Soldier

A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment (such as a uniform and weapon) to defend that country or its interests. In most countries, the term soldier is limited to such people who serve in the land branch of the armed services (usually known as the army). Armies are strictly hierarchical societies, and within them, groups of soldiers are usually divided into military units of some kind.

Classification

Infantry (or infantrymen, archaically foot), are soldiers who specialise in ground combat. Not all soldiers are infantrymen, and not all infantrymen are soldiers. Infantry that are not soldiers include members of the RAF Regiment of the United Kingdom (technically they are airmen not soldiers), and members of the United States Marine Corps, Royal Marines of the United Kingdom, or other marine forces (who are marines not soldiers; in fact many marines bristle at being called soldiers). Finally, many navies maintain naval infantry, who are sailors not soldiers.

Related Topics:
Infantry - Combat - RAF Regiment - United Kingdom - Airmen - United States Marine Corps - Royal Marines - Marine forces - Navies - Naval infantry

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Cavalry, or archaically horse, are traditionally soldiers who fight from horseback, but now usually crew armoured fighting vehicles. Variations include dragoons, lancers, hussars and cuirassiers.

Related Topics:
Cavalry - Horse - Armoured fighting vehicle - Dragoon - Lancer - Hussar - Cuirassier

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Artillery crew heavy weapons.

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Engineers, also called pioneers, are military construction and clearance specialists.

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A pre-modern soldier is also called a warrior. The word warrior implies one who is not part of a full-time army. Without strict hierarchical discipline constantly being imposed on them, warriors in pre-modern societies were often guided by societal warrior codes.

Related Topics:
Warrior - Warrior code

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