When I went to Norwich (the military college in Vermont) back in the late 70's, called it Afterbirth on a Raft.
military slang and sayings (Some may be mildly offensive)
- Thread starter Xerxeskingofking
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When I went to Norwich (the military college in Vermont) back in the late 70's, called it Afterbirth on a Raft.
Major B
SOC-14 1K
Here's another couple that need some explaining.
When a paratrooper hits the ground he is supposed to execute a Parachute Landing Fall (PLF). The acronym can find its way into unrelated conversation, such as:
Trooper 1: "Johnny fell off a ladder and broke his arm."
Trooper 2: "Guess he didn't do a good PLF."
The whole first week of Airborne School is focused on pushups, flutter kicks, and learning how to do a good PLF. To do it right, you have to hit all five points of contact in order: 1) Balls of the feet, 2) Calf, 3) Thigh, 4) Buttocks, and 5) The Pullup Muscle*. Theoretically, if you make all five points hit the ground in order then you'll be fine. It's important to start the process with your feet and knees touching but that's another subject in itself.
* Really refers to the mass of muscles around and below the shoulder blade. Sometimes called the Pushup muscle too.
Other than the refresher training conducted before every jump, the points of contact don't come up much except that "4th Point of Contact" finds wide use such as:
"You'd better pull your head out of your 4th Point of Contact."
or
"If you're not done by 1300, you'll find my size 9 boot inside your 4th Point of Contact."
When a paratrooper hits the ground he is supposed to execute a Parachute Landing Fall (PLF). The acronym can find its way into unrelated conversation, such as:
Trooper 1: "Johnny fell off a ladder and broke his arm."
Trooper 2: "Guess he didn't do a good PLF."
The whole first week of Airborne School is focused on pushups, flutter kicks, and learning how to do a good PLF. To do it right, you have to hit all five points of contact in order: 1) Balls of the feet, 2) Calf, 3) Thigh, 4) Buttocks, and 5) The Pullup Muscle*. Theoretically, if you make all five points hit the ground in order then you'll be fine. It's important to start the process with your feet and knees touching but that's another subject in itself.
* Really refers to the mass of muscles around and below the shoulder blade. Sometimes called the Pushup muscle too.
Other than the refresher training conducted before every jump, the points of contact don't come up much except that "4th Point of Contact" finds wide use such as:
"You'd better pull your head out of your 4th Point of Contact."
or
"If you're not done by 1300, you'll find my size 9 boot inside your 4th Point of Contact."
French army slang for canned meat is "singe" (monkey)
The food in general "Rata" (short for Ratatouille, which is a stew of whatever is available).
Second helping "Rab" (short for rabbiot and I do not know why it was called rabbiot in the first place)
Coffee: "le jus de chausette" (socks' juice)
have fun
Selandia
The food in general "Rata" (short for Ratatouille, which is a stew of whatever is available).
Second helping "Rab" (short for rabbiot and I do not know why it was called rabbiot in the first place)
Coffee: "le jus de chausette" (socks' juice)
have fun
Selandia
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
According to Google Translate, "rabbiot" is French for "refill".
Major B
SOC-14 1K
Here is the ultimate slang word for the US Army. Note that it has been appropriated by the USMC though they mispronounce it as Oo-rah for reasons unknown. Also note that the word also figured prominently in the script for the movie "Scent of a Woman" though Al Pacino also mispronounced it by placing the emphasis on the second syllable rather than the first.
Hooah (Who-a) adj. Referring to or meaning anything and everything except no. 1. What to say when at a loss for words. 2. Good copy, solid copy, roger, good, great, message received, understood. 3. Glad to meet you, welcome. 4. I don't know the answer but I'll check on it, I haven't got a clue what you're talking about. 5. I'm not listening. 6. That's enough BS - sit down. 7. Stop sniveling. 8. You have to be kidding. 9. Yes. 10. Thank you. 11. Go to the next slide. 12. You've taken the correct action. 13. I don't know what that means but I'm too embarrassed to ask for clarification. 14. Amen.
Hooah (Who-a) adj. Referring to or meaning anything and everything except no. 1. What to say when at a loss for words. 2. Good copy, solid copy, roger, good, great, message received, understood. 3. Glad to meet you, welcome. 4. I don't know the answer but I'll check on it, I haven't got a clue what you're talking about. 5. I'm not listening. 6. That's enough BS - sit down. 7. Stop sniveling. 8. You have to be kidding. 9. Yes. 10. Thank you. 11. Go to the next slide. 12. You've taken the correct action. 13. I don't know what that means but I'm too embarrassed to ask for clarification. 14. Amen.
Interesting to note that it wasn't used at all in C-3-39 INF when I went through BT in 1987. I started hearing it in the early 90's from GI's... the USMC's OO-RAH is documented back to the 1940's (G. Boyington)...
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Left tenant - commander of the rear guard
Rite tenant - chaplain
Loo tenant - engineers officer
Rite tenant - chaplain
Loo tenant - engineers officer
The Rangers used this a lot in the "Blackhawk Down" movie. It never occurred to me that it was at related to "oo-rah".
PMSL
Never heard that one, and I was an LSW gunner for a year or so, before I managed to pass on that... ahem... privilege BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
Like many things, the origin has an uncertain pedigree - in use by ~1949, but no exact origin date:
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/ne...e-sergeant-major-behind-the-oorah-battle-cry/
Since Marines were deploying aboard subs starting in 1942 {Makin Island raid 17-18 August 1942, by Carlson's Raiders aboard USS Nautilus (V-6/SF-9/SS-168) and USS Argonaut (V-4/SF-7/SM-1/SS-166)}, the "submarine Klaxon imitation" origin may well reach that far back.
This makes sense to me, as in 1981-89 we always pronounced it "Ah-OO-rah", not just "OO-rah".
{edit:
In counterpoint to major B's US Army list, here is a USMC list: http://www.oo-rah.com/store/editorial/edi55.asp
}
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MThompson016
SOC-12
Boat Mocha: the practice of making powdered hot cocoa mix with coffee, to reduce the poor taste of Navy Coffee.
Also called "Poor man's mocha"
Xerxeskingofking
SOC-13
Cofftea: hard to identify hot brown drink served in bulk by the army on ranges and similar field exercises. Kept in jerry can sized insulated containers. Nominally, you get one of tea and one of coffee. but since the containers often only get a quick wipe down before being used again. net result is that you have a choice coffee flavoured tea and tea flavoured coffee.
jerry can: 20 litre (5.3 US gallons) fuel can with handle. the original jerry cans stolen form the Akriakorps in north Africa, hence the name ("jerry" being a ww2 nickname for the Germans, much like "kraut" or "huns").
jerry can: 20 litre (5.3 US gallons) fuel can with handle. the original jerry cans stolen form the Akriakorps in north Africa, hence the name ("jerry" being a ww2 nickname for the Germans, much like "kraut" or "huns").
There used to be these dime coffee machines that had, basically, coffee, cocoa, and, of all things, chicken soup.
There was a little knob you turned to your flavor, dropped in your dime, and pressed the GO button.
If you moved the knob back and forth between coffee and cocoa, you got that "not quite Starbuck" mocha drink.
Can't say it worked too well when you incorporated the chicken soup.
There was a little knob you turned to your flavor, dropped in your dime, and pressed the GO button.
If you moved the knob back and forth between coffee and cocoa, you got that "not quite Starbuck" mocha drink.
Can't say it worked too well when you incorporated the chicken soup.
The more expensive versions kept the soup and tea as separate nozzles; cheaper ones didn't. I encountered such machines at UAA and ACC when I was a kid (mom was taking classes, and I met her after class, as my school was just next door).
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
You sure it wasn't to reduce the poor taste of the cocoa mix...?
After my first at sea journey, I decided that Navy coffee wasn't keeping me awake.
So I bought instant expresso. I misread the instructions and added a tablespoon of it to a cup of hot water instead of a teaspoon. I couldn't close my eyes for 3 days.
Our first trip, there was US Navy Fuel Oil #2 in our drinking water. Not enough to kill us they said, but it did make all of us sick.
Xerxeskingofking
SOC-13
Egyptian PT: telling people that your off to do some physical training (PT), but instead going to your room to hide and lying down for an hour. unsure of the etymology of this one, but its probably either a slur against Egyptians for (seemingly) spending their time sitting around all day rather than working (quite a sensible approach to Egyptian summer temperatures, frankly) or a slur against the British army troops in Egypt not doing enough PT (due to the aforementioned high temperatures)
eard it once from a guy that did peacekeeping in Sinai. Refers to postponing PT to very late afternoon or even after sun down. Make even more sense during Ramadan (no water from sun up to sun down)
Selandia
