Can I resign as a Corporal?

If you are not being given the respect that goes with the rank, you should speak to the 1SG. If your unit saw the potential, and you are subsequently producing they should give you that respect. Are you earning that respect?

Have you separated yourself from the junior Soldiers, do you disseminate orders and guidance in a manner that earns you the respect of being and NCO? Are you still carrying yourself in the manner for which you were selected to be a Cpl. while I agree. That it can be thankless, it does not have to be. Lateral or not, you are an NCO.

Much like the 1SG, you were selected amongst your peers to lead Soldiers. This indicates that your 1SG has what it takes to lead Soldier over other unit E8’s, and you stringer than the other E4’s. Let the leaders that selected you guide you through this. Thank you for your service.

The process is to get promoted.
Corporal is definitely a thankless rank. I was one in the National Guard and when it was offered to me on Active Duty I turned it down. In my unit being a corporal meant you were treated like a specialist until there was a detail that required an NCO.

CPL is just a lateral promotion, like a 1SG. It can be bestowed or revoked by the commander at any time.

The Army either needs to go the way of the USMC and make all E-4s NCOs or they need to get rid of the CPL rank and make all E-4s SPCs. I’ve seen a lot of people who met all the requirements and were plenty qualified to make SGT but had CPL slapped on them instead.

I feel your pain, but if you’re that close to being promoted then I’d just buckle down and tough it out. If you tried to resign it then your CoC would probably view it like a number of people here have, as you not being ready for your 5.

You can ask, but it will be up to your Commander. You state you are an NCO but feel you aren't being treated as an NCO.....WELCOME TO REAL ARMY LIFE!!!!! Well....resigning.....that's going to be between you and your Chain. It was your dream to be a Corporal. Why just Coporal? Why just dream of that rank? Why not dream of SFC...or MSG...or even CSM? You are an NCO. IMHO, if the NCO is the backbone of the Army, then the Corporal is the backbone of the NCO Corps. Are you saying you can't handle being a Corporal? Are you saying you can't handle being an NCO? If you can't handle CPL, then you can't handle being SGT....or SSG...or SFC. Shit...you're basically saying you can't handle being in the Army. You think it's going to get easier the higher in rank you go? Reality check. It gets harder. If you can't hack it, then GTFO. I'm not going to sugarcoat scheisse for you. Suit up and Ruck up. Did you really think it was going to be all pink roses and fine coffee? Smell the morning, CPL. There will be times where your unit will treat you like shit but still expect you to do your job. Then there are times where your unit will treat you like gold for not even doing a goddamn thing. FFS, you're the OPS NCO. Do your job to the best of your ability. If you can walk out at the end of the day knowing you did your best and no one can f*ck with you, then you win the game. But...if you are needing validation at the end of the day every day just for being a CPL...then GTFO. You are an NCO. Start acting like one. We, as NCOs, don't do what we do for constant daily praise. We do this to ensure our Soldiers come home. THAT is our mission. THAT is our goal. You want to resign, then simply walk into the office of your Commander and rip that rank off your chest and tell them the truth that you can't hack it. Someone at some point thought that you could handle it. Prove them right. If you can't, then move out and make room for someone who can. Don't like what I said? Too friggin bad. What I said is just one more reality check for you. And the check always gets cashed....and the bill always comes due.

Remember to be treated like an NCO, you have to act like one and gain the respect of the other NCOs. Don't feel appreciated? Don't let your emotions get in the way of something you really wanted.

I enjoyed the heck out of it. If you see everything as a challenge rather than drudgery you'll find yourself and the squad excelling at every assignment you're given.

In short, no.
You CAN request your Commander laterally demote you, but (s)he is under no obligation to do so.

Many others have told you to put up or shut up. Be a real man. Eat the shit sandwich and like it. Etc.

I won't be that guy... Sort of. I'll tell you the same thing, but MRT the shit out of it for you. Remember that NOTHING in the Army is permanent (except for clueless LTs - but even they eventually get a clue (sometimes even two clues!) and become CPTs). Yes, CPL is one of the absolute worst ranks in the Army. Yes, you are an NCO when they need one, and an E4 when the don't. I have seen CPLs placed on both the NCO duty roster AND the "E4 and below" duty roster AT THE SAME TIME (which I fixed, but still.....). But don't worry about it. Seriously. This too shall pass. You go to BLC next month - which means you will be away from the unit treating you like crap - and in an NCOES, being treated like crap! Then you go back and get promoted. OR, if you don't get promoted in July, in only another month you go somewhere else and become a SPC again. Either way, take it a month at a time, a week at a time. You have VERY clear landmarks coming up in each of the next three months. Just work to make it to BLC. Then to July promotion list. Then to August and new unit (if necessary).

Remember that CPL *is* an NCO rank, but nothing you screw up counts against you (NCOERs are local, and not permanent) as far as Big Army is concerned. Take the opportunity to develop your leadership style. Don't worry about responsibility - you seem to have that handled. Don't worry about productivity for the same reason. Take these next couple months and really figure out who you want to be AS A LEADER. Once you pin that third stripe, everything is on record. Very few NCOs have the opportunity to develop their style "off the record.". Take the opportunity as that - an opportunity.

I understand the lack of respect, trust me. I understand it better than you can believe. But, I always remembered that no matter what today's situation was, tomorrow's would be different. Or next week's, next month's. And while, it often sucked, I was able to make it through, and do so successfully. Take the time now to grow, and to set yourself apart and above your peers. You may not like it now, but in a year, you will be thankful you did.

I get that, if your CPL wasn’t signed by a COL then it won’t transfer to your next unit with you.

PFC (Join to see) SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" LTC Stephen F. CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth PVT James Strait SSG (Join to see) Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Jack Durish

I feel for you. I taught the E-6 andE-7's their jobs. My SSG at the time got in touch with me recently and thanked me for explaining to him what his job was (he retiredMSG and I was a E-3 at the time)