"Troops" has become a common word lately. How many individual people are in one of these troops?

Question

My dictionary is probably older than most of the people who "play" Answers. English is a living language and is, therefore, able to evolve. When I read that ----troops are in Iraq, "troops" seems to mean "individual soldiers" How did this apparent change happen?

Answer 1

Good question, I've noticed this too. When I was younger, a troop was a group of people, like a Boy Scout troop, although the exact number comprising said troop, especially in the case of Boy Scouts, always seemed indeterminate. But for a long time now, I've noticed, as you have, that "troop", especially in the news media, means "soldier", although having said that, the term is never, to my knowledge, used in the singular. You never hear of "a troop" being killed in the war, if it's only a single person, it's "a soldier" was killed in the war.

So if "troops" means "soldiers", i guess it's still a "group noun" of sorts, which begs an interesting question...if you can have a troop of soldiers, can you have a troop of troops? If you have lots and lots of them, do you have troops of troops?

Crikey, isn't the English language wonderful?

Answer 2

It really depends on the usage. A Troop is a cavalry unit, equivalent to a company. The enlisted men (Privates) were referred to as Troopers. This has been shortened to Troop, and has eventually come to refer to individual members of the military. Troops being a simple plural of troop.

Answer 3

I use "Babylon" to translate many words for me.

According to Babyon, "Troops" means:

n. group; pack; unit of soldiers or policemen; military unit of armored cavalry or cavalry having a headquarters group and at least two platoons; soldier

v. gather in a group; move in a group; march or walk in order; parade the flag before military troops (for ceremonial purposes); form into a troop or troops (Archaic)

n. soldiers, armed forces

Answer 4

To danuitti,
So what's a Regiment then?

I thought a Division could be made up of one or more Regiments or Brigades, depending on the organization? But it's never been clear to me the real distinction between a Regiment and a Brigade. I thought a Regiment is usually commanded by a Col. and I thought a one star handled a Brigade?

Answer 5

In the context that you are using, a troop is one person...one soldier.

Answer 6

Troops, is a generic civilian word that does not specify any number of individuals.

Here is a rundown of the "Army" unit groups:

Squad - 9 to 10 soldiers. Typically commanded by a sergeant or staff sergeant, a squad or section is the smallest element in the Army structure, and its size is dependent on its function.

Platoon - 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with an NCO as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections.

Company - 62 to 190 soldiers. Three to five platoons form a company, which is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander's principle NCO assistant. An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop.

Battalion - 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a command sergeant major as principle NCO assistant. A battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron.

Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operation of two to five organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a colonel with a command sergeant major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored cavalry, ranger and special forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups.

Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded by a major general, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements.

Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As the deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations, the corps provides the framework for multi-national operations.

Army - 50,000 + soliders. Typically commanded by a lieutenant general or higher, an army combines two or more corps. A theater army is the ranking Army component in a unified command, and it has operational and support responsibilities that are assigned by the theater commander in chief. The commander in chief and theater army commander may order formation of a field army to direct operations of assigned corps and divisions. An army group plans and directs campaigns in a theater, and is composed of two or more field armies under a designated commander. Army groups have not been employed by the Army since World War II.

Units of the United States Air Force

Wings, Groups, Squadrons and Flights

Answer 7

A troop is an idividual. "Troops" is plural.