Thursday, December 30, 2010

MILSPEAK....Pretty funny stuff that Sailors/Soldiers/Marines/Airmen say....


There are many forms of communication out there....I have been in the Navy where you get " Sailor Speak ", basic words and phrases that become the daily dialogue one hears while in the Navy....Phrases like SNAFU, FUBAR and Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot are not only in use in the service, but have migrated into civilian lexicon...

Here is an updated list of some of the newer ones out there...heard a few of these when I was out in the AFGHN....pretty damn accurate terminology.

Milspeak -

"Back to the taxpayers":
Navy slang for where a wrecked aircraft gets sent.

Beltway clerk: A derisive term for a Washington political operative or civilian political hatchet man—in other words, someone who trades on his supposed political connections. May refer to so-calle" "Washington defense exper"s" who have never served in the armed forces.

"Embrace the suck": Translation: The situation is bad, but deal with it.

Fallujah: An Iraqi city. As slang, however, the phrase "another Fallujah" means a screwed-up place crawling with bad guys.


FOB: Forward Operations Base ("the yard"). Protected area for Iraqi or coalition soldiers.

Fobbits: Derogatory term for soldiers who never leave a FOB.


FUBAR: F***** Up Beyond All Recognition. Fake acronym. A World War II term still in use.

FUBIJAR: A play on FUBAR. F***** Up, But I'm Just A Reservist. A sarcastic jab by a reservist at criticism from a regular.

Groundhog Day: Every day of your tour in Iraq. Terms suggests the days never change—always long and hot, and the same events keep recurring. From the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day.

Hooah: U.S. Army slang. Actually a shout. Signals approval or solidarity. Means most anything except "no."

John Wayne Driving School: Banging up a Humvee in the process of teaching new soldiers to drive it.

LPCs: Leather Personnel Carriers. Better known as boots.

Marineland: Slang for Iraq's Anbar province, which is largely patrolled by U.S. Marines

Mookie: Nickname for Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr. See: Mahdi Militia. ("Hey, the Cav's going back into Najaf. Mookie and the Mookie Army are restless again.")

MOUT: Military Operations in Urban Terrain. A general description for house-to-house searches, raids, and patrols in an urban area.

"Pig looking at a wristwatch": Slang for a dumbfounded look. ("Stop looking at that mop like a pig looking at a wristwatch, and clean the floor.")

Ranger candy (also known as GI M&Ms): An 800-milligram Motrin (ibuprofen) pill.

Semper Fi: U.S. Marines motto, short for "Semper Fidelis," which is Latin for "Always Faithful."

Semper I: Pejorative Marine lingo for being overly concerned with one's own personal interests.

Semper Gumby: Another play on Semper Fi. Means "always flexible."

Semper Knife: Yet another twist on Semper Fi. Means "backstabbing."

Turkey peek: To glance around or over an object or surface, such as a corner or wall. ("Now, once you're in there, do a turkey peek around the wall then move to the next building.")

Excerpted from Embrace the Suck: A Pocket Guide to Milspeak Copyright 2007 by Pamphleteer Press.

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