When Ted Koppel a few weeks ago read the names of every soldier to have died in Iraq during the current conflict, I was surprised to see so many Specialists and so few Corporals. I understand that both are E-4, the difference being that Specialist is not an NCO and has no one directly under his or her command. I also understand that at one time, there was an E-5 Specialist rank as well. (Actually, some research [see here] reveals that Specialist ranks once went as high as E-9, and were gradually discontinued.) What determines whether a person rising from PFC gets becoms a Specialist or a Corporal? Why were Specialist rankings discontinued, except for E-4, and why has Specialist become so much more common than Corporal?
Easy answer, although maybe not authoritative.
A corporal is a non-commissioned officer, a specialist grade is not. While a SP4 can issue a lawful order the refusal to obey, or showing contempt toward him, does not get you the more sever sanction that goes with disobedience of a superior NCO or showing contempt/disrespect toward an NCO. There use to be all sorts of confusion about this when some SP5 was temporally given buck sergeants stripes (an acting jack). He might be wearing sergeant’s insignia but he a was still a Specialist and not an NCO.
The organization’s Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) has a lot to do with the SP4-CORP problem, too. A unit might be authorized a certain number of sergeants of various grades and a certain number of corporals. That means that deserving kids with decent records and the requisite time in service can’t be promoted beyond PFC unless there is resort to the specialist ranks which gets the kid the same pay and allowances as the equivalent NCO grade but does not run afoul of the TO&E’s grade authorizations.
When I was on active duty most of the court reporters and senior legal clerks had been around for a while and were senior specialists. One guy was a SP7. I think the same thing was true in the medical organization’s, and in the personnel and finance offices. Few NCOs but lots of specialist grades.
Sorry, but I have no useful information to add. I am, however, interested in the replies, so I want to subscribe to this thread.
My nephew was in the army for 3 years. I asked him about this a few years ago, but he has never been able to explain this in such a way as to allow me to make sense of it.
–SSgtBaloo
Spavined Gelding, that’s a good partial answer. I already knew that a Specialist wasn’t an NCO. Its worth noting that since 1985, there haven’t been any SP5s or higher. The only Specialist rank is currently E-4. (See the link in the OP.) The limit to the number of NCOs makes some sense of it, but then why no Specialists at higher ranks? It seems odd that Specialist ranks disapeared as an alternative to the various grades of Seargent, but completely took over the E-4 grade. But what do I know? I’ve never served.
From what I can tell, serving in a logistics area, Specialist has all but replaced corporal in almost all support units. I assume this stems from the fact that in support areas, there is very little work done by very small units (fire team and below), so there is no need for low level NCOs. On the other hand, combat arms branches still have lots of corporals. I’d guess that they want NCO level leadership as far down the chain as they can during combat operations. That said, I have seen a few corporals in support units, but not many.
** This is a complete highjack of this thread
Jman**, how things in K-town. Is anybody left there? Is the Barbarossahoff still running, and the Wald Pension in the woods behind Panzer Kaserne? Is the TASCOM still HQ’d there. Is the VOCOM still running? Are the French still in the compound on the East side of town and is their PX still in business? Should I even bother to stop by and see the place after 30 years and more away?
In response to your hijack:
The Barbarossahof is indeed still there and running. 21st TSC is still HQd at Panzer, but I’ve never seen (or looked for) the Wald Pension. From what I can tell, the French are gone. The US military presence is huge, with 40,000 Americans living in and around the city. Still a nice town, but I like it a lot for its proximity to lots of other cool places as much for its own merits. I live north of K-town in a little quiet village of about 1,500. I’m in Kuwait now, and I get to go back to Germany within a week (provided the Army doesn’t decide to change its mind), so I am very much looking forward to getting back there myself!
Jman
Jman, thanks for the reply. Good luck, and I hope you get home soon.
We very much enjoyed our three year stay in Kaiserslautern. We lived in Vogelweh and my wife taught in the dependent schools (that was an experence). I was with the SJA, 32d AADCOM – my colonel took the position that any one who did not use up their full leave allowance did not understand what sort of opportunity they had been given and said that unless on call or on duty he did not want to see any of his people in the “golden getto” on weekends. Our first child was born at 2d Gen Hosp, Landstuhl. I remember K-town with great fondness.
To continue the hijack:
My first “real” assignment in the AF was to Ramstein AB (Feb 1981-Feb 1983). I have a (mostly) vague notion where most of those places were (less vague on Landstuhl – our favorite restaurants were there).
–SSgtBaloo