Peeve o' the Eve

This has gotten on my nerves for while now, and both candidates have repeatedly used this turn of phrase all night.

There are no "kids" in the United States military. Every single member of the military is an adult. To refer to them as children in any fashion is to imply that they are not fully capable adults who entered into the military of their own free will. It is patronizing and rude. It diminishes them, it diminishes their service and it is incredibly disrespectful.

Of course, my feelings are probably colored by the fact that I joined the Army at 17.