The term 'Hired Soldier, for short' is often abbreviated as MERC. A mercenary, or merc for short, is a professional soldier who is hired to serve in a foreign army. Mercenaries are usually hired by governments or private organizations to fight in wars or provide security services. They are not bound by the same rules and regulations as regular soldiers, and they often receive higher pay than regular soldiers. Mercenaries have been used throughout history, from ancient times to modern day.