Uniforms & Ranks

The Navy allows the NSCC and NLCC to wear the Navy uniform, only modified with a distinguishing shoulder insignia. U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations are adhered to by the both the NSCC and NLCC. Officer rank insignias are the same as the Navy. Sea Cadet rate insignia are slightly different in design; the colors are changed to yellow, are in the form of chevrons (V-shaped), and are worn on the right sleeve. the exception to which is on the BDU's (Battle Dress Uniforms ie Cammies) the rate insignia is worn on the cadets collar. and are slightly different from the US Navy Collar devices.

The difference between rank and rate is that Rank refers to an officer while Rate refers to enlisted (cadet). Enlisted is E-1 through E-7, and Officers are O-1 through O-4 and Warrant Officer.

Officers start out as non-commisioned instructors, if they are 21 and older. If younger than 21 they start out as Midshipmen.

Sea Cadet ranks follow the same path as of the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, from E-1 (Seaman Recruit) through E-7 (Chief Petty Officer). All cadets have to take the Navy correspondence courses and pass Navy examinations to gain rank. They must have a minimum time served in each rank before moving to the next higher rank. All new Sea Cadets enter the NSCC as an E-1 (Seaman Recruit).

Rank & Flash Placement

Tie a neckerchief

Ribbons

Ribbons can be earned by cadets for a variety of achievements - from a 1 year ribbon to an academic ribbon and more. As in the US Navy the ribbons are worn in order of precedence, meaning the most important ribbon earned by a cadet will be worn on the inboard side, top of all the ribbons earned. There are several other regulations that spell out when, where and how ribbons are worn.

How a cadet earns ribbons is in NSCC regulations. It is very clearly spelled out, it explains who can earn a ribbon, who can award a ribbon, and defines the parameters for earning a ribbon. You can find the NSCC regulations here: http://resources.seacadets.org/awards_manual.html

National Headquarters has a program on their website that can help with ribbon placement and identification. You can find that here: http://resources.seacadets.org/award/ribbonchecker.html

Ribbon Chart

Here is a screen grab from the national website of all the NSCC Ribbons

You can download a pdf of the chart here: Ribbon Chart

Uniform Pressing

Dress Whites

  • White polyester jumper with cadet patches and rating badges
  • White round neck T-shirt
  • Black neckerchief
  • Name tag (plastic), over right jumper pocket
  • Ribbon bar, over left jumper pocket
  • Long, white polyester trousers
  • White belt with silver buckle
  • Black socks
  • Black dress shoes
  • Males are to wear white Dixie cover, females are to wear black combo cover

Pressing Your Dress Whites

Jumper

  • Front should have one crease pressed down the middle facing outward
  • Back should have one crease pressed facing inward
  • Collar should be folded in three with seams pressed outward

Trousers

  • Press inside out seam-to-seam, no creases

Tropical Whites

  • Short sleeve, cotton, white shirt with cadet patches and rating badges
  • White, round neck T-shirt
  • Name tag (plastic), over right shirt pocket
  • Ribbon bar over left shirt pocket
  • Long, white cotton trousers
  • White belt with silver buckle
  • Black socks
  • Black shoes
  • Males are to wear white Dixie cover, females are to wear black combo covers

Pressing Your Tropical Whites

Shirt

  • Front should have two creases pressed outward from the pocket all the way to the tail
  • Back should be pressed with three seems outward all the way down to the tail

Trousers

  • Pressed with creases outward like regular trousers.

A Note on Pant Length:

Pants (dress white & tropical) shall be hemmed in a manner such that the front of the pant leg just touches the second lace hole from the toe of the dress shoe. The back pant leg should rest just above the beginning of the rubber sole.

Dungarees

  • Blue chambray short sleeve shirt with cadet badges and rating patches (sleeves must be cut to same length as tropical white shirt sleeve)
  • Name tag (embroidered style), over right pocket
  • White round neck T-shirt
  • Blue working ball cap
  • Blue trousers with butt patch name tag over the back-right pocket (embroidered style)
  • Black belt with silver buckle
  • Black socks
  • Black dress shoes or boots

Pressing Your Dungarees

Shirt

  • Front and back should be pressed like a tropical shirt

Trousers

  • Press like regular dress trousers, creases down front and back

How to Spit Shine

Spread a thick layer of paste polish over the leather to be spit shined. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes. Wrap a soft, clean cloth around your index finger so you have a smooth area on the end of your finger and dip it in water so it is thoroughly wet but not dripping1.

Using a small circular motion2, buff the dried polish with the wet cloth until a shine starts to develop. Then, still using the damp rag on your finger, apply a fine layer of polish in a circular motion and keep on rubbing lightly until a hazy shine develops. Keeping the rag damp, build up the shine with thin layers of polish applied in circles with light pressure until a glossy shine develops.

When sufficient shine has developed, use a clean, dry, soft cloth to give it a final buff and remove any last haze.

1The reason you use a wet cloth is to stop the fine coats of polish sticking to the cloth and to encourage the polish to stick to the leather. You want to keep on building up thin layers of wax until you have a completely smooth surface that gives the glossy shine.

2After the first heavy coat of polish you must use minimal amounts of polish to build up the shine. If you use too much polish, the solvent in the polish you are applying will dissolve the base you have already built up and you will have to start again in that area.

Cadets may also refer to this YouTube video.