Can I decline being promoted to Corporal?

In the military--and industry for that matter--we PRAISE good performance, but we PROMOTE demonstrated "potential" ... meaning you should show us what ELSE you can do besides your everyday good job. Senior Leaders recognize that quality in your performance reports and a HISTORY of going the extra mile when there's nothing in it for you is VERY telling. Man up.

If you are more concerned about the pay versus leading Soldiers then you are in the wrong profession. I was honored with each position I was deemed worthy to fill. You don't obtain a driver's license then learn how to drive as you must first demonstrate that you can.

Turning down a promotion is like shooting yourself in the foot. Do you want a dead-end job? Go back home and find one. You passed your requirements, they approved promotion, now get out there and do your job!

PLDC or BLC, as it is known now, is not a terribly difficult course to pass. The school the CW2 below this post went to - that's a difficult course. Many lifer's will tell you to do the school, take the lateral promotion, and enter into being a Sergeant in a very strong way - better off than many peers who could not come this way. If you have not ruled out a career in the military - consider removing this post and accepting CPL. If you have, then yes - you can deny the lateral promotion. The 4187 is a request, usually from the soldier or for the soldier at the behest of the chain of command. Yes you can deny it, but again, a lateral promotion to CPL is considered a a positive thing, so you will probably get some odd looks. Turning down CPL will set a precedent for you as a solder that will be very difficult for you to overcome - should you change your mind down the road. If you turn down CPL and do plan to stay in the Army - consider working on ways to explain that choice down the road - it will come up sooner of later.

The more responsibility you have, the more your “stock” is worth.

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You should totally take it. Do not take the rank of corporal because you’re a homo and you don’t deserve it.

You need to leave the military, you do not represent anything I would want to serve with

Hell even myself I can say as a PFC I did duties that were SPC rating, and even some SGT duties. I did not get any pay raise. When I was SPC I did duties that were SGT and even higher it is called doing a job with out expecting a pay increase. But you know what that’s life as a Solider.

As being offered an NCO position is to most a very boost in a person’s way of moving up to better jobs in the military. I went from E-2 to Staff Sgt in 5 years and that was hard back in the late 70’s and early 80’s and as an E4 not a corporal yet had being the lieutenant on our artap mission for 3 days. Didn’t even cross my mind of pay I was doing the job that my unit ask me to do and that’s where the CSM and the battalion commander started my fast track. The CSM said it was one of the best artap’s he had seen in years. If I was the CSM and see this being posted I’d postpone any promotion for awhile until we could make sure that you are ready to lead troops