When the injured and dead from Iraq and Afghanistan are announced, it seems like the U.S. Military tries to differentiate between the different units. But aren't all these men and women soldiers?
Why are Marines called marines and G.I.s called soldiers
- Thread starter Narmer
- Start date
No. They're all U.S. troops. 'Soldiers' refer to enlisted/warrant officer and officers of the U.S. Army. The U.S.M.C. has Marines. Navy/sailors, U.S.A.F./airmen. The word 'Marine(s)' is now always capitalized and the word Soldier(s) is beginning to be used in the same manner. You can call any service member a 'troop'.
GI, is an abbreviation for General Infantry. Infantry is a ground force.
Marine, is a historically-based title for the hand-to-hand combat fighters used to protect British sailing ships (merchant and military) from pirates. This allowed sailors to focus on sailing the ship and the close combat fighters to focus their time and training on protecting the ship.
It can be disrespectful to provide general terms for military forces with widely differing job responsibilities and skills since people often take pride in their skills that set them apart from others. Additionally, using the correct term provides more specific information on a situation.
EDIT:
soldier
Marine, is a historically-based title for the hand-to-hand combat fighters used to protect British sailing ships (merchant and military) from pirates. This allowed sailors to focus on sailing the ship and the close combat fighters to focus their time and training on protecting the ship.
It can be disrespectful to provide general terms for military forces with widely differing job responsibilities and skills since people often take pride in their skills that set them apart from others. Additionally, using the correct term provides more specific information on a situation.
EDIT:
soldier
- a person who serves in an army; a person engaged in military service.
- an enlisted man or woman, as distinguished from a commissioned officer: the soldiers' mess and the officers' mess.
- a person of military skill or experience: George Washington was a great soldier.
MedicBob
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- Nov 29, 2001
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GI does stand for Government Issue, but has nothing to do with the draft. The term started in WW2 and has continued.
USMC troops are called Marines due to ground forces stationed on ships have been called Marines for a very long time, longer then the USMC has been around. Since that is what they basically are, it is in their branch name and it is what they are called.
G.I. stands for Galvanized Iron, the first evidence of marines in history was the Romans, and the Spanish had an equivalent of marines before the British.
Edit: And to say that 10 soldiers lost their lives would be correct as they were people engaged in military service.
Then set everyone straight. Or are you too busy trying to Google what everything means to respond with real information?
A troop is an element of a cavalry squadron. It can also refer to an individual service member. Sort of like tuna, I guess.
Grunt (Pre-Marine)
Devil Dog (IIRC the Japanese soldiers nicknamed the Marines this for their tenacity)
Leatherneck
Jarhead (for obvious reasons, look at the haircut)
Then there's the obvious.....hero, but that applies to all who serve for this country.
Devil Dog (IIRC the Japanese soldiers nicknamed the Marines this for their tenacity)
Leatherneck
Jarhead (for obvious reasons, look at the haircut)
Then there's the obvious.....hero, but that applies to all who serve for this country.
it was the the germans during WWI at the battle of belleau wood, that came up with the name for us.
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