noncom = 'enlisted person'

[Jonathan Lighter]

So you're saying Ethell would have been pretty confused.

JL


On Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 12:54 PM, W Brewer <brewerwa at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: noncom = 'enlisted person'
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In my garrison days, NCO's were definitely enlisted (corporal on up). But
> EM's were not allowed in the NCO club; they had their own Enlisted Men's
> club. Corporals (E-4) could get into the NCO club, but Spec-4's (E-4) could
> not. Draftees & reservists were unwelcome anywhere.
>
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