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GI or G.I. is a term describing a member of the US armed forces or an item of their equipment. It may be used as an adjective or as a noun. The term is often thought to be an initialism of "Government Issue" but the origin of the term is in fact galvanized iron after the letters "GI" that used to denote equipment such as metal trash cans made from it in U.S. Army inventories and supply records.
During World War I, US soldiers sardonically referred to incoming German artillery shells as "GI cans". During World War I it was somehow assumed that GI stood for Government Issue and the term was applied to all military equipment and the soldiers themselves (another incorrect interpretation is General Infantry).
The term reached even farther use as its usage spread with the American troops during World War II.
A comparable nickname for a member of the British armed forces is "Tommy" or "Digger" in the Australian and New Zealand Armed forces.
Government Issue. It stems from a casual joke amongst soldiers that they were property of the US Army.
The GI in GI Bill means Government Issue or sometimes General Issue. At one time it stood for galvanized iron. Galvanized iron was used by the logistics services of the Armed Forces at one time.
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What was the US army originally know as?
Continental Army
What does GI originally mean on us military uniform?
Government Issue.
What was the US army originally known as?
the you
What military branch is duke and ripcord in the movie GI Joe?
Duke - Major, US Army Ripcord - Master Sergeant, US Army
In a Rebus puzzle what does GI over cccccc?
GI overseas GI = US soldier
What is gmgi in us navy?
GM Gunners Mate (Navey) GI General Issue (Army)
The Alaska Highway was originally built?
For National Defense by the US Army.
What did GI Stand for on the original uniforms of the American Military?
G.I. was actually used to describe items in US military supply records and actually stands for Galvanized Iron. It was later attributed to US army soldiers themselves. It was never used on the uniforms. I am quite sure it was meant to indicate all of clothing weaponry and general equipment the GOVERNMENT ISSUED [GI] to its soldiers.Over the course of time it came to refer to the soldier also
What military branch was originally a part of the us army?
The U.S. Air Force was once the Army Air Corps.
What war the US army originally formed to fight for?
The revolution and indian wars
What does US stand for in the army?
The US stands for the United States for all branches of the military.
What does the acronym AMEDD stand for?
The acronym is used for the "Army Medical Department", the health and hospital system of the US Army.
