Help settle an argument. Are US Navy personnel ever considered "soldiers"?

[I<3oil]

God no.

Army - Soldiers
AF - Airmen
Navy - Seamen/Sailor
Crayon Eaters - Marines
Coast Guard - Coasties

 

[ATex7239]

God no.

Army - Soldiers
AF - Airmen
Navy - Seamen/Sailor
Crayon Eaters - Marines
Coast Guard - Coasties

Seaman is generally referring to enlisted ranks E1-E3 and also based on the specific job.

 

[y_p_w]

I grew up in southeastern Virginia, where there are many Navy facilities. Civilians never called Navy people "soldiers". "Squid" was the preferred term.

Not “swabby”?

 

[ls1mike]

No.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Your friend or whoever is confusing similarities in roles across different branches as being the same things. If you’re in the Army and piloting a boat are you now called a sailor?

No, that would make you a coxswain.

 

[HemiBenny]

Well, I can't ask the only one I've personally known. On his headstone at Arlington, he is referred to as a Special Operations Chief. Elsewhere as a Special Warfare Operator with DEVGRU. All I know is that he served honorably, and gave all.

RIP, Nate

View attachment 294259

And if he is remembered as a "Soldier", "Special Operations Chief", "Special Warfare Operator", or "Nate", that's all that matters. The fact that he is remembered is all that matters.
I bet his family would be honoured that he would be remembered as any of those titles, as long as he's remembered.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Seaman is generally referring to enlisted ranks E1-E3 and also based on the specific job.

Yes, the most terribly-dispositioned sailor I ever met was PNSN Samples (real last name!), if you know rank terminology. Dude had to put up with snickers & giggles every time. You’d have thought he won the lottery when he made Petty Officer Third Class!!

 

[I<3oil]

Seaman is generally referring to enlisted ranks E1-E3 and also based on the specific job.

Maybe by people actually in the Navy. By everyone else in the Armed Forces, we still call people in the Navy seamen. Because it's funny.

 

[Zee09]

Soldier sure beats government servant. Soldier wouldn't bother me in the least.. That said I'd call the individual what they wanted to be called.

 

[GON]

If one wants a generic term, I think service man or woman would be better.

I don't believe there is a generic term. A technical/ correct term would be "uniformed servicemember" --- but I doubt many would like to be called by the technically accurate term.

 

[Kira]

A performance of 6 essays by younger servicemen describing their experiences, included one by a female who piloted drones used by the US Air Force. They sat at video screens with basic avionics and joysticks.
She mentioned the nickname amongst themselves was the "US Chair Force".
Would they be "Chairmen"? (ha-ha)

NOTE: The performance, the title of which I cannot recall, was descriptive and respectful.