Posted on Sep 3, 2015
What is the difference between a Specialist and a Corporal in the Army? Inquiring Marine minds want to know.
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A Corporal is a NOV and a Specialist is not NOV status usually after PLDC school
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Corporal are paper pusher and close to sgt...and a specialist is work on the field
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Specialists are usually working in their MOS and not hiding from their platoon SGT!
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CPL Joey Weaver Jr.
Everyone has an Mos. A good platoon leader is the difference. If you do not train correctly, there is no way that the mission will be accomplished. Readiness and a good esprit de corps keeps soldiers and marines in a high state of morale. Boredom will always kill anything.
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Simple, a Corporal is an NCO whereas the Specialist is not. Same pay but different responsibilities and authority. A Corporal receives an NCOER whereas the Specialist just receives a counseling concerning their performance.
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AS I understood it when in the Army, if there is a question of who would lead, and you are down to two E-4's, the Cpl with the hard strips would be senior and would take command. Cpl's were trained for combat and the Specialist is trained to be the go to person if you needed something - they would make sure it gets ordered. (Spc May not explained completely).
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A Cpl is an NCO a specialist is not. While a specialist is the same pay grade they have not acquired the points necessary to be a NCO.
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MSG (Join to see)
That is inaccurate. The Army Corporal is in a specified leadership position, typically in a combat arms unit. Specialists can still be team leaders, and have some authority delegated to them, but they do not have the same responsibility level as an NCO. It has nothing to do with points. A commander can frock a Soldier to Corporal without points being involved. A Soldier can also board for a Corporal position. For the Army it's just a shitty rank to be stuck in. Specialists don't take you seriously, and we Senior NCOs usually have to stomp our Army Corporals for having their head sup their asses because they all of a sudden have stripes but still haven't learned how to lead.
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Cpl Thomas Kifer
To MSG Kristopher Reeves. I always want to live my life truthfully and with honor. I appreciate you correcting my post/comment. Truth be told, the comment I were came second hand. And wasn't something I had any knowledge on. I believe when we attempt to make comments to questions on RP, RP is looking for honest well thought out answear to questions soldiers have today. My comment did nothing but possibly fog the topic. I am sorry for my uneducated comment and in the future will only respond to questions I have full knowledge on. And I thank you again for the correct answers to the question. Semper Fi
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CPL Jana Sullivan
Down and dirty, it is more responsibility with the same pay. You are considered an NCO and may get more respect, but that's not always the case. To comment on the above about points. There maybe some instances where you have earned the credibility of an NCO in the unit but the individual doesn't have enough points for E-5. There also might not be an available slot for an E-5, but there is still a need for leadership of an NCO.
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SPC Joseph Montgomery
A specialist is a technical designation with an MOS. A CPL is more of a troop manager. CPL's push troops whereas a specialist deals with specific jobs or specialties. Normally a specialist would not be put in charge of a section of the same job holders. A CPL, or E-4 hard strip, would be. In the Army, the CPL designation eliminates the need for orders making someone an AJ E-5 or E-6. While CPL doesn't give the holder anymore money, it is greater responsibility and greater deference from other NCO's and soldiers under them.
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Corporals are those placed in leadership roles where Specialists are the non leadership folks.
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When I was in, back in the Stone Age, I went from Specialist to Corporal as I had completed PLDC, been to the board, and was in a squad leader position, but promotion points were at some ridiculous number due to a reduction I forces (as I recall It was impossible to get the number of points required). Had points been lower I would have been a E-5/Sgt.
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for me it was being on both duty rosters as required. no change other than being assigned as SOG (sergent of the guard) as needed
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