Who outranks who in JROTC?

Question

I'm in Marine Corps JROTC. I have recently been promoted to cadet 2nd Lieutenant(Yes I am very excited!), but my Battalion Sergeant Major and myself have had some...differences.

I am a 2nd Lt., as stated above, but I am also the Promotion Officer on the Battalion Staff(I handle all the paperwork with the promotion process). When I got promoted, someone asked me if I now was ahead of the Battalion Sergeant Major(His rank is a Gunnery Sergeant). Before I could answer, since he was standing right beside me, he replies with a crisp voice,

"No. I'm Battalion Sergeant Major."

Of course since I am an officer, I outrank him. Him being a Gunnery Sergeant and me being a 2nd Lieutenant. But position-wise, who would outrank who?

I look at it like this, I am an officer so the Battalion Executive Officer is head of me and all the other officers, while he is in charge of all the enlisted ranks. So we are pretty much equal position-wise. But it seems like he thinks of himself higher still being that he is Battalion Sergeant Major.

Would anyone have any advice of how to tell him this, or can anyone verify my theory/disprove it?

Any other comments are welcomed. (Except those off topic)

tuftan04 · Accepted Answer

you are both officers, He is a Non- commissioned officer, it would behoove you to show him respect and try to learn as much as you can from him. 

You may out rank him in a technicality but he know 500 people who out rank you and will quickly put you in your place.

tropnhof. · Answer

In the real army (I know you are Marines, but I was Army), even though a 2d lieutenant outranks a Sergeant Major, no 2d lieutenant in his right mind would try to overstep a real sergeant major.  If the guy you are talking about is a real non-com, stay out of his way, because you are not a real 2d lieutenant.  If he is a cadet non-com, you out rank him, but if i were you, i'd sit back and learn.  Talk to your company comander about it all and ask his advice.

jeeper_peeper321 · Answer

You out rank him.

This is JROTC, not real life folks.

A JROTC sgt major, doesn't have 20 years experience for a 2nd lt to learn from.

Generally in JROTC, a 2nd lt would be a junior and so would a jrotc sgt major.

IE: the smart student would be a 2nd lt, the average student would still be enlisted.

You gotta remember, this is JROTC

ThePalmtopTiger · Answer

Techincally speaking you hold a higher position since you are an officer, however you would be completely out of line to go and contradict what he says because 1) his position is more prestigious 2) he holds much more power than you do.

Anonymous · Answer

Your a butter bar, but you outrank him, I disagree with the first  person = technically in this man Military, we would salute you and not the CSM or as your soldier puts it, the BTL SGT MAJ (pain in the but) no one slautes a noncommissioned officier, but still you got to work with them so show him some respect while you out rank him.

alexander m · Answer

if this was the REAL military, then id say stay outa his way.
BUT this is JROTC, a school program that seems to have dumb little squables.
you "outrank" him. you're a cadet officer, he's a cadet enlisted.
position wise: he's in a leadership position, you're in a staff position. its comparing apples to oranges.

Matt · Answer

You out rank him period.  But he is more of an expert then you in many areas.  Your NCO's will make your job easier if you do not make them upset.  Use the SGM as you right hand man and he will help you out.
Never cross a Gunny

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Who outranks who in JROTC?

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