Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Military Speak

  1. #1

    Default Military Speak

    Was checking out my Ranger Handbook and normally I can get the jest of what they are speaking about but when you join the military are you taught all the speak or do you have to learn it


  2. #2
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,818

    Default

    You just figue it out. For me, after over 20 years in the military I'm still figuring it out. Now, the military speak that other branches of the service use....(I was Navy)....I still haven't figured out too muck of that.
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

  3. #3
    Senior Member Ole WV Coot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Southern WV , raised in Eastern KY up a holler
    Posts
    2,668

    Default

    You learn words your Momma didn't teach you. Any branch a head is a bathroom. Most are shortened to letters like CO. You will pick it up and not even know it and will be using it also. Most of what young people under 20 say now I don't understand.
    Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old
    to fight... he'll just kill you.

  4. #4
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,806

    Default

    Hey, Crash. Was muck just a Freudian slip? Other services speak Muck?!
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  5. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Chugach National Forest
    Posts
    9,793
    Blog Entries
    10

    Default

    Every vocation has it's own language. Try deciphering communications between a commercial pilot and Air traffic control.

  6. #6

    Default

    yes, and that is how you can often distinguish between the posers and the real thing.
    Earth - love it or leave it.

    FireSteel.com

  7. #7
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    I did 8 years in the Army, you'll learn it and not even know it. Here's a few:
    Dog & pony show: Doing something for the brass or public.
    Lifer: Anyone who re-enlists in the military
    Latrine: Bathroom
    Bunk: Bed
    Mess Cook: Works in the dining hall
    Chow Hall: Dinning Hall
    Cup of Joe: Coffee
    Kool-Aid or Bug Juice: Insect Repelant
    BDUs: Army Uniform
    Cammies: BDUs
    Sergeant E-5: Buck Sergeant
    Staff Sergeant E-6: Staff
    Sergeant First Class E-7: Seven
    Master Sergeant E-8: Master Sergeant (never mess with him)
    First Sergeant E-8 with diamond: Top
    Sergeant Major E-9: Sergeant major (never mess with him either)
    Second Lieutenant: Butter Bar (worst weapon army ever made)
    First Lieutenant: Lew
    Captain: Cap (if he's your company commander then C.O.)
    Major: Major
    Lt. Colonel: Colonel
    Colonel: Eagle
    And all Generals are General whoever. This is what we called the enlisted and officers in my unit, may be different in other units and Sir was always used with officer rank. All the Warrant Officers we called Chief.
    Article 15: Yo azz in trouble, loss of 1 months pay, maybe even 45 days extra duty and restriction to barracks when off duty.
    Skivvies: Underwear
    Radio: Commo
    Satalite Communications: Satcom:
    Hat: Headgear or cover
    Boots: Jumps or Jungles
    Temporary Duty: TDY
    Sent on a mission: Deploy
    Prop Wash: Wind from a helicopter
    Helo: Helicopter
    Class A's: Dress Uniform
    Hummer: Humvee
    Flak: Flakjacket or getting yelled ay
    Shammer: Someone who does little work
    0 Dark thirty: Midnight or early morning
    Spitter: M60 or Saw
    Grunt: Infantry or rifleman
    Bird: Airplane
    Dog Watch: Guard duty
    ETS: End Term of Service
    Jar Head: Marine
    Swabby: Navy
    Air Farce: Air Force
    Scout: Snoopy
    Rifle: Pea Shooter
    Grenade: Popper
    Azz holes & elbows: Work Hard
    Hoof'n: Marching
    Watch your 6: Watch your back
    Dope: Information
    Lima Charlie: Loud & Clear
    REMF: Rear Echelon Mother F****r
    BOHICA: Bend Over Here It Comes
    FUBAR: F****d Up beyond all recognition
    Arty Units: Gun Bunnies
    Buster: Idiot or Punk
    Hope these help
    Beo,
    Last edited by Beo; 08-06-2008 at 12:21 PM.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  8. #8
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    Alot of the terms have changed but there is also these:
    ACAV: armored cavalry assault vehicle
    AIRBORNE: (Abn) paratrooper or parachutist-qualified
    AIRBURST: explosion of a munition in the air
    AIRMOBILE: people or material delivered by helicopter
    AIR CAV: air cavalry, referring to helicopter-borne infantry
    AIT: Advanced Individual Training, the period following Basic Training,
    specialized training given each soldier based on his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), ie MOS 11B10, 11B20 received Infantry training, 13E20 received artillery training.
    AMMO: ammunition
    A-O: area of operations
    APC: an armored personnel carrier
    AP ROUND: armor piercing round
    ASAP: (A-sap) as soon as possible
    BANANA CLIP: banana shaped magazine for an automatic weapon
    BLIVET: a heavy rubber bladder in which fuel was transported in an aircraft or under a chopper to refulers.
    BUSH or back Forty: expressions for the jungle, or any remote area away from a base camp.
    BREAK SQUELCH: to send a "click-hiss" signal on a radio by depressing the push-to-talk button without speaking, used by LRSDs and others when actually speaking into the microphone might reveal your position.
    BRING SMOKE: to direct intense artillery fire or air force ordnance on an enemy position.
    BVR: Beyond Visual Range
    C & C: command and control
    CG: commanding general
    CLACKER: firing device ('exploder') for triggering claymore mines and other electrically initiated demolitions.
    CLOSE AIR SUPPORT: air strikes against enemy targets that are close to friendly forces.
    CONUS: continental United States
    CREW CHIEF: Huey or Bllackhawk or Chinook crewmember who maintains the aircraft.
    CROSSCHECK: everyone checks everyone else for things that are loose, make noise, light up, smell bad, etc.
    DOC: what the grunts would call medics
    DUSTOFF: a nickname for a medical evacuation helicopter
    E & E: escape and evasion
    ELINT: electronic intelligence
    EOD: explosive ordnance disposal
    EXFIL: exfiltrate, exfiltration--sneak out/pick up/extract personnel; point of exit from an AO.
    EXTRACTION: voluntary or involuntary withdrawal by air of troops from any operational area via helicopter.
    FAC: (Fack) Forward air controller
    FAST MOVER: jet
    FIELD OF FIRE: area that a weapon or group of weapons can cover effectively with fire from a given position.
    FIRE FOR EFFECT: when all ordnance was aimed at the enemy in continual firing.
    FIRE MISSION: an artillery mission.
    HEAT: High Explosive, Anti Tank
    INCOMING: receiving enemy mortar or rocket fire
    KLICK, K: short for kilometer (.62 miles).
    MAD MINUTE: concentrated fire of all weapons for a brief period of time at maximum rate.
    MECH: mechanized infantry
    MIKE-MIKE: millimeters
    NO SWEAT: can do...easily done or accomplished
    POINT MAN: lead soldier in a unit
    POP SMOKE: to mark a target, team sight (location), or Landing Zone (LZ) with a smoke grenade.
    PUCKER FACTOR: assessment of the 'fear factor,' as in the difficulty/risk in an upcoming mission.
    PUFF: AC-47 aircraft fitted with side-firing miniguns and flares.
    RAP: Rocket assisted projectile
    RUCK, RUCKSACK: backpack
    SAR: search and rescue
    SHACKLE: encrypt, a method of encoding sensitive information, such as unit locations, in order to be able to send the information by radio.
    SLACK MAN: second man in a patrol, behind the pointman
    SPOOKY: C-47 gunship - 7.62 mini guns mounted in side windows
    WART HOG: A-10 aircraft. So slanged due to its 'ugly' appearance
    WEB GEAR: canvas belt and shoulder straps used for packing equipment and ammunition on infantry operations.
    57: OH-57 Scout Helo
    Duck & cover: get down
    Push: Do some push ups
    On your face: Get in the push up position
    Get ups: Squat thrusts
    Tude: Attitude
    TOC: Tactical Operations Center
    Spy Glass: Laser designator used to lase targets for missles, hand held and portable carried by scouts or LRSD, Rangers, etc.
    Down Rabge: Any area inside a combat zone
    Last edited by Beo; 08-06-2008 at 01:29 PM.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Ole WV Coot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Southern WV , raised in Eastern KY up a holler
    Posts
    2,668

    Default

    Remember all except it was always a head not latrine and I still say head and I don't like salt water. Must have been somewhere I spent some time and it was used a lot. Oh well at least everyone knows what it is.
    Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old
    to fight... he'll just kill you.

  10. #10
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    Weeeeeehooo, that took a while.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  11. #11
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    We called it a latrine when I was in from 83 to 91. Head was Marine term to us.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  12. #12
    Senior Member Ole WV Coot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Southern WV , raised in Eastern KY up a holler
    Posts
    2,668

    Default

    Navy I thought. and BLIVIT was 10lbs of crap in a 5lb bag. Some new ones, but 20yrs DO make a difference. Everyone I ever worked with said head best as I can remember

    Had to edit, didn't want to start a war between USN & USMC about a potty.
    Last edited by Ole WV Coot; 08-06-2008 at 01:46 PM. Reason: Prevention
    Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old
    to fight... he'll just kill you.

  13. #13
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    The blivets used in the 101st are 500 gallon rubber collapsable drums. One got dropped from a helo once when the load swung and bounced twice before splitting.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  14. #14
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,818

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Hey, Crash. Was muck just a Freudian slip? Other services speak Muck?!
    Could be. I'll attribute it to fat fingers early in the morning.
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

  15. #15

    Default

    Thanks Beo for the list and thanks everyone for explaining it

  16. #16
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,818

    Default

    As with all lists that have centuries of history behind them, they are too long to post. Here is a list of some Navy jargon - some may be a bit "salty". http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:U.S._Navy_slang
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •