little light bulb moment

I just put my finger on why exactly it bothers me when the media refers to groups of soldiers as "troops". they say, "5,000 troops were deployed to..." and it always bugs me. I would always say to myself (sometimes out loud) "Why do they call them troops? that doesn't sound right." but then, inevitably, one or both of my sons would do something which would require my attention and i would not give it proper thought. well. finally! this time when i mulled it ever so slightly over, i figured it out. (hey--bite me. if you'll recall a few posts back i was very upfront about the dwindling IQ problem) it's this: if i am enlisted in the army, say, would i call myself a troop? hi, what's going on. i'm a troop. i DO NOT FRIGGIN THINK SO. so if i alone am not a troop, how can i call myself and 4,999 of my buddies "5000 troops"? and that my friends, is what you call a long overdue scratching of an itch. and it's brought to you by the letters F and U. fucking illiterate media. also, where oh where has my comment box gone?