What this country needs is catchall term for those in military uniform: Any ideas?

STLtoday.com ^ | 12-27-03 | Harry Levins

[FairWitness]

Each year, Time magazine picks the "Person of the Year" (formerly known, in less sensitive times, as the "Man of the Year"). This year, that person is "the American soldier," and the magazine's cover shows three of them, all from the Army's 1st Armored Division.

[Wolfstar]

But that doesn't give us a singular noun. Maybe there isn't one.

See my Post #80 in response to Laz.

[Lazamataz]

They called me a troop in basic and in the NYG.

So that's where I got the idea. Besides, you don't know what it's like, I'm the one out there everyday putting his ass on the line, and I'm not out of order! You're out of order! The whole freakin' system is out of order! You want the truth? You want the truth?! You can't handle the truth! when you are in a hot, flea-infested foxhole with morters whistling overhead and bullets cracking overhead, and when you put your hand into a bunch of goo, that a moment before was your best friends face, WHO BOTHERS WITH DICTIONARIES! You'll know what to do! Forget it Wolfstar, it's CHINATOWN!

[Wolfstar]

Having noted that a couple of FReepers said the term "troop" for an individual was used while they were in the military, perhaps I shouldn't be blaming the media for originating this usage, but borrowing it. Nevertheless, "troop" is the collective form and "trooper" is the singular form. On the other hand, the language is always evolving as some words fall out of usage, new ones are added, and new meanings are attached to existing words. Example: the original meaning of "gay" vs. how the word is used today.

[gcruse]

You could call it "the way things ought to be" if you're into moral principles, or simply one in which common sense is no longer banished from the thoughts of the herd.

"Because we've always done it that way," is reactionary.
"Change for the sake of change," is the ideology of a cancer cell.
Letting one half the population know that we value them through the language we have in common, should be a no brainer.

[Wolfstar]

LOL! Take a deep breath and see my Post #83. Besides, I'm ex-Navy. What do I know from foxholes. We swabbies normally do our shootin' from miles away. (Or aren't sailors called swabbies anymore?)

[Bobsat]

Military.

Usage: I'm military. He's military. She's military. They're military. It's a military weapon. Our military did this or that. Call on the military. That's fit for the military. Etc.

Even though I was a soldier and pilot, I was military all that time.

[McGavin999]

I like warrior, that's what they are. They are noble warriors who protect us by placing themselves in harms way between the ugly world threats and the country they love.

[alexandria]

American Warrior

"I am an American Warrior"


sounds pretty bad@ss to me!

[Keen-Minded]

How about: US Fighting Force or US Heroes!

[rabidralph]

They're called servicemembers.

[PatrickHenry]

... when you put your hand into a bunch of goo, that a moment before was your best friends face ...

"I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure. Yet, I am poor, because I am a river to my people!"
-- Anthony Quinn's Audar Abu Tayi in Lawrence of Arabia

[Sir Charles]

***"Because we've always done it that way," is reactionary."***

It's only common sense if a better way is not clearly a better way.

***"Change for the sake of change," is the ideology of a cancer cell.***

If a cancer cell had the capacity to hold to an ideology, that may apply. I wouldn't compare a cancer cell to a thinking organism. Besides, I consider the change we're discussing here, a change for the sake of change, and know many women who feel the same.


***Letting one half the population know that we value them through the language we have in common, should be a no brainer.***

We have been doing that for years, until someone suddenly decided that the word "mankind" somehow excludes women, and the only proper term has to evolve to "peoplekind", etc., totally throwing out of kilter meaningful expressions that served us very well since the beginning of history.

[InterceptPoint]

The winner is: WarFighter

[gcruse]

meaningful expressions that served [patriarchal society] very well since the beginning of history.

There.  That fixes it.

[null and void]

--AND PLEASE DO NOT ASK WHAT G.I. STANDS FOR!!!!!

Gastro-Intestinal? < /joke>

[BSunday]

Speaking as a Sub Sailor, I favor "tip of the spear"

[Az Joe]

Which boats you on?

USS Grenadier (SS-525) and USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643) here. 1971-75, Torpedoman.

[BSunday]

Our former department LCPO always addressed his emails to the department in some creative fashion. Here are a few examples:

"Fellow Warriors of The Deep;"
"Dear Terrorist Killers;"
"Fellow Dictator Deposers;"
"Bringers of the Enemies Destruction;"

These are just examples of the type that I remember. The actual salutations were much better than that.

[BSunday]

USS Daniel Webster SSBN 626 (Blue), USS Baltimore SSN 704, USS Hunley AS-31, USS Atlanta SSN-712, USS Newport News SSN-750. Currently on shore. ET1/SS (radioman type, 1 each)

[Az Joe]

Were you out of Charleston or Rota or somewheres else?