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This Chapter briefly addresses specific rules that relate to the rights, duties, and liabilitiesof persons in the various classes to illustrate and provide an overview of that class. For moreinformation about specific rules, practitioners should refer to the cross-referenced sections thataddresses those specific rules. 24.1.1 General Notes on Terminology for Persons in the Law of War. The terms in thelaw of war that describe different classes of people are often used in confusing and contradictoryways. Although striving to use terms consistently within DoD reduces confusion, understandingthe substantive standards that apply to a person in the applicable circumstances is more importantthan using a particular label or a particular system of classification.4.1.1.1 The Same Term Used With Different Meanings. Sometimes differentmeanings are given to the same term. For example, someone might be considered a “combatant”in the sense that the person may be made the object of attack, but the person would notnecessarily be a “combatant” in the sense that the person is privileged to engage in hostilities. 3Similarly, one source might use the term “noncombatant” to mean all persons who arenot combatants, including persons placed hors de combat and civilians. 4 Alternatively, anothersource might use the term “noncombatant” to refer specifically to persons who are members ofthe armed forces, but who are not combatants. 5 In the past, some commentators have used“noncombatants” of the armed forces to refer to all members of the armed forces serving incombat service support or sustainment roles. 6 In contemporary parlance, however, the term“noncombatant” should generally be used to mean military medical and religious personnel, 7 butalso can include those combatants placed hors de combat. 82 Refer to § 1.2.3 (Use of Cross-References in This Manual).3 Refer to § 4.3.2 (Combatant – Notes on Terminology).4 See, e.g., L.C. GREEN, THE CONTEMPORARY LAW OF ARMED CONFLICT 88 (2nd ed., 2000) (“Nationals of theadverse party are normally classified as combatants and non-combatants, with the latter including some members ofthe armed forces – chaplains, medical personnel and those hors de combat.”); LIEBER CODE art. 19 (“Commanders,whenever admissible, inform the enemy of their intention to bombard a place, so that the noncombatants, andespecially the women and children, may be removed before the bombardment commences.”).5 See, e.g., HAGUE IV REG. art. 3 (“The armed forces of the belligerent parties may consist of combatants andnoncombatants. In the case of capture by the enemy, both have the right to be treated as prisoners of war.”).6 See, e.g., GREENSPAN, MODERN LAW OF LAND WARFARE 56 (“The distinction between combatants andnoncombatants within the armed forces must be taken to correspond to the distinction between fighting troops andtroops in service units. The fighting troops of an army carry out the actual military operations, whereas the servicetroops minister to the needs of the former and supply their various requirements. The Hague Regulations do notdefine the elements in the two classes, but combatants would include infantry, cavalry, armored troops, and the like,whose function it is to engage with the enemy; as well as artillery, engineers, signals, and others, whose duty it is tosupport such action. Noncombatants would include personnel of the various ‘services’ comprising (inter alia)medical, chaplains, veterinary, graves, pay, postal, labor, supply, transport, ordnance, provost, legal, and militarygovernmentunits.”); GWS COMMENTARY 223 footnote 4 (“In correct terminology, however, ‘armed forces’ include‘combatants’ (i.e. soldiers bearing arms) and ‘non-combatants’ (who comprise not only medical personnel but alsovarious other army services not called upon to carry arms).”).7 Refer to § 4.9 (Military Medical and Religious Personnel).8 Refer to § 5.10 (Persons Placed Hors de Combat).99