Posted on Oct 24, 2017
Do cadets actually outrank non-commissioned officers?
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I deal with cadets a lot, and they insist they out "rank" every NCO in the army. My usual response is somewhere around the guides of "uh-huh." Can I get some clarity of this?
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 1044
In no way, shape or form does a cadet outrank any nco, warrant officer or commissioned officer.
Cadet is an individual enrolled in a military academy working towards earning a commission in the military. I have dealt with cadets in the past. The ranks they receive or wear during academy training is not a rank recognized in the military rank structure, so please, quit falling into this idiotic belief.
However as non commissioned officers your job is to lead, train and motivate. No need to have ill feelings towards a cadet, they just have different military ambitions than yours. One thing not to forget, that cadet may be your plt ldr or commander in the near future.
I have worked with many 2nd lieutenants, i was able to feel a sense of accomplishment seeing some wear the rank of major as they progressed in service. Their NCO is basically a leadership trainer when first assigned to a platoon
Cadet is an individual enrolled in a military academy working towards earning a commission in the military. I have dealt with cadets in the past. The ranks they receive or wear during academy training is not a rank recognized in the military rank structure, so please, quit falling into this idiotic belief.
However as non commissioned officers your job is to lead, train and motivate. No need to have ill feelings towards a cadet, they just have different military ambitions than yours. One thing not to forget, that cadet may be your plt ldr or commander in the near future.
I have worked with many 2nd lieutenants, i was able to feel a sense of accomplishment seeing some wear the rank of major as they progressed in service. Their NCO is basically a leadership trainer when first assigned to a platoon
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This is actually more difficult to answer than most questions. Cadet is a training rank. AR 600-20, Army Command Policy; which outlines the rank structure; lists cadet as a special pay grade that is, technically, outranking the Enlisted. The caveat to this is that, as a training rank, they only have the authority specifically delegated to them by the command. And the command will always have the senior NCO's back.
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Who cares? I mean isn’t this just a who get to bark orders at whom kinda thing? Its so juvenile. Im not bowing down to anyone who only went to college to avoid war.
However i would give them every opportunity to demonstrate their experience (or lack of) and leadership skills (or lack of) whenever in a position to do so. If they perform well, great. If not, the collective will see the NCOs performance, and learn the stupidity of “pulling rank”.
If the same applies to new 01s who are completed school and on Active Duty, then certainly applies to trainees.
However i would give them every opportunity to demonstrate their experience (or lack of) and leadership skills (or lack of) whenever in a position to do so. If they perform well, great. If not, the collective will see the NCOs performance, and learn the stupidity of “pulling rank”.
If the same applies to new 01s who are completed school and on Active Duty, then certainly applies to trainees.
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Our unit had people out training ROTC cadets for their field training. Some of the cadets tried to pull rank on our SP4s. Our SP4s laughed at them. Since our people were the cadre, that meant any attitude they got from the cadets made for exceptionally miserable training. The entitled one may be told to go set up in an area with poison ivy, near an old field latrine, or in a snake infested area. One night the cadets were lined up to do an ambush. One of our crazy female SP4s snuck up behind them & started growling loudly like a bear. The entire line of cadets took off running. We wanted to fail them but the command just laughed & passed them anyways.
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We had an issue with one finally had to take to Command, he informed the cadet that he was here as a guest and needed to act like it.
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Had a Cadidiot who was giving orders to troops/NCO's that were against regs/sop and then he complained to the COC he wasn't getting the respect he deserves due his rank, the response from the LTC was spectacular, "You are Temporary, Probationary and supernumerary and i will end your pitiful career before it starts before i would go after any NCO/Soldier on your word alone, you are here to learn so shut up and learn or i will send you packing" Every other Dot we got was ok at their job.
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It seems to me that ever other post on this site is about rank and NCO vs officer. My short valueless opinion is if it’s a story or if you have to ask then both the officer and the enlisted have failed. Even thinking about it is a waste of time and shows a lack of understanding of what rank is really about. Rank is a position that gives you a set of responsibilities and information. The respect is up and down in and out period. Take any disagreement out of the public eye and fix it
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I once was a cadet in an ROTC program. I didn’t feel like I outranked anyone. The cadre there certainly didn’t train us that we outranked anyone in the full time military. Once we were in the third year we were more or less under contract and were pledged but we held cadet rank only which isn’t in the rank structure of the military. I don’t believe that cadets outrank full time service members
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