Apparently the F-16 is now known as the “Viper” ?!?
Anyone who is a true American knows that the F-16 is the known as the Falcon. This type of misinformation wouldnt be so bad if I had just read it on a message board, but this is supposed to be a reputable news orginazation. They repeatedly refer to it as the Viper. This thing must have gotten by several editors before it made it to “print”. They should be shit canned.
Come on people, we arent talking about some obscure fighter jet no one has heard of. Its a fucking F-16 for crissakes!!How the hell does stuff like this happen today?
My first thought was “Perhaps ‘Viper’ is the name of this particular variant of F-16.”
I checked out Jane’s, I checked through Google searches, I even looked up F-16 in this handy-dandy aircraft encyclopedia we have… if “Viper” is the name of a variant, it’s not listed anywhere I’ve looked.
Maybe the news reporter just has a thing for Dodge automobiles.
From this The aircraft was designed and built by General Dynamics Corporation. However, General Dynamics was acquired by Lockheed. The official name of the aircraft is “Fighting Falcon”, but it is commonly refered to as the “Viper”. Therefore the official name is “Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon”.
It could be that the “export” version is called the Viper by the nations that aquire it.
I checked out that link. You found that fast. They must have searched long and hard to find the only piece of information on the F-16 that has no mention of Fighting Falcon in it. There is no way they used more than on e source as a reference , because only a foreinger would have called it the Viper.
Good job though on your part for finding that Klaatu.
Thanks Phlip, but I should point out that my post is a quote from the linked site. (click on the asterisk next to “Viper”. It throws up a popup that I quoted from.
News organizations are notoriously bad when it comes to military subjects in general. True, it’s a specialized jargon in many cases, but after all, it’s their job to get it right.
For some reason, I’ve seen Huey’s called Black Hawks, and Black Hawks called Huey’s…
CW2’s, CW3’s, etc are always referred to as CWO’s, no matter what the rank, which probably upsets them greatly.
SSG’s, SFC, etc are always referred to as “Sergeants” which isn’t quite kosher, either.
Marines don’t like to be called “Soldiers”; and the Army does not like to called “Marines” though the terms are sometimes used somewhat interchangeably. Nobody wants to be called “Seaman” I’d bet. “Sailor” sounds better to my ears. The Air Force probably wants to drink coffee and don’t notice these mistakes. All are usually identified as “Heavily Armed” and “Heavily Camouflaged” as well, which only adds to their scariness, I guess.
Not only does the news media normally screw up when reporting on military things, they also traditionally screw up when reporting on aviation. So military aviation is a double-whammy
It’s not just the new organizations. Heck, your entire posting is full of misinformation/incorrect assumptions. And just two days ago, a civilian friend repeated to me one of those “military myths” many folks appear to hold about a military-related subject: “In the movies and on television, there has to be at least one error in wearing the uniform.”
I’ve also heard tanks called howitzers. Goes to show misinfo spreads far and wide.
Which actually doesn’t upset them in the least, as the “CW” in “CWO” stands for “Chief Warrant.” Army Chief Warrant Officers are referred to as “Chief” which just happens to be the form of address used for Navy and Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers. Since it’s obvious, given the uniform or situation, to which Service the individual addressed belongs, there’s no confusion.
IIRC, US Army Regulations stipulate that the form of address for Soldiers in the ranks from Sergeant to Master Sergeant is “Sergeant,” it’s not only kosher but required by regulation. Back in the days of Specialist having more than one pay grade, a Specialist of any grade was referred to as “Specialist.”
This is correct since Marines are members of the United States Marine Corps and Soldiers are members of the United States Army.
By whom?
Sure hope you don’t bet much money. The United States Navy has a few apprenticeship groups: Seaman, Airman, Fireman, Dentalman, Hospitalman, and Constructionman. Now, a Sailor in the Airman apprenticeship group is not addressed as “Seaman,” but rather as Airman. Also, a Sailor in any of the Petty Officer rates from Petty Officer Third Class to Petty Officer First Class is referred to as “Petty Officer.”
“Sailor” is used to refer to any military member of the United States Navy.
The Air Force also refers to members in the ranks of Sergeant through Senior Master Sergeant, if I recall correctly, as “Sergeant.” A Chief Master Sergeant, on the other hand, is also referred to as “Chief.”
FWIW, it’s been years since the military (well, at least the Navy) has used the apostrophe to indicate the plural of an acronym or rank/rate abbreviation. The current style is PO1s instead of PO1’s. The latter would be the possessive.
I’ll try to find the Army’s regulation online concerning forms of address.
Brought to you by your humble retired US Navy Personnelman First Class, Monty (who also was a SP5 in the US Army and SGT in the US Army Reserve).
When the International Air Show comes here to Dayton, Ohio I have to make a serious effort to avoid listening to local news announcers attempting to do play by play.
“And passing over head now we have the F-14 Eagle…”
Ok, I’m a reporter. Not for some local daily…I’m a reporter for a national news magazine owned by AOL Time Warner.
I’m also, I’m pretty sure, the ONLY person on the staff of the entire magazine newsroom who’s ever worn our nation’s uniform.
My magazine is pretty much staffed by Manhattanites–people from well-to-do families who could pay for their kids’ college, and they went directly from high school to college and majored in graphic design or journalism, got the right internships, and moved directly into the field.
It’s a pretty alien culture, to me.
Meanwhile, when I was in the Army, there were loads and loads of kids from Mississippi, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, as well as the Midwest–Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, etc. etc.
There were more than a few kids from the Bronx or some of the working class neighborhoods of NYC…but I never once ran into a kid from a well-to-do Manhattanite family. They simply have other options and don’t have to go into the military. I actually had one tell me the other day that when she was in her early 20’s, everyone in her life told her that military service was “unethical” (!)
I think there’s a profound cultural difference between the people in “Big Media,” and our warriors. I’m seeing it first hand.
So not only does the media screw up military terminology (I’ve seen the NY Times make some simply egregious errors), but I don’t even think they care a whole lot–certainly not enough to get this copy in front of a veteran on staff–if they even have one at all.
Sorry, I was only being polite. I was dead spot on with these posts, because I know.
I worked for several CW3’s, CW4’s while I was in the army, and they related to me that it pissed them off that news organizations use the generic “CWO” designation regardless of rank. It’s “correct” but either a sign of laziness or ignorance. Anyway.
While verbally NCO’s in the Army are called “Sergeant” whether they are a Staff Sergeant or Sergeant First Class or even Master Sergeant, in print it’s bad form. In this case, a “Sergeant” is pay grade E5, better known as “buckie” behind his back. I wouldn’t try that with your average platoon sergeant. Military trivia, tis true, but still.
All I’m saying is “Seaman” has other connotations to civilian ears. Maybe “Sailor” is better. Kind of like the planet “Uranus” is pronounced in polite society.
Sounds to me like 'tis you 'tis gripless. I spent 20 years in the military and everywhere I served, the Sergeants of any rank were proud to be called Sergeant, the Petty Officers of any rank were proud to be called Petty Officer, the Chief Petty Officers were proud to be called Chief, the Chief Warrant Officers were proud to be called Chief, the Chief Master Sergeants were proud to be called Chief…
What is incorrect is to refer to a Warrant Officer (Paygrade W1) as Chief Warrant Officer because Chief Warrant Officer ranks begin at the W2 paygrade.
First you tell me to get a grip and then you admit that your take is in error? Hie down to Kay-Bee or Toys R Us and buy some grips.
It doesn’t matter what connotation the word “Seaman” has to civilian ears when discussing the courtesy titles used within the military. The courtesy title is used to address nonrated enlisted personnel of paygrades E1, E2, and E3 in the Seaman Apprenticeship Group. Feel free to check the instructions available at http://www.bupers.navy.mil. And, yes, you actually look in the correspondence manual for that information.
I do remember, in my vast experience, that the F-16 airframe was at one point knicknamed “Viper” . . . Also, a friend of mine currently in UPT (Undergrad Pilot Training) mentioned that they were/are sometimes called “Viper”. Something to do with pilots wanting to think they’re cooler than most. But we all know that they can be whiny beeeeatches at times. . .
I submit the following proof. I would venture to say that the reporter threw this nickname in to make it look like he/she did their research. 99% of the time, I can find holes in whatever military story their throwing at me, and the story is usually biased anyway.
Tripler
This is why I despise the media. . .
