Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Ranks of the cadet forces of the United Kingdom

The following table displays the ranks of the Community Cadet Forces (Army Cadet Force, the Sea Cadet Corps, and the Air Training Corps), the Combined Cadet Force, the Volunteer Cadet Corps (RMVCC and RNVCC), and the Girls Venture Corps Air Cadets. This table is based on equivalent Rank Structures within the Cadet Forces as detailed in regulations of the SCC, RMC, and the Air Cadets.

Cadet ranks

Cadet NCOs wear the issued cadet rank slides.[1] The titles of some ranks in the ACF and CCF Army may vary as cadet detachments are affiliated to British Army regiments and adopt their terminology. More senior cadet ranks may be restricted to a set number per area.

Although promotion is based on merit rather than progression through the training syllabuses, certain criteria must be met before a cadet is eligible for promotion:[2]

Whilst the CCF Regulations provide an equivalency table purely for the CCF, there is no official equivalency between the other cadet forces.

Cadet
Service
Officers Cadet Senior NCOs Cadet Junior NCOs Cadets Recruits

CCF Navy
Cadets

Under Officer Warrant Officer
Cadet
Chief Petty
Officer Cadet
Petty Officer
Cadet
Leading
Cadet
Able 3*
Cadet
Able 2* Cadet Able 1* Cadet Naval
Cadet
New Naval
Entry
UO WOCDT CPOCDT POCDT LCDT A3*CDT A2*CDT A1*CDT NCDT NNE



CCF Royal Marines
Cadets

(Part of the CCF RN)
No insignia
Under Officer Cadet Warrant Officer
First Class
Cadet Warrant Officer
Second Class
Cadet Colour
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet Recruit
UO CDTWO1 CDTWO2 CDTCSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLCPL CDT RCT



Sea
Cadets Corps

No insignia
Petty Officer
Cadet
Leading
Cadet
Able Cadet Ordinary Cadet Cadet 1st
Class
Cadet New Entry
POC LC AC OC CFC CDT NE



Royal Marines
Cadets

(Part of the SCC)
No insignia No insignia
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Marine Cadet Marine Cadet Recruit
CDT SGT CDT CPL CDT LCPL MC MCR



Royal Navy
Volunteer
Cadet Corps

No insignia
Warrant Officer
Cadet
Chief Petty
Officer Cadet
Petty Officer
Cadet
Leading
Cadet
Able
Cadet
Naval
Cadet
New Naval
Entry
WOCDT CPOCDT POCDT LCDT ACDT NCDT NNE



Royal Marine
Volunteer
Cadet Corps

No insignia No insignia
Cadet Warrant Officer
First Class
Cadet Warrant Officer
Second Class
Cadet Colour
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet Recruit
CDTWO1 CDTWO2 CDTCSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLCPL CDT RCT



CCF Army
Cadets

No insignia
Under Officer Cadet
Regimental Sergeant Major
Cadet
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
Cadet
Company Sergeant Major
Cadet Staff/Colour
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet Recruit
UO Cdt RSM Cdt RQMS Cdt CSM Cdt SSgt/Cdt CSgt Cdt Sgt Cdt Cpl Cdt LCpl Cdt Rct



Army
Cadet Force

Under Officer (CCF Only) Cadet Regimental
Sergeant Major
Cadet Company
Sergeant Major
Cadet Staff
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet Recruit
UO Cdt RSM Cdt CSM Cdt SSgt Cdt Sgt Cdt Cpl Cdt LCpl Cdt Rct



Cayman Islands Cadet Corps
No insignia
Cadet Under Officer Cadet Company Sergeant Major Cadet Staff
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet Recruit
CDTUO CDTCSM CDTSSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLCPL CDT RCT



CCF RAF
Cadets

No insignia
Cadet Under Officer
(Former rank no longer in use)
Cadet
Warrant Officer
Cadet Flight
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet
CUO CWO Cdt FS Cdt Sgt Cdt Cpl Cdt LCpl Cdt



Air Training Corps
No insignia
Cadet
Warrant Officer
Cadet Flight
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet
CWO Cdt FS Cdt Sgt Cdt Cpl Cdt



Girls Venture
Corps Air Cadets

No insignia No insignia
Officer Cadet Cadet Unit
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Leading Cadet Cadet Recruit
OFFCDT CDTUSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLC LCDT CDT RCT

Junior cadets


Junior
Sea
Cadets Corps
Leading
Junior Cadet
Able
Junior Cadet
Junior Cadet
First Class
Junior Cadet
LJC AJC JCFC JC


Former cadet organisations

Cadet ranks and insignia of former cadet organisations

Air Defence
Cadet Corps


1939-1941

1941
No insignia
Cadet
Warrant Officer
Cadet Flight
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet
CDTWO CDTFSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLCPL CDT

Women's Junior
Air Corps

No insignia
Cadet Unit
Sergeant
Cadet
Sergeant
Cadet
Corporal
Cadet Lance
Corporal
Cadet
CDTUSGT CDTSGT CDTCPL CDTLCPL CDT

Welbeck DSFC

Epaulettes were worn by students whilst in the college kit, G-Kit, MTP and service uniform. It denoted their academic year and the seniority/position of authority that they held within the college. The college closed in July 2021.

Ranks and Insignia of Welbeck DSFC
Welbeck
DSFC
CCF
Senior College Prefect College Prefect House Prefect Student




Royal Navy
students




British Army
students




Royal Air Force
students
title Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Head of College Vice Head
of College
Deputy Heads
of College
Head of House Deputy Head
of House
House Prefect Upper Sixth Student
(with College Award)
Lower Sixth Student
(with College Award)
Upper Sixth Student Lower Sixth Student
OCdt HoC OCdt VHoC OCdt DHoC OCdt HoH OCdt DHoH OCdt HP OCdt U6CA OCdt L6CA OCdt U6 OCdt L6


Defence
Engineering
and Science
Group
students
no equivalent
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Officer
Cadet
Deputy Head
of House
House Prefect Upper Sixth Student
(with College Award)
Lower Sixth Student
(with College Award)
Upper Sixth Student Lower Sixth Student
OCdt DHoH OCdt HP OCdt U6CA OCdt L6CA OCdt U6 OCdt L6
Welbeck
DSFC
CCF
Senior College Prefect College Prefect House Prefect Student

Cadet force adult volunteer ranks

NCOs / Senior ratings

From 2009 to 2019, if a person joined as a civilian instructor in the Sea Cadets or Royal Marine Cadets and wanted to be a uniformed member of staff, they would become an acting petty officer or sergeant, following a six-month probationary period.

In 2018 the role of sergeant instructor (SI) was introduced for CCF(Army) sections, this is the first occasion that adults other than SSIs have been appointed as an NCO rather than a commissioned rank in the CCF.[3]

Army ACF
CCF
Title Regimental Sergeant Major Instructor Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor Sergeant Major Instructor Staff Sergeant Instructor Sergeant Instructor Probationary Sergeant Probationary Instructor Civilian Assistant
Abbr. RSMI RQMSI SMI SSI SI SPI PI CA
ATC/CCF (RAF) Groundcrew
[note 1]
[note 2] No insignia
Aircrew
[note 3]
[note 4]
Title Warrant Officer/Master aircrew Flight Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant (pre CIC) Civilian Instructor/ Civilian Gliding Instructor
Abbr. WO RAFAC/MAcr RAFAC FS RAFAC Sgt RAFAC A/Sgt RAFAC CI/CGI
SCC
Title Warrant Officer Class 1 RNR[note 5] Warrant Officer Class 2 Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer Probationary Petty Officer Civilian Instructor Unit Assistant
Abbr. WO1 (SCC) RNR WO2 (SCC) RNR CPO (SCC) PO (SCC) P/PO (SCC) CI UA
RMC/CCF (RM) No insignia
Title Warrant Officer Class 1 RMR[note 6] Warrant Officer Class 2 RMR Colour Sergeant Sergeant Probationary Sergeant Civilian Instructor
Abbr. WO1 (SCC) RMR WO2 (SCC) RMR CSgt (SCC) Sgt (SCC) P/Sgt (SCC) CI
CCF (RN)
Title Chief Petty Officer (School Staff Instructor)
Abbr. CPO (SSI)
GVCAC No insignia
Title Civilian Instructor
Abbr. CI

Officers

Formerly, officers in MOD-recognised cadet organisations (SCC, CCF, ACF, VCC) held a highest substantive rank of lieutenant, with more senior ranks being acting ranks.

Since 2017, all cadet officers are now commissioned under a bespoke Cadet Forces Commission (CFC), with all appointments now being substantive. All previous Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) (RAFVR(T)) officers of the ATC and CCF RAF had their commissions transferred to the new CFC in 2017.[4][5][6]

Army ACF
CCF
Title Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant Adult Under Officer
Abbr. Col Lt Col Maj Capt Lt 2Lt AUO
ATC/CCF (RAF) /
Title Air Commodore Group Captain (R)/Group Captain (RAFAC)[note 7] Wing Commander (RAFAC) Squadron Leader (RAFAC) Flight Lieutenant (RAFAC) Flying Officer (RAFAC) Pilot Officer (RAFAC) Pilot Officer (RAFAC)

(Pre CIC)

Abbr. Air Cdre Gp Capt Wg Cdr Sqn Ldr Flt Lt Fg Off Plt Off A/PO
CCF (RN) and SCC
SCC Title Captain (SCC) RNR[note 8] Commander (SCC) RNR Lieutenant Commander (SCC) RNR Lieutenant (SCC) RNR Sub Lieutenant (SCC) RNR Midshipman (SCC) RNR
CCF Title Commander (CCF) RNR Lieutenant Commander (CCF) RNR Lieutenant (CCF) RNR Sub Lieutenant (CCF) RNR
Abbr. Capt Cdr Lt Cdr Lt SLt Mid
RMC/CCF (RM)
RMC Title Lieutenant Colonel (CCF) RMR Major (CCF) RMR Captain (CCF) RMR Lieutenant (CCF) RMR 2nd Lieutenant (CCF) RMR
Abbr. Lt Col Maj Capt Lt 2Lt
GVCAC
Title Honorary Corps Commandant Senior Officer Unit Officer Assistant Unit Officer Section Officer Acting Section Officer Potential Section Officer
Abbr.

See also

Cadet forces

International cadet ranks

Notes

  1. ^ Until October 2020 only ex-RAF WOs, ex-Service WO1s, and warrant officers holding a position at region or corps level wore this rank.
  2. ^ No longer used - as of October 2020, all WO (RAFAC) use the Royal Arms badge.
  3. ^ Until October 2020 only ex-MAcr wore this rank.
  4. ^ No longer used - as of October 2020, all MAcr (RAFAC) use the Royal Arms badge.
  5. ^ One per Sea Cadet Corps Area.
  6. ^ Promoted to this rank upon taking up the role as Regimental Sergeant Major (One in the Sea Cadets).
  7. ^ Group Captain (RAFAC) is held only by the Air Cadets Honorary Ambassador (currently Carol Vorderman), and one Volunteer Senior Advisor at HQ Air Cadets.
  8. ^ Volunteer Rank does not exist with the Sea Cadet Corps.

References

  1. ^ Army Dress Regulations (All Ranks), Part 08 "Dress Regulations for Combined Cadet Force (Army Sections) and the Army Cadet Force", Ministry of Defence, April 2013
  2. ^ "AC 14233 Army Cadet Force (ACF) Regulations" (PDF). armycadets.com. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Roles & Ranks". 19 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Rank Structure". Air Cadets North. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  5. ^ "HM The Queen Approves New Commission For Cadet Force Volunteers". Air Cadet. Bourne: Warners Midlands plc. Winter 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Royal Warrant for Cadet Force commission" (PDF).