Why do they use the word troop, when referring to one person?

Question

In the news when reporting about the military, they use the word troop when talking about one person. The definition of troop, is a group of people. Why are they constantly doing this in the news? Doesn't it drive everyone else nuts? I have a friend that is thinking that when they talk about sending one thousand troops to Iraq, he thinks they are sending one thousand groups of people there. Why are they doing this? Using the word troop for one person?

No 66, look at any dictionary defintion of the word troop. It says a group of people.
http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&rls=GGIH,GGIH:2007-02,GGIH:en&pwst=1&defl=en&q=define:troop&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title
This is just one, they all say group of people for the word troop. It has always been troop being a group of people, not just one. This war was the start of using the word for one person.Why are they doing this?

I emailed Voice of America news the other day and asked them why this is being done. To my surprise they answered the next day. Here is their email.
You raise an interesting point. There's a whole thread of discussion on the issue on the site painintheenglish.com:
http://www.painintheenglish.com/post.php?id=1088

and on this site:
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1163049976.shtml

The AP Style Book, which we mostly try to follow, states "A troop is a group of people or animals. Troops means several such groups, particularly groups of soldiers."

But as the others noted, it's a word in transition, and increasingly it's synonymous with soldier. English just won't stay put. You've raised an interesting point for our editorial discussion though. Thanks!

It appears they don't know the reason either. Thank you all for answering.

Answer 1

Are you sure they aren't calling an individual a trooper? I never heard someone calling an individual a troop, Most units have different names for calling a group of people. I am Royal Signals and we have troops which is a group of people, approx 30 of us headed by a leutenant. The same size in the infantry is platoon.

Answer 2

Troop is short for trooper, a term for cavalry soldiers. Cav units are still identified as troops, as opposed to companies for most of the army, and batteries in artillery.

Answer 3

One soldier is a trooper and a bunch of troopers is a troop. maybe the writers should look at the phrases "state trooper" and "storm trooper" for reference.

Answer 4

IN the UK we call them Troopers, I am an Airtrooper as im in the Army Air Corps. I would say im an airtrooper or he is a trooper

Answer 5

OMFG this bothers me too! thanks for askign it