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Soldier

German soldiers in Bosnia
Occupation
Activity sectors	Military
Description
Competencies	Physical Stamina Mindset

Chain of command
Unit	Soldiers	Typical Commander
fireteam	4	NCO
squad/section	8–13	squad leader
platoon	26–64	platoon leader
company	80–225	captain/major
battalion	300–1,300	lieutenant colonel/colonel
regiment/brigade	3,000–5,000	lieutenant colonel/colonel/ brigadier/brigadier general
division	10,000–15,000	major general
corps	20,000–45,000	lieutenant general
field army	80,000–200,000	general
army group	400,000–1,000,000	field marshal
army region	1,000,000–3,000,000	field marshal
theater	3,000,000–10,000,000	field marshal

A soldier is one who fights as part of an organized land-based armed force;^[1] if that force is for hire the person is generally termed a mercenary soldier, or mercenary.^[2] The majority of cognates of the word "soldier" that exist in other languages have a meaning that embraces both commissioned and non-commissioned officers in national land forces.

Etymology [edit]

The word soldier entered modern English in the 14th century from the equivalent Middle English word soudeour, from Anglo-French soudeer or soudeour, meaning mercenary, from soudee, meaning shilling's worth or wage, from sou or soud, shilling.^[3] The word is also related to the Medieval Latin soldarius, meaning soldier (literally, "one having pay").^[4] These words were ultimately derived from the Late Latin word solidus, referring to an Ancient Roman coin used in the Byzantine Empire.^[3][4]

Occupational designations [edit]

In most armed forces use of the word 'soldier' has taken on a more general meaning due to the increasing specialization of military occupations that require different areas of knowledge and skill-sets. As a result, 'soldiers' are referred to by names or ranks which reflect an individual's military occupation specialty arm, service, or branch of military employment, their type of unit, or operational employment or technical use such as: trooper, tanker, commando, dragoon, infantryman, marine, paratrooper, ranger, sniper, engineer, sapper, medic, or a gunner.

U.S. Army soldiers on patrol in Iraq

Gurkha soldiers of the British Army on exercise

Canadian Army soldiers on urban warfare training

Other terms [edit]

In many countries soldiers serving in specific occupations are referred to by terms other than their occupational name. For example military police personnel in the UK are known as "redcaps" from the colour of their berets or other headwear.

In the United States Army, infantrymen are called "grunts", while artillerymen are sometimes referred to as "redlegs", from the branch color for artillery. US soldiers are often called "G.I.s".

French Marine Infantry are called marsouins (French: porpoises) because of their amphibious role.^{[citation needed]} Military units in most armies have nicknames of this type, arising either from items of distinctive uniform, some historical connotation or rivalry between branches or regiments.

Career soldiers and conscripties [edit]

Some soldiers, such as conscripties or draftees, serve a single limited term. Others choose to serve until retirement; then they receive a pension and other benefits. In the USA, servicemembers can retire after 20 years.^[5] In other services, 30 years (hence the term "30-year man").

See also [edit]

• Seaman
• Airman
• Marine

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Soldiers

Look up soldier in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Soldier