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Amilitary volunteer (orwar volunteer) is a person who enlists inmilitary service by free will, and is not aconscript,mercenary, or aforeign legionnaire. Volunteers sometimes enlist to fightin the armed forces of a foreign country, for example during theSpanish Civil War.[1] Military volunteers are essential for the operation ofvolunteer militaries. Many armies, including theU.S. Army, formerly distinguished between "Important Volunteers" enlisted during a war, and "regulars" who served on long-term basis.
In the United States troops raised asstate militia were[when?] always described as "volunteers", even when recruited by conscription. Both US volunteers and regulars were referred to as "U.S." troops. The rank of an officer in a volunteer unit was separate from his rank (if any) as a regular, and usually higher. When the volunteer forces were disbanded at the end of the war, officers with both kinds of commission reverted to their "regular" rank. For instance,George Armstrong Custer became abrigadier general of volunteers during theAmerican Civil War, but when the war ended, he reverted tocaptain. (He was later promoted tolieutenant colonel.) Volunteer rank is not the same asbrevet rank.
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