Do cadets actually outrank non-commissioned officers?

Officer Cadet or Flight Cadet are the lowest steps of the Commissioned Officer Ranking. Hate them if you will but the do outrank all NCO's. Though they my not have the experience to know a rifle from a gun, a boat from a ship, or a plane from an air plane. They have their place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-commissioned_officer

I don't think this question is about military law. That's pretty clear. It's really about lack of respect that some cadets show. I've seen 2LTs who are just as arrogant about that. I also did a two week stint as an ROTC cadet in the Cadet Troop Leadership Training program. I was put in "command" of an infantry platoon. I can only hope I came in with the proper attitude of "I'm here to learn from these soldiers." The same attitude I tried to keep throughout my Army career. I was also in the simultaneous membership program and was put in a position "equivalent" to an E5 in reserve CA unit. I learned a lot from that. I suspect more cadets could use that kind of training.

Cadets are students learning how to be in the military. My experience as an NCO was that officers would bust our butts telling us to respect them "as if" they're an officer, however I don't think the UCMJ defines cadets as officers. Besides they haven't been awarded a rank by congress. Only congressional promotion exists for actual officers.

Noooooo... ! They don't onrank the civilian janitor. They aren't even weaned yet.

Cadets are not yet commissioned officers, so how can they outrank anyone but junior cadets. Cadets should be treated with respect. If a cadet tried to instruct me on a task, there would be a fair amount of entertainment.

I signed up at 17 as an E-1 in the Navy and retired as an O-3. As far as I'm concerened they have no rank, they are not commissioned nor have they signed an enlistment contract and and they have not earned any rank. Same with officer spouses. One admiral I worked for as a jr enlisted guy told me he spoke at the officer's wives club on base and told them the same thing, to stop pretending their marriage gives them any authority. His wife in particular, was told to stop disregarding the directions of younng enlisted at the front gate simply because she had the blue sticker and star on her windshield. After thinking about it, he told me she understood and the behavior changed. When I was commissioned as an Ensign, it was the warrant officers who helped me the most to make the transition as I went from E-4 to O-1, and they would call people out and then turn the conversation over to me to finish it, and I would. Having that experienced person standing beside me guiding the situation taught me how to correct people in a positive way. It also taught me how to work in real-world conflicts where I knew I needed the advice of senior enlisted folks to make wise decisions. Now I work in the ministry, and it's still an effective approach.

Funny. The 4th Infantry Division had a change of command, the other day. I was walking around the outside of the division HQs, making my way back to my battalion and came face-to-face with a ROTC cadet from one of the local colleges. As soon as I saw the black dot on her chest, I immediately recognized her status and rendered a hand salute. Keep in mind, I’m a SFC with 15 years and change in service. This young lady likely wasn’t even in elementary school when I joined. (I figure her to be no more than about 20 years old.) She promptly said, “oh no, I’m just a cadet.” I told her that by regs, she still out ranks me. At the moment, the PFC who works for me was walking with me. I saw an opportunity to teach a couple of young Soldiers in that moment and I did it with a smile on my face. That young cadet is going to be a PL in the near future and I’m sure she’s going to have a SFC as her PSG. I wanted her to know that she can trust that SFC to steer her in the right direction. I also wanted my PFC to know that you don’t treat cadets as “cadidiots.” Yup. The bad cadets will eventually make themselves known and get flushed. But then, maybe I’m in a position to be the difference maker between a good one and a bad one.

The answer to this question is, "NO." Cadets aren't under direct commission by the DOD, nor authorized by the Joint Chief of Staff. In fact, JrROTCs and ROTC cadets can't even order an enlisted/ no-rank personnel. The last one who try that on me, I demanded where in hell is that found in any Army Regulation, or if he had a major brain-fart. With that set I had him doing Push-ups until I got tired.

Generally the answer is no. However that being said they are training to be officers so one must remember that the next time you see them They will be an officer and they will outrank all EM and Warrants. Quick personnal story I was in ROTC and had an upperclassman always picking on me I didnt study enough and left the university and joined the NG and in a couple years completed OCS and volunteered for active duty served and made Cpn and ended up a company Commander in Germany. My first day there this 1LT comes in to introduce himself to new CO. it had been about 4 years he didnt recognize me but I said Welcom Lt ++ then he recognized me. So you might runn across that nobody later and they will remember.

Prior to my graduation from OCS my father a retired 0-7 gave me a piece of sage advice.

'Listen to the guy with the stripes and rockets on his sleeve. He didn't get them out of a cereal box. Pay attention and learn from guys like him."

It's something that should be taught to every Cadet and Officer Candidate. It should also be reinforced to all junior officers by their unit commanders.