ðeɪ ʃˈɛɹ ðɪ ˈɪldᵻfˈaɪnd pɹˈɛsᵻdəns, ænd lˈæk ʌv stˈætʃətˌoːɹi pˈeɪ ɡɹˈeɪd, ʌv kɐdˈɛts ænd mˈɪdʃɪpmˌɛn ʌvðɪ ɐkˈædəmiz, ænd hæv ˈiːvən lˈɛs ɐpˈæɹənt ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾi sˈɪns ðeɪ ɑːɹ dʒˈɛnɚɹəli nˌɑːt ɪn ˌɛni əfˈɪʃəl dˈuːɾi stˈæɾəs bᵻjˌɔnd ðɛɹ ɪntˈɜːnəl ˈʌzmə ænd ɹˈɑːtk ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚmənts, ɔːlðˈoʊ ðeɪ—lˈaɪk ðə kɐdˈɛts ænd mˈɪdʃɪpmˌɛn sˈɜːvɪŋ ɪnðə ɹˈɛɡjʊlɚ kəmpˈoʊnənt æt ðə fˈɛdɚɹəl sˈɜːvɪs ɐkˈædəmiz—hæv ðɪ ɪnnˈeɪt pətˈɛnʃəl tə kəmˈænd tɹˈuːps ɪn ɪmˈɜːdʒənsiz, ænd ˈʌðɚwˌaɪz pɚfˈɔːɹm dˈuːɾiz fˈɑːɹ bᵻjˌɔnd ðɛɹ ˌækədˈɛmɪk ɛnvˈaɪɹənmənt, æz ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚd baɪ kˈɑːmpɪtənt ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz.
They share the ill-defined precedence, and lack of statutory pay grade, of cadets and midshipmen of the Academies, and have even less apparent authority (since they are generally not in any official duty status) beyond their internal USMMA and ROTC requirements, although they—like the cadets and midshipmen serving in the Regular Component at the Federal Service Academies—have the innate potential to command troops in emergencies, and otherwise perform duties far beyond their academic environment, as required by competent authorities.