Corporal (E-4)

The rank of corporal was established in 1775 with
the birth of the Army and the NCO Corps. Along with the
rank of sergeant, the corporal is the only rank which
has never disappeared from the NCO Corps.

The rank of corporal has always been placed at the
base of the NCO ranks. For the most part, corporals
have served as the smallest unit leaders in the Army:
principally, leaders of teams.

During the Vietnam conflict, the Army adopted the NCO
Candidate Course. Going through this course, the soldier
would by-pass the corporal rank and be promoted to
sergeant or staff sergeant.

This policy, combined with the increased use of specialists,
lessened the overall number of corporals authorized in the Army.

Like the grade of sergeant, corporals are responsible
for individual training, personal appearance and cleanliness
of their soldiers.

As the command sergeant major is known as the epitome of
success in the NCO Corps, the corporal is the beginning
of the NCO Corps. As the NCO Corps is known as the backbone
of the Army, the corporal is the backbone of the NCO Corps