enlisted soldiers
Non-commissioned military personnel
Enlisted soldiers are military personnel who have joined the armed forces through enlistment rather than as commissioned officers.
They form the bulk of any military force and hold ranks from private through sergeant major.
The term distinguishes those who signed up for service from officers, who receive commissions and hold command authority: Three enlisted soldiers were wounded in the attack.
- troopsMilitary personnel collectively
- privatesLowest enlisted rank
- infantryGround combat troops
- rank and fileOrdinary members collectively
- recruitsNewly joined members
grunts · cannon fodder · conscripts · draftees · servicemen · boots · boot camp · rank-and-file · barracks · uniforms · drill · yes sir · deployment · active duty · tour of duty · military service · combat · platoon
- militaryarmy, troops, officers, navy, generals
- National GuardNational Guard, guardsmen, reservist, Air National Guard, drill weekend
- Cold War militaryWarsaw Pact, Red Army, border troops, MiG fighters, MiG-21
enlisted soldierscommissioned officers
Formally appointed military leaders
officers · generals · admirals · commanding officers · brass
enlisted soldierscivilians
Non-military population
noncombatants · civilian population · draft dodgers · deserters · civil society
enlisted, soldier, enlist, enlists, enlisting, enlistment, enlistee, soldiers, soldiery