civilian

This term creates a sharp boundary between those who hold the state's monopoly on legal violence and those who do not. It carries a connotation of vulnerability and non-combatant status, often used in legal or wartime contexts to designate who is protected under international law. In a social context, it can describe a person's transition from military life back to society. When a veteran refers to civilians, there is often an implicit sense of a cultural gap, suggesting a difference in discipline, mindset, or lived experience between the two groups.