The Military, The Forces Or The Services...

Maggoty | 09:16 Wed 09th Jan 2013 | Phrases & Sayings

16 Answers

is there a 'correct' one to describe the UK Navy/Army/Airforce?

I was briefly in the Navy 30 odd years ago and it was always classed as The Services or The Forces. But now I have heard someone in the UK Army say they are in The Military - which to me always meant the US armed forces.

A bit like Left-tenant is Uk and Loo-tenant is US.

Has it changed or was I just wrong all those years ago?

Cheers

Ali

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dannyk13

Combined Services for all three Royal Navy. Army, Royal Air force.

Maggoty

Question Author

So would you say that "The Military" is the wrong term for a UK veteran? He's in his mid-50s and was apparently in the Army for 20 years. Just caught me by surprise to hear him use that term.

x

Booldawg

A friend of a friend is a CPO in the Navy and like to refer to the Navy as the 'Senior Service' to indicated there was a Navy way before the Army or Air force. He normally does this in front of other non-Navy service members for a bit of banter.

I remember there being cigarettes called 'Senior Service' that had a picture of a sailor on the packets.

sandyRoe

Military probably derives from the word, 'militia'. I'd take 'military' to mean the army.

dannyk13

A term frequently used re a veteran "he served in the forces" which covers all three serevices

237SJ

The Military is the US name for the Forces. It's just crept into English on this side of the Atlantic as many Americanisms do. It`s just slang really "I'm in the Military" - the Military what?

Maggoty

Question Author

Yes - the Nacy is definately the senior service. I well remember the 'debates' and the name calling amongst the forces (pongo, matelot's matress, crabs etc). When my dad was in the Navy he was the joint forces boxing champ (can't remember what weight) but he never used the term military. Just this guy goes on about the fact that when he was in the military he learnt how to kill a guy or incapacitate a guy by breaking his collar bone etc Some of his tales are pretty out there - so just wondered if he was a bit of a tale-spinner.

Maybe its just the Army that calls itself that then?

dannyk13

Sounds like this chap has never been in any of the forces.

mallyh

i was a wren for a dog watch and oh was in navy for 28 years i always thought we were the british forces

McMouse

Collectively "The Armer Forces"
Individually "Royal Navy", "Royal Marines", "British Army", "Royal Air Force"

bibblebub

the word military derives from the Latin for soldier, so it is only appropriate to use it when describing the army

Quizmonster

Actually, armies long preceded navies in world history. However, they were usually raised on an ad hoc basis; that is, for the duration of a specific conflict. Once that was over, the 'soldiers' would return to their previous activities. The only reason the Royal Navy is called the Senior Service is the fact that it was the first to be established as a 'standing' force; namely one on a permanent footing.
'Forces' was largely a World War II and earlier name which was often replaced by 'Services' in later years. 'Military' is just the latest all-encompassing version of these.