Can I decline being promoted to Corporal?

Why would you DECLINE, apparently your Platoon Sgt and your Command see the your potential, by declining you leave yourself wide open for criticism and speculation, if you're not ready, let your Command know, but if it's because you won't be chums with your buddies then Think again, it's time to be a RESPONSIBLE soldier and lead your squad

You should be removed from the promotion list and denied leadership schools if you do not want to take the responsibility of a leader. It seems your motivation be promoted is more about money and not taking on any type of leadership responsibilities.

Sgt Josh H are you a sergeant or a specialist? If you have not been promoted why do you list your rank as sergeant in your post about declining lateral promotion to corporal?

You should bee removed from the promotion list and denied leaderships schools if you do not want to take the responsibility of a leader. From what you said you just want the money that comes with promotion, not the responsibility.

As a former Corporal, I’m puzzled by your question. Can you decline the 4187? Yes, should you? No. I wore these stripes with pride, training up young soldiers, being an effective NCO within my company. By doing so, I earned the respect of not only my squad, but other NCO’s and officers in the company and battalion. This is a great opportunity for you, don’t blow it! If you don’t want to pin the stripes, why did you go to the board?

I was an E-4 MM3 and qualified as a MM TOPWATCH which means I was incharge of the engine room on an aircraft carrier for 12 hours every day. That position is an E-5 and above position. There were E-5 and E-6 personnel that took the extra pay and chevron just NOT the extra responsibility. If you don't want the promotion without the $, you do NOT deserve the promotion and should remain a PFC forever.

I suppose you can, but do you want to be a SPC forever? Take the promotion or commit career suicide by refusing it.

Have things changed in the pay scale I thought corporals make the same as a SP/4 or have I been out too long lol

Honestly I think that the SPC rank has no purpose anymore. It is an outdated rank that started during WWII, and as they stopped promoting soldiers to SP7, SP6 and SP5 after the "Vietnam" era, the same must happen to the SPC (aka E-4 mafia). The rank is like a senior private, and has no resposabilities as corporals have. That action also will stop the controversial lateral appointment from SPC to CPL, and will stop the whining about the NCO responsibilties with the same pay as the SPC's.

As an officer I should not respond but I can't help myself. I was commissioned a CPT, Army based on my education. After maybe 6 months service I was assigned to command a company. TOE called for a major - - sounded like a big deal to me. Many of the Battalion officers were in positions that technically called for rank one above them. I tried my best and I guess it was enough to satisfy my superiors. Upon the end of my tour I was replaced by a major; I guess they had more available. For me it was an honor to have been given the responsibility that I had; maybe another could have done better but it was for me to do it. Your concern about being paid specifically for the hours belongs more in the civilian workplace but don't count on actually being paid by the hour there unless you want to stay in a lower level position. Corporations aren't all that different, they just hide things better than the military.

As an officer commissioned merely because of my education I should probably not respond but I shall anyway. Everyone in the military is assigned a duty and responsibility. From what I saw most of the time the people assigned were to one step above the TOE. I was a CPT, Army. I was assigned to command a company. I did so. After my tour was up I was replaced by a major; the TOE called for a major. I think you should be proud to be given the responsibility of rank above that which you actually hold. Your concern about being paid for the hours is more fitted to the civilian work place.