Can I decline being promoted to Corporal?

Let me tell you I griped about becoming an NCO before I did it. But it took me getting the stripes to figure out I was already doing the SGT shit as a SPC. The only difference was, I got an NCOER that said I did it. As a SPC you're lucky to get a counseling saying you did anything at all, much less anything good.

Point being, if there's something to be done, go do it. Yeah the pay is nice, but Army doesn't promote based on skill, they promote on potential. Show them you have that potential and you'll go far.

And if you're going to ranger school, take your damn promotion to CPL and shut up. What i would have done for my unit to send me like i asked. You'll pick up your 5 fast.

At some point in the military you will be some sort of leader. You may not get the pay at first, but usually you are doing the job before the promotion. And you ever is over you sees that you are a leader and try’s to get you promoted. But if you aren’t doing the job now why would they want to promote someone who doesn’t have leadership skills.

I about dropped dead after reading this. While I tend to disagree for any reason why you would want to decline the lateral promotion. I’ve been retired for 10th as now, is this what the soldiers do now, bitch when they aren’t being promote and when they get the opportunity for more leadership roles then bitch about it. Dude, if I were your Brigade CSM or Battalion and heard this, I would pull your promotion status and let you keep on being a dirtbag.

You might, but you might as well go ahead and sign a bar to reenlistment while you’re at it. Many of us served in positions above our pay grade. If you’re in the Army for the pay only, time to find something else to do. Corporals used to be the most bad asses in the unit. Accept the responsibility and make a difference.

in 1976, I was less than 30 days to getting out and PCS to Inactive. My CSM told me that the only reason for the promotion to SGT, was because I was SHORT. They were trying to get me to stay in. This kind of pissed me off because they could have done this a lot earlier, but they didn't. Since we were already beyond the end of Vietnam (May 1975), I told the CSM to give it to someone who would be there a while longer. My Top Kick was laughing when I reported to his office. He knew I was getting out to go to School so he made my last month a pleasure to be in a Combat Infantry unit. I left the end of July 1976, and did go to school. Became an Electronic Tech in 1984, and was able to retire from that almost 9 years ago. Worked for 50+ years so I don't have to now.

Joshy,
You don't need to go to Ranger school, Bitch.
There. How's that for a succinct reply.

Back in the early 2000's yes, now a days no. Read the regulation containing promotions

Did the Army stop teaching the core value: "SELFLESS SERVICE"? Or has the Army gone fully WOKE CRT "SELFISH" service?

While it is not ideally a wise decision. You have a point. A SPC is of equal grade and pay to a CPL. The transition is merely a lateral move with little to no value. Other senior leaders will tell you that they wpuld remove you from consideration. I would ask those senior leaders to STFU. Why? I can provide example after example of police calls, mowing, mopping and a plethora of other shit they make subordinates do that is neither tied to rank or MOS duty description. The base spends Millions of dollars for a public works department and therefore, the unit leadership need to call that office to get the mowing and general beautification done, because THAT is what they are paid for.
I digress, it would not be wise to decline it. But a promotion with caveats is not a promotion. You have a very difficult decision to make and your leaders should consider the HUMAN aspect of things over their self loathing on what they think the promotion system should be.

You can decline anything you want, but it would make you non-promotable and if I was in your chain of command I would have you discharged! You would not be a team leader with that kind of attitude, as a matter of fact, you wouldn't even make a good team member!!!