<p>After my recent post contrasting "going to college" versus "attending a service academy", someone asked about the official military status of a cadet at West Point. Here's the answer.</p>
<p>Under existing law (10 USC 3075), cadets are included in the composition of the Regular Army. Their legal status is that of a subordinate officer, entitled in all possible circumstances to certain of the legal rights appertaining to the condition of officers of the Army as distinguished from noncommissioned officers. Their military rank is above that of enlisted personnel, but below that of commissioned or warrant officers (AR 600-20).</p>
<p>Socially, cadets will be treated as junior officers, sharing fully in the normal social and recreational opportunities available to officers of the command. </p>
<p>Since cadets will serve in officer positions, enlisted men will salute cadets and address them as Sir. Cadets will salute all officers and warrant officers. For introductions and conversational address, they will be called, Mister/Miss/Ms./Cadet followed by their surname (e.g., Mister Jones). Official correspondence will be addressed them as cadets (e.g. Cadet Jones).</p>
<p>My only experience so far with enlisted men saluting cadets occurred during a trip to NY City with our plebe son. We crossed paths with some enlisted men at the aviation/aircraft carrier museum. They readily saluted our son who returned the salute. The enlisted men knew he was a cadet and asked how life at West Point was treating him.</p>
<p>Our son didn't think that it was a big deal. What did get his attention was that there was no admission charge for military personnel.</p>
<p>hahaha, enlisted men will salute cadets. Will not happen 99% of the time. The only way you'll see that is if your CTLT unit makes them do that, but that's pretty rare. </p>
<p>Tell SGT Airborne at Ft. Benning that cadets are to be treated higher than enlisted soldiers, I believe the direct quote was "and you cadets, especially the ones from West Point, are lower than the lowest Private."</p>
<p>Get used to it if you're coming here, cadets get no respect.</p>
<p>The issue is that most of the Army does not ever deal with cadets and don't know how to. In the school environment, mainly the big ones, Airborne, Air Assault, it seems that the NCOs realize they can basically stick it to the officers before they become officers. It sucks but it's a fact of life.</p>
<p>In Army units, they just dont know how to deal with cadets. I had enlisted guys ask me, 'so, do we salute you, do we call you sir, etc.' It's just the way it is.</p>
<p>Just my two cents from my experience, but my advice would be to, under no circumstances, ever raise the issue with an NCO that technically cadets outrank them.</p>
<p>In my opinion, no. I think most cadet understand that they are not officers and they are not enlisted. They are kind of in 'no mans land' as a cadet and really dont mind.</p>
<p>from experience dealing with ROTC and WP students during their little summer camp excursions up here. It's a night and day difference.The difference is definently evened out during obc and the first year of being commissioned, but before that you can see a huge contrast.</p>
<p>rotc is a joke. i mean, some parts of it are hooah hooah, but its kinda what you make of it. </p>
<p>as far as being a cadet? rotc contracted cadets sign enlistment papers and have geneva conv. catagory I on their card. WP cadets get CAC cards and are catagory III. In ROTC, you cant say that you are a soldier or that you are in the army.</p>