Ranking

DiLa

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Does anyone know if there is a link to the Ranking of the Cadets at USMA? ie... SGT, SSGT, SFC..... do they Rank exactly the same as the Regular Army but with Cadet in front, such as Cadet SGT???
 
This is how I understand it -
All plebes are Privates
All Yearlings (Yuks) are Corporals
All Cows are Sgts.
All Firsties are Officers - except one. The Brigade NCO is a Firstie.
 
JAM is correct...and they do put "cadet" in front of the rank, for example a yearling is a "Cadet Corporal".
 
Yeah, its nothing like ROTC. They have different rank brass (instead of discs and diamons they use bars) and some positions I've never heard before until I went there. What JAM said is correct.
 
Ok, let me get this straight? So do they have the different grades of the ranking? such as:

If plebes are Privates - are they Private (E-2) and PFC's (E3) or just Privates?

and Yearlings (Yuks) are Corporals - SPC (specialist) and CPL (corporal) or just Corporals and the SPC falls in the Private field? (trying to understand...)

and the Cows are Sgts. but there are so many different Sergeants - Do they have the SGT, SSG, SFC, MSG, 1SG SGM, CSM, SMA ranking or just a flat out SGT? Do they go up in the command rank?

and the Firsties are Officers guessing that would mean Warrant Officers? So would they rank then WO1, CW2, CW3, CW4, CW5??

:confused:
 
These aren't "REAL" ranks....nor are they in ROTC. The ranks are based on the role they have.
 
Ok, let me get this straight? So do they have the different grades of the ranking? such as:

If plebes are Privates - are they Private (E-2) and PFC's (E3) or just Privates?

and Yearlings (Yuks) are Corporals - SPC (specialist) and CPL (corporal) or just Corporals and the SPC falls in the Private field? (trying to understand...)

and the Cows are Sgts. but there are so many different Sergeants - Do they have the SGT, SSG, SFC, MSG, 1SG SGM, CSM, SMA ranking or just a flat out SGT? Do they go up in the command rank?

and the Firsties are Officers guessing that would mean Warrant Officers? So would they rank then WO1, CW2, CW3, CW4, CW5??

:confused:

By my understanding:

Plebe - Always a private.
Yearling - Always corporal
Cow - Any sergeant (depends on position) up to CSM
Firstie - Any officer (depending on position) not warrant officers


It is not like ROTC where you get promoted often on merit and can be a corporal freshman year if you're really good. Every semester positions are changed and you get a rank belonging to that position.
 
By my understanding:

Plebe - Always a private.
Yearling - Always corporal
Cow - Any sergeant (depends on position) up to CSM
Firstie - Any officer (depending on position) not warrant officers


It is not like ROTC where you get promoted often on merit and can be a corporal freshman year if you're really good. Every semester positions are changed and you get a rank belonging to that position.

Ok, that makes a little more sense.. just trying to figure it all out, son is in the USAR right now, heading to WP come June 28th, he was just wondering how WP does it, so I needed a little clearer understanding to try and explain it to him!!

Thanks everyone for trying to clear out the cobwebs that gather in my head!!:biggrin:
 
Here are a few more tidbits of info regarding the Corps of Cadets and its ranks.

The Cadet Colors, which are black, gray and gold, are derived from the components of gunpowder - charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur.

Fourth Class Cadets are Privates and wear no insignia of rank, but are "recognized" after springbreak and are eligible to wear the gold Army Officers' U.S. lapel insignia in place of rank. Third Class Cadets are Corporals; Second Class Cadets are Sergeants and Sergeants Major; and First Class Cadets are officers.

As pointed out previously, there is a myriad of company, regimental , batallion and brigade ranks (both officer and non-officer) within the Corps based on the cadet's position within the Corps. A cadet can rank from private to Brigade Commander/First Captain. During their Firstie year, many of the cadets will hold one position for half the year and then switch to another position for the second half of the year. The switch is not necessarily to a higher rank. Our Firstie son started this year as the Company Commander and then, by design, switched to a junior officer within the Company for the second half of the year. The goal is to give leadership experience to as many cadets as possible.
 
As a member of the Corps - When he arrives on R-Day he will be a "New Cadet".
On A-Day he will be "promoted" to Plebe or "Cadet Private".

His official US Army Rank will be that of "Cadet". Officially he will be on Active Duty in the US Army with the rank of Cadet. His first duty station is The United States Military Academy at West Point. All Cadets retain the rank of "Cadet" until they graduate and are commissioned.

Two separate chains of command and two separate ranking structures. One for the Corps of Cadets and one for the US Army.
 
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but are "recognized" after springbreak
Aspen - you are getting old! LOL.
They are not "recognized" after springbreak. On the morning of graduation they will be promoted by company to Cadet Corporal.
When you get to West Point for graduation week you will indeed see plebes or Cadet Privates.

America's Finest - yes the Cadet Leader Development System was developed this way so that Cadet would have increasing responsibility and leadership as they move through their 47 months. It was not always this way and prior to the late 1990's some cadets would graduate without having been promoted within the Corps to an officer.
 
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Aspen - you are getting old! LOL.
They are not "recognized" after springbreak. On the morning of graduation they will be promoted by company to Cadet Corporal.
When you get to West Point for graduation week you will indeed see plebes or Cadet Privates.

I was going to comment on that too but JAM beat me to it. I don't know how long ago they changed it but last year my son was promoted from private to corporal the morning of graduation.
 
...and as cadet corporals, they can travel home in "cadet casual." And boy, are they excited about that!!
 
when I went for my overnight tour I had the ranking system explained to me. You guys are all correct, but those ranks only hold while a cadet is on post. For example if you are a cadet sargent and you have a friend in the regular army who is a private and you see him say at home away from west point you do not out rank him. The cadet I stayed with said that the rank "cadet" is the lowest rank in the whole army. Also if you are a firsti and have a "rank" above Sgt. you do no out rank regular army sgt.'s who are station at west point. I may be mistaken but I think this is how it works
 
when I went for my overnight tour I had the ranking system explained to me. You guys are all correct, but those ranks only hold while a cadet is on post. For example if you are a cadet sargent and you have a friend in the regular army who is a private and you see him say at home away from west point you do not out rank him. The cadet I stayed with said that the rank "cadet" is the lowest rank in the whole army. Also if you are a firsti and have a "rank" above Sgt. you do no out rank regular army sgt.'s who are station at west point. I may be mistaken but I think this is how it works

That is because you are never as "private", "corporal", or "sergeant" at USMA (or any of the service academies for that matter). You are a "CADET Private/Corporal/Sergeant". Cadet rank is not equivalent to Regular Army Rank. So you're right but you don't lost your cadet rank when leaving USMA because even outside of USMA if you are in uniform you have authority over lower ranking uniformed cadets from USMA. In a reasonable way of course (ie you can't make them carry your bags but you can correct uniform violations and such).

I don't know how it would work if you met with a ROTC cadet though...would you salute a cadet officer from ROTC if you were both in uniform?
 
SpartanShock - like I said there are two different chains of command and ranks.

One is the US Army - see my post #11. The Rank of Cadet is officially higher than any enlisted rank. Cadets who go for training with regular Army soldiers often find themselves being called "sir" or "ma'am". It's kind of weird.

You are correct - the Corps of Cadet ranks have nothing to do with Army ranks.
 
Cadets who go for training with regular Army soldiers often find themselves being called "sir" or "ma'am".

Really? I find that interesting, can you share a story or something? I always thought enlisted would see cadets as not real soldiers yet.
 
SpartanShock - like I said there are two different chains of command and ranks.

One is the US Army - see my post #11. The Rank of Cadet is officially higher than any enlisted rank. Cadets who go for training with regular Army soldiers often find themselves being called "sir" or "ma'am". It's kind of weird.

You are correct - the Corps of Cadet ranks have nothing to do with Army ranks.

It is not advisable for a cadet to "pull rank" however.
 
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