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Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers (C/E5-9)

Cadet non-commissioned officers serve as the mid-level and senior-level management of the Cadet Airmen corps. 

As Phase 2 of the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program, cadet NCOs are the primary leadership responsible for the execution of unit missions and for the training and readiness of personnel. In this phase, cadets are learning to perfect their skills in leading larger teams and honing their technical expertise in related focus areas. 

 

Cadet Staff Sergeant (C/SSgt) — C/E-5

Cadet Staff Sergeant represents a cadet's accomplishment of their first milestone in the CAP Cadet Program: promoting into the Cadet NCO corps and achievement the Wright Brothers Award for their completion of Phase 1 of the Cadet Program. Cadets are this grade are assigned to various leadership and staff roles to support training and planning programs. 

Expectations: At this grade, cadets are expected to be capable of managing team tasks and are employing correction to subordinate issues (conduct, uniform wear, etc.). Cadet Staff Sergeants should be conducting independent research before asking questions to superiors and are making attempts to educate themselves through research of their assigned focus area. As members of the Cadet Staff, cadets are expected to regularly participate in staff discussions and planning meetings as the unit prepares for upcoming activities. Cadets should make themselves visible at activities by being punctual and ready to lead their assigned teams by having reviewed activity plans and rehearsed their role with their co-staff before executing. 

Eligibility: Cadets promote to this grade upon the completion of a closed-book, comprehensive leadership exam on Learn to Lead, Chapters 1-3 and satisfactory passing of a comprehensive drill test. Cadets must have satisfactorily scored in the Cadet Physical Fitness Test for their age and gender. 

Feedback Session / Review Board: Before being promoted to Cadet Staff Sergeant, cadets must have sat in a review meeting with superiors to review that they meet the following leadership expectations: 

  • ATTITUDE:  Displays a positive attitude; optimistic; enthusiastic; is team-oriented.

  • CORE VALUES:  Aware of the Core Values; honest; wears uniform properly; practices customs and courtesies. 

  • COMMUNICATION SKILLS:  Listens actively; attentive; asks good questions. 

Minimum Time in CAP: 8 months. 

 

Cadet Technical Sergeant (C/TSgt) — C/E-6

Cadet Technical Sergeant represents that a cadet is developing technical expertise in their assigned focus area and is becoming increasingly proficient in their mentoring of junior cadet members. 

Expectations: At this grade, cadets are able to employ expertise in the fundamental knowledge areas of the CAP Cadet Program and are actively refining their skills to prepare for advancement to be senior cadet non-commissioned officers. Cadets should be contributing strongly during planning meetings to provide higher-level leadership with perspective from the lower echelon to ensure that strategic visions are being captured and implemented within the cadet corps. Cadets at this grade should be capable of managing disciplinary issues with lesser involvement from superiors as they learn to be more independent and authoritative when it comes to managing subordinate cadets. 

Eligibility: Cadets promote to this grade upon completion of a Learn to Lead, Chapter 4 review and satisfactory passing of a drill test. Cadets must also complete a review of Aerospace Dimensions (any module not yet completed) and have satisfactorily scored on a Cadet Physical Fitness Test within the previous 180 days for their age and gender. 

Minimum Time in CAP: 10 months. 

 

Cadet Master Sergeant (C/MSgt) — C/E-7

Cadet Master Sergeant represents that a cadet has developed extensive experience by having served at least 1 year in Civil Air Patrol as has advanced into the senior Cadet NCO corps. At this level, cadets are taking on the role of an experienced mentor in the program and has progressed to become a manager of subordinate cadet NCOs. Achieving the grade of Cadet Master Sergeant opens cadets to serve in the role of Cadet First Sergeant, a specialized position in which a cadet will serve as a member of the Cadet Command Staff to provide greater guidance and mentoring to subordinate Cadet NCOs and to serve as an advisor to the Cadet Commander on the status of unit morale and readiness. The Cadet First Sergeant may hold the grade of Cadet Master Sergeant, Cadet Senior Master Sergeant, or Cadet Chief Master Sergeant. 

Expectations: At this grade, cadets are experts in the mentoring of subordinates and demonstrate themselves as independent, reliable staff members. Cadets should be deeply involved in activity planning and the development of the training curriculum. Cadets should require minimal to no involvement from superiors in addressing disciplinary issues or correcting junior cadets unless severe problems exist. 

Eligibility: Cadets promote to completion of a Learn to Lead, Chapter 5 review and satisfactory passing of a drill test. Cadets must also complete a review of Aerospace Dimensions (any module not yet completed) and have satisfactorily scored on a Cadet Physical Fitness Test within the previous 180 days for their age and gender. 

Feedback Session: Immediately before or upon promoting to Cadet Master Sergeant, cadets will receive a casual, informal feedback session to discuss the cadet's strengths and weaknesses, and to outline a "roadmap" for their plan to progress into and through the cadet officer grades. 

Minimum Time in CAP: 12 months. 

 

Cadet Senior Master Sergeant (C/SMSgt) — C/E-8

Cadet Senior Master Sergeant represents that a cadet is continuing to satisfactorily progress as a senior Cadet NCO and is mastering their ability to train and mentor subordinate cadet leaders. 

Expectations: At this grade, cadets are displaying character traits of compassion and understanding for the Cadet Airmen corps and act as facilitators in addressing complex human resources issues, such as cadet discipline, workload management, and other factors that may impact an individual's performance. Cadets are expected to be heavily engaged in the mentoring of subordinate leaders as they learn to mentor their own subordinate, developing cadets. 

Eligibility: Cadets promote to completion of a Learn to Lead, Chapter 6 review and satisfactory passing of a drill test. Cadets must also complete a review of Aerospace Dimensions (any module not yet completed) and have satisfactorily scored on a Cadet Physical Fitness Test within the previous 180 days for their age and gender. 

Minimum Time in CAP: 14 months. 

 

Cadet Chief Master Sergeant (C/CMSgt) — C/E-9

Cadet Chief Master Sergeant represents that a cadet has reached the most-senior level of the Cadet NCO corps and is preparing for advancement into the cadet officer grades. At this level, cadets are performing strategic-level staff management functions and are highly-experienced advisors on matters related to cadet development and training curricula. 

Expectations: At this grade, cadets are demonstrating their critical understanding of strategic-level programming and portray themselves as tactical experts in "daily cadet life," to include uniform wear, military bearing and discipline, and development of personal goals. Cadets should be working with subordinate Cadet NCOs to develop personalized improvement plans for junior cadets and should be providing continuous feedback to unit leadership on the status of program successes and failures. 

Eligibility: Cadets promote to Cadet Chief Master Sergeant upon the completion of a Learn to Lead, Chapter 7 review and satisfactory passing of a combination verbal-written drill test. Cadets must also complete a review of Aerospace Dimensions (any module not yet completed) and have satisfactorily scored on a Cadet Physical Fitness Test within the previous 180 days for their age and gender. 

After two months following promotion to Cadet Chief Master Sergeant, cadets are eligible to earn the Armstrong Achievement, which requires cadets to complete a Learn to Lead, Chapter 8 review, satisfactorily pass a drill test, and present an essay topic on a leadership subject. Cadets must also complete a review of Aerospace Dimension (any module not yet completed) and have satisfactorily scored on a Cadet Physical Fitness Test within the previous 180 days for their age and gender. Upon earning the Armstrong Achievement, cadets will spend the next two months working toward their next promotion to Cadet Second Lieutenant. 

Minimum Time in CAP: 16 months. 

 

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