CQMS also 3SG rank.

Gordonator SG

with more and more people getting higher educated, a CPL has change from being section commander to ordinary man. Rolling Eyes

insouciant SG

Ya, it's actually quite odd. In my section, section 2i/c is LCP, but saw gunner is CPL. Stupid right? Can you imagine, if section commander is killed, who takes over? Section 2i/c or Saw gunner? By rite, should be 2i/c, but then by rank...

They really should promote the 2i/c to CPL.

insouciant SG

So if it's by education, who level of studies must you attain before you get CPL? Actually this is also silly. How many of you have met degree holders who are section commanders of higher, but have no idea what the heck what to do during exercise (can't imagine if in real war situation how).

But then the hokkien peng are yelling at the sect comd, trying to tell him what to do and wake up his bloody idea?

Education does not a good soldier or leader make.