Jenny
Full Member
Posts: 200
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Post by Jenny on Jun 6, 2023 20:57:37 GMT -6
I know all the excitement (for lack of a better term) is on other threads these days but I need some info.
In my reading and studying for my portrait series, I see many instances where a corporal, for instance, is reduced in rank to private at his own request. Why would this happen? I imagine one reason is that the others in his unit didn't treat him the same once he rose above them in rank. His pay would be more, but not much more, so maybe it wasn't worth the grief.
Thanks for any info related to this.
Jenny
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Post by noggy on Jun 7, 2023 0:50:51 GMT -6
In my reading and studying for my portrait series, I see many instances where a corporal, for instance, is reduced in rank to private at his own request. Why would this happen? I imagine one reason is that the others in his unit didn't treat him the same once he rose above them in rank. His pay would be more, but not much more, so maybe it wasn't worth the grief. Thanks for any info related to this. Jenny Hm, workload vs pay? If you as a Corporal got several new duties making your everyday harder, and maybe more dangerous at times, a wage increase would have to be pretty substantial to make it worth it, which I doubt it was. i remember a German soldier wrote about how a friend of his, after single-handedly knocking out several enemy tanks, refused a promotion because it would mean he had to lead a platoon, which he did not want. So as a compromise, he ended up with a medal and 4 bottles of Russian booze, and kept his rank. Noggy |
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Post by montrose on Jun 7, 2023 7:10:14 GMT -6
There was no central promotion system for noncommissioned officers (NCO) in this era. That was only for commissioned officers.
NCO ranks were at unit level, at the whim of the local officers. In practice, units followed seniority, then merit. It was quite possible for a soldier to serve 20 years as a private, while another was a first sergeant in 3 years.
Several senior NCOs in the 7th had been busted to private and worked their way back, 2 company 1SGs were former deserters. It was an odd Army, with serious training and leader development issues.
Transferring companies may be the reason you see a corporal(or even a 1SG) voluntarily give up a rank. If you change companies you revert to whatever rank the gaining unit wants.
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