Where does a cadet's rank fall among active duty Soldiers?

Team... I would strongly recommend you read AR 600-20... that should lend some facts to the question... table 1-1 provides that a cadet does rate higher than any enlisted soldier and a OC... WOC. Table 1-2 provides the same between services.

What people forget is that responsibility is given by the commander... I had a USMA cadet in a CTLT position in korea back in 90/91. I was a PSG... he was nominally the PL... but my CO said, "cadet... you dont shit unless SSG Wesson clears it! You read me?"

There is regulation... and there is reality.

With this said, we... as leaders... regardless of rank... should never miss an oppurtunity to "shape" a future leader... in the case of NCOs... those leaders that will/do out rank you. It is this interaction that a possible future senior leader will remember. On a few occasions I have been on the receiving end with a senior that had a poor experience. I spent a great deal of time trying to corrrect that challenge... time better spent concentrating on the real mission.

Again... my two cents

I always considered them as a 4th Lieutenant. Calling them a 3LT might give them an ego trip.

Cadets are college kids with x-amount of practice playing soldier right out of the Infantry manual. They might be heading to a seat at the big table, but they have a long way to go. As NCO's, we get the honor of helping them emerge from their shell and pointing them in the right direction. One bit of wisdom from a respected NCO at that stage of their military life will lay the foundation for their entire career. Sounds like your commander has some unresolved self-esteem issues from when he was a cadet to make a profound statement like that. I would also love to be part of the clean up detail after a cadet locked horns with a CSM or a CW5. Poor kid's autonomic nerve response system would shut down, and the smell of fecal matter would contaminate the entire AO, and his head would explode.