Comment by mpyne

> Granted, I do not know why "service member" did not catch on. Perhaps because "warfighter" is a bit shorter.

Yeah, it's basically this. "service member" is clunky, like saying "person with enlistment".

Warfighter has its own issues as a descriptor but it at least rolls off the tongue better and is easier to read through in policy and regulation to the millions in the DoD.