Grammar Peeves Update

I met a friend Dawn at Norwescon, and she has enlighted me on one of my pet peeves, the sudden usage of "troop" in referring to an individual soldier. Here's what she found out:

* Webster's New World College Dictionary 4th edition (often used in newsrooms) allows for such a use, but not as the primary definition. "... 3: [pl.:] a) a body of soldiers b) soldiers [45 troops were hurt:] ..."

* The 2008 AP Stylebook allows for troops to be used when meaning soldiers in certain instances. It is a change,