Military Slang

[dragoon500ly]

And they just keep a'pouring out!

Air Watch = the rear facing loader on a tank is supposed to watch for aircraft, but any good loader can brace himself and sleep for hours!

Basic Load = For tankers in Germany, the morning ritual of counting the four boxes of MREs, the four rucksacks of NBC gear and the forty-five rounds of main gun ammo that was carried in the ammo racks of all tanks east of Ansbach!

Belly Robbers = ANY mess sergeant/specialist.

Boo coup = GI slang for lots and lots.

Chogie = Korean for go faster!

God Box = The M-151 jeep and trailer that the Chaplain used.

Hermann = the local German armed guards, drunk AND armed!!!!!

Hoffman = that lovely little multi-barrel main gun simulator that bolted to the gun tube, usually right over the driver's head. Supposed to simulate the main gun firing...its real purpose was to make sure the driver was awake!

Kaserne = Germany barracks, many of them dated back to WWII and had those odd marks where the engineers had chiseled off the Nazi eagle.

Party Can = the ammo can that holds the main gun firing pin and the end plates of the tanks machineguns....it's time to party!

Piss Hatch = the belly escape hatch on the M-48/-60 series tank.

SIW = Self Inflicted Wound, that social disease that the weekend commandos seemed to catch...every weekend.

The Monthly aka the Curse = Specific to USAEUR, the monthly alert that always seemed to start at 0230 with the kaserne siren blaring and the troops running around in MOPP Gear and LBE getting ready for a move.

Warpath = That act in which the 1st Sergeant tears through the barracks citing issues, always results in a massive GI Party!

Weekend Commando = Stateside, referred to the National Guard and Army Reserve. In Germany, referred to the various members of the unit that only showed up to get thier weekend pass and to hit the gausthaus for social interaction with the locals.

[Sanjuro]

Compo: field rations- can be dehydrated, boil-in-bag or tinned. Usually issued as a 24 hour pack, including 3 meals, snacks and tea and coffee.
A*** blockers: "Biscuits, AB." Hard biscuits included in compo packs- generally assumed to be the reason why, when living on compo, one only needs a bowel movement every three days. The third day, of course, can be dramatic...
Babies' heads: Beef Stew in Dumplings- boil-in-bag meal.

[Legbreaker]

Bung hole: Small tin of cheese included in Australian ration packs with a constipationary effect.

[Griff]

Another variation of this, one that I was quite skilled at, is the feet-knees-face landing. Usually when I got to the RP, someone would look at me and say, "What the hell happened to your face"

Ahh the feet-knees-face landing.....those were the days. Thank God they're gone!

It's because of said landing technique that I changed the storage position of my NOD's from the top of the ruck to DEEP in it's center. Only to impacts and broken nose to figure that one out. That and not riding my ruck in.....

Now on to the news....


CAS-Close Air Support- Rotary & Fixed wing air support for us mudsloggers

Incoming(mail)-From GI humor during WWII-Incoming Indirect Fire
Outgoing(mail)-Same source-Outgoing Indirect Fire(not necessarily friendly)

Murphy'ed- From Murphy's Laws of Combat which states that if something can go wrong, it will. Re: "Check you're gear boys, don't give Murphy and excuse", "what went wrong" "We got Murph'ed"-the fates just don't have your back that day.

ISAF-I Suck At Fighting-I Stay At FOB (see Fobbit)-Current Op's in A-Stan

NATO-Never Attempt Tactical Operations-Again from current A-Stan

Frat Boys-Referred to both SF Suntanning Assoc. members (majority of Green Beenies), or groups of young officers who act like they never left their college fraternities.

Green Beenies-Special Forces. See also Special Feces, Gucci Boys

Gear Queer- a Joe that buys every piece of new and shiny kit that comes across his sight optical group (eyes). If it's shiny and new he's gotta have it.

House Mouse-Squad/Platoon bitch (non female reference). Low man on the totem pole, tasked with multiple menial chores in and around said units AO (Area of Operations-i.e. were ever they seem to be at the moment). See also "Do Boy" "FNG" "Cherry"

Tunnel Rat-Scary individual who likes tight dark places were potential enemy may be hiding and sent into those places to find out, or small/slight individual(usually also of low rank) who's chosen for said mission whether he likes it or not. See also expendable, FNG, Cherry, etc.

Blue Ninja-Muslim woman with blue burka(sp), usually seen begging on Afghan roads/streets. They are widows with no support.

White Ninja-Muslim woman with white burka. Reason unknown.

Ninja-Muslim woman in common black burka.

LN-Local National, indigenous population to local

TCN-Third County National-Non Military foreign national working in theater of operations (usually contracted).

360 Death Blossom-When all units engage entire 360 degree arc with maximum firepower. Usually lasts 60-90 seconds. SOP for USMC units on contact with anything, also used by units when flanked from multiple angles/surrounded/fighting out of kill zone/panicking(not usually controlled in this mode)

Tight 360-Usually used by dismounted Infantry/personnel. All personnel pull their sector of security, but instead of spreading out, the unit pulls in tight and inter locks one/or more legs with his buddy left/right of him. Usually used in small elements in limited visibility environments. Provides superior accountability, sense of support, passing of information quickly. Also provides a very fat target for area effect weapons (grenades, IDF, machine guns)

Blue Falcon/Bravo Foxtrot- Buddy Fucker. 'Nuff said. (see also "Buddy's only half a word...")

Hand of God-What you think you've witnessed after seeing Specter in action.

DiRT/DRT- Dismounted Reconnaissance Teams- Evil creatures used to find and ferret out Blue Forces at NTC (National Training Center). Indigenous to Ft. Irwin Ca. USA though reports (unverified) have spread of sightings outside this area. Leading initialed organizations, foreign/domestic governments, the UN, world wide military formations to declare a War on Terror (Al Qeada is just a scape goat).

Screw the pooch-To have messed up bad.

Mickey Mouse-Annoying garrison/strict and worthless regulation related activities. i.e. Parades, VIP formations, BN (or higher) "fun runs", most military paperwork,etc.). Also see Dog and Pony Show.

Ate Up- Screwed up, completely and utterly wrong, dumb/stupid. As in "That boy is ate up with the dumbass" "this situation is all ate up, nobodies where they're supposed to be" "try the radio-sorry partner it's all ate up, I can't reach anybody on it"

F**k it, we'll do it live-Statement made when higher command has tasked you with a mission with little to no planning/support/preparation.

Bad News- Battalion command net-Referred to because of what usually comes out over their net.

LBS-Lost Bigger'n S**t. See also Lima Lima Mike Foxtrot-Lost Like a Motherf**ker. See also Lt.'s got his compass out.

General They-The individual most blamed by Soldiers when operating under ambiguous orders or circumstances. As in "Who told you to do that Specialist" " "They" told it was ok Sarn't".
Note-********This individual(s) is still at large, identity unknown. If spotted immediately detain for questioning, and trial for untold counts of multiple charges.********

Smaj-(pronounced Smadge)-Sergeants' Major-Not recommended for use in hearing distance of any Sergeants Major. Though non derogatory, it not well looked upon by the species of mention. They are a fearsome, aggressive, insidious, and hateful breed with pronounced memories for vengeance. Use with caution.

Top Kick/Top-First Sergeant. Senior NCO of the company. Of the same species as the Sergeants Major (preparatory evolutionary stage). Though considered slightly less dangerous than Smaj's, they are more numerous an require a steady diet of Soldiers/Junior NCO's backsides & souls in order to fully evolve into Smaj's. Caution highly advised.

Gonaherpascyphylitis-Generic term for unknown ailments, or the assumed disease of all female of dubious/disreputable backgrounds (i.e. the gals we all wanted to find as young "studs" )

Ranger panties- Derived from the short, and tight, running shorts issued to members of the 75th Ranger Regt. for PT. Now used to describe any short & tight running shorts used by military personnel .

Rangerettes- Any female known for "dating" two or more Rangers. Females known to stake out usual Ranger haunts with expectation of snagging one for short, or long term use. Usually considered as exceptional Patriots!

and the hits just keep on coming....I will now be followed by my most esteemed colleague, the Honorable..........

[dragoon500ly]

Come on! You know the tanks ain't going to back down!

Air Mattress = nickname for the 82nd Airborne.

Blower or Blowjob = Specific to the M-551 Sheridan and M-60A2 Starship; the act of firing the main gun and refers to the high pressure blower that removed particles of the combustible cartridge case from the chamber.

Cat or sometimes Rad Cat = any Leopard tank.

Dimeing = the act of taking a M-1 to full speed and then slamming the brakes on. Usually results in the TC missing a few teeth and the driver having to remove the TC's boot from his arse!

Dumptruck = The daily Mi-24 Hind flight along the border.

God Pin = on the M-60A1 this is the 7/16-inch bolt that connects the steering linkage to the trannie....religiously checked every day, because if it falls out or breaks at speed. YOU WILL GET RELIGION!

Gesigs or sometimes Jesus = The Federal German Border Troops who joint patrol the border.

Low Rider = the impressive act of a M-60A1 breaking all of its torsion bars. Never to be forgotten!

Puking Buzzards = Nickname for the 101st Airborne.

Real Airborne! = the act of taking a M-1 up to 50mph and going off of a ledge. And they say tanks can't fly!

Thunder Run = A high speed column of tanks going balls to the wall and shooting everything in sight.

Zolling = a joint border patrol with the Customs Police (Zoll).

[Sanjuro]

Jesus Nut: Nut on any helo that holds the main rotor on

[Graebarde]

And they just keep a'pouring out!

Kaserne = Germany barracks, many of them dated back to WWII and had those odd marks where the engineers had chiseled off the Nazi eagle.

Hell the one I was in was dated to Kaiser Wilhelm's era... WWI! At least the outer walls of the building and the quad.

[dragoon500ly]

Hell the one I was in was dated to Kaiser Wilhelm's era... WWI! At least the outer walls of the building and the quad.

My first Germany posting was 2/81 Armor out of Erlangen (just north of Nurnburg), during the war, it was the headquarters for the Waffen SS in Baveria....LOTs of spots on all the buildings where something had been chiseled off! Including a really big eagle holding something over the COs door....

[B.T.]

Those German barracks

Quote:
Originally Posted by dragoon500ly View Post

Kaserne = Germany barracks, many of them dated back to WWII and had those odd marks where the engineers had chiseled off the Nazi eagle.

That reminds me: When I was in (1986) our barracks had to be done up. They were just to old and partially in danger of collapse. In one of the attics there really was a package of Wehrmacht sporting tank tops (those with the chest eagle), in the original cardboard boxes.

I don't know, what happened to them, but we really had to laugh. Who had ever looked for the items in the attic

Okay, OT off, keep them coming, excellent info on GI-lingua

[dragoon500ly]

found a few more....

Arclight = The act or removing a grid square through the use of B-52s.

Appfizz = slang for the APFSDSDU round.

Dolly Parton = nickname for tanks modified with REA.

Horse Pill = any large tablet that it is mandatory to take.

Silver Bullet = Desert Storm slang for the APFSDSDU round.

Shoot-n-Scoot = Desert Storm slang for the infamous artillery raids on the Iraqis.

Third Jerk = slang for the Third Lieutenant, that annoying West Point cadet in his junior year that spends his summer vacation with the troops.

Torch = any flamethrower equipped tank.

[pmulcahy11b]

found a few more....

Arclight = The act or removing a grid square through the use of B-52s.

By the time I got in the Army, this had morphed into any time anyone was called upon to obliterate a target.

Horse Pill = any large tablet that it is mandatory to take.

Stimtab = the amphetamines (and later Provigil) they gave us in very limited circumstances to keep us awake (used very sparingly). I guessing someone got that term from The Forever War, though I'm not certain (Haldeman is a Vietnam Vet). I suspect the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq still use Provigil (someone confirm this for me), because by then I was using Provigil regularly to fight medication-caused drowsyness, and after the invasion of Afghanistan, Tricare took off their formulary and you had to have special permission from you doctor to get it. For the past three years, you haven't been able to get Provigil at all, and now I take concentrated Adderal.

Go Pill = The same as above.

Third Jerk = slang for the Third Lieutenant, that annoying West Point cadet in his junior year that spends his summer vacation with the troops.

We had a bunch of those assholes descend upon us about six weeks in when I went to OSUT (Basic+AIT put together). We already knew more about being in the Army than they did. And they insisted on calling us "troop," and they insisted on calling the Drill Sergeants just "Sergeant." (Anytime I saw a Drill Sergeant later on active duty, I still called them Drill Sergeant -- they've earned the respect.) And don't get me started on Pointers later on in the Army...

Torch = any flamethrower equipped tank.

Or in Vietnam, "Zippo" for the flamethrower equipped M-113s.

No-Goes: Active duty term for National Guardsmen (I never used it, since I started out as a National Guardsman).

Drop-and-pop: If you happen to accidentally land on or near the objective on a parachute drop, you were to immediately shed your parachute, leave where it lay without folding it up, and start fighting. (Happened sometimes because of wind drift.)

Grid-square weapon (or grid-square killer): an MLRS.

[perardua]

A few British (mainly RAF) ones:

IW - Individual Weapon (the L85A2 rifle)
LSW - Light Support Weapon
LMG - Light Machine Gun
UGL - Underslung Grenade Launcher
GPMG - General Purpose Machine Gun
HMG - Heavy Machine Gun
GMG - Grenade Machine Gun
The General/Gimpy (pronounced 'jimpy') - L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun
STAB - Stupid Territorial Army Bastard (now a generic term for most reservists)
Crow - British Army equivalent of FNG, generally accompanied by cawing sounds.
Sprog - RAF version of FNG, though the RAF Regiment use Crow and Sprog interchangeably
NATO Standard Tea - Tea with milk and two
Julie Andrews - Tea with milk but no sugar (or white, none)
Greeny - Container for 81mm mortar ammunition, often made into oversized mugs
Combat Body Warmer/Combat Corset - Name for Combat Body Armour
Rock, Scissors, Paper, Tour - Method of deciding order of importance between low ranking personnel (i.e. whoever has had the most operational deployments wins)
Station Bike - RAF term for a promiscuous Airwoman.
WAAF Arse - Derogatory term for the oversized posterior seemingly possessed by all female members of the RAF. Commonly believed to be a standard issue item.
Rock Ape/Rock - Nickname for members of the RAF Regiment
Guin - Short for penguin, derogatory term used by members of the RAF Regiment to refer to all other trades in the RAF.
Snowdrop - RAF Police, so called because of their white hats.
LMF - Acronym for Lack of Moral Fibre.
Squipper - Safety Equipment Fitter
Gash - Rubbish/not very good
Good drills - General term of approval
Bull Night - The frenzied night of cleaning that occurs before a block inspection.
Mudguard - The RAF Regiment shoulder tab

[Sanjuro]

You forgot:
Whoopie Goldberg: tea or coffee, no milk, no sugar (aka black, none)

[95th Rifleman]

Back in my NAAFI days I spent most of my career on RAF bases. The RAF have nicknames for their tech specialties

Avionics: Fairy
Engines: Sooty
Armourer: Plumber
Electronics: Sparky
Airframes: Rigger

[Sanjuro]

Some techies used the nickname growbags for aircrew; especially aircrew who did their ground duties in flying kit instead of in blues.
Because (allegedly!) they're green, and full of ****.