Cadet in the ranks - Reserve/National Guard

[an7on]

I'm currently SMPing with a local Infantry unit and some some questions have come up as far as my place in the unit goes. I am the first non prior service Cadet to enter the door through this path.

While, technically speaking, a Cadet is considered a person in training to become an officer, there is confusion with where in the enlisted ranks I stand; It has not, and does not cause an issue with anyone in the unit, but is of concern for me in regards to what I should be doing at drill.

I get the pay of an E5 w/ no time in service (just like all other non prior service MS II SMP's), which some interpret as a "rank" deserving respect of E4 and below. If anyone calls me Sir, I tell them not to, and I do not act as an NCO. The Commander, who is at the moment the only Officer I see regularly at Drill has not had any special tasks or has even had a conversation with me about my place.

We do not currently have a PL; a fellow Cadet who is prior service, and has drilled with this unit for a number of years, will be earning his Commission this May, at which point he'll become the PL. Having two years between us, and years of service and experience with the people in the unit, he has already set his place in the unit.

I'm unsure of how to bring this up to the Commander - I would like a position which allows me to learn about the PL position and what it takes to lead, as I should be, however I'm sure he'd ask what sort of tasks I'd recommend I do. If any SMP Cadets have any experience, or past/present Commanders/Officers have any advice on the situation which they could offer, I'd greatly appreciate it. I feel like an enlisted Soldier in my current position, which I personally do not have any issue with, but it's not what I wish to be doing considering I came to learn about what it takes to become an Officer.

[PhilK]

Here are some suggestions from a prior SMP Cadet and Commander who had SMP Cadets.

1.) Go sit in your Commander's office (or outside his office) and ask him constantly if he has anything he needs done. Unless he tells you to get lost, then just sit there and observe what he does, see how he interacts. If he goes to a Command and Staff meeting, ask if you can go with him to observe.

2.) Until the other Cadet gets his commission, go link up with a Platoon Sergeant and watch what he does. Help out where necessary, but mostly just learn what he does so when you become a PL you don't get in your PSG's way.

3.) Ask for a transfer to a unit with a larger officer corps. :)

If no one is willing to get you involved in unit activities, then the most important thing you can do is to sit and observe.

[cscsmp]

I am in the same situation as you, an MSII SMP cadet with no prior service. What my unit does is the first few drills, if no prior service, they throw you in with the privates and let you kind of learn the ropes from them and the specialists. Then you begin to shadow the staff sergeants and LT's. As you progress you begin to shadow the commander. Eventually, the MSIV's that have been there a while begin to act as 3rd LT's and if the unit is albeit a PL they basically serve as the PL with some supervision. I really like how the unit does it. You get to see the unit from all angles and learn a good portion of the jobs.

[sapper 6]

As a current company commander and future ROTC Instructor, I advise cadets in a little different way.

Juniors and below should be shadowing Squad Leaders and learning the job of frontline leaders. They should be closely watching the actions of the PL and his/her interactions with his platoon and leadership.

Seniors should either be working as a platoon leader (if a unit is short officers) or shadowing the current PL. In either case, the company commander and other officers should be mentoring you as you develop your leadership skills and interact with the soldiers.

I hope this helps.

[DSEddie]

One thing we have always done with our cadets is we put them in a Platoon "XO" slot. No such slot exists, but we put them there because it enables them to work with the PL/PSG, learn about the job they will fill when they receive their Commission, and still gives them the flexibility to follow whatever training event they desire if they are not needed elsewhere. I've had cadets at my Reserve unit as well as on the trail, and our SOP is to treat them with the same respect you would afford a 2LT, calling them "Cadet" instead of Sir. Hope this helps, and if your unit doesn't know how to treat you you could always recommend what my unit does.