Primarily worn on the collars of the Army Service Uniform shirt, the Black All-Weather Coat, and the Black Windbreaker, our nonsubdued, pin-on E-3 Private First Class (PFC) chevron features anodized 22K gold plating that ensures it will retain its brilliant appearance for as long as you own them.
On those garments and the Medical Assistant Smock, the insignia is worn one inch from each collar point and oriented so that its centerline bisects the collar points (see
Figure 21–58, DA PAM 670-1). On the Garrison Culinary Smock, the centered 1/4 of an inch above the nameplate; on Heritage Green Windbreaker, it's centered from front to back on the shoulder loops with the chevron pointing toward the button of the shoulder loop (
Figure 20–15).
The subdued (Black) version worn as headgear insignia with the Army Combat Uniform, centered both horizontally and vertically on the front of the Patrol Cap and Sun Hat (boonie). It's also authorized for wear on the liner and camouflage cover of the combat helmet.
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Achieving the rank of Private First Class (pay grade E-3) is a noteworthy milestone for enlisted Soldiers, but just how long it takes to reach it depends on a variety of factors. Enlisted personnel entering at the lowest pay grade of E-1 are typically not eligible for promotion to E-2 Private until they’ve spent six months time in service (TIS), and a E-2 Private must spend four months time in grade (TIG) and accumulate a total of 12 months in service before being automatically promoted to E-3 Private First Class.
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A little math work reveals that Soldiers beginning their service careers as E-1s could be eligible for promotion to E-3 in as little as ten months if it weren’t for the TIS mandate. However, the Army provides unit commanders with an allotment of waivers they can use to reduce the TIS and TIG requirements. With a waiver, an E-1 can be promoted to E-2 in two-thirds of the normal TIS (four months instead of six), and an E-2 can be promoted to E-3 with just two months TIG and only a half-year TIS.