40+ Military Terms That Common People Have No Idea About
Would you have known what had occurred to you if you had been told? How should you react if someone refers to you as a zoomie? Could you identify your fourth point of contact using both hands? If you’re perplexed by this military lingo, keep reading to find out what it all means. We have prepared translations for 40 of the most cryptic military expressions…
Grab Some Real Estate
No, we’re not talking about a slew of realtors enlisting in the United States Army. Actually, grabbing some real estate is quite literal. What you see in the picture is what it literally means. Would you be able to do this in a split second? It entails lying flat on the ground with your hands to the ground in order to complete some push-ups, most commonly as a punishment. In this situation, real estate will not make you wealthy, but it will make you more comfortable.
Leg
LEG has nothing to do with the two lower limbs shared by most primates, including humans. In actuality, LEG stands for “low-entry ground soldier,” which refers to infantrymen who fight on land rather than via parachute. The Airborne divides the world’s population into three categories: civilians, Airborne, and Legs. Any member of the military who is not airborne is referred to as a leg.
LEG
Dirty Leg- Nasty Leg- is their slang for insulting other soldiers. Rather than airplanes, the term “low-entry” usually refers to troops leaping out of the back of a truck. At least, that’s what I’ve always been taught. The related descriptors are normally “filthy, nasty,” but I’ve just used “LEG” on its own.
Fister
A fister is not someone who punches someone in the face. A soldier with the title is actually a member of a fire support unit. Their mission is to provide target information to artillery units, allowing them to hit their targets more precisely.
Fister
Despite the name, boxing skills are not required for this critical fighting function. Fire support specialists, also known as 13Fs or FISTers as they are sometimes referred to, provide a key capacity on the battlefield by synchronizing and integrating fires.
Zoomie
Being referred to as a zoomie in the military does not imply that you have participated in an online video conference. No, a zoomie is a pilot in the United States Air Force. The moniker derives from the fact that there are few better ways to whiz around than in a modern jet fighter capable of flying faster than the speed of sound.
Zoomie
Zoomies was a nuclear mechanic’s nickname for radiation. It’s formally known as occupational, ionizing, radiation. It might be a neutron, gamma, beta, or alpha particle. They’re all zoomies when it comes to nukes. Nontechnical units of radiation, such as those found in or near nuclear weapons or a nuclear reactor, or detected by a dosimeter. A zoomie is a pejorative word for former Air Force personnel during the Vietnam War.
Beat Feet
Anyone who has actually participated in armed warfare will tell you that quick movement is often critical to success and even survival. When someone yells, “Beat feet!” on the battlefield, it is not a call to begin torturing the opponent with medieval torture.
Beat Feet
The instruction tells you to get out there as quickly as you can. To beat feet means to go somewhere quickly. It means getting your arse out of somewhere quickly while remaining somewhat organized. I believe the phrase derives from military jargon.
Don’t Get Wrapped Around The Axle
Have you ever been driving along and a length of cable or something similar gets wrapped around your vehicle’s axle? If this is the case, you might expect a mechanical calamity.
Don’t Get Wrapped Around The Axle
However, when used to troops, the term has come to indicate maintaining focus on the big picture rather than getting bogged down in detail.
Acquired Gear
As a phrase, acquired equipment appears harmless enough. However, if you hear a military officer say these words, there’s a good possibility that the appropriation was not done properly.
Acquired Gear
Soldiers have a well-deserved reputation for discovering ways to obtain prized equipment through non-traditional means.
Good Idea Fairy
So, who is the fairy of good ideas? The officer is the one who has a bright new idea about how things should be organized on the base. Unfortunately, it almost always requires some extra chores for the lower ranks, which are typically tedious and time-consuming.
Good Idea Fairy
As a result, it is most emphatically not praise. The word originated in the United States military and refers to an evil, legendary monster that whispers suggestions and ideas into the ears of commanders, causing hundreds of unneeded modifications and countless wasted man-hours.
Why The Sky Is Blue
What makes the sky blue? According to NASA scientists, this is due to the way sunlight is scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere. However, the United States Army disagrees.
Why The Sky Is Blue
The army supposedly asserts in basic training that the hue of the sky is a direct result of infantry fighters wearing blue insignia. And the atmosphere has no choice but to rejoice. We’re not completely convinced.
Fourth Point Of Contact
The phrase “fourth point of contact” is used by paratroopers. There appear to be five points of touch while landing from a parachute descent. The feet, lower legs, and upper legs are the first three.
Fourth Point Of Contact
This pattern invariably leads to the fourth point, the butt. Just so you know, the fifth point is the torso assuming all goes as planned.
Come Up On The Net
The network in question is a communication network. And the information that circulates on the internet is anything that a soldier might communicate with his buddies about his personal life.
Come Up On The Net
The private news network is another name in the same category. That’s the kind of rumor that thrives in any military setting.
Joe
Of course, you can have a cup of coffee. However, coffee is not a stimulating beverage in the military. It’s a phrase for service members, similar to another well-known one, grunt. Joe is typically a low-ranking soldier. Private Joe Snuffy is a nickname for the average soldier. It’s hardly flattering.
Joe
PX Ranger
You must first understand what the PX is. Military bases have a general store, which is officially known as the Post Exchange. Everything from military equipment to candy snacks is available.
PX Ranger
A PX ranger is a soldier who has over-equipped themselves with PX equipment. The inference is that they’ve probably overburdened themselves with goods they don’t actually need.
CAB-Chaser
You must first understand what the PX is. Military bases have a general store, which is officially known as the Post Exchange. Everything from military equipment to candy snacks is available.
CAB Chaser
A PX ranger is a soldier who has over-equipped themselves with PX equipment. The inference is that they’ve probably overburdened themselves with goods they don’t actually need.
Beat Your Boots
Regardless of how upset they’ve made you, hitting your boots is a waste of time. Because shoes are inanimate and don’t care what you do to them.
Beat Your Boots
In the military, though, thumping your boots means leaning down to touch your feet and then snapping erect. It’s a difficult workout, but it’s an excellent punishment for little infractions.
Dash-Ten
This mysterious word, contrary to appearances, has nothing to do with quick movement over a short distance. Apparently, all US Army equipment manuals have a number: reasonable enough.
Dash Ten
However, because all of the identifiers end in a dash-ten, a dash-ten is an instructional handbook. Always read the handbook before using anything. Especially when it comes to lethal weapons.
Sham Shield
This derogatory moniker is given to soldiers who are deployed as specialists. These individuals are identified by a shield-shaped emblem.
Sham Shield
The derogatory term is said to derive from the fact that specialists are frequently excused from laborious tasks. Nobody likes a shirker! Although we’re not convinced that the scorn is totally justified in this case.
15 Minutes Prior To 15 Minutes Prior
The military’s fixation with punctuality is reflected in this weird word soup. Soldiers are well aware that if they are even a minute late for a parade or practice, they will be chastised.
15 Minutes Prior To 15 Minutes Prior
So they make a point of arriving 15 minutes early just to be safe. Even so, there is always the possibility of an unanticipated snag. As a result, it is preferable to come 15 minutes early. That’s 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
A Good Piece Of Gear
A decent piece of gear does not, contrary to popular belief, relate to a particularly effective gun or an impressive explosive device. No, it refers to a person who serves in the military.
A Good Piece Of Gear
It is, indeed, a compliment. To earn this title, you must be extraordinarily competent in your role.
Ack On The Block
The theme is the past when a soldier begins to reminisce wistfully about being back on the block. Particularly, when the soldier was still an ordinary civilian. Civilians are also described as nasty.
Ack On The Block
That’s not as impolite as you may think: in the army, nasty merely means unkempt. Soldiers, of course, have gleaming boots and gleaming brass.
Blues Buddies
The term “blues buddies” does not refer to musically inclined friends. What you need to know is that the elegant dress uniform worn by the Marine Corps is known as “the Blues”.
Blues Buddies
Once you have that information, it’s not a big leap to figure out that your blues mates are actually serving in the Marines.
Full Battle Rattle
The rattle in question is not a toy for children. It is the whole set of equipment required by a soldier when beginning a mission.
Full Battle Rattle
Under those conditions, you’d be carrying a flak jacket, canteen, rifle, and up to 180 rounds of live ammunition. Why tremble? Because that’s exactly what you’ll sound like when you’re outfitted with all that stuff.
Chair Force
You’ve probably heard of the USAF, but what about the chair force? That second word turns out to be a clever, if not entirely respectful.
Chair Force
It is a nickname for USAF personnel who spend their days behind a desk rather than behind the controls of a fighter jet. Remington raider is a phrase used by the Marine Corps.
Check Your Six
This does not imply that you should examine your abs. This six is the numeral on a clock face, not a six-pack. Six is, of course, the lowest number on the dial, and six o’clock in a military context implies the rear.
Check Your Six
So “check your six” is a warning to keep an eye on your back, which is an important precaution on the battlefield.
Days And A Wake-Up
This does not imply that you should examine your abs. This six is the numeral on a clock face, not a six-pack. Six is, of course, the lowest number on the dial, and six o’clock in a military context implies the rear. S
Days And A Wake Up
o “check your six” is a warning to keep an eye on your back, which is an important precaution on the battlefield.
Embrace The Suck
Any serving soldier will tell you that military duty may be extremely tedious at times. By no means is it all excitement.
Embrace The Suck
However, if you have chosen to join the military forces, you must learn to accept this. So, in order to achieve, you must embrace the suck.
Field Strip
No, an officer will not ask you to undress in a field. Alternatively, if they do, you should probably register a complaint. A field strip is when you disassemble a piece of equipment without the benefit of a workshop.
Field Strip
When you’re out on patrol in the field, a vehicle or piece of equipment may fail. You’ll just have to disassemble it and repair it wherever you are.
Fobbit
The term “fobbit” is not a misspelling of “hobbit,” though the former may have derived from the latter. A fobbit is a soldier who stays close to a forward operating post, abbreviated as a FOB.
Fobbit
As a result, they are understandably cautious. Or you may believe they lack the boldness and initiative that the United States Army is entitled to expect.
Gear Adrift Is A Gift
This clever sentence is actually an admonition. If you do not properly care for your equipment, such as leaving it unattended, you may not see it again.
Gear Adrift Is A Gift
It is unlikely that your fellow soldiers will steal it. It will instead be tactically acquired. In fact, others could simply call that stealing. In any case, take care of your equipment!
Blue Falcon
This is not a bird species. Rather, it’s a euphemism, with blue standing in for buddy and the falcon standing in for a phrase that’s widely regarded as one of the most impolite in even a soldier’s language.
Blue Falcon
So a blue falcon is someone who causes major problems for his companions in warfare. It’s not meant as a compliment.
Lance Corporal Underground
This is from the United States Marine Corps. It does not, however, imply the existence of a secret society of disgruntled lance corporals.
Lance Corporal Underground
What we’re referring to is the rumor mill, which can be found in almost any military unit you can think of. In this situation, it’s gossip and supposition that spreads like wildfire through the lowest ranks.
Pop Smoke
This could imply that your father has gone outside to smoke a cigar, but he doesn’t. In the military, pop smokes are signaling cartridges that let a helicopter land on the spot as it approaches. There’s a secondary meaning as well: to flee quickly. My friend, take it literally. It literally means to ignite or fire off screening smoke. What you do now is dependent on the scenario in which the smoke was burst.
Pop Smoke
In armor combat, you use smoke to prevent an attacker from seeing your vehicle and where it is headed. In infantry ground warfare, you usually use smoke to obscure who you are aggressing or being aggressed by as you advance up on them. Yet, you may use smoke to go from a forward to a backward position.
Power Point Ranger
Most of us have undoubtedly had to sit through one of these: boring PowerPoint presentations. A PowerPoint ranger is a soldier that spends their days preparing PowerPoints, which are commonly utilized in the military for briefing sessions.
PowerPoint Ranger
All too often, these are overburdened with the software’s digital arsenal of bells and whistles. A person who works at a desk and prefers to create electronic slide presentations rather than doing anything more productive.
Sniper Check
A sniper check is not a preventive drill to avoid a sudden burst of fire, though it is a good idea. No, it refers to a salute in this circumstance. Why? When in the field, you’re not supposed to salute an officer as normal, because that’s a sure sign for snipers that they have a valuable target.
Sniper Check
A sniper check is a salute to a field officer. This is usually prohibited since it marks the soldier as an officer, making them a target for snipers. A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from cover or at distances greater than the target’s detection capabilities.
Soup Sandwich
In the military, this sentence is usually followed by a considerably worse word than soup. We’ll leave it to your imagination to figure out what it is. In any case, if things go horribly wrong on a mission due to inefficiency or negligence, the participants may be forced to eat an extremely uncomfortable sandwich. We sincerely hope only symbolically.
Soup Sandwich
It is used to describe a person, thing, circumstance, or mission that has gone disastrously wrong. The gist of the term’s meaning stems from the notion that making a sandwich out of soup is extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Standby To Standby
Standby is a command that service members hear far more often than they would want. Because you could be stuck in standby mode for hours on end. Alert, yet doing nothing. So standby to standby is a cutting piece of army satire. It means you should be alert but do nothing while waiting for an order to be alert but do nothing.
Standby To Standby
It’s unofficially used to advise younger members to be prepared and wait. Troops are frequently kept waiting for extended periods of time owing to logistical or leadership indecision. “Standby to standby,” when spoken sarcastically, denotes that a unit is waiting in order to wait some longer.
Chest Candy
Hmm. This phrase may give you the wrong impression. So let us set you straight right away. It refers to the medals and ribbons worn on the dress uniform jackets of highly decorated soldiers.
Chest Candy
Another phrase for the same thing is fruit salad. When used, it can be adored, but it can also be disrespectful. It refers to the awards and decorations that are typically worn on the service or dress uniform of a military service member.
Great Mistakes
Great Mistake is a misspelling of Great Lakes. It’s a clever name for Naval Station Great Lakes, which houses the United States Navy’s boot camp. And what is the error?
Great Mistakes
Because the Navy formerly had training facilities in Orlando, Florida and San Diego, California. And any fool will tell you that the weather in those two places is far superior to that of the Great Lakes region.
Left-Handed Monkey Wrench
The most crucial feature of a left-handed monkey wrench is that there is none. Some tools have adapted versions for left-handed users, but a monkey wrench requires no modification to be used on either hand. Sending a novice to the store to get a non-existent left-handed monkey wrench is a popular prank.
Left Handed Monkey Wrench
A left-hand monkey wrench, it turns out, is a fictitious instrument that is mentioned as a rite of initiation – or hazing activity – for new workers or fresh recruits, frequently in a military situation.
Voluntold
Voluntold is a combination of the terms voluntary and told. Of course, if you undertake a task deliberately, you do so of your own volition. However, if you’re commanded to do anything in the military, you’re simply following orders. If you are asked to volunteer for a task but it is clear that you have no actual option, you have been voluntold.
Voluntold
The United States military employs several distinctive acronyms, terminologies, and lingo. This is due to the necessity for quick and clear communication. Voluntold is the inverse of volunteering. Always used in relation to an unpleasant assignment imposed to you by your supervisor.
Serving in the military makes you a soldier for life. We have therefore put up a list of unique items that military personnel or former soldiers will be able to relate to.
Floor = Bed
Soldiers receive basic training to enable them to sleep in almost any place. Soldiers view the floor as their bed and their friend’s shoulder as more than just a body part—a its pillow.
Floor = Bed
Civilians take the floor for granted. Soldiers are absolutely extraordinary in many ways. It’s fairly amazing that they can get up and stand at attention in a matter of seconds even when they are soundly asleep.
Ironing Boss
Soldiers are required to iron and fold their uniforms. You rarely, if ever, see a soldier wearing a wrinkled uniform. Simply put, it’s not their style. Being well-groomed is essential for troops at all times.
Ironing Boss
Most troops are now required to iron their uniforms due to a recent regulation change. Permanent press setting of no more than 300 degrees.
The Way You Walk
Would you be interested in learning if someone was a soldier or not? Just take a look at how they walk. Even from a mile away, it’s easy to tell that soldiers are walking with intention and control.
The Way You Walk
Another factor is that if you walk with someone who has military experience, you will probably need to walk faster.
Military Time
“What time is it?” “It’s 16:00!” Being a former soldier has no bearing on how you measure and interpret time. If it’s possible to only count 24 hours, why is it necessary to include AM and PM?
Military Time
The current 24-hour clock, often known as military time in the United States, is a timekeeping system in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is split into 24 hours.
Your Hair
Citizens can choose any hairstyle they wish to wear, but troops are required to all have buzz cuts.
Your Hair
However, once they leave the service, they are free to get any haircut they want, but many prefer to keep the style to which they have become used.
Scanning Situations
Soldiers receive extensive training in situation analysis from day one. A soldier is constantly on guard and attentive to anything that could be suspicious.
Scanning Situations
If necessary, they will undoubtedly take action. Because of this, don’t be shocked if your spouse quickly scans a concert, a picnic in the park, or even a room.
Standing At Ease
It may appear unpleasant to you when soldiers stand “at ease,” but after some time, even in civilian life, the posture sort of becomes comfortable.
Standing At Ease
The position of at attention, or standing at attention, is a military posture that involves the following broad postures: Standing erect with an authoritative and proper posture: notably “chin up, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in”.
Sir And Ma’am
Respect is one of the lessons taught to troops. Soldiers will always address males as “sir” and ladies as “ma’am,” whether they are talking to your parents, the milkman, or the flower woman.
Sir And Ma’am
The honorifics Sir/Ma’am are reserved for commissioned officers. Noncommissioned Officers have their own honorific titles, which you should use. This will be a variation of Sergeant in the Army.
Fast Eater
Because they frequently have to return to their position after eating, soldiers teach themselves to eat quickly. Another possibility would be that they are operating in some sort of war zone survival mode.
Fast Eater
Don’t presume that a former soldier would find it simple to resume their pre-army eating habits.
Military Jargon
We’ve probably all heard phrases like “roger that,” “negative,” or “affirmative” in movies and video games. Even after leaving the military, soldiers still communicate in this manner.
Military Jargon
It’s comparable to learning a new language. Once you’ve learned it, it can be challenging to let go of it.
Your Fridge
Families frequently post notes and pictures on their refrigerators, and soldiers do something quite similar.
Your Fridge
Typically, a soldier’s refrigerator contains memorabilia from their time in the military, such as military trinkets or other relics.
Saluting
If you’re wondering why someone saluted you, they must have been in the military and were most likely just saying hello.
Saluting
Military personnel frequently salute one another as a gesture to meet one another. Consequently, it can be challenging to break the habit.
No Kitchen
Describe a kitchen. In reality, we intended to say “the mess.” Even if your kitchen is spotless and organized, a soldier would always perceive it as THE MESS. If you join the army, you will become acquainted with the dining hall, commonly known as a mess.
No Kitchen
The officers’ mess hall is frequently a separate location for officers to eat. The phrase is derived from an archaic definition of mess, “food for one meal.”
Call Of Duty
Soldiers enjoy playing Call of Duty much like civilians. However, soldiers are aware of how different the game is from reality. It’s simple as pie to carry one grenade launcher and six firearms in a video game.
Call Of Duty
According to press sources, military troops began playing games like Call of Duty, “Valorant,” and Halo while interacting with big audiences and promoting military life. Meanwhile, the military relied on technology to define its future.
Black paint or ‘Boot-Topping’?
Military troops will tell you that there isn’t much distinction between boot topping and boot paint. Actually, the black coating applied between the deck and the waterline is known as boot-topping.
Black Paint Or ‘Boot Topping’
In addition, it is made with sulfur or lime and has a liquidy, thick viscosity. Even though a civilian wouldn’t even notice the difference between black paint and boot-topping, a trained military eye can tell the difference even from a mile away.
Quiet In Line
People who have served in the military patiently wait in line without making a scene because this is a skill they learn throughout basic training.
Quiet In Line
They stand silently in line while they wait for orders or before entering the mess hall. As a result, when waiting for the bus or an ATM in daily life, they also do the same thing.
Checking Your Car
Being safe in the military requires strict discipline. Before embarking on a mission, soldiers must inspect their vehicle to make sure it is secure and prepared for usage. Soldiers must inspect the vehicle in advance.
Checking Your Car
It is essential to do, whether it be a fighter jet, an armored personnel carrier, or a helicopter. They continue to examine their own car even after leaving the service because they have this habit.
Home Chore List
Take a cue from the military if you’re one of those persons who struggle to complete their work. They create a chore list, which guarantees that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and that these duties are completed.
Home Chore List
Those who neglect their duties face consequences. This approach is also used by military families.
Skip The Fireworks
While you might find the sky lit up by fireworks to be incredibly lovely, not everyone agrees. If you’re unsure of who may think in such a way, consider a soldier who has had combat experience in a combat area.
Skip The Fireworks
They don’t really remember booms fondly, and they’ve had more than their fair share of actual fireworks experience.
Power Stance
In addition to walking a certain way, soldiers also stand a certain way. Soldiers frequently adopt a power posture based on their rank. You can definitely sense the confidence that troops and veterans emanate when they are around.
Power Stance
Power posing is a contentious self-improvement technique or “life hack” in which people stand in a stance that they psychologically equate with being powerful in the hopes of feeling more confident and acting assertively.