There are no troops in the USAF.

2014-11-08T21:15:00-05:00

"Troop" is a collective noun meaning "a group of soldiers."

A group of Airmen is an element or flight.

A NCO is not given supervision over a troop, but over one or more Airmen.

Discuss.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2014 9:19 PM

2014-11-08T21:19:26-05:00

In the Army, MSgt Private RallyPoint Member, a "troop" can also refer to an individual Soldier.

For example, one might say: "She's a sharp troop."

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2014 9:19 PM

2014-11-08T21:19:07-05:00

Spot on. NCO's aren't given ANY responsibility to "make" decisions anymore it feels, only enforce the will of those above us. At least from what I've seen...

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Nov 8 at 2014 9:25 PM

2014-11-08T21:25:06-05:00

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member Matter of semantics and perspective.

I would argue that I have Troops. They deploy, they carry weapons, they are troops. I agree that the proper Air Force terminology is Airmen, but in the Security Forces, there are Troops who are also Airmen.
In fact, just welcomed home a group of them.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 8 at 2014 9:50 PM

2014-11-08T21:50:13-05:00

Only if you are a Grammar Nazi. To distance ourselves as an Air Force from "Army" terms like "Troop" would also require us to turn our backs on our own heritage as a former branch of the Army. Many of our most legendary heroes (Officer and Enlisted) were Army their entire career or only converted to the Air Force when it became a separate branch. Remove the unit histories of the Mighty Eighth Air Force and all the flying squadrons with histories going back to WWI.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Nov 8 at 2014 10:29 PM

2014-11-08T22:29:45-05:00

There also aren't "Sergeants" you go straight from Senior Airmen to Staff Sergeant, and then call all manner of Sergeants (Staff-Senior Master) "Sergeant." Everyone has their cultural differences, but some of them are pretty odd.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 10 at 2014 1:20 AM

2014-11-10T01:20:23-05:00

As an Airman I would tell my supervisors that I was not a troop though they did like to use that term anyway. I was in during the days in which there were to E-4 designations. Got hurt at Wounded Knee. Oh wait, I wasn't born. In the words of Gilda Radner, 'Nevermind'. LOL

Response by SFC Nikhil Kumra made Jul 3 at 2015 12:13 AM

2015-07-03T00:13:20-04:00

I, uhhhhh... so???