# Soldier in the Marine Corp is called a marine; soldier in the Army is called ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993 "2004-01-25T14:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/1 "2004-01-25T14:02:35Z")
We refer to soldiers in the Marine Corp as “marines.” Do we have an equivalent name for soldiers in the Army? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/2 "2004-01-25T14:14:44Z")
People in the (US) Army are called Soldiers. In the Marine Corps, they are Marines. In the Navy, Sailors. In the Air Force, Airmen (for both genders). People in the Coast Guard are called Coast Guardsmen. In the British military, there are many traditional titles like “Commando,” “Rifleman,” or “Gunner.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/3 "2004-01-25T15:46:05Z")
Let’s see, from my military career, I recall the Navy calling the Marines “Jarheads”, the Marines calling the Navy “Squids”, the Air Force calling the Army “Doggies”, and the Army calling the Air Force “Zoomies”. Everybody called the Coast Guard “Coasties”. Nobody called the Reserves unless they had to. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Anaclaidiabhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Anaclaidiabhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaclaidiabhal)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/4 "2004-01-25T17:02:33Z")
–hijack– Chefguy–you’re absolutely right. I’m one of those nasty-stinkin’ reservist jarheads. But when they _do_ call on us, we get the job done. Then we go home and get fat and nasty again. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/5 "2004-01-25T17:19:58Z")
> [@Anaclaidiabhal](#): > > –hijack– > Chefguy–you’re absolutely right. I’m one of those nasty-stinkin’ reservist jarheads. But when they _do_ call on us, we get the job done. Then we go home and get fat and nasty again. 😃 CHEFGUY---------- You forgot "hooligan’s navy’ and “left handed sailors” for the coast guard, Broad assed Marines for the gals. Grunts for the infantry . Lifers for the regulars. Andf Bellhops for the gyrenes. Just to point out a few. From a "Big Deuce"Gyrene ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/6 "2004-01-25T17:33:19Z")
Interestingly enough, I believe it is the Associatied Press Stylebook that USED to say one should always capitalize “Marine” when writing about the individual person in uniform. Not so with “airman”, “soldier”, or “sailor”. “He is a Marine.” “He is a sailor.” etc… But in 1994 the Secretary of the Navy declared “Sailor” was to be capitalized, also. I do not know if the AP has revised their guidelines since then. The online version requires membership. UncleBill Marine ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/7 "2004-01-25T18:02:58Z")
> [@Ezstrete](#): > > CHEFGUY---------- > You forgot "hooligan’s navy’ and “left handed sailors” for the coast guard, > > Broad assed Marines for the gals. > > Grunts for the infantry > . > Lifers for the regulars. > > Andf Bellhops for the gyrenes. > > Just to point out a few. > > From a "Big Deuce"Gyrene And let’s not forget the oft-scorned REMFs of any service. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/8 "2004-01-25T21:03:38Z")
I’d add wingnut for Airmen. Weren’t Army guys sometimes called bulletcatchers? Or was that just the front line troops? Also, I was under the impression that in general, you can call anyone soldier if soldiering is what they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/9 "2004-01-25T22:37:50Z")
When I was one of the “Army’s pampered-darling flyboys” in WWII, our terms for pretty much everyone else was either “poor sonsabitches” or “jealous bastards.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/10 "2004-01-25T22:43:32Z")
Remember that a Marine is called a Marine because “Marine” was originally (and still is, to a large degree) a specific type of soldier: one who fights from ships. That’s why the Marine Corps began as a division of the Navy. If you watch a movie of old sailing ship naval combat, you’ll notice that in addition to cannon, there were also men with rifles shooting back and forth at each other. Those were the Marines. The sailors of the Navy were responsible for, well, sailing the ship, running the ship, and handling the cannon. So responsibility in combat was sort of like this: the sailor’s primary target was the enemy ship; the Marine’s primary target was the enemy _crew_. In other words, while the sailors on the enemy ship were busy trying to sink your ship, your Marines would try to shoot them. You know, shoot the helmsman, shoot the guys handling the sails, shoot the guys at the cannons. Heck, shoot their Captain. For the most part, this was for the purpose of making the enemy’s job more difficult. Also, if your Captain wished to capture the other ship, rather than sink it, it was the Marines who would board and attempt to take the other ship. And the enemy’s own Marines would try to stop them. So it boils down to the fact that fighting on board a ship required different training and skills than fighting on the ground. Hence, the need for a special type of soldier: The Marine Soldier. All this also explains why sailors sometimes refer to Marines as “bullet stoppers”. I just remembered - a computer game called _Escape Velocity: Nova_ has a feature where you can hire a platoon of Marines for your spaceship. The purpose of the Marines is to help increase your chances of capturing other ships. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/11 "2004-01-25T22:56:28Z")
I think you’re supposed to call them Army Guys. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/12 "2004-01-25T23:50:28Z")
Isn’t it common to call an Army soldier a G-I? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/13 "2004-01-26T02:02:12Z")
So, what’s the generic name for any one in any of the branches of military service that’s not sexist or awkward? Service member? Fighter? Militarian? Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/14 "2004-01-26T03:53:25Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > The sailors of the Navy were responsible for, well, sailing the ship, running the ship, and handling the cannon. So responsibility in combat was sort of like this: the sailor’s primary target was the enemy ship; the Marine’s primary target was the enemy _crew_. A slight quibble. Historically the Marine’s primary target was the crew of his own ship. It was the Marine detachment on ship that was responsible for protecting the officers, the booze, and the magazines from the under-fed, over worked, half drunk sailors, most of whom in the old British service were involuntarily serving by virtue a very crude and brutal conscription system. A Marine sentry guarded the Captain’s quarters. Marines guarded the wardroom, the magazine and the liquor. The platform projecting from the bow of sailing men-of-war was called the Marine walk–it is where a Marine stood guard to shoot anyone who attempted to jump ship my sliding down the anchor rope. While Marines were on the watch bill for general quarters with some assigned as gun crew and some as sharp shooters in the fighting tops and some on deck, they were still the officers’s little police force to keep the crew in order and suppress mutiny. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/15 "2004-01-26T04:42:44Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > That’s why the Marine Corps began as a division of the Navy. Ask any Marine and he’ll tell you that the Marine Corps is older than the Navy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/16 "2004-01-26T07:04:47Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > So, what’s the generic name for any one in any of the branches of military service that’s not sexist or awkward? Service member? Fighter? Militarian? > > Peace. Soldier. Say it proud. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/17 "2004-01-26T08:35:40Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > So, what’s the generic name for any one in any of the branches of military service that’s not sexist or awkward? Service member? Fighter? Militarian? A good question with no real answer in modern English. I like ‘Warrior.’ ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/18 "2004-01-26T09:03:23Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > A good question with no real answer in modern English. I like ‘Warrior.’ What’s wrong with “Soldier”? Am I missing something obvious? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/19 "2004-01-26T12:45:49Z")
> [@Bromley](#): > > What’s wrong with “Soldier”? Am I missing something obvious? Yes, the incredibly effective brainwashing the Marines undergo makes them (us) bristle at being called a “Soldier”. “There are 150,000 U.S. troops in Iraq” is OK by me, even if there are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines in country. But do not call a Marine a “Troop” or “Trooper”. It’s complex. The DI’s at Parris Island will teach it to you in about 11 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993/20 "2004-01-26T14:00:29Z")
I was in the Navy and I bristle a bit at being called a “soldier” even in the generic sense. I was a sailor, not a soldier. When speaking generally I use “armed forces” or “military” or “service members.” I would never use “soldier” as an umbrella term. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldier-in-the-marine-corp-is-called-a-marine-soldier-in-the-army-is-called/225993.md?page=2)