buck privates
Bottom-rung soldiers
Buck privates are soldiers of the lowest enlisted rank—privates with no additional rating or distinction.
The term emphasizes their position at the bottom of military hierarchy: He started as a buck private and worked his way up to sergeant.
Buck here intensifies the basicness, as in buck naked.
- conscriptCompulsory military enrollee
- enlisteeVoluntary military joiner
- recruitNew member sought
- drafteeOne conscripted for service
- dogfaceSlang for infantryman
infantryman · uniform · enlisted man · rank and file · corporal · soldier · newbie · drill · sergeant · greenhorn · World War II · Abbott and Costello · army · serviceman · rookie · troop · military service · comedy
buck privatesgenerals
Broad statements or commanders
commanding officers · admirals · colonels · top brass · high command
buck privatescommanders-in-chief
Highest military authority holders
top brass · brass hats · military elite · officer corps · decision-makers
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