Military Slang

[dragoon500ly]

Don't forget

Amei or Amy = German slang for an American.

Barracks Bandit = any enlisted man that spends his European tour in the barracks, usually with an expensive stereo system, getting drunk on American beer and whining because there is nothing to do after duty hours.

Black Hole = any terrain feature that is utterly and completely impassable to armored vehicles, almost always has two or three stuck in it. Always results in a glazed and confused lieutenant.

Bring Smoke = Hitting the enemy with anything and everything at one time.

Gausthouse Commando = Any soldier who spends his off duty time helping the local economy prosper by infusing their paycheck in drinking German beer, eating German food and in pursuit of any German woman.

Glazed = Any Lieutenant in their first year.

Glazed and Confused = Any company grade officer, after being reamed by the Colonel.

God Bird = any helicopter, usually hovering overhead, that has a high ranking officer "advising" the troops on the ground on how to do their job. HIGHLY Insulting. Also referred to as Godding, God D**ned, F**king God.

Hammerhead = any TUA (TOW Under Armor).

I.M. Dumbjohn = Any West Pointer.

Mustang = Any officer that served a prior tour as an enlisted man. Usually highly skilled, on the ball and respected by their troops and hated by the regular officer caste.

Ole Leaky = any M-901, they leak almost as bad as a Chinook!

Pentagon Commando = Any officer that manages to spend their career no further east than Washington D.C. and no further west than Alexandria, Virginia. NOT a compliment!

Raining = Using MLRS to clear a grid square. "We're gonna rain the grid square" "We're raining that location", "Its been rained."

Rat F**K = old school nickname for the reaction force.

Ringknockers Association, = That West Point clique dedicated to keeping their members out of serious trouble while advancing their careers.

Rockhead = Any member of the Third Infantry Division, play on the division nickname "Rock of the Marne".

Rotcee = Play on ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) those straight from college lieutenants that are either very, very good, or totally worthless.

Smoke'em! = Open fire, bring the hurt on, etc.

Vimmie = VMI grad, an officer who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, they totally suck at football, but have had more more members serve as Chief of Staff than West Point. Also used to praise a lieutenant that is on the ball. "He's a vimmie."

[perardua]

Another key British phrase/concept is that of 'gen' (pronounced jen). Gen has several meanings, but is most commonly used to mean information, as in "here's the gen", or "what's the gen?" However, it can also be used to convey that something is the gospel truth, as in "that's gen".

Furthermore, when someone questions the veracity of a statement, they may be asked to "gen it". If they gen it (by saluting with their right fist and saying gen), that person is considered to have staked their eyebrow on the truth of what they have just said. If it later turns out to be false, they will be required to remove their eyebrow, or will have it removed for them. It is possible to double-gen something, which can lead to both eyebrows being shaved off.

[Panther Al]

WPPA = West Point Protective Association: The informal body that serves to keep fellow grads of West Point safe from any negative actions due them, and to ensure that the best assignments fall their way.

Nasty Girl = Member of the National Guard.

Head Shed = Where all the officers hang out.

Talking out of his Brass = An NCO or Junior Officer trying to ingrate himself to senior officers.

(the) Musket = The M16. Usually found in units that are predominately equipped with M4's.

[dragoon500ly]

And here's a few more!

Air Mattress = nickname for the 82nd Airborne

Believer = any dead enemy soldier.

Blanket Division = the 1st Cavalry Division, proud owners of the largest shoulder patch in existence! AKA "Horse Blanket"

Bloody One = Nickname for the 1st Infantry Division.

Butterfly = conducting a patrol on multiple paths and changing patrol formations at random.

Button up = in tanks, the slamming closed of all hatches due to fire, usually screamed in annoying high levels over the intercom.

Bushbeater = any dismounted infantryman

Cloverleaf = patrol technique in which component units move out from the main body and loop back into the vicinity of the main body's direction. Used to cover large amounts of ground when contact is doubtful.

Contact = Usually screamed over the radio, ie CONTACT LEFT! CONTACT TWO OCLOCK!, alerts the platoon as to the direction of enemy contact.

Dead Space = any area that cannot be covered by fire or observation due to terrain, or in case of tanks, having to button up.

Doc = Beloved title given to a Army medic.

Drag = any unit covering the rear of a larger unit, usually to secure the rear from attack.

Dust-Off = term for any medical evacuation helicopter.

Electric Strawberry = Nickname for the 25th Infantry Division's "Tropic Lightning" patch

Foogas = containers of jellied gasoline, often used as an antipersonnel weapon.

Frag = any fragmentation hand grenade.

Fragging = refers to the act of killing an officer or NCO by tossing a frag into their tent.

F***in Fourth = Beloved nickname of the 4th Infantry Division.

Hotel Alpha = HA or haul a**

Hump = the act of carrying a rucksack aka humping.

Lifer = a career soldier.

Mad Minute = the act of firing all weapons at max rate for a specific period of time. Sounds crazy, but it is usually timed for an expected enemy attack and is intended to through off their attack.

Marching Fire = dismounted infantry firing from the hip while advancing.

Next = any soldier due to rotate back to the states within the next few days.

One oh Worst = insulating nickname of the 101st Airborne.

Out F***ing Standing! = Refers to the excellent (but unnecessary) job just performed by a**kisser currently kneeling in front of the CO.

Piss tube = any mortar tube

Rock-n-roll! = set all weapons to full automatic and hose the country side!

Rules of Engagement = any set of regulations or directives designed to give the enemy the maximum possible advantage in any engagement with US forces.

Shake-n-bake! = any NCO or officer who has been promoted ahead of the curve, usually highly insulting.

Turtle = your replacement, nicknamed that way due to the extended amount of time it took him to show up.

Zap = to shoot and hit a enemy soldier, usually making a believer of him.

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

Bloody One = Nickname for the 1st Infantry Division.

Electric Strawberry = Nickname for the 25th Infantry Division's "Tropic Lightning" patch

Bloody Bucket= for the 28th Infantry Division-- shoulder patch is a red keystone. Pennsylvania National Guard, I almost ended up in this division as a ROTC cadet. They're famous for getting just about wiped out twice in 3 months in 1944.

Foogas = containers of jellied gasoline, often used as an antipersonnel weapon.

I think this derives from fougasse, an old term from early-modern siege warfare.

[Panther Al]

Big Red Whine = Name for the 1st Inf Div based off of the usual sounds heard from members.

All American Thugs = 82nd Airborne, based on current (As of 2005) behaviors seen over-seas and statements made by members.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by Adm.Lee

Bloody Bucket= for the 28th Infantry Division-- shoulder patch is a red keystone. Pennsylvania National Guard, I almost ended up in this division as a ROTC cadet. They're famous for getting just about wiped out twice in 3 months in 1944.

There was a saying about the 28th in the Normandy Campaign, something along the lines that their CO had a division in the field, a division in the hospital and a division in the graveyard.

The only division that had worse luck in the war was the 90th Infantry. At one point there was even talk about deactivating the division.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by Panther Al

Big Red Whine = Name for the 1st Inf Div based off of the usual sounds heard from members.

All American Thugs = 82nd Airborne, based on current (As of 2005) behaviors seen over-seas and statements made by members.

Don't forget Pukin' Buzzards, the other nickname for the 101st!

[bobcat]

Originally Posted by Adm.Lee

Bloody Bucket= for the 28th Infantry Division-- shoulder patch is a red keystone. Pennsylvania National Guard, I almost ended up in this division as a ROTC cadet. They're famous for getting just about wiped out twice in 3 months in 1944.

i believe they've been the recipient of more massacres than 1/7 Cav(little big horn, ashau valley)

[dragoon500ly]

And here are a few more....

....and a wake up = as in two days and a wake up, etc. Used to refer to the amount of time before the GI gets to leave the service or the unit leaves the field and returns to barracks.

ate up = shabby, poorly maintained, "my tank is ate up."

BFR = Big F**king Rock. Often overheard on the radios as in "I'm 300 meters east of the BFR. Usually refers to any major terrain feature.

BOHICA = "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again!" Used to describe the latest command screwup.

Broke Dick = usually refers to any vehicle down for major maintenance, also used to describe those individuals that just seem to stay on the profile list.

Bumf**k = Usually used as Bumf**ck, Germany; Bumf**ck, Egypt, any cold, wet, muddy, miserable place.

CATFU = Also CATFUed or Completely And Totally F**ked Up(ed)!

Charlie Foxtrot = Cluster F**k, any situation in which total confusion reigns.

CYA =Cover Your Ass. defensive maneuver used to protect oneself from the enemy, ours and theirs!

Fart Sack = any sleeping bag

FIDO = F**k It! Drive On! What you do when escaping a Charlie Foxtrot.

FIGMO = F**k It! Got My Orders! Often used by a GI who is departing one duty station and no longer has to deal with the usual duty rosters.

Front Leaning Rest = the basic pushup.

FTA = F**K The Army! Usually found scrawled on a wall somewhere, known to drive First Sergeants berserk!

IHTFP = I Have Truly Found Paradise! (when caught), I Hate This F**king Place! (true meaning) Usually found scrawled on a wall somewhere, known to drive First Sergeants berserk!

GOBI = General Officer's Bright Idea. ANY idea that trickles down from Division and that is obviously stupid that it shouldn't be done, but is because it's the Division CO's pet project.

Kick the pig = forcing any military vehicle above and beyond its normal operational parameters.

Pog = term of affection for any non-combat arms soldier, a polite insult referencing their supposed worth.

Screw the pooch = to screw up in a major fashion, aka "pork the puppy", "bang the beagle" etc.

Sniper Check = the act of saluting an officer in the field. Used to ID those "special" individuals in the hope that a sniper is watching.

Suck, the = the field, miserable conditions, the military as a whole. A fellow soldier might tell you to "embrace the suck", i.e. stop your complaining and deal with the situation.

Swinging Dick = every male military member, usually a lower ranking enlisted men. As in "Every swinging dick had better be ready to pull out in ten minutes!" Polite form is "Swinging Richard."

Unf**k = To correct a charlie foxtrot as soon as possible and in accordance with SOP; regulations, etc.

WTFO? = "What The F**k, Over?" Implies confusion, disbelief, discontent.

[Panther Al]

Worlds best reason you havn't rolled out of the FOB?

Me: "X-ray, unable to depart this time due to delta element conducting emergency class two download."

X-ray: long moment of silence, then laughs heard in the background, "Roger, ensure de-con procedures done before roll."

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Panther Al

Big Red Whine = Name for the 1st Inf Div based off of the usual sounds heard from members.

Well, I guess that explains why my nephew is still an irresponsible little shit despite being in the Army for nearly four years and having two tours in Afghanistan. That's his current division...

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

And here are a few more....

....and a wake up = as in two days and a wake up, etc. Used to refer to the amount of time before the GI gets to leave the service or the unit leaves the field and returns to barracks.

That one reminds me of an Army tradition: "Short Boots." In a lot of units (particularly Infantry units), it's a tradition, the night before you ETS (leave the Army) to take the boots you used the most, tie them together by the bootlaces, spray paint them bright orange, then throw them over the the nearest electrical or phone wires to the unit. Everyone knows who did it, no one gets in trouble for it.

[dragoon500ly]

I was stationed in Amberg, FRG and we had a tree right outside of the kaserne....just full of short boots!

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

That one reminds me of an Army tradition: "Short Boots." In a lot of units (particularly Infantry units), it's a tradition, the night before you ETS (leave the Army) to take the boots you used the most, tie them together by the bootlaces, spray paint them bright orange, then throw them over the the nearest electrical or phone wires to the unit. Everyone knows who did it, no one gets in trouble for it.

I remember seeing the PBS series, "Carrier." Once all the planes have flown off at the end of a carrier's deployment, the catapult officer gets to "shoot" a pair of his boots.

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by Adm.Lee

I remember seeing the PBS series, "Carrier." Once all the planes have flown off at the end of a carrier's deployment, the catapult officer gets to "shoot" a pair of his boots.

yup. they do that. a couple of our deployments on the D.D. Eisenhower (CVN69, hoorah that magic number) had our airboss do the same thing.

[dragoon500ly]

Came across a listing of some of the more popular acronym's from World War II...with a chuckle!!!

SNAFU: Situation Normal, All F*cked Up!

SUSFU: Situation Unchanged, Stil F*cked Up!

SAFU: Self Adjusting F*uck Up!

TARFU: Things Are Really F*cked Up!

FUMTU: F*ucked Up More Than Usual!

JANFU: Joint Army-Navy F*uck Up!

JAAFU: Joint Anglo-American F*ck Up!

FUAFUP: F*cked Up and F*cked Up Proper!

FUBAR: F*cked Up Beyond All Recognition!

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I suspect the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq still use Provigil (someone confirm this for me),

Nope. For the Army at least. This practice has largely been abandoned by the Army. If it is still in practice anywhere, it's rare at best. In fact, in 14 years, both on the conventional Army side and SOF side, I've never heard of the Army issuing any stimulants to anyone for operational purposes (to include having a PFC in one platoon during my 10th Mountain time who was a bona-fide, getting medically chaptered narcoleptic).

This has been replaced by Rip-Its, Monsters, Red Bulls, Rock Stars, Jack3D, N.O. Xplode and the like...

[Targan]

I'm hopelessly addicted to Red Bull. I try not to have more than 2 per day but if I don't have one when i get up in the morning I get a headache.

[Cpl. Kalkwarf]

Coffee(lots of sugar) for me, cant stand those energy drinks. Taste like Ass. Just the smell of coffee is a pick up.

[Eddie]

Nor I. When I was in Iraq, my wife would send me a bunch of the green Monsters every week or so in care packages. I'd normally pass them out to my soldiers except for one or two. Those I would save for those, "0300, get your guys up and out of the wire in 20 minutes, we found an HVT"-raids that my commander liked to always spring on me. Then I'd drink one in about 45 seconds and be bouncing off of the inside of my Stryker for four hours, then comatose after the ensuing sugar crash....

Normally, I'm a 2 x Oxy Elite Pro pills (supplement, better than a pot of coffee) when I wake up, Coca-Cola on my way into work, PT to get the blood flowing, Coca-Cola after PT, and don't stop moving long enough after that to get tired.

[rcaf_777]

Civilan Cubicle: Is a partially enclosed workspace, separated from neighboring workspaces by partitions that are usually 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) tall. Its purpose is to isolate office workers from the sights and noises of an open workspace, the theory being that this allows workers more privacy, and personalization, and helps them to concentrate without distractions. Horizontal work surfaces are usually suspended from the vertical partitions of cubicles, as is shelving, overhead storage, and other amenities

Military Cubicle: Where good ideas are lured in and die a slow and painful death

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Cpl. Kalkwarf

Coffee(lots of sugar) for me, cant stand those energy drinks. Taste like Ass. Just the smell of coffee is a pick up.

The smell of coffee is a good pick-me-up, but it too tastes like ass. Coffee is like a woman with big tits and V-necked sweater, and a great ass and a short skirt -- but when you're ready to go, her skin's dirty and she has BO, you can taste her perfume and it's stale, and she has a "fish problem."

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Normally, I'm a 2 x Oxy Elite Pro pills (supplement, better than a pot of coffee) when I wake up, Coca-Cola on my way into work, PT to get the blood flowing, Coca-Cola after PT, and don't stop moving long enough after that to get tired.

In the field, one thing I carried for a quick energy rush (like before a deliberate attack or a raid) are dextrose cubes, can't remember the name, that my mother would pick me up at a German shop in New Braunfels and ship to be by the large boxfuls. I'd chew 3, 4, 5, or 6 of them, and they quickly give you an enormous sugar rush that usually lasted long enough for the entire operation; if not, I chewed more of them.

Nowdays, they can't even make a dent in the sleepiness caused by Invega. Neither can energy drinks. I use Nuvigil (normally prescribed for narcoleptics). Two will keep me alert from about 7AM until about 2 PM, they take an hour to kick in, and when they wear off, it's sudden and accompanied by a wave of sleepiness and severe depression. Guys, never develop a psychosis for which you have to be treated by medication! And have your sleep robbed of quality by osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia -- a new diagnosis that explains a lot, but sucks! What a nasty lot of genes I inherited -- sometimes I think my parents were trying to make my life miserable BEFORE I was born!

Rant over.

[Sanjuro]

The smell of coffee is a good pick-me-up, but it too tastes like ass.

You need to drink better coffee!
Seriously, give up on the percolatot, use a french press or an espressso machine if you can find a used one. With a french press, let the water cool for about 30 seconds after boiling before you pour it on the coffee. It akes all the difference!

[B.T.]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

... she has BO ...

Can you help me out here? What is "BO"?

[Legbreaker]

Body Odour
A stench of stale sweat and cheap perfume that can be smelt at twenty paces and still burn the hairs out of your nose!

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Cpl. Kalkwarf

Coffee(lots of sugar) for me, cant stand those energy drinks. Taste like Ass.

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

The smell of coffee is a good pick-me-up, but it too tastes like ass.

There must be fascinating stories waiting to be told (perhaps at another time in a thread of their own) about how these two gentlemen have come to know the taste of ass, to compare it to other flavours. I await those stories with baited breath (oops, perhaps not the best turn of phrase to use just there).

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by B.T.

Can you help me out here? What is "BO"?

Body Odor

[weswood]

Originally Posted by targan

there must be fascinating stories waiting to be told (perhaps at another time in a thread of their own) about how these two gentlemen have come to know the taste of ass, to compare it to other flavours. I await those stories with baited breath (oops, perhaps not the best turn of phrase to use just there).

hahahahahahaha