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.
My lingo is probably way outdated, as I was discharged in 1977.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.
“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.
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
:smack:
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.