Main Page | Recent changes | Edit this page | Page history Printable version | Disclaimers | Privacy policy

Not logged in Log in | Help

Marine Jargon

From Memory-Zeta

Category: Marine Terminology

Marine Jargon is the body of expressions and acronyms used by the Marines in their day to day lives.

This article is a work in progress.

Contents 1 0-9 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 D 6 E 7 F 8 G 9 H 10 I 11 J 12 K 13 L 14 M 15 N 16 O 17 P 18 Q 19 R 20 S 21 T 22 U 23 W

[edit] 0-9

• 180 — One-hundred-eighty degrees on a compass. To do an about face: to change to the opposite one's point of view.
• 221 — The number of a Marine Corps after action performance report template. Has developed a usage as slang for "we'll talk about this later".
• 360 — Complete circle on a compass. To put protection (360) all around.
• 0 - The number zero, never pronounced "oh" as that is a letter.

[edit] A

• A2 - Aforementioned Asshole
• A3 - Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere.
• above my pay grade — A reply: "Don't ask me; it is beyond what I'm paid to know," or "I don't have the authority to make that decision."
• acting jack — Assistant drill instructor at a recruit depot or an acting corporal.
• ahoy — This is an old traditional nautical greeting and also is used for hailing other boats. It was originally a Viking battle cry.
• all hands — Entire ship's company or unit personnel, including officers and enlisted personnel.
• ashore — Planetside, as differentiated from on board ship. Any place off a Marine Corps or Federation reservation. Go ashore, go on liberty or leave the reservation.
• Asiatic — Mildly deranged or eccentric as a result of too much foreign duty, or one who has missed too many boats.
• ate up — Describing one who has no clue about what's going on. One who is always lazy, in disarray and unsatisfactory.
• aye-aye — A nautical term. When an officer or enlisted Marine receives orders of instruction, the Marine replies, "Aye-aye, sir," meaning: "Yes, I understand the orders. Yes, I will carry out your orders." Hence the Aye-Aye, a statement of both understanding and compliance.

[edit] B

• Battalion Lance Corporal — The seniormost non-rate in the unit. the E-3 most likely not to be promoted to the rank of Corporal.
• battle zero, battle sight zero or BZO — Is a term coined in the 20th century indicating the baseline settings on the M16 Assault Rifle, used in current Marine settings to indicate the standard sight settings on any phaser rifle issued from the armory, or the baseline setting when a new phaser is completed.
• BAW - Big Asshole Windbag.
• beans, bullets and bandages — Everything Marines need to kill.
• belay — To cancel an order, to stop, to firmly secure a line.
• below — Down the ladder well. Below decks.
• BFH - Big Fucking Help.
• binnacle list — Sick list. List of men excused from duty. In the old days it was posted on or near the binnacle, which is a large stand used to house a magnetic compass and fitting.
• BLT — Battalion Landing Team, the ground combat element of a MEU.
• BOHICA - Bend Over, Here It Comes Again!
• boondocks — Woods or wilds, far-away spaces or that portion of the country which is fit only for the training of Marines. Possibly from the Tagalog "bundok" or mountain jungles of the Philippines.
• boondockers — Boots.
• boondoggle — Any trip on government time that serves no purpose other than to entertain the Marine making it.
• boot, booter — Recruit. Or to be junior to another Marine, such as, "He's boot to me."
• boot lips — Junior Marine, similar to "boot". Coined by Sergeant Robert G. Bushner, all Marines junior to a Marine of that time is automatically considered forever "boot lips". The term in a sentence. "If I ever wanted any salt, I could scrape it off your lips, because they were on my boots, you are forever boot lips".
• boots 'n' utes — Boots and utility uniform, minus the blouse. Commonly used for physical training.
• brain-housing group — Just as a service rifle has a trigger-housing group, each Marine has a brain-housing group that sometimes is not as engaged as a Marine's senior may like.
• brass — Brass uniform items. It is also used as a term for senior officers. Can also apply to the casings from spent rounds, IE "Police your brass, marine, this isn't an Army picnic."
• brig — Place of confinement aboard ship or ashore at a Marine Corps or naval station; the post prison. Never a stockade.
• brightwork — Brass or shiny metal, which Marines must polish.
• brig rat — One who has served much brig time. A habitual offender.
• brown-bagger — A married Marine who lives off base with his family.
• BTDT - Been There, Done That.
• bulkheads — Walls.
• "By your leave, sir/ma'am." — When overtaking a senior officer in rank proceeding in the same direction, draw abreast on the senior's left, coming to the salute as you say, "By your leave, sir." The senior officer acknowledges the salute and replies, "Granted" or "Carry on."

[edit] C

• C & S — "Clean and sober," notation formerly entered on the liberty list beside the names of Marines returning from liberty in that condition.
• C2CO - Can't Cunt Commanding Officer. An officer who won't support their men or take chances because they're afraid it'll ruin their chances for promotion.
• Cammies -Most common term used for Camouflage utility uniform. See Utilities.
• ' Cannon Fodder' - See FNG.
• catwalk — Walkway constructed over or around obstructions on a ship.
• chairborne — Someone in the H&S (headquarters and support) company or someone who works in an office environment
• chalk — A squad of Marines in a shuttlecraft.
• chaser — Contraction of prisoner-chaser, an escort for a prisoner or detail of prisoners.
• chevrons — Symbols of enlisted ranks above private. Never stripes.
• chief — Chief Petty Officer. It is best and respectful to address senior chief petty officers and master chief petty officers as senior chief and master chief.
• Chinese field day - A form of field day where it is deemed necessary to remove every item from a barracks room for cleaning. This may last several hours longer than necessary. Usually a result of unsat rooms from previous inspection. Also used to mentally abuse Marines because the NCOs are pricks.
• chit — Probably derived from Hindi word chitti (letter). A letter, note, voucher or receipt, such as a light duty chit.
• chow — Food.
• chow down — To eat.
• chowhound — A gourmet on the rampage.
• circular file — an office GI can (garbage can).
• C.O.B. — Close of business.
• Colonel — Proper in addressing lieutenant colonels and colonels.
• CommO — Communications officer.
• comm-rats — Commuted rations, extra pay for married personnel.
• corpsman — The "doc." (Navy corpsman attached to Marine unit.) Always corpsman, never medic or aid man.
• cover and alignment - When in formation, this refers to the proper distance between those Marines next to you, in front of you, and in back of you.
• covered and uncovered — When and when not wearing headgear. It is somewhat improper, although common, to refer to headgear as a cover. Marines wear hats, caps, helmets, etc.
• CP — Charlie Papa, command post.
• CQB - Close-Quarter Battle. That's killing which is up close and personal.
• CQC - Close-Quarter Combat. Variation of CQB.
• crew-served — In addition to the obvious meaning such as crew-served weapons, it means very large and very powerful. "I've got a crew-served problem."
• cruise — An enlistment period. Never a stint.
• cumshaw — Slang for something extra or free. Pidgin English expression using the Chinese word, kamsia (meaning grateful) and sia (meaning thanks).

[edit] D

• DADT - Don't Ask, Dont' Tell.
• D & D — Drunk and disorderly. An entry formerly made on the liberty list beside the name of any Marine returning from liberty in that condition.
• DD-214 — The Holy Grail of your Marine service, your discharge papers!
• dai jobi — (Japanese) OK.
• dead horse — To draw advance pay out of the normal pay cycle. The Marine is then obligated to repay the debt at the government's convenience.
• deck — Floor, surface of the earth. Also, to knock down with one blow.
• deep-six — To dispose of by throwing over the side.
• defecation hits the oscillation — When s*** hits the fan.
• devil docs — Nickname for Starlfeet Corpsmen who have graduated Field Medical Service School to become qualified for service alongside the Marines of the Corps' operational forces.
• devil dog — On June 12 and 13, 1918, Marines fought the Battle of Belleau Wood in France. The valor of the Fourth Marine Brigade was such that the wood is now called "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" or "Woods of the Marine Brigade." According to BGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret) in his book "The United States Marines: The First Two Hundred Years": "The Germans made their own sober assessment and begrudgingly allowed that Marines might be considered to be of storm-trooper quality. There was also a less formal assessment being made in the ranks: 'Teufelshunde,' 'hound of hell' or 'devil dog,' an appellation the Marines accepted as a compliment."
• Devil Dogging — Calling someone out to correct a minor deficiency as in "Hey Devil Dog, take your cover off indoors" or "First Sgt just devil dogged me about my uniform."
• Diddy Bop — Or Diddy Bopping, Used by DIs as a way of telling a recruit that they can't drill. Ex: "Hey Recruit Schmuckatelli stop diddy boppin'!!!"
• Doc — Navy medical corpsman attached to the Marines.
• dog and pony show — Any display, demonstration or appearance by Marines at the request of higher ups for the pleasure of someone else, e.g. static display at a local venue or appearance at the O-club.
• Dogg — Term of endearment between fellow Marines. Short for devil dog
• dope — Information. Sight setting and/or wind correction for a rifle under given conditions.

[edit] E

• EAS — End of Active Service, the date of your discharge from the USMC active duty.
• EEI - Essential Element of Information. The info-nuggets on which a mission is planned and executed.
• EGA — Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. The Marine Corps seal. Used mostly by newer generation Marines.
• eightball — Worthless, troublesome individual who deservedly remains behind the eightball.
• ELINT - Electronic Intelligence.
• EM — Do not use. Just say enlisted man or woman. Even better, say, "Marine."
• embed — Journalist who is assigned a slot within a combat unit.
• Emblem — Unites States Marine Corps Emblem, or Corps badge, adopted in 1868, frequently referred to as the globe and anchor, and lately the eagle, globe and anchor.
• Ensign — Colors, national flag. Also a junior commissioned officer in the Navy.
• EOD - Explosive Ordinance Disposal.
• EPD — Extra police duties.
• EPW — Enemy prisoner of war.

[edit] F

• feather merchant — A Marine of slight build, a tactical lightweight.
• field day — Day or portion of day set aside for general cleanup or police of an organization's area or barracks rooms.
• field expediency — To use what you have. To make do.
• field-strip — to disassemble without further breakdown the major groups of a piece of ordnance or weapon for routine cleaning or oiling. One also field-strips cigarette butts and their filters.
• fighting hole — See foxhole.
• File 13 — paper shredder.
• Fire Watch — Marine on duty specifically guarding a person, place, or object. Marines on "fire watch" are considered under arms, and report to seniors.
• first shirt — First sergeant.
• Fleetspeak — Redundant, bureaucratic naval nomenclature, either in written nonoral or nonwritten oral modes. Indecipherable by nonmilitary (conventional) or military (unconventional) individuals during normal interfacing configuration conformations.
• FNG - Fucking New Guy.
• foxhole — Today's Marines call it a fighting hole, but it also is known as a foxhole, according to Col Robert Debs Heinl Jr., USMC in his "Soldiers of the Sea": "One abiding by-product of the Belleau Wood action [France, 1918] was a new term in the soldier's argot: as the Marines scratched out shallow rifle pits wherever the front lines lay, somebody called them 'foxholes.' The name caught on."
• FUBAR — F'd up beyond all recognition (or repair), similar to SNAFU.

[edit] G

• galley — Kitchen.
• gangway — A ship's passageway. A term used to inform juniors to give way to seniors in ships' passageways, and particularly when going up and down ladders. The command can be given by anyone who sees an officer or civilian dignitary approaching a gangway, ladder, or passage, which is blocked.
• gear — Property or equipment. Personal gear is of course an individual Marine's property.
• gear adrift — Property or equipment found left lying around. It is known to Marines that gear adrift is a gift.
• general — A polite term for brigadier general, major general, lieutenant general and general.
• general mess — The enlisted mess.
• GI — Use squared away or regulation. It is verboten to speak of an enlisted Marine as a GI.
• GI cans — Garbage cans. An office circular file.
• GI house — Where garbage is stored until it is hauled away.
• gizmo — Any miscellaneous, nondescript, unidentified thing or gadget.
• GNBN - Good News/Bad News.
• Go-Fasters — Running shoes
• Greens — Referring to service uniforms and their color. Never olive drab.
• grid squares — Something that does not exist, ie. an object that is summoned from a recruit or new Marine. As in: "Hey boot, go to supply and check out 4 grid squares, 30 feet of chow line and get the keys to the Gunny's hummer while you are at it"
• grinder/deck — A parade ground or deck used primarily for drill. Purists say that it is improper to call it a deck, but nobody seems to listen to them anyway. Grinder is a better word. Ask anyone who has ever drilled on one for hours.
• grunt — An infantryman. Also known as a crunchie.
• Gung-ho — Chinese phrase meaning to "work together." Introduced by Colonel Evans F. Carlson, it became the battle cry of the WW II Marine Raiders, particularly the 2d Raider Battalion. A particularly avid Marine is also called gungy.
• gunner — Shortened version of Marine gunner—the title for line warrant officers, designated experts in various combat arms and tactics, signified by a bursting bomb designation. Also used informally in small support units to refer to the OIC (officer in charge) if he or she is of a chief warrant officer rank.
• gunny — A gunnery sergeant. Not a master gunnery sergeant.

[edit] H

• hack — Arrest. Officers to be in or to be under arrest.
• half-mast — Position of the ensign when hoisted halfway; usually done in respect to a deceased person. Not half-staff.
• hashmark — Service stripe worn on the uniform sleeve by enlisted men and women for completion of four years of honorable service in any of the U.S. Armed Services and Reserves.
• hatch — The cover over the opening that leads to the ladder wells between decks of ships. Also a door or doorway.
• headgear — Hats, helmets, caps, etc.
• heads — Bathrooms or latrines. A nautical term stemming from the days of sailing ships when sailors and Marines answered nature's call by going forward to the bow of the ship.
• heavy - One of the junior drill instructors who's main tasks are punishment and correcting flaws through repetitive practice.
• HICS - Head In Cement Syndrome. Condition common to high-ranking officers. Symptoms include pigheadedness and inability to change opinions when presented with new information.
• homesteading — Remaining at one duty station for an extended tour or consecutive tours.
• honcho — A Japanese term that applies to the Marine in charge.
• housewife — Girl Friend.
• HUMINT — Human Intelligence.
• hump — To lift, carry. Originally an Australian digger's word, "to hump one's swag," meaning to carry one's load.

[edit] I

• I & I — Inspector-instructor. A regular officer assigned to supervise the training of a Reserve unit.
• IG — The Inspector General.
• IG Inspection — An official inspection of a command or unit by the IG or his representatives.
• IED — Improvised Explosive Device.
• Improvise, adapt, overcome - An unofficial mantra of the Marine Corps based on the fact that the Corps generally received Army/Navy hand-me-downs and the troops were poorly equipped. Despite this, the Marine Corps has been successful mostly because of the creativity of its people and their success-based attitude.
• Irish pennants — Loose threads, string or straps that detract from a squared-away appearance, also known as an "IP."

[edit] J

• John Wayne — Military toilet tissue because it is rough, tough, and don't take s@#! off nobody.

[edit] K

• K or klicks — Kilometer, a unit of measure. One klick or K equals 1,000 meters.
• Ka-Bar — Famous USMC fighting/utility knife first issued during WW II. K-BAR- Knife, Browning Automatic Rifle.
• KATN — Kicking Ass and Taking Names.
• KISS — Keep It Simple, Stupid.
• knock it off — Stop what you are doing.

[edit] L

• lad — A young man. Never a boy. Lass is proper for a young woman. Never WM.
• lance criminal - Used among NCO's and above as a slightly derogatory term when discussing lance corporals who are difficult or thick-headed, sometimes the phrase "privates, PFC's, and lance criminals" is used, sometimes the term lance coolie is used as well.
• liberty — Authorized free time ashore or off station, not counted as leave.
• liberty list — Periodic list prepared by the first sergeant, containing the names of enlisted Marines entitled to liberty, employed by the guard in checking enlisted personnel on and off the ship or station.
• lieutenant — Proper for either first or second lieutenants. Never L.T.
• Lima Charlie — Phonetic alphabet signifying loud and clear. Is often substituted by "lickin' chicken"
• line company — Originally a separate, numbered Marine company performing infantry duties. Now, lettered Marine companies or the aviation term for ground units.
• lollygagging — The sailor-like habit of fooling around or to dawdle.
• lost lieutenant finder — A tricorder.

[edit] M

• M3 — Massively Motivated Motherfuckers.
• ma'am — Replaces sir, when addressing women officers in particular and all women in general.
• Major — The CO of a ship's Marine detachment. On a ship there can be only one captain among her officers and that's the captain of the ship. Consequently, the CO of the Marine detachment, usually a Marine captain, is called a major. Provided by Maj Rick Spooner, USMC (Ret), former ship's MarDet commander.
• Marine — leatherneck, devil dog, sea soldier, soldier of the sea, jarhead, gyrene, warrior, hardcharger, stone-face, motivator. Never Soldier.
• master guns or master gunny — Master gunnery sergeant.
• MEF — Marine expeditionary force. The largest of MAGTF units, approximately 46,100 Marines and sailors. It can range in size from less than a division to several divisions, shuttlecraft wings and FSSGs.
• messmen — Not KPs or mess cooks.
• MSG — Marine Security Guard. Embassy duty.

[edit] N

• NCO — Noncommissioned officer—corporal or sergeant. Never noncoms.
• NJP — Non-judicial punishment. Legally speaking, a commanding officer is authorized to award summary punishments and courts-martial at office hours (called Captain's Mast afloat). The CO or an officer in charge may nevertheless inflict NJP. NJP under Article 15, UCMJ, is intended to take care of offenses too serious to be dealt with by a mere rebuke, but not serious enough to warrant court-martial.
• Navy Mittens - Walking around with your hands in your pockets. Marines don't use pockets for anything, especially not to keep hands warm.
• non-rated — Not an NCO or petty officer rank. A snuffy.
• number one — The best.
• number ten — The worst.

[edit] O

• O-dark thirty — Very early, well before dawn.
• OBE — Overtaken By Events - Usually because of bureaucracy.
• office hours — Captain's Mast when afloat. Office hours can be, and frequently are, devoted to nondisciplinary matters such as praise, special requests and the like. However, it also deals with legal and disciplinary aspects. It is not merely an administrative procedure, but also a ceremony intended to dramatize praise and admonition. Like any ceremony, it should be dignified, disciplined, especially set apart in the daily routine and carefully planned.
• officers' club or officers' mess — Never O-club.
• officers' country — Officers' living spaces on board ship. Any portion of the post or station allocated for the exclusive use of officers.
• OJT — On-the-job training.
• Old Man — The commanding officer.
• OMPF — Official Military Personnel File.
• OOD — Officer of the Deck.
• ooh rah — Although the other services have since come up with their own versions, oorah is the uniquely Marine way of replying positively to almost anything. In 1953 members of 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company were aboard the submarine USS Perch (ASSP-313). Perch was a WW II diesel retrofitted to carry underwater demolition teams and Recon Marines. Whenever the boat was to dive, someone would announce over the PA system, "Dive, dive!" and sound a klaxon horn that sounded like "arrugha!" While 1st Amphib Recon Marines were on conditioning runs on land, they started singing chants. Someone imitated the horn sound "arrugha," and it became a Recon mantra: lexicon. Former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps John Massaro took "arrugha" from Recon with him to Drill Instructor School and passed it to the DI students, who in turn passed it to their recruits. Arrugha eventually evolved into "oorah."
• OPSEC — Operational Security.
• OQR — Officer qualification record, officer service record.
• out of bounds — An area or space restricted from use by normal traffic, or prohibited to enlisted Marines. Sometimes called "restricted area." Avoid using "off limits," an Army and Air Force equivalent.
• outside — Civilian life, sometimes colloquialized as, "Sergeant Boatspace is now serving on USS Outside." Occasionally referred to as "the 1st Civ. Div." See also, The Real World
• overheads — Ceilings.
• over the hill — To the desert. Too old.

[edit] P

• padre — Spanish, meaning "father," thus Catholic chaplains.
• parade ground/field/deck — Purists will call it a parade ground, but parade deck is acceptable.
• passageway — A corridor or hallway.
• passed over — In the status of having failed selection for the next higher rank.
• PCS — Permanent change of station, transfer to another post, station, base or installation.
• PDFL — Pretty Dangerous Fucking Location.
• PDMP — Pretty Dangerous Motherfucking People.
• PFC — Enlisted rate of E-2, Private first class.
• platoon sergeant — A staff NCO (usually a staff sergeant) in a platoon, executive to the platoon leader, usually a lieutenant.
• pogey bait — Candy, cookies, sweets favored by pogues.
• pogue — Anyone who is not in combat arms and not on the front line. Mostly seen as "POG", Persons other than Grunt.
• police — To pick up items such as brass and butts and to square away an area.
• port — Left. On a ship the port light, like port wine, is red. Opposite of starboard.
• pucker factor — Level of anxiety experienced by aircrews or others in tight situations.

[edit] Q

• quarters — Federation housing. Periodic, usually daily semimilitary muster of a ship's company.

[edit] R

• R2D2 — Ritualistic, Rehearsed, Disciplined Drills.
• racks or sacks — Beds. Never called bunks or beds.
• radio watch — Marine on duty monitoring radio networks for traffic.
• ranks — There is no contraction or shortened way of addressing the following: privates, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants (never sarge), staff sergeants, sergeants major, warrant officers, majors and colonels.
• real world — Civilian life
• REMF — rear echelon MFer, someone who served in a non-combatant type unit such as logistics.
• regulation — Strictly in accordance with regulations or adopted specifications. Issued from Federation sources.
• RHIP — Colloquial abbreviation for the service phrase: "Rank hath its privileges."
• rock — A Marine that is G2 (intelligence) challenged. Used as in, "That Marine's a rock!"
• Rocks and Shoals — A system of unofficial punishment for less then hard charging Marines. Usually the culmination of hard labor or excessive physical training accompanied by verbal and physical abuse. Currently, the Federation looks down on this form of 'barrack's justice' and will punish any officer or NCO participating in it.
• rotate — End of deployment in a theater or unit. As in "When do you rotate out of this place?"
• running lights — The navigational night lights on a ship or a Marine's eyes.

[edit] S

• S2 — Sit Down, Shut Up.
• sailor — Starfleet Personnel. Acceptable: bluejacket, tar. Not so acceptable: gob, swab, swabbie, squid. Probably fighting words: anchor clanker, rust picker, deck ape.
• salt — Salt from the brine. A Marine or sailor who has been in space for a while or who had a number of years in the Corps or Starfleet is a salt.
• salty — A Marine or sailor who is not necessarily a salt, but can act or appear salty, which can reflect a certain disregard for rules.
• salty language — Profanity. It is the wise officer and NCO who avoids salty language or keeps it to a minimum.
• scrounge — to appropriate, borrow or acquire by doubtful means; derived from "scringe," meaning to search about, rummage, or pilfer.
• scuttlebutts — Drinking fountains. A "butt" is a cask. To "scuttle" means to make a hole in a ship's side, causing it to sink. A scuttlebutt in the days of wooden ships and iron men was a cask that had an opening in its side, fitted with a spigot. Casks of oak were used to contain fresh water for drinking purposes. Because people gather around a scuttlebutt, the gossip, rumor and sea stories are called scuttlebutt.
• sea bags — Never duffel bags or barracks bags.
• sea story — A yarn calculated to impress recruits or other gullible individuals. Fairy tales start off, "Once upon a time …" Sea stories start, "This is no s---."
• secure — Stop, make fast, cease work or put away.
• Semper Fi — A variant of semper fidelis (always faithful); the motto of the Corps. For several years during WW II and until the early 1980s, it also was a derisive term, "Semper fi, Mac!" that meant "I got mine; how are you doing?" or "Roll up the ladder. I'm aboard." Today "Semper Fi" is a friendly and positive greeting or sign-off among Marines.
• SERE — Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape.
• sheets — maps
• Shit bird — A habitually unkempt Marine, an undisciplined Marine. "That Marine is a s@#$ bird..."
• shooter — A Marine whose avocation is marksmanship with a phaser; loosely, a Marine who has displayed special prowess with a phaser, or who has served with distinction on the Marine Corps rifle teams.
• short-timer — One nearing the completion of his present tour of duty or whose enlistment is due to expire. We once knew someone so "short," he had to parachute off a dime.
• shove off — To leave the vicinity.
• sick bay — Ship or unit aid station, dispensary or infirmary.
• sick call — Daily period when routine ailments are treated at sick bay.
• side arms — Cream and sugar served with coffee. It also refers to weapons carried by Marines under arms.
• sight in — In general, to aim a weapon at a target; loosely used as a synonym for zero.
• SIGINT — Signal Intelligence.
• skipper — Derived from the Scandinavian word schiffe, meaning ship, and the Dutch word schipper, meaning captain. A Marine captain.
• SNAFU — Situation Normal, All Fucked Up. Similar to FUBAR.
• snap in — To conduct sighting or aiming exercises with an unloaded weapon. To try out for, or break in for a new job.
• snow job — Misleading or grossly exaggerated report or sales talk.
• snuffie or snuffy — Junior Marine in the grade of lance corporal and below.
• SOF — Special Operations Force.
• space happy — Eccentric or mildly deranged as the result of spaceborne duty at a remote station, usually a ship; akin to Asiatic but without cosmopolitan connections.
• spit and polish — extreme individual or collective military neatness. Extreme devotion to the minutiae of traditional military procedures, ceremonies.
• spit-shine — To shine leather, employing spittle or tap water to remove excess grease and produce a high polish. An extremely high polish on a piece of leather.
• splice of the mainbrace — During sea battles between wooden ships, the rigging was a favored target, and following an engagement the first duty was to repair broken gear, sheets, and braces. It was custom, after the main braces were spliced, to serve grog to the entire crew. Today, the meaning is a general invitation to have a drink.
• squadbays — Barracks room occupied by privates and junior NCOs.
• square away — Make a neat and regulation appearance. One can also present a neat, regulation and squared-away appearance.
• squid — Anyone in Starfleet
• staff NCO — Staff noncommissioned officers: staff sergeant, gunnery sergeant, master sergeant, first sergeant, master gunnery sergeant and sergeant major.
• Stand By — Wait.
• starboard — Right. On a ship the starboard light is green. Opposite of Port.
• Starfleet salute — To say, "I know" by a shrug.
• survey — Medical discharge; to effect discharge or retirement of an individual for medical reasons; to dispose of an item of government property by reason of unserviceability.
• swab — A mop or a sailor.

[edit] T

• TAD — Temporary additional duty for Marines. Also called 'Travelling Around Drunk'.
• TARFU — Things Are Really Fucked Up.
• TECHINT — Technical Intelligence.
• tight-jawed — Angry.
• tip of the spear — The Sixth FLeet Marine Corps.
• top — A Marine master sergeant. Not a first sergeant, not a master gunnery sergeant, and certainly not a sergeant major.
• topside — Ship's deck or area exposed to the weather. Upper deck.
• tore up — Messed up, broken, messy, unserviceable.
• troops — As a plural, it is acceptable, but not troopers.
• TITS — Tap, Interrogate, Tie, and Stash.

[edit] U

• U2 — Ugly and Unfamiliar.
• un-ass — To get off of, or out of, as in "Let's un-ass this place."
• UNODIR — Unless Otherwise Directed.
• un-f'ing- Correcting a junior Marine. "Someone un f' him!"
• under arms — A Marine is under arms when he has a weapon in his hand, is equipped with side-arms, or when he is wearing equipment pertaining to an arm such as a sword sling, pistol belt, or cartridge belt. Any Marine wearing an "MP" or "SP" brassard is considered under arms.
• under way — To depart, or to start out for an objective.
• unsat - abbreviation of unsatisfactory. Used to describe an individual Marine or situation. "Marine, your cammies are unsat."

[edit] W

• WAG — Wild-ass guess, followed by the more precise SWAG: scientific wild-ass guess.
• Walking John — Traditional nickname for a Marine Corps sergeant in blues (marching) who sometimes appears on recruiting posters.
• war belt — Web belt worn in the field or by recruits.
• war paint — Sticks of camouflage face paint.
• watch — Official tour of duty of prescribed length, such as guard or officer of the day.
• wet down — To serve drinks in honor of one's promotion in Staff Non Commissioned officer ranks.
• winger — Term of a Marine who works in an aviation unit.
• work one's bolt — To resort to special measures, either by energy or guile. To attain a particular end.

Edit this page | Discuss this page | Page history | What links here | Related changes Main Page | About Memory-Zeta | Recent changes |   This page has been accessed 1,889 times. This page was last modified 03:48, 16 March 2011.