Corporal

Corporal is a military rank in use by many militaries of the world.

U.S. Armed Forces

E-4 insignia
Corporal insignia
U.S. Army

E-4 insignia
Corporal insignia
U.S. Marine Corps

In the U.S. Army a Corporal is the fourth enlisted rank, the first three being forms of Private. A Corporal is above a Private First Class, and below a Sergeant, and sharing the same pay grade with a Specialist.

Unlike a Specialist, a Corporal is a non-commissioned officer and may direct the activities of other soldiers, including Specialists. Corporal is the most junior non-commissioned officer rank. A promotion from Specialist to Corporal is a lateral promotion, an increase in rank but not in pay grade.

It is common for a Corporal to lead a fireteam, however if a soldier is promoted to Corporal and there are too many soldiers of that rank the new Corporal will stay in their current position.

In the U.S. Marine Corps Corporal is also the fourth enlisted rank, just above Lance Corporal and below Sergeant. Similar to the Army, Corporal is also the lowest form of non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

British Armed Forces

Corporal (Cpl) is the second rank of non-commissioned officer in the British Army and Royal Marines, falling between Lance Corporal and Sergeant. The badge of rank is two chevrons (or "stripes"). A corporal's role varies between regiments, but in the standard infantry role a Corporal commands a Section, with a Lance Corporal as Second-in-Command (2ic). When the section is split into Fire Teams, they command one each. In the Royal Armoured Corps, a Corporal commands an individual tank.

In the Household Cavalry all non-commissioned ranks are designated as different grades of corporal up to Regimental Corporal Major (who is a Warrant Officer class 1). There is no actual rank of corporal however, and the ranks progress directly from Lance Corporal to Lance Corporal of Horse (who is effectively equivalent to a corporal). Similarly, in the Foot Guards the rank of Lance Sergeant is effectively used instead of corporal. Royal Artillery corporals are called Bombardiers. The equivalent in the British Indian Army was Naik or Lance Daffadar.

A common nickname for a corporal is a "full screw".

Corporal is the lowest NCO rank in the Royal Air Force, coming between Junior Technician and Sergeant. Between 1950 and 1964, corporals in technical trades were known as Corporal Technicians and wore their chevrons point up.

German Bundeswehr

Corporal (Korporal) traditional and obsolete alias for any non-comissioned officer (Unteroffizier). Between american Sergeant and Corporal.

External links

• Corporal duties

Related articles

• U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
• U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia
• Comparative military ranks