Question: what is the difference between e1 and e2 in the army?
Answer: The E1 private is the lowest rank in the Army. It's the initial rank for an enlisted soldier emerging from basic training. ... E2 is the next step up – private second-class. They do have an insignia, but they're still addressed simply as "private." E3, or private first-class, is the next step, with a different insignia.