Can I decline being promoted to Corporal?

I moved from SPC to CPL, then promoted to SP5 with a lateral to SGT. The Army is considering the option of requiring everyone to serve as a CPL before making SGT. Which I believe is a good option. You get to lead through influence and experience leadership responsibility.

However, to your point, if you have no desire to be a CPL, then you should also request to not attend Ranger School. Both are opportunities to gain leadership skills. If you have no desire to learn leadership skills as a CPL, then sending you to Ranger school is a waste of time and money. Passing the board was the easy part, performing as a leader is the real test. By considering the option of denying promotion to CPL, you are self-identifying as someone, who should not lead, set the example or assume the risk inherent in leadership. Maybe you are an excellent SPC and that is all you will be. If that is the case, continue to be an excellent SPC and leave the leadership stuff to others.

Yes, you can refuse it. But, it will destroy your unit's confidence in you and haunt you down the road. I've worked in all sorts of positions, mostly is positions over my pay grade. It is an honor when the command has enough confidence in you to give you the position.

You Got to be Kidding me, Right? Please tell me this is a joke, When I was on active duty, I took every Opportunity to Advance, I took Jobs and Positions at the Next Higher Pay grade that no one else wanted, even though I didn't get paid for that position, it shows your a team Player and Motivated to move up to the next Pay Grade, your are not only willing to learn the next higher position, but are willing to take a hands on OJT, Learning Experience, and your not afraid to Network out to your Fellow NCO for Advice on How to do the Paperwork, and the Job as a Junior or Senior NCO .
every single person at your command should know how to do the Pay grade above and below them , how to take Charge and lead , because when in a real life situation your life and the life of your shipmates, and fellow solders may depend on it.
I Agree With WO1 Jeff C, , if this is not a joke, you are not ready to Lead or take charge of anyone , you may be outstanding at your Job, but you are not ready to be a leader, I do not know how it works in the Army,

I know In the United states Coast Guard they will send you to your next duty station early, they will advance you to the next pay grade without the pay, so when you arrive everyone knows you as that pay grade, then as soon as they can, they CG Will make it Official with Pay, BUT YOU CAN REFUSE IF YOU SO CHOOSE, just REMEMBER IF YOU Refuse your Promotion, to advance to the Next Pay Grade, it does not matter why, you refused, you will not be allowed to compete for advancement for the next two years.
in Reality it Could be 2 1/2 to 3 years before you are allowed to advance again.
this is your choice . stay at your current pay Guard, for two more years, and have it in your PDR that you refused advancement. this is a Choice, or just take the Advancement with a smile, do the JOB LIKE YOU WERE BORN TO IT !

Damn, if I had a buck for every job I did, both military and civilian over and above what I was paid for I would be rich. Suck it up buttercup.

While I could tell you about my CPL stories, I will instead answer your question: Yes you can but you'll suffer the consequences. If someone has seen the potential in you to be a NCO and you say 'no' for whatever reason - to be honest; when given the opportunity to lead and you don't take it: makes you look like a shitty leader.

Please do turn it down, we don't need soldiers like you in leadership positions of any type.

If you refuse the promotion you should immediately be removed from the promotion list! I served in a WO2 position as an E3 my Comsec account holder an E6 in a WO2 position was emergency PCSED back to the states, another E6 was brought in from one of the Battalions the next day he turned a price of secure equipment to a German national repair facility keyed for the day and a 1 month code book inside upon his arrival at the unit the MP'S were waiting for him he was arrested . At that point I was put into the position where I was on the Brigade Staff and having to report to the Corp Commander every week due to being in the WO2 position. Deal with the situation or get out of the military

ETS NOW...if you don't want to be a NCO why did you board? I was a CPL for 7 years before I got my 5 I made 6 2 years later but I served in several leadership positions including Motor Seargant and Squad leader. Taking positions of greater responsibility is what being a leader is all about. If you were at war and had to take someone's place could you handle it? You don't have the will to lead why are you even in?

Here's the bottom line. Do you want to make SGT? How about SSG? Etc...

The key factor in getting noticed as a leader and promoted on the fast track is to accept responsibility above your pay grade. Of course there are other variables at play... but the easiest way for your leaders to see who's ready, willing and able for those SGT stripes is to seize the objective, take on extra responsibility, and do the best you can.

Or... you can sit back and cruise and be the longest time in grade SPC in your unit.

Waaaay back when I was a Specialist I had 11 months time in grade and 27 months time in service when I was offered 'Acting' Sergeant stripes... no extra pay... just the responsibility... I took it... cheerfully. I also sewed on my real Sergeant stripes with the accompanying paycheck two days prior to my 36 month mark (for my MOS a promotion that early was very rare).

Would I have made it that quick if I had politely declined the acting stripes? Maybe... maybe not. My only evidence is that I was promoted waaaaay ahead of my peers.

So now we are back to today's reality? How bad do you want those SGT stripes? What are you willing to do to honorably bump someone else out of your way? This decision is yours to make...

so what you're saying is that you don't care for the personal satisfaction of being a mentor and leader to younger soldiers until you see a pay increase?? At any rank you should be able to show everyone that you have what it takes to become the best the military can put out, and still be able to help out those same rank peers that you feel need a little push, but if you are in the military only for yourself, then why would anyone need you in the battlefield??