like on the news when they say: 200 troops were sent to such and such a country - they just mean 200 soldiers or people. why do they say troops? the word troop to me implys a group of poeple. anyone know why?
2006-08-13 08:05:09 · 8 answers · asked by kokoarteest 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
The word TROOP in plural usage was from cavalry days. At that time the cavalry troop was a specific size and would have a certain number of men. Individuals were called TROOPERS. Today we call the group TROOPS and specify a number, such as 100 TROOPS. They sometimes just shorten TROOPER to TROOP when referring to one. Just the evolution of terms.
2006-08-13 08:20:18 · answer #1 · answered by RunningOnMT 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is easier to use short hand than to say, soldier which is Army, Marine is Marine, Sailor which is Navy and Air Force is Airman. Troop covers a multitude of military types and general makes it easier to communicate.
A Troop is a Troop. They are young people who do not control their own destiny. Some other older uglier guy, wise or not, is telling the Troop what to do. And as a troop you just do it. That is the fact of the matter.
In today's military, they talk young people into the serving with bonus money and other promises. What is some kid to do. Say no, and go to work at MacDonalds.
Ninety percent of the troops don't volunteer. They go in because they don't know what else to do with themselves. You know, good jobs are not just sitting there for the picking.
Going in the Military is getting job, or figuring out what you are doing for next few years. The military does provide a place to sleep even if it is hole in the sand and a meal of sorts, you know.
Volunteering for a new troop would be shipping them over to Iraq, say for a month. Then asking them if they would like to stay in the Military and ride a Humvee around town for the next nine months. Right! You don't know what you are doing in military until the guy next to you is dead.
No, lets call ourselves patriots and paint the idea of serving in the military as a wonderful and selfless service to all mankind forever. Bullshit! The Military was very important to me, but it was dynamically screwed up most of the time. And promises by the Military do not mean anything.
What are you going to do, sue the Federal Government.
2006-08-13 08:59:07 · answer #2 · answered by zclifton2 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
troop (n.) A group of soldiers
They are giving you the information as to the number in the troop. If they just said "Troop" it could be only 10. Perhaps a "Troop of 200 were deployed today..." would be more correct, but when does the media worry about correctness?
2006-08-13 08:11:21 · answer #3 · answered by oklatom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
One soldier is part of a group of men/women and so they
call them all troops. and this came from the old Cavalry
days of which a company was called Troop.
2006-08-13 08:21:26 · answer #4 · answered by Vagabond5879 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the word "troop" is never refered to the marines, its always in reference to the army
2006-08-13 08:42:07 · answer #5 · answered by Beaujock 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i've never heard anybody call 1 soldier a troop!
2006-08-13 10:23:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's an abbreviated version of Trooper.
2006-08-13 08:20:42 · answer #7 · answered by Black Sabbath 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Its A kind of formality
2006-08-13 08:12:47 · answer #8 · answered by UnitedWeStand 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋