What is Army Military Cadet Rank Structure?

The term "cadet" in Army commissioning programs, whether Reserve Officer Training, Officer Candidate School or the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, means officer trainee. As part of their training, cadets are assigned hierarchical ranks, with corresponding leadership responsibilities.

What Rank Means

• Rank is the designation of a universal level of authority, as opposed to a specific position, in officer training programs for the U.S. Army. In other words, a sergeant is always the superior authority over a private, regardless of their individual jobs. If that sergeant runs a squad, then he is a squad leader. This is a position that not only makes him senior to his squad members but responsible for their day-to-day work and welfare. Sergeant is the rank.

Basics - Army Rank

• Army rank includes nine enlisted E-grades (pay grades) with 12 ranks: Private E-1, Private E-2, Private First Class (E3), Specialist and Corporal (E4), Sergeant (E5), Staff Sergeant (E6), Sergeant First Class (E7), Master Sergeant and First Sergeant (E8), and Sergeant Major and Command Sergeant Major (E9). Army officer ranks include 10 O-grades for 10 ranks: Second Lieutenant (O1), First Lieutenant (O2), Captain (O3), Major (O4), Lieutenant Colonel (O5), Colonel (O6), Brigadier General (O7), Major General (O8), Lieutenant General (O9), and General (O-10). Warrant Officer ranks have no corresponding ranks for cadets.

ROTC and OCS

• Army officer cadet ranks correspond to regular army ranks, though there is not a corresponding cadet rank for every army rank. The Reserve Officer Training Program and the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School use like-named ranks but do not have ranks that correspond to Private (E1), Specialist (E4) or any Generals. Enlisted ranks below sergeant have no leadership responsibilities or powers. Sergeants have supervisory and managerial powers. Officers have planning and command powers.

West Point Cadets

• The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is the Army's service academy. It has retained a more archaic rank system as a nod to tradition. The Corps of Cadets itself is a standing military organization, unlike the organization of units in the Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC) and Officer Candidate School (OCS). West Point ranks are Enlisted -- Corporal, Color Corporal, Sergeant, Color Sergeant, Battalion Command Sergeant Major, Regimental Command Sergeant Major, Brigade Command Sergeant Major; Officer -- Lieutenant, Color Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Commander, Regimental Commander, Brigade Commander.