military slang and sayings (Some may be mildly offensive)
- Thread starter Xerxeskingofking
- Start date
Major B
SOC-14 1K
This thread is a lot of fun. Thanks Xerxes!
I was thinking this morning about how many sayings that get repeated around a unit were the result of someone saying something stupid at the right time. I have an example but it needs a little setup first.
While stationed at Ft. Richardon, AK we would routinely bus over to Elmendorf AFB next door to board aircraft for jumps. The rigging shed was between a taxiway and the runway so we always had to transfer over to an air force bus because the Army couldn't look both ways and drive 50 meters to the shed. Once about a dozen of us were waiting on the bus for the air force driver. The CSM had sent some NCOs into the hanger next door to light a fire under someone. Suddenly an airman runs out of the hanger to the bus, climbs on, looks back at all of us, then looks straight at our Brigade Commander sitting in the front row and blurts out "Hey, are you the bus driver?"
That line got repeated constantly for the rest of my time there and probably for a long while after.
There is a historic precedent for the phenomena too. Most everyone who has read a bit about WWII has heard about the 101st Airborne Division commander sending the reply "Nuts" when a German commander demanded surrender, but there is more to the story.
BG McAuliffe was the DIVARTY commander and acting CG since MG Taylor was on leave in England when the division was alerted to move to Bastogne. The division G3 was a LTC named Kinnard. He would go on to command the 1st CAV DIV in Vietnam.
When the German officer was escorted into the CP, McAuliffe thought he was there to offer his unit's surrender, not demand surrender from the americans. He opened the note and read something close to:
"To the American Commander, ..." followed by the demand to surrender. The note was signed simply "The German Commander." When he had read enough to see that it was a demand for his surrender, McAuliffe said "Nuts!" and then he and the staff when back to the discussion that had been interrupted. Some time later someone noticed that the German officer was still there and told the general that he was waiting to take back a reply. McAuliffe said something like "now I have to figure out something to say." LTC Kinnard then spoke up and said that the general's first reply sounded good enough so McAuliffe took the note and wrote on the back:
To the German commander,
Nuts
(signed) The American commander
I was thinking this morning about how many sayings that get repeated around a unit were the result of someone saying something stupid at the right time. I have an example but it needs a little setup first.
While stationed at Ft. Richardon, AK we would routinely bus over to Elmendorf AFB next door to board aircraft for jumps. The rigging shed was between a taxiway and the runway so we always had to transfer over to an air force bus because the Army couldn't look both ways and drive 50 meters to the shed. Once about a dozen of us were waiting on the bus for the air force driver. The CSM had sent some NCOs into the hanger next door to light a fire under someone. Suddenly an airman runs out of the hanger to the bus, climbs on, looks back at all of us, then looks straight at our Brigade Commander sitting in the front row and blurts out "Hey, are you the bus driver?"
That line got repeated constantly for the rest of my time there and probably for a long while after.
There is a historic precedent for the phenomena too. Most everyone who has read a bit about WWII has heard about the 101st Airborne Division commander sending the reply "Nuts" when a German commander demanded surrender, but there is more to the story.
BG McAuliffe was the DIVARTY commander and acting CG since MG Taylor was on leave in England when the division was alerted to move to Bastogne. The division G3 was a LTC named Kinnard. He would go on to command the 1st CAV DIV in Vietnam.
When the German officer was escorted into the CP, McAuliffe thought he was there to offer his unit's surrender, not demand surrender from the americans. He opened the note and read something close to:
"To the American Commander, ..." followed by the demand to surrender. The note was signed simply "The German Commander." When he had read enough to see that it was a demand for his surrender, McAuliffe said "Nuts!" and then he and the staff when back to the discussion that had been interrupted. Some time later someone noticed that the German officer was still there and told the general that he was waiting to take back a reply. McAuliffe said something like "now I have to figure out something to say." LTC Kinnard then spoke up and said that the general's first reply sounded good enough so McAuliffe took the note and wrote on the back:
To the German commander,
Nuts
(signed) The American commander
Raincoats on and raincoats off happened to me in Navy boot camp as the uniform of the day got repeatedly changed multiple times before we left the barracks for breakfast.
I think the base commander finally said for everyone to carry them, there was some method of carrying them on our waist, and put them on or take them off as necessary.
The red bicycle guys with clipboards had a fit over this. One morning they halted us, on our way to breakfast, and spent more time yelling at each other than us.
No demerits, because as our company commander, E-8 Chief Petty Officer, pointed out the Base commander outranked them.
Gig: navy for a commander's launch.
GIG: Government Issued Gripe - any form of public dress-down, inspection result penalty, public or non-public demerit chit, or a Counseling Statement.
Gigged: having been formally dressed down in public, marked down on inspection, or issued demerits or counseling statements.
Gig Line: the line formed by trouser fly, belt-buckle, and shirtfront. Ideally, they line up. If not, you get gigged.
Mast, Commander's Mast, Captain's Mast: Navy for schip or up to battalion disciplinary hearing. Weather permitting, it sometimes is still held on deck; traditionally, the Captain &/or XO read and adjudicated crew infractions weekly at the base of the mainmast. Usually issues non-judicial punishments, but can refer for court martial, and sometimes will use creative "additional duty"... One marine mentioned being assigned to working the toys for tots drive in lieu of article 15 for a drunk and disorderly.
GIG: Government Issued Gripe - any form of public dress-down, inspection result penalty, public or non-public demerit chit, or a Counseling Statement.
Gigged: having been formally dressed down in public, marked down on inspection, or issued demerits or counseling statements.
Gig Line: the line formed by trouser fly, belt-buckle, and shirtfront. Ideally, they line up. If not, you get gigged.
Mast, Commander's Mast, Captain's Mast: Navy for schip or up to battalion disciplinary hearing. Weather permitting, it sometimes is still held on deck; traditionally, the Captain &/or XO read and adjudicated crew infractions weekly at the base of the mainmast. Usually issues non-judicial punishments, but can refer for court martial, and sometimes will use creative "additional duty"... One marine mentioned being assigned to working the toys for tots drive in lieu of article 15 for a drunk and disorderly.
IMTU (in fact my interpretation of OTU):
K-9 (Kilo nine): indictive used to refer to any Vargr unit, friend or foe. No one is really sure about its origin, though some claim to be quite old, from the Terrans themselves when they began to expand through stars. Some deny this possibility, though, claiming that by then they did not know about Vargr.
K-9 (Kilo nine): indictive used to refer to any Vargr unit, friend or foe. No one is really sure about its origin, though some claim to be quite old, from the Terrans themselves when they began to expand through stars. Some deny this possibility, though, claiming that by then they did not know about Vargr.
Note: this assumes that the Galanglic has changed enough from English as not to make it evident, and that where the Vargr are known Terran dogs are not, due to distance.
Ullarsskald1957
SOC-12
Former USAF Staff Sergeant here...
REMF: Rear Echelon Mother Fu$%er
Biff: Buddy Fu$%er
FIGMO: Fu$% It, Got My Orders
Shortheimer's: That lack of enthusiasm, which infests those in the terminal part of their enlistment.
Kind of surprised not to see the classic, SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fu$%ed Up
Butter Bar: brand new 2nd Lieutenant
I went to military college (Norwich in Vermont, USA) and from our TAC officers we learned there were 3 grades of officers, regardless of rank: Ociffers: those who had the rank, but never should be put in charge of anything, even a latrine detail. Officers: the vast majority, competent, even respectable, and Officer, Sirs! - you'd eat lit napalm for them.
REMF: Rear Echelon Mother Fu$%er
Biff: Buddy Fu$%er
FIGMO: Fu$% It, Got My Orders
Shortheimer's: That lack of enthusiasm, which infests those in the terminal part of their enlistment.
Kind of surprised not to see the classic, SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fu$%ed Up
Butter Bar: brand new 2nd Lieutenant
I went to military college (Norwich in Vermont, USA) and from our TAC officers we learned there were 3 grades of officers, regardless of rank: Ociffers: those who had the rank, but never should be put in charge of anything, even a latrine detail. Officers: the vast majority, competent, even respectable, and Officer, Sirs! - you'd eat lit napalm for them.
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
That’s “SNAFUBULOR” - Situation Normal; All Fowled Up Beyond Usual Limits Of Recovery. Shouted when “Excelsior!” is no longer appropriate.
”Butter-Bar” - A freshly-minted O2, determining to exercise his new-found authority.
”Mustang” - An enlisted person on the fast track to Officer’s Candidate School, determined to exercise his future authority.
”Rotzie” - A usually clueless officer-reservist on his or her first at-sea deployment. The term is a portmanteau of “Nazi” and “ROTC” (Researve Officers’ Training Corp), and is inspired by the individual’s determined effort to impress others with his or her superiority, and to lead by directive alone (Major Burns of M*A*S*H would have been the perfect example, had he been a reservist).
”Seagull Management” - A management style that consists mainly of swooping in on an an unsuspecting victim or group of victims, squawking loudly and continuously, confiscation the vicims’ geedunk, and then flying off while leaving crap everywhere. Common to butter-bars, mustangs, and Rotsies on their first deployment.
“Sea Story” - A usually long-winded narrative told to entertain one’s shipmates; one that starts with an assertion of truthfulness, involves deflating some jerk’s ego, and that ends with a moral. Which brings me to ...
“All Futched Up” - (I swear this actually happened) This phrase relates to an individual by the last name of “Futch” who transferred in to a 12-member communications team in the outback of nowhere from a primary military communications center stateside. He had a Seagull management style, and wasn’t at all shy about bragging how he was going to turn us all into top-grade military members, when most of us just wanted to have our turn at watch and go back to the beach. He tried to re-write the watch bill, the PM schedule, the billet assignments, and the ops manual. He even tried to over-ride the officers’ directives as to who had which collateral duty assignment. Eventually, there was enough confusion and strife (a real SNAFUBULOR situation) among the rates that the CO had to step in and order that everything get put back exactly the way it was. Mr. Futch even had to apologize to everyone during morning muster. The moral of the story: Big fish do not belong in small fishbowls.
”Butter-Bar” - A freshly-minted O2, determining to exercise his new-found authority.
”Mustang” - An enlisted person on the fast track to Officer’s Candidate School, determined to exercise his future authority.
”Rotzie” - A usually clueless officer-reservist on his or her first at-sea deployment. The term is a portmanteau of “Nazi” and “ROTC” (Researve Officers’ Training Corp), and is inspired by the individual’s determined effort to impress others with his or her superiority, and to lead by directive alone (Major Burns of M*A*S*H would have been the perfect example, had he been a reservist).
”Seagull Management” - A management style that consists mainly of swooping in on an an unsuspecting victim or group of victims, squawking loudly and continuously, confiscation the vicims’ geedunk, and then flying off while leaving crap everywhere. Common to butter-bars, mustangs, and Rotsies on their first deployment.
“Sea Story” - A usually long-winded narrative told to entertain one’s shipmates; one that starts with an assertion of truthfulness, involves deflating some jerk’s ego, and that ends with a moral. Which brings me to ...
“All Futched Up” - (I swear this actually happened) This phrase relates to an individual by the last name of “Futch” who transferred in to a 12-member communications team in the outback of nowhere from a primary military communications center stateside. He had a Seagull management style, and wasn’t at all shy about bragging how he was going to turn us all into top-grade military members, when most of us just wanted to have our turn at watch and go back to the beach. He tried to re-write the watch bill, the PM schedule, the billet assignments, and the ops manual. He even tried to over-ride the officers’ directives as to who had which collateral duty assignment. Eventually, there was enough confusion and strife (a real SNAFUBULOR situation) among the rates that the CO had to step in and order that everything get put back exactly the way it was. Mr. Futch even had to apologize to everyone during morning muster. The moral of the story: Big fish do not belong in small fishbowls.
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Is this considered a vulgar slang, or insult?
Not necesarly.
Probably it was at the begining, but now is usual slang to refer to Vargr units. As I said, its origins have been lost where Vargr are common.
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
"Silent Service" - a.k.a., "Eternal Service". Originated with wet navies on many worlds, and used to describe the service status of an individual who had been lost at sea. Also applied to the crews of subs and surface vessels who went down with their ships and whose remains were never recovered. Now applied to military ships and crews lost during jump.
"Eternal Father, King of birth,
Who didst create the heaven and earth,
And bid the planets and the sun
Their own appointed orbits run;
O hear us when we seek thy grace
For those who soar through outer space."
J. E. Volonte (-2560, Terra)
"Eternal Father, King of birth,
Who didst create the heaven and earth,
And bid the planets and the sun
Their own appointed orbits run;
O hear us when we seek thy grace
For those who soar through outer space."
J. E. Volonte (-2560, Terra)
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
Nope. The origin was specifically to describe the submarine service of the USN (a nation of pre-space Terra/Sol3)- it ONLY applied to submarine crew, and applied to ALL such while still on active service. The term for submarines & their crews lost in at sea was "on eternal patrol".
But then, over the centuries, meanings get distorted and corrupted, so your definition is probably what the Vilani claim.
:smirk: :CoW: :rofl:
Shavetail - 2d Lieutenant
Army mules used to have their tails shaved when purchased. Someone once noticed the similarity between a 2/LT and the hindquarters of a mule.
Regards to Captain Dunsel....
TNE had a few bits of slang.
TED or Teddy for Technologically Elevated Dictator.
"I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission." -- after everything has gone to hell in a handbasket..
They probably had to some more, but I can't remember where they were located.
TED or Teddy for Technologically Elevated Dictator.
"I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission." -- after everything has gone to hell in a handbasket..
They probably had to some more, but I can't remember where they were located.
Xerxeskingofking
SOC-13
A couple more.
this time, a section of Ranks. I'll add the normal rank title, its NATO OR/OF rank grade (Other Ranks/ Officer, which are equivalent to the US Enlisted or Officer grades), and I'll add a rough guide to what those ranks actually do, since i understand that its slightly different than the US standard.
Private: (OR 2) bog-standard rifleman. very few actually answer to "private". Depending on branch, they might be called Rifleman (the Rifles), Guardsmans (Foot Guards), Grenadier (the Grenadier Guards) Kingsman (the Kings Own Regiment), Fusilier (the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers), Gunner (artillery), Sapper (engineers), Signaller (Royal Signals), Trooper (cavalry regiments), and a few others i have forgotten. with such an array of formal titles, no signal nickname really stands out,
Lance Corporal (OR 3): Fire team commander (4 men). minimum 2 years service, normally 3-5 years. normally called "lance jack", no idea why. the arty call this rank Lance-Bombardier. rank slide is a single chevron, downwards facing (aka a stripe).
Corporal (OR 4): Section commander (two fire teams, 8 men). minimum 4 years service, normally 5-10 years. nicknamed full screw, after their rank slide, two stripes. oddly, their is no "full jack" or "half screw". Artiy call this rank "Bombardier". Guards call it "Lance Sargent", and give the rank 3 stripes
Sargent (OR5-6): platoon 2ic, and the men who actually run the army on a day to day level. minimum 6 years, normally 10+ years. nickname is "Stripey". rank slide is three stripes. the Household cavalry call this rank "Corporal of Horse", as the word "Sargent" comes form "servant", and the Household cav is the most prestigious regiment in the army, full of sons of nobility, and far too posh to be anyones servant.
Staff Sargent (OR7): normally holds jobs at company level, in charge of the stores or similar posts. 10 years minimum, normally 12+ years. nicknamed staffie, though by this point not to his face. The Household cavalry call this rank staff corporal.
Warrant Officer class 2 (OR 8): Company Sargent Major, or equivalent. most senior NCO in a company. 12 years minimum service, and normally 15+. is referred to as "sir", with far more respect than most officers as he's damm well earnt his rank.
Warrant Officer class 1 (Or 9): Regimental Sargent Major, or equivalent. 14 years minimum. Also called Sir.
more to follow, but out of time and will add more later.
this time, a section of Ranks. I'll add the normal rank title, its NATO OR/OF rank grade (Other Ranks/ Officer, which are equivalent to the US Enlisted or Officer grades), and I'll add a rough guide to what those ranks actually do, since i understand that its slightly different than the US standard.
Private: (OR 2) bog-standard rifleman. very few actually answer to "private". Depending on branch, they might be called Rifleman (the Rifles), Guardsmans (Foot Guards), Grenadier (the Grenadier Guards) Kingsman (the Kings Own Regiment), Fusilier (the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers), Gunner (artillery), Sapper (engineers), Signaller (Royal Signals), Trooper (cavalry regiments), and a few others i have forgotten. with such an array of formal titles, no signal nickname really stands out,
Lance Corporal (OR 3): Fire team commander (4 men). minimum 2 years service, normally 3-5 years. normally called "lance jack", no idea why. the arty call this rank Lance-Bombardier. rank slide is a single chevron, downwards facing (aka a stripe).
Corporal (OR 4): Section commander (two fire teams, 8 men). minimum 4 years service, normally 5-10 years. nicknamed full screw, after their rank slide, two stripes. oddly, their is no "full jack" or "half screw". Artiy call this rank "Bombardier". Guards call it "Lance Sargent", and give the rank 3 stripes
Sargent (OR5-6): platoon 2ic, and the men who actually run the army on a day to day level. minimum 6 years, normally 10+ years. nickname is "Stripey". rank slide is three stripes. the Household cavalry call this rank "Corporal of Horse", as the word "Sargent" comes form "servant", and the Household cav is the most prestigious regiment in the army, full of sons of nobility, and far too posh to be anyones servant.
Staff Sargent (OR7): normally holds jobs at company level, in charge of the stores or similar posts. 10 years minimum, normally 12+ years. nicknamed staffie, though by this point not to his face. The Household cavalry call this rank staff corporal.
Warrant Officer class 2 (OR 8): Company Sargent Major, or equivalent. most senior NCO in a company. 12 years minimum service, and normally 15+. is referred to as "sir", with far more respect than most officers as he's damm well earnt his rank.
Warrant Officer class 1 (Or 9): Regimental Sargent Major, or equivalent. 14 years minimum. Also called Sir.
more to follow, but out of time and will add more later.
The US avoids such, having just eliminated similar practice in the USN this year, and having done away with it in the Army and Marines in about 1920. The USCG hasn't, yet.
Also note: only a few ranks have commonly accepted nicknames
- Gunny = E7 Gunnery Sergeant
- Master Gunny = Master Gunnery Sergeant
- Gunner = Warrant or Chief Warrant in the Infantry Weapons Officer specialty.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
More likely promoted in the regimental system, to differentiate between units and specialities.
At the Start of WW I, the overall US Army (keeping in mind that the corps extant today were semi-autonomous services with shared uniforms and higher commands at the time) had over 70 discrete uniform insignia for enlisted men, and 5 of those were able to be combined with specialty marks...
The Combat Arms were largely the same as today...
There was a separate sequence for specialists... and it differed by specialty.
Most simply used standard stripes and stitched the specialty mark
Shortly after the war, due to both confusion and supply issues, with a lesser helping of protocol and pay issues, switched to 2 types per grade below 3rd (higher numbers were lower ranks) - one combat arms, one technical, and marked the technical with a T.
