Posted on Oct 24, 2017
2LT Infantry Officer
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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 in these groups: Thcapm08l9 ROTCEnlisted logo EnlistedGeneral of the army rank insignia Officer
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Responses: 1044
GySgt Eric Samberg
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Hey all,
Bring a Cadet around my Marine Corps and they will have the party of their lives. I will introduce them to a few Staff Sergeants and see what happens. They need to stay in their training camp and away from the real world until they are ready to pay the price of a real leader. Ask any Gunny that has to train them and watch them sink or swim, then we will see if they can become true leaders.
Semper Fi.
Gunny Berg
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Lt Col Timothy Cassidy-Curtis
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Welllllllllllllllllll...yes and no. All members of the Enlisted Corps are outranked by all members of the other corps. With that said, cadets are in a learning environment. It is right to instruct a cadet when their conduct warrants it. Cadets who learn these lessons will make better leaders. Doing so in a manner that is respectful will add a lesson that is demonstrated vice one that is merely spoken.

With all that said, cadets are human, too. They are in a new environment, and many are seeking ways to succeed and achieve validation. The fact that they might outrank a member of the Enlisted Corps, and maybe "lord" it over any enlisted person, might be a tactic to achieve this validation, albeit desperate and misguided.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of such treatment, remain calm. Note details. Then, speak with any member of the Cadre. Form a consensus on a plan. This is a teachable moment. If you can make this work, then a better officer might result.
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SMSgt Bob W.
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Ah, Yes. It is that time of the year that we recycle questions form 3-4 years ago. A cadet is lower than a whale. We are talking about CADETS IN TRAINING, not butter bar zeros.
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TSgt Travis Wheeler
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Edited 3 y ago
No... "cadet" is not a recognized rank in the chain of command.

They are generally contracted as E1-E4 depending on their scholarship and contract details. They DO NOT OUTRANK ANYONE ABOVE THAT CONTRACTED RANK nor do the have any type of positional authority over anyone else on active duty. Ever. We made it that way for a reason.
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SSgt Bruce Probert
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It behooves professionals to treat military courtesy appropriately how else do these cadets get to the point they understand the where fores? A NCO worth his salt can handle any egotistic cadet and if need been the NCO's superior officer can further re-educate the young lad or lady. I is why we have military courtesy it works when applied.
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MAJ Hugh Blanchard
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Technically, a Cadet does outrank an NCO. But any Cadet with prior service will know better than to try to pull that stunt. I'm grateful for my enlisted and NCO service to have given me some better judgment on that score.
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SP5 James Elmore
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No, none are commissioned yet. That said, treat each other with respect, a nod of greeting.
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SSG Mike Quinlan
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I have to say during my time l, a cadet has a grade equal to E5. I was an infantry platoon sergeant that a cadet tried some shit on. I made him damn near cry.
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CPO Kim Hanthorn
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They are called CADETS for a reason.
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CPO Kurt Baschab
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Technically that is correct, it is the Job of every Senior Enlisted person to educate every cadet, and junior officer on how the Military Service works, a smart cadet or Junior officer will build a good working relationship with there Senior enlisted personal, knowing the senior enlisted personal knowledge can make or break there military carrier.

a Smart and very well educated Senior enlisted personal will know how to handle the Cadet, and junior officer in such a way that the cadet and junior officer will always feel respected, while being educated.
many times in my Career when I had a difficult Cadet or Junior officer, I was able to work and educate them with out them never being the wiser, that I was giving the orders, the cadet or junior officer would believe they were giving the orders, that was fine with me. as long as they were learning or they would get half way down the passage way or out the door before it dawn on them that I just told him or her hell no or what they were going to be doing.
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TSgt Travis Wheeler
TSgt Travis Wheeler
3 y
It's.. not. They don't have any tangible rank in the military beyond whatever pay grade they were granted in their contract (none higher than E-4).
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