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Sorry about that Keith, I did not see your definitive answer before I hit submit.

My definition, fwiw, if you can walk off your job with no more repercussions than a bad reference from your employer, you are a civilian. In the military you cannot walk off your job without being prosecuted under the UCMJ, therefore you are not a civilian. If a cop tells his chief to "take this job and shove it" he would not be prosecuted under the UCMJ or any other legal system, therefore a civilian.

Sure, in many fields people outside that field are often referred to as civilians, but if IT guys are talking about non-IT guys and refers to them as civilians, it is just them trying to separate themselves - not an actual separation of citizenship as military vs civilian is, just a term used to refer to the non-geek populous. Same with police and firefighters, just a term used to differentiate their profession with those who are not in that profession.

Personally I do not like the term being applied outside the military. I figure 12 years of not being able to walk off my job gives me that right. But that's me, others can use it how they wish, no skin off my nose.