CPL Sarah Stilwell 5802722 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I&#39;m going to the board of corrections on request of my wartime command (discharged for condition not a disability but it turned out my arm was partially paralyzed from a mortar attack in iraq back in 2006). My CDRs found papers stating I was to enter the army as an E3, not an E2. Also my DD214 lists SPC but my ompf states CPL. I was promoted in the field (told to expect CPL but they handed me SPC rank so I thought I was an SPC). I&#39;d like to try and figure out my actual rank before I go to the board cause it&#39;s kinda embarrassing not knowing. Would I be owed backpay since I was suppose to be an E3? Does my CPL rank on my OMPF override my SPC rank on my DD214? I served active duty 2004-2006 and my dad who served 23 years said the army had a lot of people coming in and out of the military and likely mishandled paperwork due to understaffing. I was paid as an incoming E2. I appreciate any help. 2020-04-22T01:40:11-04:00 CPL Sarah Stilwell 5802722

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I&#39;m going to the board of corrections on request of my wartime command (discharged for condition not a disability but it turned out my arm was partially paralyzed from a mortar attack in iraq back in 2006). My CDRs found papers stating I was to enter the army as an E3, not an E2. Also my DD214 lists SPC but my ompf states CPL. I was promoted in the field (told to expect CPL but they handed me SPC rank so I thought I was an SPC). I&#39;d like to try and figure out my actual rank before I go to the board cause it&#39;s kinda embarrassing not knowing. Would I be owed backpay since I was suppose to be an E3? Does my CPL rank on my OMPF override my SPC rank on my DD214? I served active duty 2004-2006 and my dad who served 23 years said the army had a lot of people coming in and out of the military and likely mishandled paperwork due to understaffing. I was paid as an incoming E2. I appreciate any help.

2020-04-22T01:40:11-04:00 2020-04-22T01:40:11-04:00 CSM Darieus ZaGara 5802953

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>You say your command found, do you have copies. Cpl. (in the Army) is not a rank, it is a lateral promotion as they are the same grade. However, if you have orders for CPl. it should impact your records for correction. However, you said you were told to expect CPL and was pinned SPC, so it appears you do not have orders. Of course fight for the PFC, as it may mean money, but doubtful. Never hits to try.

2020-04-22T05:40:38-04:00 2020-04-22T05:40:38-04:00 LTC Private RallyPoint Member 5803060

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Were you locally promoted to CPL? If so when you leave the unit you become a SPC again.<br />You can apply to have updates to your DD214, they won&#39;t change it but they will add a document explaining what changed.<br /><br />Did You get a CAB? If not, you should apply for one, you need statements from 2 other people at the attack your deployment orders and your DD214. All that goes to a GO for an endorsement and then to HRC to add it to your records. I&#39;ve helped people get them before.

2020-04-22T06:16:28-04:00 2020-04-22T06:16:28-04:00 SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA 5803398

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I had a similar situation in part. If you look at my profile, it shows me getting promoted from E1 to E4 after five months. That is what is shown on my ERB. In reality, I spent 11 months in DEP as an E3, then I showed up to MEPS for OSUT, and they screwed me over saying my BA (which should have given me E4) didn&#39;t count and busted me to E1. I went through OSUT and Airborne as a fuzzy. Then I got to Bragg, and the in-processing personnel noticed that my pre-DEP contract said I should be an E3. They promoted me to E3 immediately. A few weeks later, I got promoted to E4 based on my BA. I never got back pay, and my DOR was never backdated. Also, for some strange reason, the E3 part never went on my ERB. Come to think of it, I am not sure if I ever got an E3 LES. Maybe I did, perhaps not. I hope this helps you.

2020-04-22T07:35:02-04:00 2020-04-22T07:35:02-04:00 SFC Jeremy Boyd 5805978

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Among your documentation you need to check your DD Form 4 (Enlistment Contract), which should be in your OMPF, and see what pay grade it shows you enlisting as, and then cross reference it against your Leave and Earnings Statements from DFAS, which you can request if you don&#39;t have them. That will determine whether you can request back pay or not. As for the rank question, if you don&#39;t have a DA Form 4187 from your commander at the time appointing you to CPL then I don&#39;t think you&#39;ll be able to claim it as your rank. I know when I was appointed to CPL in March of 2002 I received the DA 4187 for it the day they pinned me. If you never got a DA 4187 or a memorandum for appointment to CPL, and were given SPC rank when promoted to pay grade E-4, that tells me your rank for retirement purposes is SPC. It sounds like your DD 214 is correct in that regard.

2020-04-22T22:01:29-04:00 2020-04-22T22:01:29-04:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 5809861

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>You will likely not get the medical aspects changed regardless of what has been though to have happened. I’m sorry but nobody can be sure that your injury was in fact due to a specific attack. <br /><br />Your best bet is to fight for the pay for e3 but not get your hopes up

2020-04-24T00:12:37-04:00 2020-04-24T00:12:37-04:00 SSG Norbert Johnson 5880483

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I had an issue in which I was an E-3 at Regular Army at discharge, then enlisted in NG as CPL because of an Associates Degree x 2. Didn&#39;t happen as I was in a Try one (1yr) in the NG. So once Discharged I waited to return and had a BS x 2. I did not get Cpl or Sp4, but was promoted directly to SGT/SP5 with dual MOS. All was OK in the record until mobilization for Desert Storm. I was SSG by then, and all of a sudden they wanted to rescind the promotion due to administrative error. As I had the original recorded copy (County Records) of my Enlistment as E5 and Medical Waiver also listing E5, ARPERCEN let it stand as SSG. I suggest you include your enlistment contract that stated you enlisted as E-4 as well as any other record indicating E-4. Also include your transcripts as well as Degree (the actual degree), and if it is in the field of your MOS, then you have a stronger case.

2020-05-12T15:42:00-04:00 2020-05-12T15:42:00-04:00 CPL Sarah Stilwell 5882256

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Thanks for letting me know theres someone else out there who has papers showing they skipped around in rank. I was told CPL then got a SPC rank for the new velcro uniform back in 2006 (which didn&#39;t carry CPL rank from what I&#39;m finding out). I had a DD214 that read SPC but then a freedom of information act request came back in 2018 saying I was actually a CPL. So did has me down as jumping from E3 to E4/CPL and skipping SPC altogether. I thought maybe there was a mistake made cause I spent that last 14 years thinking I was SPC but I was told that virtually all CPL were the velcro SPC rank cause there was no velcro CPL rank made at the time. So the people who did the info request asking my service info from 14 years ago were confused as I was. I learned later that many E3 had been &quot;jump stepped&quot; because of high casualty rates and stop loss. So it all started to make sense when I read your post. I didn&#39;t get a hearing 14 years ago because i was told i wasnt an NCO but i was at least a CPL but i dont know how much difference that would have made. I&#39;m getting a board review sometime in the next 12 months so at least I&#39;m getting it now. Thanks for posting

2020-05-13T00:00:02-04:00 2020-05-13T00:00:02-04:00 SFC Private RallyPoint Member 5886071

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Technically you you got discharged your rank will be an E4 and if it has SPC on your 214 it isn’t wrong because in order to maintain CPL you would have to be assigned to an E5 position on a units TDA. Once you are no longer in an E5 position you would go back to a SPC unless the unit decides to allow you to keep. Since you were no longer assigned to an E5 position they can make you a SPC. Remember a SPC and CPL are both E4s. You wouldn’t be able to get it changed on your 214 because the unit probably removed you out of that E5 position prior to your discharge. Once you review your 214 prior to separation and you sign it, you are agreeing that everything is correct on your 214. Good luck to you...

2020-05-13T20:29:01-04:00 2020-05-13T20:29:01-04:00 MSG David King 5907713

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Two people in an elevator, one person farts... everyone knows what rank they are.

2020-05-18T20:13:30-04:00 2020-05-18T20:13:30-04:00 SPC William Carter 5910482

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>E4 Specialist or E4 Corporal both have the same pay grade. You could probably use either one as long as it’s on your DD214.

2020-05-19T13:06:42-04:00 2020-05-19T13:06:42-04:00 MSG Brad Sand 5910826

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Umm, not trying to sound silly but you don&#39;t know your rank? The first person who should know is you. Specialist and Corporal are the same grade so the government is not going to care and neither will 99% of the rest of the World.

2020-05-19T14:42:19-04:00 2020-05-19T14:42:19-04:00 SPC Donald Lombardi 5914557

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It&#39;s been a long time since I fought the fight, but I&#39;d agree with the MSG Ojedfa and before him; my<br />opinion only, your mileage may vary. Good luck!

2020-05-20T13:38:36-04:00 2020-05-20T13:38:36-04:00 SPC Private RallyPoint Member 5919245

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>E-4 =SPC and CPL are the same.. But I know a lot of my friends paperwork says CPL when they were only a SPC, I think they do that to help you when and if you get out as a E-4 in the real world.

2020-05-21T14:59:18-04:00 2020-05-21T14:59:18-04:00 SFC Casey O'Mally 5919280

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Quite possibly... Both! You were likely promoted to CPL. However CPL is a temporary rank, and upon leaving the service were likely demoted administratively back to SPC.<br /><br />The key, for your purpose, is WHEN the promotion and demotion occurred. THAT is the paperwork you need to show you were an NCO and entitled to a hearing.

2020-05-21T15:11:50-04:00 2020-05-21T15:11:50-04:00 MSG Private RallyPoint Member 5920721

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>How would your commander find papers before you do indicating you should have been an E3? He cant see anything differently in your iPERMS than you can. What was your education level entering the Army? If you didnt have any college or ROTC, then you would not have been given advanced rank. <br />The key is paperwork. An E4 is an E4 for pay purposes regardless of hard stripes or not. Do you have your Personnel Action in your OMPF? If you do not have the paperwork in your file indicating you were advanced, then you are still an E3. Period..the Personnel Action will have what Rank you were advanced to.

2020-05-21T22:16:01-04:00 2020-05-21T22:16:01-04:00 LTC Private RallyPoint Member 5921047

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Your DD214 takes preference over all other documents. If there is a mistake send a letter and proof of your claim to the board of corrections to HRC, Fort Knox. A copy of your orders should take care of this mistake. You can get help from the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), whichever is in your area.<br /><br />Good Luck!

2020-05-22T00:02:57-04:00 2020-05-22T00:02:57-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 5972478

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you want to be a CPL, you need a 4187 stating so. If it was a field promotion you should have that. Upon return from Iraq, you should have been boarded, passed and then put in a position of SGT, unable to be promoted for whatever reason...points maxed for example, you have to maintain promotable status, hold an NCO position and serve in that position all together. If you did not, the CPL rank holds no water. If you transfer units, the CPL goes away, but the promotable status stays with you depending on the manning of that unit.<br />As far as back pay, you would need to prove that you enlisted as a PFC and not a PV2 and then receive the back pay for that time that you were a PV2.

2020-06-05T09:44:50-04:00 2020-06-05T09:44:50-04:00 2020-04-22T01:40:11-04:00