That’s what we were instructed to use to refer to a subset of our platoon-mates while working, in those rare cases where it made a difference. One of my DS, an MP from Halifax, would absolutely tear a strip off you if she heard you say ‘girl’ or ‘woman’, in barely comprehensible English out from under that scary red Beret, and you knew the woe was coming.
That’s what we were instructed to use to refer to a subset of our platoon-mates while working, in those rare cases where it made a difference. One of my DS, an MP from Halifax, would absolutely tear a strip off you if she heard you say ‘girl’ or ‘woman’, in barely comprehensible English out from under that scary red Beret, and you knew the woe was coming.
As a recovered Marine, I know too well how sexist the military is especially under the guise of “nomenclature.”
I just made a comment about this too! The “male” and “female” vernacular is alive and well in the US military as well!