# What does FUBAR mean from Saving Private Ryan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2000, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519 "2000-06-26T02:13:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jamshid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@jamshid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jamshid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/21 "2000-06-26T20:41:55Z")
You’ve already got your answer, but the answer itself was revealed near the end of “Saving Private Ryan” itself. Just before the Germans attack, you’ll hear Jeremy Davies (I think) repeat the meaning of the phrase after he’s been told. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/22 "2000-06-26T20:43:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Also from the computer world, is RTFM (Read the manual). I think RTFM dates from before computers (at least before the “Information Age”). My dad used to use RTFI and RTFQ (“instructions” and “question”, respectively) when I was a kid. And I was born in the Space Age (before the Information Age). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/23 "2000-06-26T20:47:27Z")
I recall that Partridge referred to SNAFU as `artificial slang' though I don't think he explains what this means. Did the army make this up, like with `Sammies’? ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/24 "2000-06-26T23:06:12Z")
‘Sammies’? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/25 "2000-06-26T23:23:13Z")
I always thought the order of severity was… SNAFU - Situation Normal, All F_cked Up TARFU - Things Are Really F_cked Up FUBAR - F\*cked Up Beyond All Repair Along those lines I heard the following meanings for college degrees… B.S. - Bullsh_t M.S. - More Sh_t Ph.D. - Piled High and Deeper ---
**Author:** ![Xgemina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b5e925/32.png) [@Xgemina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xgemina)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/26 "2000-06-27T00:15:44Z")
since we’re giving out military acronyms: US Army = Uncle Sam Ain’t Released Me Yet US Army backwards = Yes My Retarded Ass Signed Up Marine = Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Non-Existent or Not Expected and everyone knows what MRE really stands for… ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/27 "2000-06-27T01:19:01Z")
> [@](#): > > and everyone knows what MRE really stands for… Meals Ready to Excrete ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/28 "2000-06-27T01:24:11Z")
Actually… I _like_ MREs! But I was never _required_ to eat them. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/29 "2000-06-27T17:38:20Z")
Couple of highly offensive ones WAFU = Wank all f\*\*\*ing use FRISP = F\*\*\*ing Repulsive ignorant Scots Pig (that’ll get me into trouble) FBG = F\*\*\*ing big gun - as in Enemy-sighted fire the BFG Foxtrot Oscar = Go away ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/30 "2000-06-27T18:12:32Z")
**Xgemina** said: > [@](#): > > and everyone knows what MRE really stands for… My grunt friends in the Canadian Armed Forces claim that it stands for " **Meals Refused by Ethiopians."** ---
**Author:** ![Patricinus\_Scriblerus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Patricinus\_Scriblerus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patricinus_Scriblerus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/31 "2000-06-27T18:30:56Z")
I can’t believe that after all of the Acronyms floating about in this post no one mentioned one of my personal favorites… JAFO : Just another Fu\*king Observer ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/32 "2000-06-27T20:45:34Z")
…courtesy of my brother in the Navy. My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/33 "2000-06-27T21:49:45Z")
**F** uck **I** t. **D** rive **O** n ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/34 "2000-06-27T23:10:16Z")
> [@](#): > > **Circle Jerk – A situation which is far from optimal. > As in, "Chief, square away this circle jerk."** Will not comment…will not comment… Radar ralf sez: > [@](#): > > And then there was an entire series of shorthand we used to use called “the falcon codes”. The only one that has stayed with me is Falcon269: “Excuse me, sir, but I believe you have me confused with someone who gives a shit.” Had I known THIS, guess what my user name would have been… ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/35 "2000-06-28T00:53:15Z")
I thought FUBAR was **F** ucked **U** p **B** y **A** rmy **R** egulations. I am such a dork. ---
**Author:** ![radar\_ralf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@radar\_ralf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/radar_ralf)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519/36 "2000-06-28T01:53:20Z")
The Falcon codes were used over the radio so that no profanity was bouncing around the air waves that could be picked up by tender ears. Another of my favorites (don’t remember any of the numbers, though) was: “If the XO thinks it’s such a shit hot idea, send _his_ ass to Gitmo!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-fubar-mean-from-saving-private-ryan/23519.md?page=1)