“Why will nobody tell me what the lowest rank of the military is? Everyone says it’s private”

There is a popular pun on the word “private.” A private is a soldier of the lowest military rank
   
“I’m trying to find out what the lowest rank in the army is, but everyone keeps telling me it’s private” was posted on Twitter by James Bloomfield on April 21, 2018. “I’m trying to find out what the lowest rank in the army is. But everyone keeps saying it’s private” was posted on Reddit—Jokes on January 1, 2019. “Why will nobody tell me what the lowest rank of the military is Everyone keeps telling me that it’s private” was posted on Reddit—Jokes on March 5, 2021.
     
     
Wikipedia: Private (rank)
A private is a soldier of the lowest military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in).
 
In modern military writing, “private” is abridged to “Pte” in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth of Nations countries and to “Pvt” in the United States.
       
Twitter
James Bloomfield
@J_Bloomfield
I’m trying to find out what the lowest rank in the army is, but everyone keeps telling me it’s private
11:20 AM · Apr 21, 2018·Twitter for Android
 
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/Randomd0g January 1, 2019
I’m trying to find out what the lowest rank in the army is
But everyone keeps saying it’s private
     
Twitter
WSⱯꓛꓤⱯS ꓨNIꓥIꓶ
@SarcasmLiving
I’m trying to find out what the lowest rank in the army is
But everyone keeps saying it’s private
6:25 AM · Jan 1, 2019·TweetCaster for Android
 
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/TommehBoi April 18, 2020
I asked the Colonel what the lowest rank in the army was.
He said, “It’s Private.”
I said, “Come on, you can tell me.”
   
Twitter
RuneJokes
@RuneJokes
I’ve been asking around what the lowest rank in the Army is, but no one would tell me.
Apparently its private.
12:57 AM · Jan 27, 2021·TweetDeck
 
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/Artiber March 5, 2021
Why will nobody tell me what the lowest rank of the military is?
Everyone keeps telling me that it’s private.
       
Twitter
Akortainment
@akor_attah
The army never wanted to disclose it lowest rank, guess they wanted it to be private
1:40 PM · Mar 12, 2021·Twitter for Android
 
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/YZXFILE March 27, 2021
Why will nobody tell me what the lowest rank of the military is?
Everyone keeps telling me that it’s private.
 
Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
No one will tell me what the lowest Army rank is.
It must be private.
5:02 AM · May 16, 2021·Twitter Web App