Do cadets actually outrank non-commissioned officers?

Yes, but as a Cadet I knew my place. I never once thought I out ranked an NCO. I also knew if I disrespected an NCO my cadre would terminate me and I'd end up not our ranking anybody. Bold statement here but this is my take. If some Cadet actually believes they truly outrank an NCO then they're most likely going to make a horrible abusive Officer when they actually become one. Just my 2 cents though, commissioned in 2012. My NCOs were inspirations and still to this day I respect those men and women who taught me how to be an officer.

Cadets are considered '3rd LTs'. However, if you get 'found' after becoming a 'cow' (junior) you go into the NCO ranks as an E5. I'm a grad. My classmates (class of 1969) all knew how to give our NCOs orders. It would go like this...'Sergeant, please go and do this. ' And then the NCO would say 'sir, do you really want to do this'. And then we would go 'well, what do you recommend?' And we would go 'thats a good idea sergeant first class, lets do that'

Cadets have no active duty rank. Their rank only applies to the cadet corps. No, cadets do not outrank NCOs.

By AR they doooo!

Of course not. Nobody’s foolish enough to think or act like that.

That conversation usually goes “See Spot. See Spot run. Run Spot run”. Thankfully the ROTC SNCOs have put enough fear in them it’s not usually an issue until they pin the butter bar on

Nope..

Yes, academy cadets are on active duty just like you are and subject to the UCMJ, therefore they exist within the rank structure too (see AR-600-2 table 1-2). But academy cadets, like officers going through airborne or ranger schools, are students and subject to the correction and instruction by instructors. Remember you are training them to become good officers. Teaching respect and the importance of abiding by the regs will pay dividends for the Army. We all know that anyone that appeals to rank in a situation has lost. Teach them why it is a bad idea.

In the mind of a Cadet, they outrank the CG. But when reality sets in and an old-time NCO get a hold of one of them they run crying to their tactical officer.

I never saluted em, but they are funny try to run a platoon of Infantry guys