The subject of this gloss is military reduction in rank. It is an important element of the penalty system in Polish military criminal law. The author accepts the position of the Supreme Court of Poland concerning this penalty. The following study, based on the judgment given on 16 April 2019, as well as earlier judgments of the Supreme Court of Poland, contains the analysis of the prerequisites of its ordering as well as the role of reduction in rank. The study also sets out to showcase the practical and theoretical problems presented by using this penalty