What does GI stand for in military terms?

Jake L

GI is short for Government Issue.

However, these are all common interpretations or misinterpretations:

General Issue

General Infantry or Ground Infantry

General Inductee

Government Inductee
More opinions:

Everything a WWII soldier wore, carried, ate, or used was "Government Issued", so they started referring to them selves by the same title.

Since soldiers in armored divisions, paratroopers, support staff, medics, etc., are all GI's, it cannot be General Infantry. It stands for Government Issue.

I know that the term "GI" was first used by the US Government in 1935, and did indeed stand for "Government Issue". But, I also remember reading in the 1940's about the GI's in WW II who were drafted, referred to as "Government Inductees". Granted, the original meaning of the term might have been somewhat corrupted, but at the time (in the 1940's), that's what it DID mean.

I had always thought that G.I. stood for general inductee - as in drafted. However, those of us who volunteered were GI, too.
In other contexts:

Your GI tract is your gastro-intestinal tract.

Club soda not seals

Gov't issue

msgil

In military terms GI stands for Government issued.

webcrafter

Government Issue.

According to a WWII book/Strange and Fascinating Facts, it states 'GI' was used througout WWII for anything related to the U.S.Army. It was generally understood to stand for Government Issue, but actually began when supply clerks listed garbage cans as GI for 'galvanized iron'.

Amazing - but true!

Government Issue

Reductio ad Absurdum

government issued

but also

general infantry

amy f

Government Issued

toecee

Government Issue!

indyca

government issued

Stephanie S

Until very recently I tought G.I. stood for "General Infantry", but I was terribly wrong. Another common misconception is that it stands for "Government Issue", but that is also wrong. As simple and unbeleivable as it may sound, the G.I. actually stands for "Galvanized Iron"!

What? Why?

Apparently the letters GI refers to equipment like metal trash cans that were made from galvanized iron. Furthermore, during the first world war, American soldiers referred to german artillery shells as "GI Cans". From this, it was somehow assumed that GI stood for Government Issue and so was applied to military equipment and to the soldiers themselves. The term then spread during world war II.

http://www.army.mil/
http://www.army.mil/cmh/

Ritka

government issue

Thomas M

Government Issue. It was stamped on military clothing.

Blessings of Victory

Government Issued

livefreeordie

Government Issue.

nkflorida

government issue

Thad Tacoma

(U.S.) Government Issue!

Buffy Summers

"government issue" - it comes from the name of the set of uniform, mess kit, K-rations, etc. given to every noncommisioned soldier as he was shipped out in WWII

It was a kidding way to refer to the anonymity and disposablity of a soldier (especially a drafted soldier) who suddenly became dressed the samed, began to eat the same, began to live the same, etc. as every one else

Juan D

Government Issued

Soujirou

Government Issue.

whylekyotee2003

Government Issue

maria.tokiohotel

general issue and government issue
i think.

Acreo Aeneas

According to Wikipedia's article, G.I. is generally accepted (wrongly) to stand for "Government Issue" and was also wrongly applied to the soldiers during WWI and WWII as well as any of their equipment, weaponry, and so forth.

g00glesucks

google images

dAnApIrAnIs

a US soldier???

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Good Luck

rebecca

Ground intelligence?

malicious_contents

genral infantry
i think