ARMSMAN

An Armsman is an archetypal warrior, the Universal Soldier. But he is more than mere 'cannon fodder' to be fed into the jaws of death as were soldiers of less advanced eras. The Armsman is a superbly professional soldier, thoroughly trained and disciplined, a person physically and temperamentally suited to meeting the stresses and challenges of warfare and close combat in a manner rarely witnessed in the present day. Examples of Armsmen characters can be seen in such SF works as Dickson's Dorsal series, in Heinlein's Starship Trooper or Haldeman's Forever War. His vocation is more than just straight out fighting; it includes mastery of the man y technical aspects of advanced warfare as well. His skill with a vast range of weapons systems, military equipment, and combat tactics will appear almost 'heroic' in scope once he is a veteran of long service. He will also be able to acquire skill in areas outside his specialty, as would any reasonably competent person in a culture with efficient educational techniques and learning aides (computerized and others,) but it is ever at the art and science of war that he shines.