Are female military officers called sir?
"Ma'am" is the correct term to refer female officer in the military. Don't know why "Sir" is used a lot in Hollywood's movies & games. Technically, its either ma'am or sir, it depends on what the female officer prefers and it is common practice for her to say which one it is when it comes up.
In a formal situation they are usually addressed by their rank followed by their surname as in “Sergeant Jones”/ “Private Smith”. What are female soldiers called? By rank, or if saluting: “Good [part of the day] ma'am!” Anywhere you would address a male officer as “Sir,” you address a female officer as “Ma'am.”
Additionally, since the late modern period, Sir has been used as a respectful way to address a man of superior social status or military rank. Equivalent terms of address for women are Madam (shortened to Ma'am), in addition to social honorifics such as Mrs, Ms or Miss.
Female commissioned officers are addressed/referred to as “Ma'am” or by their earned rank along with their given last name. Some overlook that US military service branches also have chief warrant officers who are specialists in their career fields.
Two or more male officers are addressed as "Gentlemen"; two or more female officers are addressed as "Ladies"; and a mixed group should be addressed as "Ladies and Gentlemen."
Yes, in most military organizations, the title "sir" is typically used to address commissioned officers, such as lieutenants, captains, and higher ranks. Non-commissioned officers, such as sergeants and corporals, are usually addressed by their rank or as "sergeant" or "corporal."
a singular male officer is addressed as "sir" or their rank, depending on the situation. a singular female officer is addressed as "ma'am" or by rank.
Dear Sir or Madam is a standard salutation used to start an email or letter to a person whose identity you're not sure of. Though it's a traditional phrasing, it's recommended to avoid it if possible since it's very impersonal and quite old-fashioned.
Dame is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the British honours system and those of several other Commonwealth realms, such as Australia and New Zealand, with the masculine form of address being Sir.
The feminine equivalent of "sir" is "madam" or "ma'am." These terms are used as respectful titles when addressing or referring to a woman in a formal or polite manner. If you are talking about knighthood, the female equivalent of 'sir' is 'dame', as in Dame Maggie Smith.
Can you call a female commander sir?
Do you call a female officer Sir? No, you call a female officer either Ma'am or by her rank.
Ann Elizabeth Dunwoody (born January 14, 1953) is a retired general of the United States Army. She was the first woman in United States military and uniformed service history to achieve a four-star officer rank, receiving her fourth star on November 14, 2008.
Although on paperwork military spouses are labeled “dependents” these family members are sometimes called “dependas”. The term “dependa” has long been used as a derogatory slur for military spouses.
The military has not officially changed from calling women officers "Ma'am" to "Sir." In the United States military, female officers are still typically addressed as "Ma'am," while male officers are addressed as "Sir." However, there may be variations in different branches of the military or in different countries.
NOTE: IT IS NEVER APPROPRIATE TO ADDRESS AN NCO AS SIR OR MA'AM.
For example, a Brigadier General would address a Major General simply as "General," without using the term "sir." The level of formality can vary based on the specific branch of the military and the individuals involved, but generally, the emphasis is on respecting the rank rather than using titles like "sir" or "ma'am ...
All cadre and cadet officers are addressed as “SIR”/”MA'AM”. As a general rule, “Sir”/”Ma'am” is used in speaking either officially or socially to any senior.
In the military, it's a sign of respect to address higher-ranking officers as "Sir" or "Ma'am." However, in some cases, sergeants may prefer to be addressed by their rank as a way of emphasizing their role as working leaders rather than officers who give orders from a distance.
Once you leave basic training, your technical school instructors will be quick to inform you that, as they are NCOs, they “work for a living,” and you do not call them “sir” or “ma'am.” However, in basic training, you should call everyone who outranks you (which is pretty much everyone) as “sir” or “ma'am.”
Military and police usage
The use of sir and ma'am as forms of address for superiors are common in the United States armed forces. U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force regulations state that ma'am is an appropriate greeting for junior personnel when rendering a hand salute to a female superior.
How do you address a senior female officer?
A soldier addressing a higher ranking officer uses the word sir or ma'am in the same manner as a polite civilian speaking with a person to whom he wishes to show respect.
Similar shares of men and women currently serve in the Army, which is the largest active-duty branch of the military, and in the Navy. But women are more likely than men to be in the Air Force; nearly one-third (31%) of military women are in the Air Force compared with 22% of men.
When it comes to honorifics such as sir and ma'am, the English language doesn't currently have a widely used option that's gender neutral.
The more recent term Mx. —a term that functions as a gender-neutral form of Mr., Mrs., or Ms. —could work in these situations, but most people aren't familiar with it or its pronunciation (usually [ miks ]), so it's not likely to be useful in most situations until it becomes much more established in the language.
knight: addressed as Sir Firstname, his wife as Lady Surname; a knighted female is addressed as Dame Firstname, her husband as Mr. Surname, ie he does not share the distinction of his wife.
