Corporal - Citizendia

This article is about the military rank. For other articles, see Corporal (disambiguation).

Common military ranks
Navies¹	Armies²	Air Forces³
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Chief Marshal
Vice Admiral	Lt. General	Air Marshal
Rear Admiral	Major General	Air Vice-Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Rate	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman
¹ in the English-speaking world ² also some Air Forces ³ In many Commonwealth countries

Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries, police forces or other uniformed organizations around the world. Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines An Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral is a military Naval officer of the highest rank For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Marshal of the Air Force may be used as a generic term for a rank in some Air forces which use a similar title with their air force's name inserted as their most senior rank Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the This article is about the air force rank Air marshal (or Sky marshal) is also the term given to federal security agents who travel undercover aboard commercial Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in For information specifically on the Royal Navy rank of captain see Captain (Royal Navy. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned Lieutenant Commander ( Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a Commissioned officer rank in many navies Superior Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flying Officer ( Fg Off in the RAF FLGOFF in the RAAF FGOFF in the RNZAF F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is a junior commissioned A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Leading Rating (or Leading Rate) is the most senior of the junior rates in the British Royal Navy. Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Aircraftman ( AC) or Aircraftwoman ( ACW) is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force and the Air forces of several other Commonwealth Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4. Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The word is derived from the Italian phrase capo corporale, meaning "head of a body (of soldiers)". Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. ^[1]

Argentina

All three branches of the Argentine Armed Forces use two or three ranks of Corporal, or cabo. Corporals in the Argentine military are considered suboficiales subalternos (subaltern sub-officers/lower non-commissioned officers), superior only to all ranks of Volunteers (enlisted members of the Army and Air Force) and Seamen (enlisted members of the Navy).

In the Argentine Army there are two ranks of Corporal, from junior to senior: Cabo (Corporal) and Cabo Primero (First Corporal). The Argentine Army ( Ejército Argentino, EA is the land armed force branch of the Argentine military and the senior military service of the country

On the other hand, the Argentine Navy has three Corporal ranks, from junior to senior: Cabo Segundo (Corporal Second Class), Cabo Primero (Corporal First Class) and Cabo Principal (Principal Corporal), which is equal to the Army rank of Sargento (Sergeant). The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic ( Armada de la República Argentina — ARA is the Navy The Air Force has the same number of Corporal ranks as the Navy, and keeps the same titles, with the exception of Cabo (Corporal) instead of the Navy's Cabo Segundo (Corporal Second Class). The Argentine Air Force ( Fuerza Aérea Argentina or FAA) is the national aviation branch of the Armed forces of Argentina.

The rank is also used by the Argentine National Gendarmerie and the Argentine Federal Police, which use the rank in the same manner as the Army, as well as the Argentine Naval Prefecture. The Argentine National Gendarmerie ( Gendarmería Nacional Argentina; GNA) is the Gendarmerie and corps of border guards of Argentina The Argentine Naval Prefecture, in Spanish Prefectura Naval Argentina or PNA, is a Military service of the Argentine Interior

Australia

Corporal is the second lowest of the non-commissioned officer ranks in the Australian Army, falling between Lance-Corporal and Sergeant. The Australian Army is Australia's military land force It is part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world A Corporal is usually a Section Commander (SeCo), and is in charge of 7-14 men of private rank. He may also have a second-in-command, generally a Lance-Corporal. The same ranks within artillery units are Bombardier and Lance-Bombardier respectively. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal. Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal.

Corporal is also a rank of the Royal Australian Air Force, being equal to both the Australian Army and Royal Air Force rank of Corporal. The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. There is no RAAF equivalent to the Army rank of Lance-Corporal. The rank of "Cadet Corporal" is also used within the Australian Air Force Cadets and Australian Army Cadets

Belgium

All branches of the Belgian Armed Forces, except the Naval Component, use three ranks of Corporal: Corporal (Dutch: Korporaal, French: Caporal), Master Corporal (Dutch: Korporaal-chef, French: Caporal-chef) and 1st Master Corporal (Dutch: 1ste Korporaal-chef, French: 1e Caporal-chef). The Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC known as the Air Training Corps (AIRTC until 2001 is a Federal Government funded youth organisation The Australian Army Cadets (AAC is a Youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities The military of Belgium is the Belgian armed forces The Belgian Armed Forces have about 34000 active troops For, see Royal Navy (disambiguation|Belgian Naval Component (disambiguation}}. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Corporal is equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-3, whereas Master Corporal and 1st Master Corporal are equivalent to OR-4. Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The rank immediately below Corporal is 1st Private and the rank directly above 1st Master Corporal is Sergeant. In many Armed forces in the world Private First Class is a rank held by junior enlisted persons Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world

The equivalent of these ranks in the Naval Component are Quartermaster, Chief Quartermaster and 1st Chief Quartermaster.

Brazil

Corporal (in Portuguese cabo) is the second lowest officer rank in the three Brazilian military. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. This article presents the Insignia and Ranks of the Brazilian military. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The first lowest is soldado (soldier) and the third is terceiro-sargento (third sergeant).

Canada

Corporal (Cpl) is an Army and Air Force non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. Land Force Command ( LFC) is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. Mission AIRCOM is responsible for all aircraft operations in the Canadian Forces enforcing the security of Canada's airspace and providing aircraft for supporting the missions of A non-commissioned member (NCM in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as "… any person other than an The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence Its Naval equivalent is Leading Seaman (LS). "MARCOM" redirects here For the historical (1936–1950 U Leading Seaman ( LS or L/S) is a non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. It is senior to the rank of Private and its Naval equivalent Able Seaman, and junior to Master Corporal (Caporal-Chef)and its equivalent Master Seaman (Matelot-Chef). A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Royal Navy In the Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century the term Able Seaman (abbreviated AB) referred to a Seaman with at Master Corporal ( MCpl) ( French: caporal-chef or cplc) in the Canadian Forces Master Seaman (MS or matelot-chef (matc in French, is a Non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Navy, which is between It is part of the cadre of junior non-commissioned officers, and one of the Junior Ranks. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force Junior Ranks is the collective term in Canada for all the Non-commissioned members ranked below that of Sergeant / Petty Officer 2nd Class; in other In French the rank is caporal (cpl). French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

The rank insignia of a Corporal is a 2-bar chevron, point down, worn in gold thread on both upper sleeves of the Service Dress jacket; in tan (Army) or dark blue (Air Force) thread on CADPAT slip-ons for Operational Dress; in old gold thread on blue slip-ons on other Air Force uniforms; and in gold metal and green enamel miniature pins on the collars of the Army dress shirt and outerwear coats. CA nadian D isruptive PAT tern (CADPAT, is the digital camouflage pattern currently used by the Canadian Forces (CF On Army ceremonial uniforms, it is usually rendered in gold braid (black for rifle regiments), on either both sleeves, or just the right, depending on unit custom.

Corporal is the first non-commissioned officer rank, and the lowest rank officially empowered to issue a lawful command. Corporals can lead troops if they have the formal qualifications to be promoted to Master Corporal but have not been promoted yet. However, the rank of Corporal was severally downgraded after Unification, along with the attendant responsibilities. A Corporal in the Canadian Army in 1967 had the same duties and responsibilities that a Sergeant has today.

Another effect of Unification was to delete the appointments of Lance Corporal and Lance Sergeant (a Corporal holding the acting rank of Sergeant). Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations A Lance-Sergeant ( LSgt or L/Sgt) was a British Army Corporal acting in the rank of Sergeant. The former is still common in other Commonwealth militaries.

Corporal is deemed to be the substantive rank of the members carrying the appointment of Master Corporal. On pay documents, Corporal was formerly listed as "Cpl (A)" and Master Corporal as "Cpl (B)".

Privates in the Canadian Forces are considered to be apprentices in their trades, and Corporals are journeymen. To become a Corporal one must have served four years as a private, and have achieved Qualification Level 5 trades training, or two years in the reserves and completed their DP 2A course.

The rank of corporal in artillery units follows the British convention and is styled Bombardier (Bdr) — thus a Master Corporal is a Master Bombardier (MBdr). The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery ( Fr: le Régiment royal de l'Artillerie canadienne is the Artillery Personnel branch of the Canadian Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal.

In rifle regiments, a distinction was historically drawn between a Corporal and an Acting Corporal; The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada had a special insignia to distinguish between the two. The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are a Militia Regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto Ontario.

Denmark

In the Danish military the rank of corporal (Korporal in Danish) is the lowest rank of the NCO group. Korporal is a rank in the Norwegian army and air force. It is the equivalent of Corporal. An NCO in, the Danish military, is a sergeant, meaning that all coporals are sergeants in the Danish military. Professional (non-conscripted) soldiers may sometimes get the rank of corporal, on a temporary basis, in order to get better quarters. The rank of corporal is generally being phased out in the Danish Army, but is not an uncommon sight in the Home Guard. The Danish Home Guard (Hjemmeværnet HJV is the fourth service of the Danish military, concerned exclusively with the defence of Danish territory

Finland

Korpraali (literally translated as "Corporal"), carrying one-chevron rank insignia, is the equivalent to Lance Corporal and it is the most senior rank of Private. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Alikersantti (literally translated as "Sub-Sergeant"), carrying two-chevron rank insignia, is the lowest NCO rank and it is the equivalent to Corporal elsewhere. An alikersantti is usually the leader of a group that consists of 4–7 men and around 20% of conscripts are promoted to alikersantti after they have gone through 16 weeks of NCO training following the 8-week basic training common for all conscripts. The next rank is kersantti (Sergeant). Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world

France

There are three ranks of corporal (caporal in French). Caporal may refer to Caporal a type of strong dark Tobacco Caporales, a Bolivian dance These are not NCO ranks, but enlisted ones. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force The corporals are called "ranked" (gradés).

"Corporal" (caporal) is a NATO OR-3 level rank. The insignia is two chevrons of wool (vs. the two gold chevrons of a sergent).
"Staff Corporal" (caporal-chef) is OR-4. The insignia is two chevrons of wool plus a gold chevron
"First Class Staff Corporal" (caporal-chef de première classe) is intermediate between OR-4 and OR-5. The insigia is one gold chevron and two gold chevrons.

In the regiments of cavalry traditions, the caporaux are called brigadiers. This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Germany

The German military had no direct equivalent to a corporal in either the Commonwealth or US militaries, in terms of duties and responsibilities. Some sources identify Unteroffizier as the traditional German equivalent to Corporal, and this grade has existed as a military rank since at least the 18th century. Unteroffizier is both a specific Military rank as well as a collective term for Non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century Other sources identify the lower rank of Gefreiter as being equivalent to a Corporal of other armies, though in the German military this rank conferred a higher rate of pay without any of the duties and responsibilities granted Corporals in other armies. Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for Private (OR-2 (US Army E-2) in the armed services This and the rank of Oberstabsgefreiter (highest rank of Privates) are today classified by NATO as OR-4 ranks, with Unteroffizier (lowest NCO-rank) being classified as OR-5. Given the vastly different status of the rank of Corporal in the British (section commander) and American (section second-in-command) armies, identifying equivalents in the German military is largely fruitless, though the American rank system corresponds more accurately to the overall German NCO rank system. For Example: Sergeant (E-5) = Unteroffizier, Staff SGT (E-6)= Stabsunteroffizier, SGT 1stClass(E-7)= Feldwebel, Master SGT (E-8)= Oberfeldwebel, First SGT (E-8) = Hauptfeldwebel, SGT Major (E-9) = Stabsfeldwebel

SS equivalent to Unteroffizier was Unterscharführer. The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Unterscharführer was a Paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party that was used by the Schutzstaffel (SS between the years of

India and Pakistan

The equivalent to Corporal in the British Indian Army was Naik in all units. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. These ranks are still used in the Indian Army and Pakistan Army. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based The Pakistan Army ( Urdu:) is the largest branch of the Pakistan military, and is mainly responsible for protection of the state borders the security of administered

Iran

Corporal (in Persian سرجوخه Sarjukhe) is one of the lower ranks of the Iranian army. The Islamic Republic of Iran Army In Iran, it is also called Artesh which is Persian for "army A Sarjukhe is usually responsible for 4 to 5 soldiers. Including the Corporal himself.

Ireland

Corporal (Cpl) (Ceannaire in Irish) is the lowest rank of non-commissioned officer within the Irish Army and Air Corps. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. The Irish Army ( Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces ( Óglaigh na hÉireann) The Irish Air Corps (Aer Chór na hÉireann provides the air defence function of Oglaigh na hÉireann ( the Irish Defence Forces) in support of the Army and The Naval equivalent is Leading Seaman (LS). The Irish Naval Service (in Irish: Seirbhís Chabhlaigh na hÉireann or just An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh for "the Naval Service" is the Leading Seaman ( LS or L/S) is a non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth.

The Army rank insignia consists of two winged chevrons (or "stripes"). The Dress Uniform being red chevrons with a yellow border. The main role of an infantry Corporal is to either command a section as the section commander or to command the Fire Support Group (FSG) of a section as the 2I/C. A section is a small Infantry unit first introduced in the British Army. Another role is that of training NCO of a section, as all Corporals must be qualified instructors. In the Artillery Corps, the Corporal is normally assigned to a gun detachment as a Layer, or a Detachment Commander. Artillery corporals can also find themselves in charge of the battery signals section.

Before 1994, the Air Corps was considered part of the Army and wore Army uniforms with distinct corps badges but the same rank insignia. With the introduction of a unique Air Corps blue uniform in 1994, the same rank markings in a white colour were worn, before the introduction of a new two-chevron badge with wing rank marking.

Israel

In the Israel Defense Forces, soldiers are promoted from Private to Corporal (Rav-turai or Rabat) after approximately 8 months of service, if they performed their duties appropriately during this time. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit Soldiers who take a commander's course may become Corporals earlier. Corporals get a symbolic pay raise of 3. 60 NIS and those who are also noncommissioned officers (mashak) are able to command privates in their respective units. The Israeli New Sheqel ( ( sign: ₪; code: ILS) (also spelled unofficially shekel; pl

A Corporal may be promoted to Sergeant about 12 months after becoming a Corporal, or to a Second Lieutenant if they complete an officer's course. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces.

Italy

A soldier can be promoted from Private (soldato) to Corporal rank (caporale) after 3 months of service^[2]. A VFB (volontario in ferma breve, volunteer for short time service) can be promoted to the rank of Senior Corporal (caporale scelto) after 6 months^[2] of service, compatibly with the needs of the Corps.

Insignia of Corporal (caporale) of the Italian Army (insignia for the shoulder for the invernal service uniform)

Paratrooper insignia of Corporal of the Italian Army

Insignia of Senior Corporal (caporale scelto) of the Italian Army

Paratrooper insignia of Senior Corporal of the Italian Army

Mexico

Corporal (in Spanish "Cabo") is one of the lower ranks of the Mexican army. The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano is the ground defense force of the Military of Italy.

Norway

Norwegian Defence Force Corporals shoulder board

In the Norwegian Defence Force, promotion to the rank of Korporal is used as a way to acknowledge soldiers who have done a good job in their service, without giving them any real authority, though they are often delegated some more responsibilities from sergeants and officers. Promotion may come after six months or more, and the rank carries two chevrons and a slight pay increase. In addition, every candidate who completes a special selection period, the Aspirantperiode, including those aspiring to become a Sergeant and drafted personnel in the Military Police automatically qualifies for the rank of Korporal. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Military police ( MPs) are normally the Police of a Military Organization.

The pay raise is fondly known as Colatillegget, or the "coke raise", as the sum in question is approximately enough to buy one Coke each day. Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries

Russia

The rank of Corporal (Russian: капрал) existed in Russian army from 1647 to 1798, when it has been replaced with that of Non-Commissioned Officer (Russian: унтер-офицер, from German: Unteroffizier, literally sub-officer). Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Year 1798 ( MDCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Soviet and modern Russian armies have the rank of Junior Sergeant (Russian: младший сержант) that is more or less equivalent to Corporal. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages

Singapore

Corporals (CPL) in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between Lance Corporal and Third Sergeant. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations Third Sergeant is a Specialist rank in the Singapore Armed Forces. It is a rank most commonly held by National Servicemen with at least pre-university education, who are usually promoted to the rank near the end of their active-duty obligation. National Service ( NS) is the name given to the compulsory Conscription in Singapore of all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent Enlistees are also promoted to this rank upon completion of the Basic Section Leaders Course(BSLC). The rank insignia for a Corporal is two chevrons pointing downward with an arc.

In the past, the SAF followed the British model, and Corporals were non-commissioned officers often holding the appointment of section leader. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force A section is a small Infantry unit first introduced in the British Army. Today, a Corporal is not a Specialist (NCO-equivalent), and holds no command authority, although they may be given higher responsibilities such as appointment as a section 2IC

In the Singapore Police Force, a Corporal is a non-commissioned officer ranking below Sergeant. In the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF Specialists are the group of ranks equivalent to Non-commissioned officers in other Armed forces. The Singapore Police Force ( Abbreviation: SPF; Chinese: 新加坡警察部队; Malay: Pasukan Polis Singapura Tamil

Spain

In the Spanish Armed Forces Cabo (Corporal) is the rank between Soldado de Primera (First Class Private) and Cabo Primero (First Corporal). The Armed forces of Spain are known as the Spanish Armed Forces ( Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Españolas) It actually equates to a NATO OR-3, with Cabo Primero equating to an OR-4. The North Atlantic Treaty

Sweden

In the Swedish Army, the rank of Korpral is given to conscripts under training as section leaders and platoon leaders after 5 months of training. The Swedish Army ( Swedish: Armén) is the Army branch of the Swedish Armed Forces, the military of Sweden. Those who are selected as (wartime) platoon leaders are later promoted to Furir (corresponding to the British Corporal) and later Sergeant, while the section leaders are promoted to the rank of Furir after 10 months of service. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world The second-in-command at the section level, and often also at the platoon level, holds the same rank as the section or platoon leader.

United Kingdom

RAF corporal insignia

Corporal (Cpl) is the second rank of non-commissioned officer in the British Army and Royal Marines, falling between Lance-Corporal and Sergeant. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world The badge of rank is a two-bar chevron (also known as "stripes", "tapes" or "hooks"). A chevron (also spelled cheveron, especially in older documents is a V-shaped pattern A corporal's role varies between regiments, but in the standard infantry role a corporal commands a section, with a Lance Corporal as Second-in-Command (2ic). A section is a small Infantry unit first introduced in the British Army. For the film see Second in Command. The Second-in-Command ( 2i/c or 2IC) is the deputy commander of any British Army When the section is split into fire teams, they command one each. A fireteam is a small Military unit of Infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is In the Royal Armoured Corps, a Corporal commands an individual tank. The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC is currently a collection of ten regular Regiments mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical Their duties therefore largely correspond to those of Sergeants or even Staff Sergeants in the United States Army and Corporals are often described as the "backbone" of the British Army. For the Brush-footed butterfly Species, see Athyma selenophora. However with current manning strengths of the British Army as they are, Corporals have also been found to do the jobs of lance corporals and even privates. The rank has been somewhat devalued in recent years and Corporals no longer have the clout or standing as they once had outside training establishments.

In the Household Cavalry all non-commissioned ranks are designated as different grades of Corporal up to Regimental Corporal Major (who is a Warrant Officer class 1). The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the Cavalry of the Household Divisions a country’s most elite or historically Regimental Sergeant Major ( RSM) is an appointment held by Warrant Officers Class 1 (WO1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. Ironically, there is no effective actual rank of Corporal however, and the ranks progress directly from Lance-Corporal to Lance-Corporal of Horse (who is effectively equivalent to a Corporal; technically a LCoH holds the rank of Corporal, but is automatically give the appointment of LCoH). Lance-Corporal of Horse (LCoH is an appointment unique to the Household Cavalry of the British Army, equivalent to Lance Sergeant in the Foot Guards Similarly, in the Foot Guards the appointment of Lance-Sergeant is effectively used instead of Corporal. Foot guards is a term used to describe elite Infantry Regiments British Army The Foot Guards are the Infantry Regiments of the A Lance-Sergeant ( LSgt or L/Sgt) was a British Army Corporal acting in the rank of Sergeant.

Royal Artillery Corporals are called Bombardiers, although until 1920 the Royal Artillery had Corporals and Bombardier was a lower rank. The Royal Artillery, is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, is an Arm of the British Army. Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal.

A common nickname for a corporal is a "full screw".

Corporal is the lowest NCO rank in the Royal Air Force, coming between Junior Technician (up to 2008) or SAC Technician (from 2004) in the technical trades, or SAC in the non technical trades, and Sergeant. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Between 1950 and 1964, Corporals in technical trades were known as Corporal Technicians and wore their chevrons point up.

Although classified as NATO OR-4, British Corporals frequently fill OR-5 equivalent posts.

United States

United States Army

In the U.S. Army Corporal (CPL) is preceded by the first three forms of Private and the rank of Specialist. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Specialist (abbreviated " SPC " is one of the fourth enlisted ranks in the U A Corporal ranks above a Specialist and below a Sergeant, but shares the same pay grade (E-4) as a Specialist. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Unlike a Specialist, however, a Corporal is a non-commissioned officer and may direct the activities of other soldiers, including Specialists. A promotion from Specialist to Corporal is a lateral appointment; an increase in rank, but not in pay grade.

Currently, very few soldiers are made Corporal. Most go from Private First Class to Specialist to Sergeant. In many Armed forces in the world Private First Class is a rank held by junior enlisted persons However, Corporals are found in many combat units. The typical criterion for promotion to Corporal is that the Specialist must be serving in a leadership position that would typically be occupied by an NCO such as a Sergeant.

It is common for a Corporal to lead a fireteam; however, if a soldier is promoted to Corporal and there are too many soldiers of that rank, the new Corporal will stay in his current position. A fireteam is a small Military unit of Infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is

The rank of Corporal is the only rank in the United States Army that was never removed from the NCO Corps since the earliest days of the Army.

United States Marine Corps

Corporal (Cpl) is the fourth enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps, ranking immediately above Lance Corporal and immediately below Sergeant. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations The Marine Corps, unlike the Army, has no other rank at the pay grade of E-4. Corporal is the lowest grade of non-commissioned officer in the U. S. Marine Corps, though promotion to Corporal traditionally confers a large jump in authority and responsibility compared to promotion from Private through Lance Corporal. It is also the first Marine rank requiring competition among peers rather than simple "time in grade" promotions and therefore sometimes difficult to attain. Theoretically, Marine Corporals generally serve as "fire-team leaders," commanding a 4-man team or unit of similar size. In practice, however, the billet of fire team leader is generally held by a Lance Corporal, while Corporals serve in the squad leader billet that would normally be held by a Sergeant (E-5) in infantry units. In support units, they direct the activities of junior Marines and provide technical supervision. Because of its emphasis on small-unit tactics, the Marine Corps usually places Corporals in billets where other services would normally have an E-5 or E-6 in authority. Similarly, the term "Strategic Corporal" refers to the special responsibilities conferred upon a Marine Corporal. The Three Block War is a concept described by General Charles Krulak in the late 1990s to illustrate the complex spectrum of challenges likely to be faced by Soldiers

References

^ corporal. Dictionary. com. Dictionary. com Unabridged (v 1. 1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/corporal (accessed: April 18, 2008).
^ ^a ^b VFB (volunteer for short time service) and VFA (volunteer for yearly service)

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