Dad, what's the difference between a Police Officer and a Soldier?

Hahaha Great question SFC (Join to see) . And my daughters come up with some as well. I guess if my 10 year old asked me that. I would tell her the difference is that Police protect people from the bad guys in America. They protect property and help make sure people follow the rules.

A soldier/Airman/Seaman/Marine deploy to help protect America from bad people overseas. Sometimes having to live overseas in different countries.

The police have better rifles and body armor?

A police officer is someone who enforces the law under the Mayor, Sheriff, Governor or DHS. Their job is to serve and protect us in our own community, through the enforcement of the law. The police take care of people doing bad things here.

A soldier is someone who serves and protects us against enemies foreign or domestic that work for either the United States, the state or both. Soldiers take care of people doing bad things other there in order to prevent them from coming over here.

That is the gyst on how I explain this to my children (6,4,2 and 1). Good luck and have a good day SSG.

Police represent and work for the betterment of the local community. Embedded in the schools and neighborhoods to safeguard people's right to work, become educated, raise a family and live their day to day lives without fear. The Soldier represent the people and nation as a whole, safeguarding the sovereignty of the U.S. and more closely serving the interests of the government.

Police are citizens who protect against against other citizens who have done wrong to others, often like a parent. A soldier is someone who fights for what they believe is right and good.

To the best of my understanding:

Police officers have direct operational authority under their local civilian town/city/state ordinances to apply LTL and lethal force, through ROE and escalation of force procedures, to a situation.

The NG when called in under title 32 to assist with crowd control can't apply any force measures without command authority through the state governor to the adjutant general to the unit commander.

Federal troops are prevented through posse comitatus from any direct policing actions unless martial law is declared, to include the use of riot control agents which needs POTUS authority.