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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CPL
SPC
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A Corporal is an NCO, and has the ability to lead troops, where as a Specialist is not an NCO.
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A specialist is not considered an NCO. A Corporal is. Depending on the unit, if your "high speed" and have the points then you might get CPL. But if you are the average Joe 9 times out of 10 you'll get SPC. With CPL comes more responsibility.
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A corporal has more responsibility than a specialist they can be a team leader
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SGT (Join to see)
Corporal is no requirement for being a teamleader. I was a team leader my whole career and I was never a Corporal. It would been nice to be, but no such luck.
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CPL Jay Peacock
You don't have to be a corporal to be a team leader it just brings you in to the nco ranks they get more shit put on them for details cause they have nco power
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SGT (Join to see)
Well, the last statement I can totally agree with.
CPL is a detail chief for sure.
CPL is a detail chief for sure.
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SGT (Join to see)
Your comments are showing up in the wrong threads...
Just giving you a heads up SPC.
Just giving you a heads up SPC.
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A corporal is considered an NCO and a Specialist is not. With that being said in the Infantry branch a specialist will sometimes fill an NCO billet and have the responsibilities of an NCO. I'm just speaking of what I have seen in the branch I belong to.
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a specialist is just that like a cook an office clerk in my day the difference was a Corporal is a jr. NCO with all the respect of an NCO. and is in the Infantry as a squad leader or an asst. squad leader. i know this because that is how my orders came. me and others got called front and center by our C.O. you are hear by promoted to specialist 4 E-4 and then our C.O. that's Commanding Officer pined on the rank then went back to the platoon and fell back in then our platoon leader 2nd LT. called me front and center and took off the SPC. and pined on the CPL. stripes then our platoon SGT said welcome to the NCO you are now a jr. NCO and asst squad leader of 2nd platoon 2nd squad so that is the difference between a SPL. and a CPL. the pay grade is the same
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Hey, that's easy #SPC like me were created after NAM, for administration or JAG, while the other was for command decision making (ie) squad leader, then platoon sgt.
Don't get me wrong, I became, the TRAINING NCO OF HHB 1-5 FA, for 2 yrs before PCS to Europe so it's all about the person, and the COMMAND, and the slots!! or POST ALOI!
Don't get me wrong, I became, the TRAINING NCO OF HHB 1-5 FA, for 2 yrs before PCS to Europe so it's all about the person, and the COMMAND, and the slots!! or POST ALOI!
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1LT (Join to see) , SGT Ben Keen , @SSG Warren Swan, so if the SPC has 24 months TIG and the Cpl has 5 months TIG, who is senior as both are E-4's?
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COL Vincent Stoneking
SGT Ben Keen - They would keep the rank until current competent command authority either promoted them or lateralled them back to SPC. A competent command authority gave them the rank and it takes another to remove it.
This assumes that they were properly given the rank, with a paper trail (Actual - rare - DA Orders, 4187, etc). If it was just VOCO, well the same is technically true, but I would expect the non-CPL to take the rank off when they left the unit - too many headaches in explaining. BTW, doing a lateral to CPL as a VOCO is a $#%^ move.....
This assumes that they were properly given the rank, with a paper trail (Actual - rare - DA Orders, 4187, etc). If it was just VOCO, well the same is technically true, but I would expect the non-CPL to take the rank off when they left the unit - too many headaches in explaining. BTW, doing a lateral to CPL as a VOCO is a $#%^ move.....
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SFC (Join to see)
COL Vincent Stoneking - Yep, I lacked a paper trail when my BN "requested" I be a CPL when I was a Combat Engineer (and for the last 3 months before I ETS'd). Of course had to take the rank off when I came back in the Army and was a SPC again, :(
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