• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Are honorably discharged military personnel still called by their rank?

J Darnielle

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
440
Reaction score
2
I'm writing an article, and don't know whether to say "former Sergeant," "discharged Sergeant," etc.

I realize this is completely off topic, but Google yielded no results.
 

Steve Smith

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
3,332
Reaction score
950
I have seen retired military titles in the form of Colonel Joe Blow, USMC (Ret.), so I would say that it is formally correct to call retired military by rank. As a practical matter I have also seen it done in cases with people who are former military but not retired. To clarify I am talking about simply using the military rank in addressing them, e.g. Captain Smith to a civilian who used to hold the rank of Captain.
 

FLMountainMan

White Hispanic
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
13,558
Reaction score
2,080

I'm writing an article, and don't know whether to say "former Sergeant," "discharged Sergeant," etc.
I realize this is completely off topic, but Google yielded no results.


Whatever you do, avoid "discharged Sergeant".
 

Steve Smith

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
3,332
Reaction score
950
In your article, mention that he is no longer in service and then refer to him as Sergeant Whatever. Nobody in the world will have a problem with that usage. It is an informal and respectful usage, and it keeps you away from the unwieldy "former".
 

JustinW

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
10,511
Reaction score
1,810
I would stay with "former Sergeant Joe Blow ....." or simply "Joe blow was a Sergeant in the 2/3rd Remmington Raiders from 1988-1991 ..."

To earn the use of Sgt. Joe Blow (ret) one must, not surprisingly, have retired from the service (usually 20 years time-in or early retirement due to a combat wound.

Whatever you do, avoid "discharged Sergeant".



+ 1

I did overhear someone ask an American Marine when he was "discharged from the corpse" . :embar:
 
Last edited:

idfnl

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
17,305
Reaction score
1,260
I find this to be pompous. Calling a retired doctor "Dr.", former senator "senator", retired professor "professor", etc is pretty silly. You're not a doctor anymore or in the military, so why should you be called that?

I'd say "joe schmo, a retired sergeant" or something.
 

gladhands

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
2,226
Reaction score
132
Unrelated: MLK is the only person to keep his docotrate in death. No one ever says Dr Einstein, but it's always Dr King.
 

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
1,914
Reaction score
71
Some are given permission to be called "Col. (Ret.) John Smith," but that is normally only for those who have a full (40 year) career rather than those who retire after 18 years AFAIK. I think they are called "Mr" otherwise.
 

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
1,914
Reaction score
71

Unrelated: MLK is the only person to keep his docotrate in death. No one ever says Dr Einstein, but it's always Dr King.


Dr Crippen?
 

HEARTLESS-531

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
531
Reaction score
8
It seems to be a bigger deal with flag and general officers who simply can not divorce themselves from that persona. Even Colonels and Navy Captains. If you notice in places like USAA or whatever, they'll refere to someone as GEN John Blow, USA (ret) - just like one of the first posters said. However, I never call retired military by their rank. It's over. It's done. However, I have seen retired military addressed by their last rank, in the South especially. It's not incorrect, however. Just don't say ex-Marine. It's 'former Marine'. They get really pissed off about that. Just sayin.
 

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
1,914
Reaction score
71

It seems to be a bigger deal with flag and general officers who simply can not divorce themselves from that persona. Even Colonels and Navy Captains. If you notice in places like USAA or whatever, they'll refere to someone as GEN John Blow, USA (ret) - just like one of the first posters said. However, I never call retired military by their rank. It's over. It's done. However, I have seen retired military addressed by their last rank, in the South especially. It's not incorrect, however. Just don't say ex-Marine. It's 'former Marine'. They get really pissed off about that. Just sayin.


UK Paras are a bit like that too, even the ones from the Second World War still consider themselves members of the Regiment. Sounds like a good deal if you take away the jumping out of planes bit.
 

globetrotter

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
20,341
Reaction score
422

UK Paras are a bit like that too, even the ones from the Second World War still consider themselves members of the Regiment. Sounds like a good deal if you take away the jumping out of planes bit.



Idf paras are like that too


As to rank I never really thought of it, I used to use "demobilized" sergeant but that probably doesn't fit the US model
 

idfnl

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
17,305
Reaction score
1,260

Idf paras are like that too
As to rank I never really thought of it, I used to use "demobilized" sergeant but that probably doesn't fit the US model


Thats like being a retired doctor and still wearing a white coat and stethoscope.
 
Last edited:

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,140
Messages
10,578,732
Members
223,896
Latest member
vocalkeny
Top