Military Slang

[General Pain]

To spice up any encounter/mission/campaign/etc

http://www.slangsearch.com/military.html

[Mohoender]

Erf!! I have a full dictionnary of it but that's entirely in French. It won't work

Go ahead, I'm currious

[Earthpig]

Hmmm it say's funny papers for a topographical map......we used that term for our SOI(used to be CEOI){Signal Operating Instructions(Communications Electronics or Equipment Operating Instructions)} basically our Code book, password and callsigns book

[Legbreaker]

A
AD-G - pronounced adgee - Airfield Defence Guard - RAAF personel who are a bit like infantry and who guard RAAF bases/assets.
Air Sentry - lying down "watching" the sky with eyes closed aka sleeping
AJ or ajay - Army jerk - what civilians in areas with high military populations call army personal. Derogatory when a civilian uses it. Acceptable soldier to soldier.
AJAX - Army Jerk At eXercise - it was said that when soldiers were on exercise, there spouse might put a box of Ajax (a brand of washing powder) in the front windows as a sign to passersby that she wanted romantic company
Arc up
1) to start shooting at, to shoot at.
2) To start a histrionic attack, e.g to start verbally abusing someone
ARA - Australia Regular Army
ARes - Army Reserve
Arsehole of the world - the name of the local small town closest to an Army base. The Army base itself is the shit that hangs out of it. e.g. "Seymour is the arsehole of the world and Puckapunyal is the shit that hangs out of it".


B
Battle Dress - world war two uniform also used as winter weight service and ceremonial dress into at least the early 90s. Battle dress was issued at Kapooka and was what was worn for winter march outs. Service dress was only issued on posting to a unit and not necessarily issued at all for some units in tropical Australia.
Brass Up - shoot, fire at
Beautiful girl - an ugly girl
Blue Orchids - the airforce - expensive, precious and delicate
Bucket - an M113AS1 LRV, APC - because these vehicles are "buckets of shit"
Buckethead - an M113 crewman
Bunghole - tinned fruit pudding from old 10 man ration packs - immensely popular.
Bullshit Batallion - 1 Recruit Training Battalion
Buckets of bullets - 1) firing a large amount of ammunition at a single target, 2) yelled out during training exercises to simulate firing when insufficient blank ammunition has been supplied


C
Cabalah Bears - operator signals of 7 sig regt - who are based at Cabalah, Queensland.
Cammy Jim Jammies - camouflage uniforms
Ceremonial - when service dress is worn for formal functions or parades it is worn with black highly polished (or patent leather) boots, trousers bloused (for NCOs and ORs) a highly polished black belt, highly polished brass or chrome (depending on corps) buttons/buckles. This dress is known as ceremonial - i.e. parade or best dress uniform.
Chit - a form issued by the medical officer or a medic listing medical restrictions. Possessed by gimps and the sick lame and lazy.
Chokko - chocolate soldier - sweet little things that melt in the heat - term originally referring to the militia (old name for reserve forces) and now applied to the army reserve/army reservists


D
Doona Wrestling - sleeping or at least lazing around. If possible many young soldiers prefer to doona wrestle instead of undertaking compulsory sport on sport afternoons - often not appearing until post game drinks are served.
Doona bashing - see Doona Wrestling
Dropshort - mortar/artilleryman


E


F
Furphy - a rumor. Furphy was a world war one manufacturer who supplied water wagons to the Army. Water wagons moved from unit to unit, carry rumors with them, hence Furphy means rumor or lie.
Fitter and turner - cook. Fits good food into pots and turns it into shit.


G
Gimp - an injured person
Goffas - soft drinks
Green - soldier who is very green is very keen to follow the rules and regulations - to do things strictly the army way
Groundsheet - female soldier (derog.)
Gumpy or gumpies - chocolate or sweets


H
Hammer
1) noun - male genitals 2) verb - male who is copulating with a female may be said to be hammering her
Hook in - to attack, or to take to a task in a vigorous or aggressive manner
Hootchie - plastic or nylon waterproof sheet with a number of loops and clips around the perimeter usually used as a shelter


I


J
J, The J - the jungle, or more loosely the bush
Jack - refers to someone or maybe something that does not pull his weight, does not share with his mates, is selfish etc. Possibly derived from "I'm all right Jack - fuck you"
Jack Rations - privately bought food/drink intended to supplement that which is officially supplied and perhaps not intended to be shared or at least not openly fair game without an offer from the owner - hence Jack rations.
JNCO - Junior non commissioned officers - Corporals and Lance Corporals


K

Koala Bears - 1 Armoured regiment were said to be Koala bears - a protected species, destined never to leave our shores.


L


M
Mexican - someone south of or from south of the Queensland border
MLW - manual of land warfare - the series of manuals that defines the doctrine, and tactics of the Australian Army - somewhat like a US Field Manual (FM)


N
NCO - non commissioned officers - officers of the rank lance corporal through staff sergeant.
NFI
1) No fucking idea
2) No fucking interest e.g. Q: "How do you do such and such?" A: "NFI NFI!!"
Now you can't see me suit - camouflaged clothing


O
OMO - Old Man Out - it was said that when soldiers were on exercise, there spouse might put a box of OMO ( a brand of washing powder) in the front windows as a sign to passersby that she wanted romantic company
OR - other rank, private soldiers and in most contexts junior NCOs (corporals and below)
Oxygen Thief - some one whose consumption of oxygen is thought to exceed the net value of their existence


P
Pam - abbreviated form of pamphlet, refers to military manuals, e.g. Manual of Land Warfare.
Polys - the summer weight service dress and ceremonial uniform.
Pusser - member of the Royal Australian Navy


Q


R
Reg (rhymes with egg) - a regular (as opposed to reserve) soldier.
Regi - from regiment or regimental, someone who follows the rules and regulations very closely, usually very well turned out
Rio - reinforcement - a new soldier or a soldier new to a unit. Often considered to be low on the totem pole and fair game, subject to what the Americans would refer to as hazing.


S
Septic - septic tank - yank - rhyming slang for an American.
Sick lame and lazy - soldiers with injuries or medial conditions that preclude them from taking part in all military training or activities.
Snake - sergeant
Snake pit - sergeant's mess
SNCOs - Senior non commissioned officers. Ranks of sergeant, staff sergeant and for most purposes warrant officers.
Service Dress - winter weight service and ceremonial uniform
Singo Seven - The seven girls in Singleton who will do anything for infrantry trainees. They may leave the group (join wife corp) but they are soon replaced by other girls in the town. There must always be seven.
Splat cat - member of 3 RAR (when it was airborne) or parachutist generally.
Stars - the army sleeps under them, the navy navigates by them and the airforce choose their hotels by them.
Stick book(s) - pornography


T
Training Manuals - pornography - usually hardcore - i.e. books that teach young soldiers in sexual technique
Two dads - a person with a hyphenated surname, such as "Manners-Smith".
Taj Mah Hootch - three or more hootchies connected together into a very large shelter. Only constructed in non-tactical situations
Turret head - armoured vehicle crewman


U


V


W
Wanking Spanner - hand
Warrant Officers - officers who hold a Royal Warrant - not Commissioned Officers. May technically be Non commissioned officers but are separate from other NCOs by virtue of their warrant. WOs mess in the SNCO's mess. All sergeant majors are WOs, though not all WOs are sergeant majors.
"Wheelbarrow with a" - anybody with a long name is known as "wheelbarrow with a X", where X is the first letter of there name. So someone whose names is "Tsimbouklis" might be known as "wheelbarrow, with a 'T'"
WO - pronounced woe - see Warrant Officer
WOFTAM - Waste of Fucking Time and Money - often used in reference to Army reservists


X


Y


Z

[Targan]

Great work Legbreaker. Really enjoyed reading that post. Accurate as well as funny. I should point out that a Septic can also referred to as a Seppo, at least that was the more common parlance when I was in the ARes and still is among my ex-Army mates here in WA. No offence to all you Seppoes reading this

Oh, and what about Pogey Bait, for confectionary?

[Legbreaker]

Never heard of either of those but I am on the east coast.

To be fair, I copied that list from a wiki entry that was marked for deletion. Brought back a lot of old memories.
Added a couple myself though.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Earthpig

Hmmm it say's funny papers for a topographical map......we used that term for our SOI(used to be CEOI){Signal Operating Instructions(Communications Electronics or Equipment Operating Instructions)} basically our Code book, password and callsigns book

The National Guardsmen were called "No Go."

Especially in Korea, the local thieves that would steal from positions at night were called "Slicky Boys."

Of course, when the parachutes don't open, the vehicle, equipment, or person "Burns in."

Most tracked APCs are simply called "Tracks," especially the M-113 series.

All that extra stuff you almost never take with you that you get issued -- the air mattresses, the extra heavy inserts for the field jackets, the fleece-lined Gore-Tex head covers -- these are "snivel gear."

The extra civilian food almost everyone takes to the field with them -- that's "pogey-bait," or just "pogey."

If you screw up something simple, you just had a "Brain Cramp," or "Brain Fart."

When you really pull off a good ambush, you "lit them up like a cheap cigar."

If you tend to be at the aid station a lot, you are a "Profile Child." (The equivalent in the Marines is a "Sick Bay Commando.")

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's one I recently heard on MSNBC: "Party Zone," meaning "Combat Zone."

[Matt Wiser]

A few from the Gulf War (People Magazine had a couple of pages of GW I Lingo back in '91):

Bolo Badge: Purple Heart, especially one awarded for foolhardy behavior.

BMO: Black Moving Object; Saudi women covered head to toe in black abayya robes and veil.

BAM: Big Assed Marine; female marine.

Green Bag: Flight suit.

Gone Elvis: Missing in Action (i.e. She's Gone Elvis).

Saudi Champagine: Mixture of Lemon Juice, 7-Up, and Perrier.

EPW: Enemy Prisoner of War: their guys captured by our guys. POWs are ours caught by theirs. Got that? Good.

Zoomie: Fast-jet pilot (Usually USAF, but also applied to Navy and USMC)

Scudnavia: Area in Western Iraq where Scuds were launched at Israel

Scud Stud: NBC News correspondent Arthur Kent (so named for his cool behavior during Scud attacks on Dhahran).

Silver Bullet: 120-mm DU Sabot Round.

Love Boat: Destroyer Tender U.S.S. Arcadia (for having 38 female sailors get pregnant during the cruise).

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Matt Wiser

A few from the Gulf War (People Magazine had a couple of pages of GW I Lingo back in '91):

Bolo Badge: Purple Heart, especially one awarded for foolhardy behavior.

Silver Bullet: 120-mm DU Sabot Round.

Junior Achievement Award: The Army Achievement Medal, which you can get for taking out the trash in a particularly military manner...

Golden Bullet: A 155mm or 203mm howitzer round with a nuclear warhead

[Matt Wiser]

There's other possibles: this one from WW II when Churchill was First Lord of the Admrialty before becoming Prime Minister:

"Enemy submarines are to be called U-Boats. Allied underwater craft are submarines. U-boats are those dastardly villians who sink our ships, while submarines are those gallant and noble craft which sink theirs."

A few more from the Gulf:

Baghdad Betty: Iraqi would-be Tokyo Rose who said U.S. servicemen's wives were sleeping with Tom Selleck, Paul Newman, and Bart Simpson.

Baghdad Biltmore: Iraq's main POW prison. You did NOT want to check in here.

Sammy: Saddam Hussein

Jack-in-the-Box: What happens when a T-72 takes a penetrating round that explodes the ammunition and sends the turret flying.

Cat Shot: launch of plane via catapult from carrier

[Earthpig]

FOBBIT- person who stays primarily in the FOB(forward Operating Base) the Desk jockeys got so mad about it, I heard, it became an Article 15 offense for calling someone a fobbit. ........bunch of chair warming, self promoting(literally) jerks. I'm retired, and they can kiss my grey, grizzled, butt hairs!

[Earthpig]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Junior Achievement Award: The Army Achievement Medal, which you can get for taking out the trash in a particularly military manner...

Golden Bullet: A 155mm or 203mm howitzer round with a nuclear warhead

we called it The Army Acheesement award

[kato13]

Originally Posted by Earthpig

FOBBIT- person who stays primarily in the FOB(forward Operating Base) the Desk jockeys got so mad about it, I heard, it became an Article 15 offense for calling someone a fobbit.:

Apparently as with many insults over time it became a term of endearment. Or someone within the military hierarchy developed a sense of humor. Nah.

'Those who don't leave the base are called "fobbits." Going "back to the FOB" means going back to safety. And being "the head fobbit" means being the mayor - a term Ringhisen enjoys.'

'Head Fobbit' Works for Quality of Life at Forward Operating Base

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Earthpig

we called it The Army Acheesement award

Got four clusters on mine -- I acheesed a lot...

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's one we used a lot: "Oxygen Thief." That would be some pogue that's using up oxygen that would be better used by someone more useful.

[Targan]

Oxygen Thief is on Legbreaker's list.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Targan

Oxygen Thief is on Legbreaker's list.

What??!! Some oxygen thief took my oxygen thief!

[TiggerCCW UK]

Noddys plastic navy was one term that I heard used for fibreglass assault boats. SAS was a term in regular use for the territorial army when I worked with them - stood for Saturdays and Sundays, and the ever popular Mummys special little soldier for anyone who was of dubious intelligence.

[Legbreaker]

Added "Air Sentry" to post No 4

[TiggerCCW UK]

Some that I remember from my time with the baby booties;

Pussers Onks - Parade boots
Tiddy Oggies - Cornish pasty
Scran - Food
Nutty - Chocolate
Nifty fifty - Wanking
Run ashore - A night out, whether from ship or a land base
Grot contest - Drinking game where the aim was to pull the ugliest woman you could, bring them to a pre arranged place, usually a bar, and then with them at the table attempt to explain why your catch was the ugliest of them all. Usually ends in violence.

[Earthpig]

Originally Posted by TiggerCCW UK

Grot contest - Drinking game where the aim was to pull the ugliest woman you could, bring them to a pre arranged place, usually a bar, and then with them at the table attempt to explain why your catch was the ugliest of them all. Usually ends in violence.

THAT is friggen awesome
we called it Hoggin' and the "winner" got her in the sack

[Earthpig]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Got four clusters on mine -- I acheesed a lot...

5 clusters, I acheesed more; 2 I felt I earned.

Hey I'm from Veesconsin I acheese all the time ...Buda'n'bump.....thank you folks, I'll be here all night

[Targan]

Originally Posted by TiggerCCW UK

Grot contest - Drinking game where the aim was to pull the ugliest woman you could, bring them to a pre arranged place, usually a bar, and then with them at the table attempt to explain why your catch was the ugliest of them all. Usually ends in violence.

Wow, that is truly awful. It must really suck being an ugly chick, I have no idea why anyone would want to make it even worse for them by humiliating them in public. Nasty.

[TiggerCCW UK]

Yeah, definitely not a nice thing to do. Its something I heard about but never participated in - I'm just not that cruel. On long deployments they would apparently run a grot board with the photos from potential pen pals as well. I guess soldiers/sailors/marines etc will try anything to relieve boredom.

[Earthpig]

Actually I think it was one of those things you joke about but never participated in.......back then we were a bunch of bored troops out on the town, mix in some booze...well there you go

I wouldn't have the Chutzpa to do the deed.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Earthpig

Actually I think it was one of those things you joke about but never participated in.......back then we were a bunch of bored troops out on the town, mix in some booze...well there you go

I wouldn't have the Chutzpa to do the deed.

A friend of mine at Ft Stewart actually married one -- she probably outweighed him at least 1.5 to 1. Hell if I know what he was figuring -- she had a personality to match her looks!

[Earthpig]

Here is afew more:
Crunchy: any dismounted soldier to a tanker or Mech guy....it's the sound they make when you run over 'em.

Ma-Mar Ma deuce 50 cal HMG.

coffin box: long pioneer box that holds long handled shovels and other obscure "long" tools used by Engineers.

DRT: pronounced "dirt" stands for "Dead Right There"

STUMP: Stupid Tanker Under Military Protection

DAT: Dumb @ss Tanker

Cadidiot: any ROTC/Academy cadet(particularly those that think they know more than a Sergeant)

cathole: a hole you dig too pooh in and then bury it(a very personal thing to do)

P for plenty: most US demolition formulas use p for pounds as the answer..as a joke we used P for plenty to say we were putting a whole bunch of C-4 on a "target".

Triple nickle 40: a rule of thumb for cratering charges/abutment destruction 5 charges, 5 ft deep, 5 ft apart, and 40 lbs a piece.

[Legbreaker]

http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/hq3bd...nding_Army.asp

A great page for everyone who's not an Australian serviceman.

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's one we sometimes used early in my career:

Armstrong steering: The laterals used for steering the M-113A1 and M-113A2 series of APC; they use laterals, which are just long levers that you pull and push to steer, or pull both back at once to brake. You'll get a surprising workout as a driver of the M-113A1 or A2!