# Why are Marines (US) not "soldiers"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2025, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254 "2025-09-21T06:31:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/181 "2025-10-12T04:36:31Z")
Well, there’s a difference between calling a Sailor a “squid” and a “fucking squid”. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2026, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/182 "2026-03-04T05:04:18Z")
You mean an “effing squid” agrees with a Coastie? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/183 "2026-03-08T15:37:23Z")
Since Ranger Jeff has reanimated this thread: > [@TokyoBayer](#): > > merchant marines No such animal. There’s the Merchant Marine (the organisation), and there are merchant mariners (members of said organisation). The Brits, by the way, refer to their organisation as the Merchant Navy. > [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Coast Guard members prefer being called Coasties. “Puddle Pirates”. 😃 > [@robby](#): > > Back to the whole capitalization discussion. I was trying to find out if Sailor was supposed to be capitalized or not, and came across this: > > > [@](#): > > > > ### [Navycs.com](http://Navycs.com) Grammar Rule > > > > On, May 19, 1994, the Secretary of the Navy, John H. Dalton, decreed the word Sailor when used in Naval correspondence and referring to Sailors of the U.S. Navy - Sailor will be capitalized. Strange. I remember reading about that in _All Hands_ – and unless I am grossly confused, I read about it whilst working on a job that I only had during the winter of '92-'93. I assumed at the time that TPTB just wanted us to copy the Marines. > [@TheTyrant](#): > > I was in during the GWOT shortly after 9/11 and they even made us carry a sidearm as BDW. Though as I recall, we didn’t actually load them, as the topside watch did. And while I’m thinking about it, @robby , you were an officer, right? Were we low-life bluejackets required to salute NOAA and USPHS officers in uniform? (I’m thinking probably “yes”, since one would generally be within saluting range before noticing the differences in their uniforms.) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/184 "2026-03-08T16:48:51Z")
IME, yes. A commissioned officer in the uniformed services is a commissioned officer, even if the service in question isn’t an armed service. Yes, the uniform is a nicety originally established to allow members of those organizations the protections in a war zone accorded to any uniformed party, combatants or not. But it’s a real commission with a real uniform and all the responsibilities and privileges attached thereunto. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/185 "2026-03-09T04:46:50Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > IME, yes. A commissioned officer in the uniformed services is a commissioned officer, even if the service in question isn’t an armed service. Agree. Even US FDA employee officers in uniform, we’d salute them. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/186 "2026-03-10T16:24:35Z")
> [@robby](#): > > \*And Space Force service members are apparently referred to as “Guardians,” which sounds pretty lame to me, but not as bad as “spacemen,” I suppose. Could be worse. Could be “space cadets”. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/187 "2026-03-10T16:50:31Z")
Only in the first round. After that, you are promoted to Space Captain. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254/188 "2026-03-10T16:54:13Z")
Is that a part of the Space Force? (many may think I made that up but I didn’t…it’s real: [United States Space Force - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Space_Force)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-marines-us-not-soldiers/1023254.md?page=9)