Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps ranks
Members of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps are assigned various ranks.
Officer ranks
| Pay grade*** | Rank (Army, Air Force, Marine Corps) | Rank (Navy, Coast Guard) |
|---|---|---|
| O-6 | Cadet Colonel (C/COL) | Cadet Captain** (C/CAPT) |
| O-5[1] | Cadet Lieutenant Colonel (C/LTC) | Cadet Commander (C/CDR) |
| O-4 | Cadet Major (C/MAJ) | Cadet Lieutenant Commander (C/LCDR) |
| O-3 | Cadet Captain (C/CPT) | Cadet Lieutenant (C/LT) |
| O-2 | Cadet First Lieutenant (C/1LT) | Cadet Lieutenant Junior Grade (C/LTJG) |
| O-1 | Cadet Second Lieutenant (C/2LT) | Cadet Ensign (C/ENS) |
** Cadet Captain is the rank that the leader of a NJROTC unit will obtain if the unit has reached the cadet enrollment requirements to be rated as an Regiment; as of 06/2013, there were only 584 NJROTC units worldwide,[2] but only 5 are known to have been rated as a Regiment.[3][4][5][6][7]
*** Although the positions and titles of rank match those of the Armed Forces' pay grades, JROTC cadets are not serving members of the military, and receive no pay, and only receive benefits or privileges based upon the situation of the time (receiving salutes, giving orders, messing/bunking in Officers' Country and using base exchanges or commissaries while on training trips, etc.) This is in direct contrast to Cadets/Midshipmen of the Senior (University Level) ROTC programs, in which those students do receive pay/stipends, benefits,and privileges, depending upon their scholarship or enlistment status.
Enlisted ranks
| Rank | Army | Navy/Coast Guard | Air Force | Marine Corps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-9 | Cadet Command Sergeant Major Cadet Sergeant Major |
Cadet Master Chief Petty Officer/ Cadet Command Master Chief Petty Officer |
Cadet Chief Master Sergeant | Cadet Sergeant Major |
| E-8 | Cadet First Sergeant Cadet Master Sergeant |
Cadet Senior Chief Petty Officer | Cadet Senior Master Sergeant | Cadet First Sergeant |
| E-7 | Cadet Sergeant First Class | Cadet Chief Petty Officer | Cadet Master Sergeant | Cadet Gunnery Sergeant |
| E-6 | Cadet Staff Sergeant | Cadet Petty Officer 1st Class | Cadet Technical Sergeant | Cadet Staff Sergeant |
| E-5 | Cadet Sergeant | Cadet Petty Officer 2nd Class | Cadet Staff Sergeant | Cadet Sergeant |
| E-4 | Cadet Corporal | Cadet Petty Officer 3rd Class | Cadet Senior Airman | Cadet Corporal |
| E-3 | Cadet Private First Class | Cadet Seaman | Cadet Airman First class | Cadet Lance Corporal |
| E-2 | Cadet Private | Cadet Seaman Apprentice | Cadet Airman | Cadet Private First Class |
| E-1 | Cadet Private (No Insignia) | Cadet Seaman Recruit (No Insignia) | Cadet Airman Basic (No Insignia) | Cadet Private (No Insignia) |
Rank Criteria
Rank requirements vary with schools. Some specialties require cadets to pass promotion tests while others only require recommendations by superiors and the needs of the unit.