Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corresponds to commanding a section or squad of soldiers (typically ranging from two to sixteen soldiers and called "corporal's guard").
The word is a contraction from the medieval Italian phrase ( [of soldiers]). While most Indo-European languages use this contraction, West Iberian languages use .
NATO code While the rank is used in a number of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country. NATO code Country English equivalent UK US OR-4 Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Romania Corporal OR-3 Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland Lance corporal Private first class OR-2 Estonia, Italy, Portugal, Spain Private
Types Lance corporal
First corporal Second corporal Master corporal Corporal major Corporal of horse Corporal of the field Staff corporal
By country
Australia Corporal is the second lowest of the non-commissioned officer ranks in the Australian Army, falling between lance-corporal and sergeant. A corporal is usually appointed as a section commander, and is in charge of 7–14 soldiers of private rank. Corporals are assisted by a second-in-command, usually a lance-corporal or senior private. A corporal within the artillery is known as a bombardier. 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.
Belgium The branches of the Belgian Armed Forces use three ranks of corporal: corporal (, ), master corporal (, ) and 1st master corporal (, ). Corporal is equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-3, whereas master corporal and 1st master corporal are equivalent to OR-4. The rank immediately below corporal is 1st private and the rank directly above 1st master corporal is sergeant.
Units with a cavalry, artillery or Logistic Corps (Transport unit) tradition replace Corporal by "Brigadier".
The equivalent of these ranks in the Naval Component are quartermaster, chief quartermaster and 1st chief quartermaster.
Canada Corporal is an Army and Air Force non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Armed Forces. Its naval equivalent is sailor 1st class. It is senior to the rank of private and its naval equivalent sailor 2nd class, and junior to master corporal (caporal-chef) and its equivalent master sailor (matelot-chef). It is part of the cadre of junior non-commissioned officers, and one of the junior ranks. In French, the rank is caporal.
The rank insignia of a corporal is a two-bar chevron, point down, worn in gold thread on both upper sleeves of the service dress jacket; in rifle green (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. 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 severely 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. In an infantry section, a corporal will sometimes command an assault team if a master corporal is leading the section or they are pending promotion to master corporal.
Another effect of Unification was to delete the appointments of lance-corporal and lance-sergeant (a corporal holding the acting 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)".
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.
France There are three ranks of corporal (). In the French Army, these are not NCO ranks, but enlisted ones. The corporals are called "ranked" (). Non-commissioned officers start at the rank of .
OR-3 Army Air force Shoulder Camouflage French English translation Corporal
In regiments with a cavalry tradition, using white insignia, and artillery, is used instead.
Germany Corporal or Korporal was the most junior NCO grade in many German partial states of Deutscher Bund, before the term was replaced by the word Unteroffizier in the middle of the 19th century.
In September 2021, the Bundeswehr reimplemented the grade of Korporal, but this time as a senior enlisted rank below NCO level. Additionally, a completely new rank was created with the grade of Stabskorporal what is the most senior enlisted rank now.Anordnung des Bundespräsidenten über die Dienstgradbezeichnungen und die Uniform der Soldatinnen und Soldaten (15 September 2021) Both ranks are classified OR-4 in the NATO rank code system. In the Bundeswehr, both ranks share paygrade A6 with the junior NCO rank Stabsunteroffizier. India
Corporal in the Indian Air Force is a Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank. Corporals assist in maintaining discipline, overseeing technical or operational tasks in their unit, and serves as a link between senior JCOs and junior airmen.
Ireland
Corporal () is the lowest rank of non-commissioned officer within the Irish Army and Air Corps. The Naval Service equivalent is leading seaman.
Army The main role of an infantry corporal is either to command a section as the section commander or to command the fire support group as the second in command of the section. All corporals are qualified instructors on drill, section weapons, and fieldcraft.
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.
The army rank insignia consists of two winged chevrons (or "stripes"), the dress uniform being red chevrons with a yellow border.
Air Corps 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
All Jewish, Druze and Circassian conscripts must start their compulsory service at 18 (unless they receive a deferment); Christians, Muslims, and Circassians may volunteer at 17 or older. Enlisted male conscripts serve for 32 months (2 years and 8 months) and female conscripts serve for 24 months (2 years). In the IDF enlisted ranks are earned by means of time in service (pazam), rather than by a particular post or assignment. After 4 to 12 months the conscript is promoted to rav turai (corporal), after 18 to 20 months promoted to samal, and after 24 to 32 months is promoted to samal rishon (This means that female conscripts reach no higher than samal during their compulsory service, unless they serve in combat positions or volunteer for longer terms).
Italy
A soldier used to get promoted from private (soldato) to corporal rank (caporale) after 3 months of service until 2014, After 2014 they have to pass a selection to be promoted to corporal. The title was used as a senior office in the Italian Kingdom during World War II.
New Zealand The New Zealand Defence Force awards the corporal rank to soldiers or airmen after 6 or 7 years of service. There is substantial responsibility on the part of a corporal in the New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force. They usually command a small team and work closely with their sergeants. A pay increase is also given.
Like their British, Canadian and Australian counterparts, they wear two chevrons to distinguish their rank.
Corporals have what is termed 'power of arrest', and is impressed on recruits in RNZAF basic training. Basically, this power means that any airman or private disobeying or ignoring an order from a corporal will be subject to military arrest by that individual. Power of arrest is used by higher ranks to enforce their orders, corporal in the RNZAF being the lowest rank with this power.
Philippines In the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the rank Corporal is locally called as Kabo. It is currently being used by both the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps. It stand above the rank of private first class and below sergeant.
The Philippine Revolutionary Army also used corporal as part of their ranks during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War. It is the lowest enlisted personnel rank on the service, below the rank of sergeant.
As of 8 February 2019, a new ranking classification for the Philippine National Police was adopted, eliminating confusion of old ranks. The rank of corporal is included on the new ranking classification. It is the second from the bottom, placing above the rank of Patrolman and below police staff sergeant.
Poland In the Polish Land Forces, the rank of is the lowest rank in the NCO corps (OR-3 in NATO code). Most commonly the rank is held by a NCO commanding an infantry squad, tank or gun crew, or a similar unit. The equivalent rank in the Polish Navy is .
As with many other military ranks, direct comparison between various armies might be misleading. Before World War II, the Polish Army's was more or less equivalent to the British rank of lance corporal, while the British rank of corporal was named (lit. platooner). In modern times, the rank is still equivalent to a UK lance corporal or a private first class in the U.S. Army (OR-3), while the British and American rank of corporal (OR-4) is equivalent to the Polish rank of (), which was introduced in 1971.
Historically, the rank was first introduced in Poland in the 17th century, together with mercenary troops of Italian origin. In foreign troops on the royal payroll, a commanded four ranks of musketeers or part of a company of pikemen. In the 20th century, between the world wars, the rank of corporal was held by both conscripted NCOs and professional soldiers alike. This was changed after World War II, when the Polish Army was under Soviet command and the rank of was modified to resemble that of Soviet junior sergeant, reserved for conscripted NCOs. In the modern Polish Army, the rank is exclusively reserved for professional soldiers.
The insignia of (worn on shoulder straps or badge above breast pocket) are two bars.
Portugal The Portuguese Navy has the rank of (corporal of the Navy). All other branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces have several ranks of corporal ( in Portuguese). The Portuguese Army and the Portuguese Air Force have the ranks of (second corporal), (first corporal) and (corporal adjudant). The National Republican Guard has the ranks of (corporal), (chief corporal) and (corporal-major).
The several ranks of corporal correspond to the several pay grades, above that of private, that can be reached inside the enlisted rank professional category of the Army, the Air Force and the National Republican Guard. In the Navy, the rank of is the highest pay grade in the enlisted rank category.
Russia