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User:Offrdk5/List of U.S. Army acronyms and expressions

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The U.S. Army, like any bureaucratic organization, produces its own acronyms, which often come to have meaning beyond their bare expansions.

Official acronyms and initialisms

  • 5-Ton - Refers to any tactical truck with a cargo capacity of 5 tons.
  • AAM - Army Achievement Medal.
  • AAR - After Action Review (formerly: After Action Report)
  • ABN - Airborne
  • AC - Aircraft Commander
  • ACU - Army Combat Uniform.
  • AIT - Advanced Infantry Training; Advanced Individual Training (specialty training post-BCT).
  • ALICE - All-purpose LIghtweight Carrying Equipment.
  • AOC - Are of Concern
  • AOO (AO) - Area of Operations.
  • AOR - Area of Responsibility
  • APC - Armored Personnel Carrier.
  • APFT - Army Physical Fitness Test
  • ARCAM - Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.
  • ARCOM - Army Commendation medal.
  • ASAP - As Soon As Possible (pronounced AY-sap), but usually meaning "Do it right now."
  • ASI - Additional Skill Identifier; such as F7 (Pathfinder) or W5 (Jumpmaster). Used at the end of an MOS code to designate skill trained personnel. Example: 11B4VW5= 11B (Infantryman) 4 (Skill level 4 or SFC/E-7) V (an SQI or Skill Qualification Identifier of V equaling airborne ranger) W5 (Jumpmaster).
  • ASOC - Air Support Operations Center
  • ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare
  • AWOL - Absent Without Official Leave (ie. not at one's place of duty, and not authorized to be absent, for more than 24 hours)
  • BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing (formerly BAQ)
  • BAQ - Basic Allowance for Quarters
  • BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (slang for Bad Conduct Discharge = Big Chicken Dinner)
  • BDU - Battle Dress Uniform
  • BCT - Basic Combat Training (familiarly: Basic Training or Basic), Brigade Combat Team (see also HBCT, IBCT, SBCT)
  • BEQ - Bachelor Enlisted' Quarters
  • BOQ - Bachelor Officers' Quarters
  • BX - Base eXchange: Air Force name for a PX (see below).
  • CASEVAC - CASualty EVACuation
  • CAB - Combat Action Badge
  • CBR - Chemical-Biological-Radiological (See NBC)
  • CENTCOM - Central Command
  • CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge
  • CO - Commanding Officer (also: conscientious objector)
  • COB - Close Of Business - the end of the day or duty shift. Meaning: by the end of the duty day. Usage: "Get that to me by COB today!!!"
  • CONUS - CONtinental United States
  • CQ - Charge of Quarters. A company-level position of responsibility for units who house troops in their areas. Given to a mid-level or junior NCO who is responsible for the company's barracks and area during off-duty hours when the company commander and/or First Sergeant are not present. Lasts from COB (usually 1700 hours) to First Formation (usually 0600 hours) the next day during the work week. On weekends the duty hours are adjusted accordingly.
  • CWO - Chief Warrant Officer
  • DA - Department of the Army
  • DCM- Distinguished Conduct Medal
  • DCU - Desert Camouflage Uniform (not official)
  • DD or DoD - Department of Defense
  • DFAC - Dining Facility (Mess Hall or Cafeteria)
  • DPICM - Dual Purpose Improved Comventional Munitions (An Artillery Round)
  • DX - Direct Exchange (of damaged equipment)
  • ETS - Expiration of Term of Service (scheduled date of separation from active duty).
  • EUCOM - European Command
  • FARP - Forward Area Refuel/Rearm Point/Position
  • FEBA - Forward Edge of Battle Area
  • FLOT - Forward Line of Own Troops
  • FORSCOM - US Forces Command
  • FTX - Field Training Exercise
  • GMC - General Military Course
  • GCM - Good Conduct Medal
  • HALO - High Altitude, Low Opening. (type of parachute jump, self explanatory)
  • HBCT - Heavy Brigade Combat Team
  • HE - High Explosive
  • HEMTT - Heavy Extended Mobility Tactical Truck.
  • HMMWV Humvee - High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle
  • HVT - High Value Target
  • IAW - In Accordance With
  • IBCT - Infantry Brigade Combat Team
  • IED - Improvised Explosive Device
  • IG - Inspector General
  • IRR - Individual Ready Reserve
  • KIA - Killed in Action
  • LBV - Load Bearing Vest, for carrying ammunition, water, and other tactical loads while in the field, or during an assault
  • MEDEVAC - MEDical EVACuation to an aid station or field hospital, usu. by air ambulance
  • MIA - Missing in Action; missing in a battle situation, not known if alive or dead.
  • MLRS - Multiple Launch Rocket System
  • MM- Military Medal
  • MOAB - officially, Massive Ordnance Air Blast (slang: Mother Of All Bombs-a dig at Saddam Hussein's characterization of his defeat in the First Gulf War as the "Mother Of All Battles").
  • MOLLE - MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment
  • MOS - Military Occupational Specialty—formal job classification, usually expressed as a number or number/letter combination— e.g., 11B Infantryman.
  • MOPP - Mission-Oriented Protective Postures - Established procedures to deal with the effects of CBR/NBC weapons use. Chemical Protective Suits are called "MOPP suits".
  • MP - Military Police.
  • MRE - officially: Meals, Ready to Eat; (slang: Meals Rejected/Refused by Ethiopians or: Meals Rejected by the Enemy)
  • NCO - Non-Commissioned Officer: an enlisted person with command responsibility; Corporal to Command Sergeant Major ; see also Specialist.
  • NBC - Nuclear-Biological-Chemical weapons, equipment, environment, and procedures
  • O/O - Order of Operations
  • OCONUS - Outside CONtinental United States, includes Alaska and Hawaii
  • OCS - Officer Candidate School
  • OLC - Oak Leaf Cluster (signifying subsequent awards)
  • OPORD - Operations order
  • OSUT - One Station Unit Training; combination of BCT and AIT where the soldier remains in the same unit for both training portions
  • PCS - Permanent Change of Station, reassignment to a different duty station
  • PERSCOM - PERSonnel COMmand, short for United States Army Personnel Command. Now known as HRC, or the Human Resources Command
  • PIR - Parachute Infantry Regiment.
  • PLF - Parachute Landing Fall
  • PMCS - Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services
  • POV - Privately-Owned Vehicle, a soldier's personal automobile.
  • POW - Prisoner of War
  • PW - Prisoner of War
  • PT - Physical Training. Used in the plural (PT's), it refers to the PT Uniform.
  • PX - Post eXchange. A multipurpose store which usually includes a barber shop and a convenience store.
  • REMF - Rear Echelon MotherF*cker - To Combat Arms soldiers, anyone other than them
  • RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade
  • ROTC - Reserve Officer Training Corps, often pronounced ("ROT-SEE")
  • SDO Staff Duty Officer - Same duty as CQ (see above) but done by a Senior NCO at Battalion level or above
  • SBCT - Stryker Brigade Combat Team
  • SOCOM-Special Operations COMmand. This is the military organization that oversees the activities of such elite units as the US Navy SEALs and US Army Delta Force among others.
  • SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
  • STRAC - STRategic Army Corps; STRAC units were those designated to be on high alert to move anywhere in 72 hours or less; as slang, means tight, together, by the book; when said with sarcasm by a combat unit about a REMF unit it refers to stupid troops running around in circles
  • SITREP - SITuational REPort
  • STX - Situational Training Exercise
  • TC - Tank Commander
  • TDY - Temporary Duty
  • TF - Task Force
  • USAREUR - US Army Europe (HQ: Heidelberg)
  • UXO - UneXploded Ordnance
  • XO - Executive Officer (officer second-in-command to the CO)
  • V/R - Very Respectfully. The standard closure line on official mail/e-mail
  • VBIED - Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device
  • VDM- Visually Distinguishing Mark
  • WO - Warning Order
  • WP - White Phosphorous
  • ZI - Zone of Interior, the United States. See also CONUS, which is more commonly used

Slang acronyms

  • AWR - (Alpha Whiskey Romeo) Allah's Waiting Room. When engaged, [insurgents] have a tendency to flee to the same building (the AWR), at which point the troops radio in an air strike.
  • ATFU - Ate the Fuck Up. When someone/thing is not up to the Army standard.
  • BCG - Birth Control Glasses. Refers to the standard issue eyeglasses, generally not known for being exceptionally stylish.
  • BOG - Boots On Ground. Number of soldiers available
  • BOHICA - Bend over, here it comes again
  • BTDT - Been There Done That
  • CF - Cluster Fuck
  • DAT - Dumb Ass Tanker
  • FIGMO - Fuck It, Got My Orders (aka "Short-timer's Disease")
  • FNG - Fucking New Guy - soldier coming to a unit straight from AIT
  • FTA - Fuck The Army
  • FUBAR - Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition/Repair
  • FUBIS - Fuck You, Buddy, I'm Shipping; used toward the end of a tour of duty to indicate an attitude of general apathy and contempt; see also FIGMO
  • GI - Government Issue; originally used for government supplied equipment, often used by Soldiers to refer to themselves.
  • InI - Intoxication and Intercourse (also I&I). Used to specify activity during Leave/time-off. See RnR.
  • KMAG YO-YO - Kiss My Ass, Guys, You're On Your Own
  • KP - periodic one-day duty assignment for lower grade soldiers to do mess hall work, ranging from helping to prepare food to cleaning out the grease traps (literally "Kitchen Patrol" or "Kitchen Police").
  • LPCs - Leather Personnel Carriers, or combat boots. Generally used when describing a mode of travel (ie. "we'll be taking our LPCs over to the range")
  • NCO - No Civilian Opportunities. This is a jab at NonCommissioned Officers who are said to stay in the Army because they couldn't get another job, not because they want to be soldiers or are good at their job.
  • PLF - Parachute Landing Fall.
  • REMF - Rear-Echelon Mother Fucker (ie. someone in the supply line who doesn't give a damn about how his actions mess up life for those at the sharp end)
  • RHIP - Rank Hath Its Privileges.
  • ROAD - Retired On Active Duty (ie. "ROAD warrior)
  • RnR - Rest and Relaxation (also R&R). Used to specify activity during Leave/time-off; as in, "I need a little RnR."
  • SNAFU - Situation Normal: All Fucked Up
  • SOS - Same Old Shit; Shit On a Shingle: creamed chipped beef on toast/biscuit, a breakfast staple
  • SSND - Same Shit, New Day
  • SST - Slang for the vehicle used to remove human waste from the Port-A-Johns meaning "Shit Sucking Truck"
  • SWAG - Scientific Wild-Ass Guess. A close approximation
  • TWAT - Tanker Without A Tank. Used for tankers who are performing infantry duties. Mainly used by Infantry in Iraq.
  • WOJG - Warrant Officer, Junior Grade. Informal reference to lowest grade of Warrant Officer (WO1). Also called "spot" or "crouton" because of the insignia of grade (a single black square on a silver bar).

Non-acronym slang and expressions

  • 11 body bag, 11 bullet catcher, 11 bang bang, 11 boom boom - pejorative term for MOS 11B, Infantry rifleman. Usually used by 11Cs (mortarmen)
  • 11 Chump - Term for MOS 11C, Mortarmen, refers to the fact only a chump would hump a mortar setup. Usually used by 11B and 19D (Cavalry Scouts)
  • 4th point of contact - As in "you guys had better get off of your 4th points of contact ..." Reference to the buttocks, which impact the ground following the feet, calf, and thigh when properly executing a Parachute Landing Fall (see PLF, above). Term comes from Airborne units, but is understood by all
  • ... and a Wake-up - the day you leave an ongoing duty assignment; usu. in conjunction with leaving a combat zone or leaving the service. Used as a means of counting down to the transtition. For example, if today is Monday and you leave the service on Friday, if someone were to ask when you get out, the answer would be "three days and a wake-up." (Tuesday to Thursday, with Friday being "the wake-up")
  • Army brat - Son or daughter of a career soldier.
  • Ate up - something that's messed up or not up to the standard.
  • Barracks Lawyer - someone who claims to know all the regulations and UCMJ by heart. Threatens to use them against the chain of command regularly. Similar to "jailhouse lawyers" or "shithouse lawyers".
  • Barracks Rat - someone who stays at the barracks and never goes out.
  • Battle Rattle - Full combat gear.
  • Bennie - benefit, a good surprise
  • Bird Colonel - a full colonel, from the eagle insignia of grade, to distinguish from the one-grade-lower Lieutenant Colonel, whose insignia is a silver leaf. Also known as a "Full Bird" Colonel, or simply, a "Full Bull."
  • Blast - a parachute jump. First parachute jump after Parachutist (Jump) School, i.e the sixth parachute jump, is a "Cherry Blast." A person qualified to wear the Master Parachutist Badge is a "Master Blaster." "Hollywood Blast" is a parachute jump, usually done simply for pay purposes, without all the emcumbering equipment necessary in real or simulated airborne assaults.
  • Black Hat - airborne instructor
  • Blanket party - the act of beating someone sensless in their bunk after lights out by throwing a blanket over their head so they can not identify the perpetrators.
  • Blue Falcon - someone that screws others over for their own comfort or convenience. A more acceptable way of calling someone a "buddy fucker"
  • Bo-Koo - a lot (from French beaucoup)
  • Bolo - To fail a test or qualification.
  • Brass - Colonels and generals
  • Bravo Foxtrot - Phonetic spelling used to describe a "buddy fucker" or someone who does things to screw over fellow soldiers.
  • Brown Hat - Drill sergeant
  • Brown Round - Drill sergeant's hat
  • Buck Sergeant - Sergeant (E5)
  • Buddy Fucker - Someone who does things that either intentionally or unintentionally get other soldiers harmed in some way.
  • Bugout - a hasty retreat
  • Bunk - Bunkbed
  • Butter Bar - the insignia for a Second Lieutenant; from the appearance of the individual yellow bars on each shoulder or lapel.
  • Cadidiot - derogatory term for West Point and ROTC cadets, from the word "cadet" and "idiot."
  • Cannon cocker - artillerymen
  • Cannon fodder - (what cannons eat), infantry
  • Chair-borne - a paper-pusher with jump wings
  • Chicken in a frypan - Specialist (E4) rank insignia, which has an eagle inside a shield.
  • Chief - unofficial form of address for any Warrant Officer (WO1 to CW5)
  • Chow - food, or "breakfast/lunch/dinner". Example: "Is it time for chow yet?"
  • Civvies - Civilian clothing.
  • Class A uniform - the dress uniform (jacket and tie) sometimes worn in office-type work, always when wearing a uniform on leave.
  • Cluster fuck - an unorganized group of soldiers
  • Class 1 Download - Taking a shit.
  • Cock Holster - term used to refer to someone's mouth. "Shut your cock holster."
  • Command Specialist Major - Corporals (Specialist and Corporal are both E-4s but Corporals are NCOs, Specialists are just enlisted.)
  • Combat - Used in lieu of a soldier's name to get their attention. i.e. "Hey Combat, get over here."
  • Company-grade (officer) - the ranks of second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain
  • Cookie - mess sergeant
  • Cracker box - ambulance mounted on a pick-up truck frame
  • Cunt cap - garrison cap, due to its shape
  • DA Form ID-10T - snipe hunt for new soldiers. New soldiers are told to get a DA Form ID-10T from an NCO. Invariably, the soldier says he/she doesn't know what that is, and is told to just write it down, and show an NCO. The new soldier usually doesn't realize he has written "IDIOT" and procedes to show it to an NCO and asks where he can find one.
  • Dash Ten - an operator's manual for any piece of military equipment, vehicle or aircraft
  • Deuce - common utility truck (2-1/2 ton truck—from "deuce-and-a-half") Same as "six-by"
  • Dickskinner/Dickbeater - term for your hand
  • Dirty Bird - used to describe soldiers with personal hygine issues; soldiers that don't shower after PT, soldiers that don't wash their clothes, soldiers with messy or dirty barracks rooms.
  • Digitals - the new ACU and MARPAT digitial camouflage uniforms, which consists of a pattern of pixelated squares
  • Doc - any medical professional from doctor to medic
  • Down range - any active combat zone
  • Drill - Drill sergeant
  • Enlisted personnel [man] [woman] - Generic term for anyone who is not a warrant officer or commissioned officer.
  • Farmer armor - see Hillbilly armor
  • Fart sack - sleeping bag
  • Fatigues - archaic term for the work/combat uniform
  • Fatigue Jacket - the shirt of the fatigue uniform. The outer jacket is called a Field Jacket.
  • Field-grade (officer) - the ranks of Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel
  • First Lieutenant, Second Award - a Captain, so named because the insignia of grade consists of two parallel silver bars
  • First Shirt - First Sergeant
  • Flak Jacket - A vest first introduced in WWII for bomber crews, designed to protect the torso against shrapnel.
  • Fobbit - a soldier who rarely leaves the perimeter of his fire base (fire base hobbit). From Iraq, refers to Forward Operating Base (FOB hobbit - fobbit)
  • Front-Leaning Rest - the push-up position
  • Full Battle Rattle - The complete set of combat gear.
  • Full Bird Private - Specialist (after Full Bird Colonel)
  • Getting a range named after you - This is usually used sarcastically to describe someone who trys to be a hero. This is because rifle ranges are often named after soldiers who get killed in combat or Medal of Honor winners. Can be used like this- "Don't you go trying to get a range named after you."
  • GI Party - after hours barracks cleaning detail
  • Gig line - a straight line on fatigues formed by the fatigue jacket (actually a shirt), the belt buckle, and the fly of the fatigue pants
  • Gold Brick - someone who habitually avoids work details
  • Golden Boys - A commander's favorite subordinates or subordinate unit
  • Good-ol Boys - Clique that "runs" a unite. Always kiss up for promotions and schools.
  • Gore-Tex - the camouflaged, hooded outer jacket which has largely replaced the traditional field jacket, so named because of the material used in construction
  • Grade - pay grade of a soldier, currently E1-E9 for enlisted soldiers, W1-W5 for warrant officers, O1-O10 for officers. Each grade may translate to several ranks; i.e., Grade E4 may be a corporal (command position) or specialist (non-command).
  • Greenie Beanie - Green Beret
  • Ground pounder - see Grunt
  • Grunt - an infantryman. Historically associated with the sound a Soldier makes when shouldering his field pack. Alternatively associated with a supposed Vietnam-era acronym for hastily assembled recruits and reinforcements, "Ground Reinforcements UNTrained." Grunts takes immense pride in the nickname. To non-infantrymen grunts are often referred to as "Crunchies," "Nugs," or "Ground pounders." The last three are never used self-referentially by grunts.
  • Gun Bunny - artilleryman
  • Gut Truck - food vendor on wheels, esp. in training areas
  • High Speed - a squared-away and highly motivated soldier. Often used sarcastically when a Soldier is motivated but doesn't really know what he's doing. As in "Slow down High Speed." Often used in conjunction with "Low Drag," essentially meaning the same thing.
  • Hillbilly armor - aka Farmer armor. Improvised vehicle armor.
  • Hurry Up and Wait - Describes the hurry to get ready and the early wake up times that lead to sitting around for hours with nothing to do. Many times the waiting is caused by "the word" not coming down from command. SEE ALSO: The Word
  • Klicks - kilometers; .6214 mi each
  • Jesus Cruisers - Flip flops. See also Shower Shoes
  • Jody - individual who steals a soldier's wife or girlfriend while he is deployed
  • John Wayne - (1) the act of improperly wearing a helmet with the chinstrap unfastened, (2) a can opener, (3) Someone who tries to be a hero. (4)Shooting a rifle from the hip/ (5)toilet paper from the MRE because it is "rough, tough, and takes no shit off anyone's ass."
  • John Wayne Bar - Chocolate and toffee candybar found in C-Rations/MREs
  • Jump boots - Combat boots with a "toe" and no treads, worn in Airborne units instead of "low quarters" with Class-A uniforms
  • KEVLAR/K-Pot - the ground troops ballistic helmet, so named because it is made of Kevlar material
  • Kill Zone - An area that can be fired upon, but commonly used to describe an area that lower enlisted troops are not supposed to be. i.e. on a floor that is highly waxed and not supposed to be walked on.
  • Leg - derogatory term used in Airborne units meaning a person or a military unit that is not qualified for parachute operations. The "sanctioned" term is NAP (Non-Airborne Personnel)
  • Lifer - Career military person.
  • Light Colonel - A Lieutenant Colonel; see Bird Colonel above.
  • Ma Deuce - the Browning .50 caliber machinegun, a staple of U.S. forces since WWII. Comes from the weapon's actual designation, the "M2."
  • Mess - meal
  • Mess hall - dining facility
  • Mickey Mouse Boots - Inflatable black rubber boots used for very extreme cold weather mostly in Ft. Carson, in Germany, and in Korea.
  • Monkey Butt - Raw skin on the butt or inner thighs caused by long runs or road marches.
  • Mosquito Wings - E-2 rank insignia (one stripe)
  • Mud Puppy - military policemen
  • Muzzle Monkeys - pejorative term for artillerymen; derived from the fact that artillerymen would sometimes have to hang from the howitzer barrel as a counterweight so the gun could be turned. Usually used by infantrymen.
  • Orderly Room - Administrative centre of the unit, controlled by the Chief Clerk, First Sergeant/CO's offices are normally close by
  • Pisser - urinal
  • Platoon Daddy - Sergeant First Class who is the lead NCO in a platoon
  • Poge - pronounced with a long "o". Derogatory term - A soldier who spends all his time back at camp and never on maneuvers. Alternately, any non-combat arms soldier, and to infantryman, any one who isn't infantry. Variation: POG - Permanently On the Ground, used esp. by aviation personnel for those who do not fly. The term POG also is used as People Other than Grunts by the infantry to describe anyone who is not an infantryman.
  • Pogey Bait - snack food, someone frequently singled out for unwanted attention
  • Private Major - Private or Specialist who tries to act with authority they do not have
  • Pull a Jody - Cheat with another soldier's wife or girlfriend
  • Quarters - (a) military family housing, or (b) doctor's direction to stay home from work, i.e. "he went to sick call and got quarters."
  • Rank - named title of soldier with a particular grade and responsibility, such as Private, Specialist, Staff Sergeant, Captain, etc. See also grade.
  • Rack - Bed. Sea-going services (Navy, Coast Guard) only.
  • Rack Out - To go to sleep.
  • Re-up - to reenlist (officers don't reenlist, they do the opposite, they resign)
  • Real World - return to civilian life; or: return to USA from overseas
  • Recruit - new soldier in training; esp. basic training. Once the description of the lowest rank, which is now simply Private.
  • Roger - "I understand," used for radio communication, but also used in ordinary conversation
  • Round Brown - A Drill Sergeant or his/her hat.
  • Salad - Ribbons and medals. Named for the color differences just like a salad.
  • Sandbox or Box - training area
  • Sandbagger - someone who lets others do his/her work for him/her; a shammer.
  • Sergeant Major - the First Sergeant's wife
  • Shadow Clerk - a non-clerk serving unofficially as a company clerk
  • Shamming - goofing off, feigning illness
  • Sham Out - To goof off. i.e. "We are going to sham out for awhile."
  • Sham Shield - Specialist rank insignia
  • Shitter - toilet
  • Shitbag - used very commonly to describe a slacker or a Buddy Fucker.
  • Short Colonel - Older reference to a Lt. Colonel, especially when casually discussing Unit Organization.
  • Short/Short Timer - soon to be released from service; usually 90 days or less (ie a 'two-digit midget')
  • Shower shoe - a Soldier who has just come to the forward unit from boot camp. Essentially the modern equivalent of "FNG/Fucking New Guy"
  • Side-Straddle Hop - jumping jacks
  • Single Man's Paradise - an establishment filled with the wives and girlfriends of deployed soldiers.
  • Smaj - Sergeant Major
  • Soup Sandwich - When something is messed up or not to standard. Ex: "This formation looks like a soup sandwich
  • Sparky - radio operator
  • Spec 4 Mafia - Group of Specialist who use unorthodox methods to help NCOs square away soldiers that are deficient in their duties.
  • Stir-fried Shit - When something is very unclean or unorganized
  • Stir the Shit - Burning feces in a burnout latrine
  • Tanker Boots - Combat boots that close with straps and a buckle instead of laces
  • The "B's" - The Barracks, or apartment type rooms for single soldiers.
  • The Good News- i.e. "Giving or receiving the good news", the art of beating or getting beaten sensless.
  • The Hard Stripes - Used to describe Corporal (CPL) stripes
  • The Word - Used to describe commands from higher, usually in a derogatory way. It is joked about being the one thing all soldiers (E-1 to E-4) look for on a daily basis but never actually find. Common usage: "I am waiting on the word." SEE ALSO - Hurry Up and Wait.
  • Top - First Sergeant
  • Top Kick - First Sergeant
  • Trooper(s) - Used in lieu of "Soldier" when referring to Airborne Soldiers or Cavalrymen
  • Tube Steak - hotdog (or penis)
  • Turtle-Fuck - To strike someone's kevlar helmet with yours
  • Turtle-head - New recruit; still in training
  • Turtle-shell - A recruit in basic training who has not qualified with their weapon yet. This refers to troops being able to put on the camo cover for their helmets after they qualify and the turtle-shell like appearance of the helmet without the cover.
  • Un-ass the AO - to quickly leave the immediate area
  • Un-fuck - To fix something or someone.
  • Willie Pete - white phosphorous, used to generate smoke in smoke grenades and cannon shells
  • Wolf Pussy - the description for strong body odor, specifically after P.T. or a field exercise. Ex: "It smells like wolf pussy in here."
  • Wub/Wubbie - A poncho liner often used as a blanket.
  • Yard Bird - (Original meaning: chicken) a soldier without direction or motiviation
  • Zoomie - Pilot, ground support, usually A-10. Also, an affectionate/derogative term for Air Force Academy cadets, used by cadets at the other academies.

West Point Slang

  • Area bird - A cadet candidate who is serving punishment by being obliged to walk on the "GO ARMY".
  • Beast - "Old Corps" slang for Cadet Basic Training; a phonetic pronunciation of the acronym, BCT.
  • B.J. - Fresh; lacking in respect. "Bold before June." (from the days when Plebe recognition was the day before June graduation).
  • Blow off - To not worry about something. To not complete an assignment or homework. ("I blew it off.")
  • Bogus - Uncalled for audacity.
  • Booodle - Cake, candy, ice cream, etc.
  • Boodler's - The cadet snack store.
  • Bust - To revoke the appointment of a Cadet commissioned or non-commissioned officer.
  • Butt - The remains of anything, as the butt of the month.
  • Circular file - Trash can.
  • Cold - Absolutely without error, as "a cold max."
  • COM. - The Commandant of Cadets.
  • Cow - A member of the second class.
  • Crab - n. One who attends the Naval Academy. Also "SQUID" or "MIDDIE."
  • D. - Deficient; below average, as in academics.
  • D.M.T. - Department of Military Training.
  • D.P.E. & A. - Department of Physical Education and Athletics.
  • The Days - Required knowledge for Plebes; signifying the duration to the next major event for the upperclass, and "A finite number for the end of eternity" for the Plebes.
  • Find - To discharge a Cadet candidate for deficiency in studies, conduct, or honor.
  • Firstie - A member of the First Class.
  • Fried egg - Insignia of the U.S.M.A. , worn on the hat or tarbucket.
  • Ghost - A fourth class cadet who hides in his/her room to avoid the upperclass or to shirk duties. Also refers to an upperclass cadet who is rarely seen around a cadet company.
  • G.I. - Government Issue (not to be used when referring to enlisted personnel).
  • Goat - A cadet in the lower sections. A cadet near the bottom of the class.
  • Gray Hog - An extremely USMA/USMAPS-oriented cadet.
  • Green Girl - Comforter.
  • Green suiter - An Army officer.
  • Gross - Blundering; disgusting.
  • Held Report - Explanation of Report.
  • Hell Cats - Musicians who sound reveille and the calls.
  • Hop - A cadet dance.
  • Hotel Night - One night a week when sheets are broken down due to laundry send out.
  • Ikette - A girl who frequents Eisenhower Hall for the sole purpose of picking up a helpless male cadet. Impressed only by the "man in a uniform" Image.
  • IRP - A command: "Immediate Response, Please."
  • Juice - Electricity, Electrical Engineering.
  • Limits - The limit on the reservation to which Cadets are restricted.
  • Max - A complete success, a maximum. v. To make a perfect mark in academic recitation; to do a thing perfectly.
  • O.A.O. - One and Only.
  • O.CO. - Officer in Charge.
  • O.D. - Olive Drab.
  • Odin - A Norwegian god to whom cadets appeal for rain before parades, inspection, etc.
  • Old Corps - The way things used to be at USMA, (ie., "When dinosaurs roamed the plain..."); In reality, when the Firsties were Plebes...
  • P. - A professor, an instructor.
  • PDA - Public Display of Affection.
  • Plebe - A cadet of the Fourth Class, a freshman.
  • Plebe Bible - "Bugle Notes", handbook of the Corps of Cadets.
  • PMI - Afternoon Inspection, a state less than AMI.
  • Police - To throw away, to discard.
  • Poop - Information to be memorized.
  • Poop-deck - The balcony in the USMA Cadet Mess from which orders are published.
  • Poopster (or more commonly: Prepster), n. USMAPS Cadet Candidate/graduate.
  • Pop off - Sound off in a military manner.
  • PRO - Proficient, above passing in studies of looks.
  • Pull out - To barely complete an assignment on time and meeting only the minimum standards. (Also Slug stopper)
  • Quill - (2-1) A report for delinquency.
  • Rock Squad - Remedial Swimming, an additional class for Plebe non-swimmers. (Derivative - Rock - An individual that struggles in academics and "sinks" to the bottom of the class. "Rock Math" is the lowest section in Plebe Math.)
  • Rack - Cadet Candidate bed, also SACK, v. To sleep.
  • Room con - Confinement to quarters, as a punishment for breach of discipline.
  • RD=FC - "Rough Draft Equals Final Copy". The art of completing a paper or project in one sitting.
  • SAMI - Saturday Morning Inspection.
  • Slug - A special punishment for serious offense. Also Slam - To impose a special punishment on someone.
  • Snake - One who will cut in at hops. v. to cut in.
  • Solids - Engineering mechanics.
  • S.O.D. - Senior Officer Of the Day.
  • S.O.G. - Senior Officer Of the Guard.
  • Sound off - A powerful voice. v. To use the voice so as to be heard, shout.
  • Spaz - To function improperly. n. Someone who functions improperly.
  • Spec - To memorize verbatim, as: "to spec blind." (Also SPEC AND DUMP: to memorize material to pass a test, then forget it.)
  • Squid - One who attends the Naval Academy.
  • Star man - An academically distinguished cadet candidate.
  • Striper - A cadet captain.
  • Supe - The superintendent.
  • TAC - A tactical officer.
  • Ted - An intelligent person or one who learns quickly (Also GEEK).
  • T.E.E. - Term End Examination, finals.
  • Tie up - To make a gross error.
  • Tour - One hour's walk on the area (punishment); a period of duty, as a guard tour.
  • Trou - Trousers.
  • Turnback - A readmitted cadet.
  • Unsat - Unsatisfactory performance.
  • Went-off - Special attention from an upperclass cadet.
  • Woo-Poo-U - USMA, Also, WOOPS.
  • Woops - Sound squids make when they see USMAPS Cadet Candidates.
  • Wopper, W.O.P.R. - Written Oral Partial Review.
  • W.P.R. - Written Partial Review.
  • Writ - A written recitation, an examination.
  • Yearling - A member of the Third Class; (also Yuk.)
  • You fly, I buy - You pick the food up, and I'll pay for it.
  • Zoomie - One who attends the Air Force Academy.

Field Slang

  • Blue Canoe - a portable (chemical) toilet
  • Down Range - physically in a combat zone, it is also used to describe an imaginary place all soldiers are headed to but never actually reach. Generally, the term refers to Iraq itself; moving from a base in Kuwait to Iraq is moving "down range".
  • FOBbit - a soldier who doesn't leave the Forward Operating Base (var. of "Hobbit")
  • Hooch - soldier's dwelling in-country, from hut to barracks (originated in Vietnam)
  • Hajji - any civilian or civilian item, eg: a civilian is a "Hajji", a civilian vehicle is a "hajji car", a civilian house is a "hajji house" (Literally, Hajji means a Muslim that has gone on the Haj but US Soldiers use it for Middle Eastern civilians in general)
  • Mad Minute- a Vietnam-era term for a furious minute of firepower used to discourage infiltrators around a defensive position, to do "reconnaisance by fire" or to clear a landing zone upon arrival, It is also called a Mike-mike and can also mean a furious session of test firing weapons.
  • In-Country - physically in a combat zone, see also "Down Range"
  • Rock Eaters - Term used by troops during the Balkan missions to describe locals. It comes from the locals teeth decay, which was explained by saying that they ate rocks making their teeth fall out.
  • Snake Eaters - Term used to describe Special Forces personnel referencing their often austere living conditions with native peoples.
  • The Sand Box - Iraq, particularly the southern part
  • Slicky Boys - thieves that sneak into bivouac sites, mainly in Korea
  • Spoon - a cook or someone who serves food as their job
  • Three Men in a Boat - Stop, the Arabic letters making the word 'stop' appears to be three men sitting in a canoe. Example at bottom.
  • Geardo - any soldier who spends half their paychecks on extra equipment and never leaves the FOB

Nicknames for Army posts and units

  • Fort Beginning - Fort BenningTrainees call it this because of the long wait to begin infantry school
  • Fort Blister - Fort Bliss, TX Named this because of the intense heat of the region
  • Fort Cartoon - Fort Carson
  • Fort Drunk - Fort Drum in the 1990's, due to the high level of alcohol related incidents
  • Fort Knocks - Fort Knox
  • Fort Lost in the Woods - Fort Leonard Wood, due to its remote location
  • Fort Puke, Fort Poke, Camp Swampy - Fort Polk, due to name or location. The adjacent town of Leesville, LA is often refered to as "Sleazeville".
  • Fort Silly - Fort Sill
  • Fort Useless - Fort Eustis
  • Puking Buzzards - 101st Airborne Division, from "Screaming Eagles" motto
  • Choking Chickens or Screaming Chickens - 101st Airborne Division, from "Screaming Eagles" motto
  • Great Beret Give-Away - 82nd Airborne Division. Light infantry units typically used this, because previous to the army switching to berets, this was the only division-sized unit that wore berets. Infantrymen thought it insulting that even admin clerks in the 82nd wore berets.
  • The Division - 82nd Airborne Division.Used in refrerence to the only real Division.
  • The 82d Airplane Gang - 82nd Airborne Division.Used in refrerence to the significant gang mentality of many military dependants at Fort Bragg.
  • Leaning Shithouse - 1st COSCOM (now 1st Sustainment Command) units, due to the unit patch, an arrow pointing to the 10 o'clock position [1]
  • Nasty Girls - National Guard soldiers
  • Relaxin' Jackson - Fort Jackson
  • T-Patchers - 36th Infantry Division Comes from the "T" on their shoulder patches
  • The Bro - The Big Red One or First infantry Division.
  • The First Team - The First Cavalry Division.
  • The Ivy Division - The Fourth (or IV) Infantry Division whose patch lookes like four Ivy leaves. Also described as "four 2LT's pointing north".
  • 10th Mo-Town - 10th Mountain Division.
  • Fort Hoochy Koochy - Fort Huachuca, Arizona
  • Defense Love Institute - Defense Language Institute (DLA)

References

See also

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