# Military Slang **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066 "2004-10-30T20:52:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/21 "2004-10-31T11:49:18Z")
Israeli military slang is mostly untranslateable, but here are a few terms I can give you: REMFs (non-combat troops): Jobniks. Intelligence: Shushuists (from “shush!”) And members of my former unit, the Nahal infantry brigade, were known as Sticklights because of our bright green berets. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/22 "2004-10-31T13:15:57Z")
My lingo is probably way outdated, as I was discharged in 1977. But I have seen a lot of it already on this thread. Did anyone here serve in Korea? The South Korean soldiers were referred to as “rocks” for ROK(Republic of Korea) “Strack” was a term for a straight arrow type, or one who is turned out properly. "s/he was really _strack"_ would mean someone well turned out., dressed, equipped and prepared exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/23 "2004-10-31T14:45:52Z")
> [@Dr. Starfish](#): > > Any other terms for a tough sailor? “Hard-ass” or “Bad-ass” is about all I can recall. Oh, and a medical corpsman was always referred to as a “pecker-checker” behind his back and “doc” to his face. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/24 "2004-10-31T14:54:39Z")
Some of these may be repeats, USMC terms Infantry - Bullet Sponges, Grunts (only 03 Infantry are “grunts” in the Marines) Pilots (Jet) - Suck-and-Blows, Zoomies Pilots (Helo) - Rotor Heads Pilots (All) - Targets, Airdales, Fart Sacks (after the flight suit) Artillery - Cannon Cockers Company Commander - Skipper Battalion Commander - Old Man, Bird Colonel - Full Bird Lieutenant Colonel - Light Bird Lance Corporal - Lance Coolie Gunnery Sergeant - Gunny, Guns Master Gunnery Sergeant - Master Guns, Top First Sergeant - First Shirt Poor Performer (on purpose, troublemaker)- Shitbird Poor Performer (can’t cut it) - Sad Sack, “Thing”, “Hey You”, Joe Bagadonuts Good Performer - Squared Away, Hard Charger Smart Person - Einstein, Professor, Doc (not to be confused with Corpsman “Doc”) Resourceful Person - MacGyver Tough Men or Women - Hard Terms of Endearment - “Mother Fucker”, “Dickhead”, “Marine” (when speaking to them directly, it’s a macho testosterone thing) Terms of Endearment (referring to them) - Buddy ---
**Author:** ![mitchythekid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@mitchythekid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mitchythekid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/25 "2004-10-31T22:20:15Z")
:smack: ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066/26 "2004-10-31T22:57:58Z")
I got out of the Marines in February 1970 so this is a tad dated. Some of the terms I remember: Women Marines - BAMS (Beautiful American Marines or Broad Ass Marines) The Marine Corps - The Crotch. An all round general phrase - “Eat the apple and fuck the Corps” Army - doggies I always liked using, “The Crotch” one as much as possible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-slang/272066.md?page=1)