Do cadets actually outrank non-commissioned officers?

LTC John Bush - I am about to really get some folks up set, in all my years of service I never, ever met a ring knocking cadet that could function at the level of a good CPL. Most ROTC Cadets had the good since to understand that their two weeks with the Regular Army was a learning experience, West Pointers on the other hand were under the impression that they knew everything there was to know. My favorite ploy was to give the a squad and let them fall flat on their face during tactical operations training. I got my butt chewed by my CO on more then one occasion for doing it, but then I would ask him what he would suggest, he said back off and let him try his book learning with a full platoon and stand ready to take over before he gets anyone hurt. I worked that one and the West Pointer learned a very hard lesson. Fortunately I never met him after he was commissioned I am sure he was not happy being allowed to look like an idiot.

LT Stewart Herrick - hate to break it to you, but you're completely wrong on this legally the Shavetail does out rank the battle hardened Plat Daddy. Try reading the UCMJ manual.

LT Stewart Herrick - As a butter bar, it was explained to me succinctly. The Lt is there to be responsible if things go wrong. Otherwise he should stay out of the NCOs way.

great advice that officer will get much more respect from his troops. As a Sgt of Marines i tell new enlisted and new officers going in to listen to their Sgts they will keep them alive.

I think the Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanics are pretty important to keep happy too ;-) (of course, I am admittedly bias, I loved that job!) I am trying to figure out who had the brilliant idea of reclassing and giving the medics our numbers? I work at Norwich University and deal with Cadets all day, it is mind blowing sometimes. Good luck out there everyone!

SFC Charles McVey Sr. - Or cooks.

Give me a couple of hours to gather up a nice audience and charge admission I bet I could put it also on pay per view and eliminate the nation debt with a few trillion left over.

SP5 Michael Barczykowski - In the Marines we treat the corpsman like gods. They saved my life once.

SFC Cynthia Eyer - According to the Manual for Courts-Martial “Cadet” means a cadet of the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy. And yes they are subject to UCMJ. Just for information

SFC Cynthia Eyer - Academy Cadets/Midshipman take an oath of office, the same oath as commissioned officers. Academy Cadets are on continuous active duty.
Legal status of ROTC students get complicated since they are not full time active duty. The UCMJ's "Conduct unbecoming an officer" apply to Cadets. Cadets are "ranked" between Warrant Officers and Chief Warrant Officers. The reason for this is that Chief Warrant Officers are commissioned by the President. Warrant Officers are commissioned by the service secretary. Cadets hold an "office" granted by the President. USCG, USN, and USAF do not have Warrant Officers.

CPT Lawrence Cable That’s not the question however. The question relates to “ranking”, not command authority. Having an assumption of command letter puts those under your organizational structure in your “command”, as it relates to 600-20. Outranking then is a separate question. It is pretty silly though. I also don’t want Cadets being called Sir/Ma’am.

LTJG Richard Bruce - When did the Navy do away with Warrant Officers? I had one as a Div_O when I served in the 80's.