Usually removed: Skittles, poundcake. As the loosened dust dries, it gains the consistency of flour. This is a reference to the fact that penguins, though birds, cannot fly. (Compare this with a jam tin bomb. Fugazi -- Completely out of whack, ****ed up, screwy. Recommended by user jpchopper. Over the Hill -- Missing in action or someone who officially has gone missing from their post. In southern Afghanistan, refers to the lush, densely vegetated areas following rivers which Taliban fighters defend vigorously. Bullwinkle Badge -- Another name for the Air Assault Badge. (Ben Brody/GlobalPost), WILLY PETE: White phosphorus mortar rounds set the mountainside ablaze just outside Forward Operating Base Tagab in eastern Afghanistan. Shelf life is approximately 7 years. (U.S.) Promotion one receives due to the death of the person who previously filled that position. "Chopper" is rarely used, except in movies, where it is always used. (Also: Brassed off.) ), British Slang For Fat Person (8 Examples! Recommended by mw1968. In Britain, semi-skimmed milk always features a green cap to distinguish it from skimmed blue caps and red whole caps. Nut to Butt -- The instruction used to tell soldiers to line up in a tight, forward-facing line wherein one's nuts are in extreme proximity to the butt of the soldier before them. Recommended by user 31320680. Mortars, rockets and artillery. Another RAF term for ground based infantry and forces is penguin. Recommended by user Mike W. Slick Sleeve -- Refers to a sailor who has not yet earned a rank that requires decoration on the sleeves. Shortened from G.I. ), British Slang For Happy (Helpful Content! Hawk -- Term for cold weather. Meat Eater: Usually refers to Special Forces soldiers whose mission focuses on violence, as opposed to those whose mission focuses on stability and training. Typically these are under the purview of a tactical unit, usually during an offensive maneuver. Ex: Alright after this short brief, you should have a warm and fuzzy on how to PMCS a vehicle. FAN: Feet, Ass and Nuts. Life at a COP is often austere and demanding, with every soldier responsible for both guard duty and patrolling. At larger bases the meals are served by contracted employees, often from Bangladesh or India. A small base, usually housing between 40 and 150 soldiers, often in a particularly hostile area. Military Brat: Do You Know Where The Term Comes From Meat Identifier -- A dish or sauce that identifies what type of meat is being served. During the First World War and to an extent in the Second World War, German soldiers were referred to by the British as Jerries. "Got Your Six"- A phrase service members use to say they have your back. of armed forces, and not solely of armies. Can be used sarcastically. Five-Sided Puzzle Palace -- Slang for the Pentagon. A chocolate version is possible if cocoa powder is available. Appendix:Glossary of military slang - Wiktionary Ass -- Armored vehicles such as Strykers and Tanks. ), British Slang For Wonderful (12 Examples! ), What Do You Call Someone From Panama? Recommended by user Steve Pinder. Green Bean: A civilian-run coffee shop common on larger bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, often the locus of the base social scene, such as it is. Grape -- A term with two meanings; one for the Air Force and one for the Navy. Its a simple acronym. To "ruck up" is to get through a particularly challenging or stressful situation. The signature weapon of the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, IEDs are low-cost bombs that can be modified to exploit specific vulnerabilities of an enemy. Gung ho. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: What The F#@&, Over. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10 Common Words with Military Origins 10 am to 5 pm daily (except Christmas Day). 2023 ), British Slang For Work (Helpful Content! (Ben Brody/GlobalPost), GUN: At Combat Outpost Sangsar in Kandahar, soldiers from 10th Mountain Division fire mortar rounds at nearby Taliban positions. This definition does not include the vehicle, or transportation method, of delivering the weapon. ), What Do You Call Someone From Malta? Military Slang Dictionary (Alexander), Prune: An inefficient airman. (Alexander), Roll up your flaps: Stop talking. (Glossary), See the chaplain: Stop grousing. (Glossary), Shit for the birds: Nonsense, drivel, irrelevant matter. Geardo -- An Army term for a soldier who spends an inordinate amount of money on gear, regardless of actual need. Football Bat -- An individual or way of doing things that is particularly odd. Taco -- An Air Force term for receiving an "unsatisfactory" grade on a training exercise due to the vague taco-shape of the letter "u.". The first CT school was located on top of a building where tar would get stuck to the bottom of students' shoes. And a wake up- A phrase used to count down to the end of training or deployment. (Helpful Content! Bang-bang -- An Army term describing a pistol or rifle. Below are some of our favorites. First Light -- The time of nautical twilight when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon. Be sure to check out Military.com's Glossary of Military Acronyms. This is often derogatory as, particularly during the First World War, officers were resented by the ordinary soldiers who lived in really awful conditions. Flight Suit Insert -- Air Force slang for a pilot. Dunlap, GI Lingo, 1945. Kinetic: Violent. List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions, List of nicknames of United States Army divisions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Military_slang_and_jargon&oldid=1154625482, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 13 May 2023, at 17:00. All rights reserved. Voice in the Sky -- Term referring to military base announcements broadcast over speakers. Please leave anything you think should be included in the comments. This is a slang term for the British Royal Marines, being a reference to the fact that they wear green berets. (Glossary of Army Slang, US Army PR, 1941. Blue Falcon -- A euphemism for buddy **** Fourth Point of Contact -- From rolling after a successful parachute drop: a term to describe an individual's buttocks. Mustang -- Term referring to any officer who was promoted from the enlisted ranks. auntie. Recommended by user John Alfred. All contents Ending mercenary mutiny averted 'civil war,' Putin says - NBC News This term originated during the Vietnam War and experienced limited use by civilians. This list is by no means exhaustive, and some of the terms originated prior to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. BIG VOICE: The Big Voice broadcasts emergency instructions at Forward Operating Base Tagab in Kapisa Province. Example: The soldiers lined up at the roach coach to grab a quick As one such correspondent, Henry Alexander, wrote, Language is able to adapt itself, almost like an organism, to new needs in a rapid and efficient manner., Army strawberries: Prunes. 40 mike-mike 40 mm grenade or M203 grenade launcher, Warm and fuzzy A phrase usually used to describe when someone understands a concept or is feeling okay. Commo -- Communications equipment or the individuals who operate it. Fart Sack -- Refers to a sleeping bag or an airman's flight suit. Military Alphabet - For Precise Military Communication. What are the Most Common Military Slang Words? - Warrior Lodge Force Projection -- The ability of a nation-state to extend military force beyond their borders. Grid Squares -- A nonexistent item recruits typically are told to go find. They are often abbreviations or derivatives of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, or otherwise incorporating aspects of formal military concepts and terms.Military slang is also used to reinforce the (usually friendly) interservice Meat Wagon -- Slang for an ambulance or any other medical emergency vehicle. Good Idea fairy Someone who always offers their opinions but ideas are usually bad. Its a simple reference to the fact that they fly like birdssometimes the simplest slang is the best! Never used to refer to a rifle or pistol. Military slang is a set of colloquial terms which are unique to or which originated with military personnel. Boot A new service member, often derogatory term used for someone coming to the unit fresh from boot camp. Hit the Silk -- Ejecting from an aircraft and utilizing a parachute. August 1942. Military slang is a set of colloquial terms which are unique to or which originated with military personnel. ). The term continued to be used throughout the Second World War and the rest of the century although to a lesser extent. 3. These typically are nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological or high-yield explosive in nature. Sexual relationships between boys and men are notorious in Kandahar, but the stories of Man Love Thursday are likely apocryphal. KABUL, Afghanistan It's painful for US soldiers to hear discussions and watch movies about modern wars when the dialogue is full of obsolete slang, like "chopper" and "GI.". (Ben Brody/GlobalPost), JOE: Many of the infantrymen at Tagab wish there was more fighting for them to do - the young men get bored pulling security for their commanders' advisory mission. (Ben Brody/GlobalPost). Responsible for turning all Pollywogs into Shellbacks once they cross the equator themselves. ), British Slang For Telephone (8 Examples! Weapons of Mass Destruction -- Weapons that can cause destruction or death beyond the ability of conventional weapons. Some of these terms have been considered gregarious to varying degrees and attempts have been made to eliminate them. Oxygen Thief -- A biting piece of slang for someone who's useless or talks too much. High Speed -- An individual who is highly motivated and at or near peak efficacy. The British Army is a great example of the kind of slang that can arise out of this environment. It's an Armed Forces reserve that consists of reserve personnel who were previously active-duty soldiers. Trench Monkey -- A derogatory term referring to a member of the U.S. Army. ), British Slang For Wife (Helpful Content! Recommended by user jloman42. Presumably from skin im alive. (Shafer), Snap your cap: Become excited, flustered. (Dunlap), Sugar report: Letter from a sweetheart. Fragging Zonk Used to being released for the day after taking formation. Archie Apparently derived from an old music hall song called Archibald, Certainly Not!, Archie was a British military slang word for German anti-aircraft fire. Twidget -- A sailor who repairs electronic equipment. This is perhaps the most common and ubiquitous British slang term for a soldier. Powerpoint Ranger: A soldier who is tasked primarily with building Powerpoint presentations for commanders' briefings. Typically this happens in extremely desperate situations. Hat Up -- To change one's location. name for a Turkish soldier. Hardened Site -- A structure usually built under rock or concrete designed to withstand conventional, nuclear, biological and chemical attack. "Standby to standby" -Wait, more often than not, you're going to be waiting a while. The term jack can be a really negative slang term for a soldier outside of the Navy, though this isnt used so much anymore either way. Pogey Bait -- Snack food. Slang changes with the times, and the military's is no different. OPTEMPO: Operational Tempo, high or low. Snivel Gear -- Any equipment meant for use in cold weather. Slip: When a soldiers complaints become unbearable, his listeners frequently tell him to fill out a T.S. They are often abbreviations or derivatives of the Sandbox: Usually refers to Iraq, sometimes Kuwait. Others interviewed students returning to college campuses after stints in the military. People Tank -- A U.S. Navy term for the inner hull of a submarine. It is only supposed to be used for illumination, as it should be considered a chemical weapon if used against people. ), British Slang For Grandmother (10 Examples! If it doesnt move paint it. Shavetail -- A term referring to second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Groundhog Day: From the Bill Murray movie, the phrase is used to describe deployments where every day proceeds the same way, no matter how the individual tries to change it. Bigger than a COP, smaller than a superbase. WebMilitary slang phrases The military alphabet is often used for acronyms of military slang phrases. Crumb Catcher -- Military slang describing the mouth. WebTommy Atkins (often just Tommy) is slang for a common soldier in the British Army, but many soldiers preferred the terms PBI (poor bloody infantry) "P.B.I." 61 Military Slang, Sayings, and Terms Thatd Be Cool to (Helpful Content! Before soldiers can view first run shows at the Sustainer Theater, the process of getting movies there takes weeks of time and Chest Candy -- Slang for ribbons and medals worn on a uniform. Recommended by user NGH144. Many of the authors who contributed to American Speech during this period mentioned their own military service, during which they took notes on the words that they heard. Generally refers to a soldier with little tactical need for such equipment. Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves the headquarters of the Southern Military District amid the group's pullout from the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, They are built around supporting the regional military commands, and are logistical hubs for forces in the area. This is thought to refer to the fact the way that children get snotty noses, and thus untrained and green new soldiers are snotty. For example, FUBAR evolved into Foobar as GIs coming home from World War II matriculated into Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the first written use from a club at MIT called the Tech Model Railroad Club.[2]. Its not very common to use this one anymore, though it is still heard from time to time. ), What Do You Call Someone From Sri Lanka? Ricky Munoz watches a movie on his laptop at Combat Outpost Lakokhel. Dope on a Rope -- Derogatory term used for air-assault soldiers. SAT is an acronym in the British Army for Soldier Awaiting Training. Pad Eye Remover -- A nonexistent item used by sailors to trick new service members into a fruitless search. PX Ranger -- An individual who purchases, from the Post Exchange, paraphernalia unique to certain prestigious ranks or occupations and passes them off as though they earned the items. The line crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that dates back as far as the 18th Century, in which older Shellbacks harass the initiates. The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. Chicken plates -- Sheets of protective material, called Small Arms Protective Inserts, which are used in the Interceptor body armor system. The Slate Group LLC. Gossip, scuttlebutt. Recommended by user John Alfred. 4. British Slang For Soldier (30 Examples!) - Foreign Lingo Its a simple reference to the fact of older men usually having the authority. Blue Falcon- A nickname for a service member who f*cks you over, also sometimes called a buddyf*cker. Recommended by user elisemorgan. Pad-eyes are used to secure airplanes with chains. Lance Jack may have been a derogatory term for particularly unpleasant Lance Corporals, who would supervise groups of infantry soldiers. The term is fairly derogatory in nature as a slight against the accuracy of the maps. The American slang term leatherneck, for their own marine corps, is derived from the same root. 2. WebSlang for "Buddy F-----." Fat Cakes- Any kind of unhealthy, sweets or desserts. It's as much about constructing the proper mindset as it Understanding military ranks can be tricky, especially when it comes to knowing the military ranks in order. Blowed up: Hit by an IED. What might be called a jobsworth in other areas of life, ate-up is a slang term in the British Army for someone who is far too concerned with following every single rule and regulation to the finest point of detail. ), British Slang For Flatulence (Helpful Content! This refers to an older sailor or enlisted man in the Navy who guides and aids junior recruits during the early part of their careers. WebMilitary slang is an array of colloquial terminology used commonly by military personnel, including slang which is unique to or originates with the armed forces.In English-speaking As the loosened dust dries, it gains the consistency of flour. Inactive Status -- Members of the Reserves who are unable to train for points, receive pay and cannot be considered for promotion. Also used as a verb to describe soldiers marching out of synch with a cadence. FOB: Forward Operating Base. shell-hole polluted by a corpse. The phrase is derived from the same anthropomorphizing applied to GPS units in cars, only Bitchin' Betty's alert pilots to life-threatening situations. This is another more recent term that is certainly still used today. first world war slang Mae West herself sent a letter to the RAF, Alexander added, in which she showed delight in becoming an integral part of the English language: Ive been in Whos Who and I know whats what, but itll be the first time I ever made the Dictionary., Mae West, meaning 2: A tank with two protuberant turrets. Jawa -- Term for an Army soldier who is stationed in a desert area, named after the desert-dwelling aliens of "Star Wars.". A chopper is a kind of motorcycle, not an aircraft. Fruit Salad -- Slang for a service member's display of medals and ribbons on a dress uniform. Terp: An interpreter, usually a local Afghan or Iraqi hired by the military to translate for military personnel when they are communicating with a local. Another Navy term, a new, untrained subordinate officer in the Navy is called a snotty. Grunt, essentially anyone who isnt infantry. ), Ash can: Depth charge. Here are Some Common Terms and Phrases, How Future Military Members Can Build 'GRIT' for the Journey Ahead, 'Did I Make the Right Decision?' Recommended by user Bob Pante. Tactically Acquire- You stole something, often it'sequipment that you needed but didn't have or something really impressive that no one else has. Web'Black' on ammo, fuel, water, etc. Pill Pusher -- A U.S. Navy term for a hospital corpsman. This Ukrainian woman rescued dogs as she fled war. Man Love Thursday: Soldiers use this phrase to half-joke that on Thursdays in southern Afghanistan men customarily have sex with each other so that they will not be distracted by lustful thoughts on Friday, the Muslim day of prayer. This page was last edited on 30 June 2023, at 02:41. A common slang term for pilots and aircrew was air-dales, and this was usually somewhat derogatory. Pink Mist -- A distinct effect created by certain types of gunshot wounds. ), British Slang For Walking (Helpful Content! Trench talk: a guide to first world war slang During the first world war, troops fighting in the trenches used slang to communicate. Contrary to media reports, Prigozhin did not found Wagner, but joined the nascent military company around 2015 as a food supplier, Lechner said. : Tough situation! Latrine Queen -- Air Force specific term for a trainee in basic who is in charge of the team responsible for cleaning bathrooms. Can Be Found Lingering Over an Afternoon Espresso, (Glossary of Army Slang, US Army PR, 1941, Henry Alexander, Words and the War, 1944. Vietnam War Hangfire- To wait until youre given the next orders. Digit Midget -- Usually used with a number as a prefix. A regional proverb goes, "A bird flies over Kandahar with one wing covering its butt.". Military Acronyms, Terminology and Slang Reference. They include sentimental content, hint at the infidelity of loved ones back home and are designed to demoralize combatants. When incoming rocket or mortar fire is detected by radar systems, the Big Voice automatically broadcasts a siren and instructions to take cover. Woobie: Properly called a poncho liner, this lightly insulated blanket is usually issued to soldiers in Basic Training. (Dunlap), Browned off: Annoyed or fed up. Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone: A military doctrine or political process that appears to exist in order to justify its own existence, often producing irrelevant indicators of its own success. Please know that we do use cookies to deliver personalized ads and a world-class experience with optimal site functionality. Soup Sandwich -- Used to describe an individual, object, situation or mission that has gone horribly wrong. military slang A very specific term for a soldier based on their rank is full screw. Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains today and into the future. The term refers to the red barrels that were filled with sand which you would discharge your weapon into to ensure it wasnt loaded. Charlie Foxtrot -- Commonly used expression utilizing the military alphabet to stand for clusterf***. Chem-Light Batteries -- A mythical object that would be extremely, functionally pointless. Hangar Queen -- An aircraft that is used primarily for spare parts to repair other planes. Long Pig -- Slang for when a human being is used as a source of food. ), British Slang For Delicious (20 Examples! GI glasses. (Helpful Content! Uncle Sam's Canoe Club -- A U.S. Navy term for the U.S. Coast Guard. But these terms are critical to speaking the current language of soldiers, and understanding it when they speak to others. This means any soldier who hasnt been posted yet and is awaiting their training so they can be sent out on rotation. (Alexander), Maggies drawers: Red flag used on rifle range to indicate a miss. (Glossary), Mickey Mouse movies: Instructional films in personal hygiene. WebDefinition: Slang term for a mobile food truck or snack van that provides food and beverages to military personnel. Brats wear the name like a badge of honor, often because of the moves, stressors and cultural experiences that make them more resilient than their civilian counterparts. May also refer to a useless person. Recommended by user MrsMSgt. This slang term for a unit commander is very common in both British and American slang in the army. Recommended by user Nick_1. Security, food, shelter and transportation is provided by the military for the embed. Fitty -- Slang for an M2 .50 caliber machine gun. Here we have a Navy term, one used in both the British and Australia Navy.