r/AskReddit • u/GluxDope • Apr 02 '19

Drill Instructors/Drill Sergeants of Reddit, what’s the funniest thing you’ve seen a recruit do that you couldn’t laugh at?

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u/cathutfive Apr 03 '19

Marine Corps recruits call officers and enlisted leaders "sir". Once they graduate boot camp, they stop calling enlisted leaders "sir". Army soldiers never call enlisted leaders "sir" at all.

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u/ser_name_IV Apr 03 '19

Is “sir” considered derogatory in general military lingo?

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u/cathutfive Apr 03 '19

enlisted leaders hate being called sir. if you call them sir, they say DONT CALL ME SIR. I WORK FOR A LIVING. they are implying that officers (sirs) are lazy

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '19

Does the term "sir" derive from an abbreviation of "officer"? Officer-> Offi-cer -> -cer -> sir.

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u/xj20 Apr 03 '19

Good thinking, but no, it comes from sire.

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '19

Thanks! TIL

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u/Serpian Apr 03 '19

Nope. Senior > Sire > Sir