Military & Patriotic

American slang from military culture and patriotic expressions

Introduction

America's military culture has contributed many expressions to everyday English. "Hooah", "squared away", and "boots on the ground" originated in the armed forces before entering civilian speech.

This chapter covers American slang from military culture — terms that reflect the discipline, camaraderie, and patriotism of the US armed forces.

Themes

All American Slang & Idioms in This Chapter (93)

• Hooah An all-purpose Army exclamation meaning yes, understood, or expressing enthus...
• Squared away Well organized, prepared, and in proper order.
• FUBAR Completely messed up beyond any hope of repair.
• SNAFU A mistake or problem; a chaotic situation.
• Roger that Message received and understood; yes, I understand.
• Semper Fi Short for 'Semper Fidelis' (Always Faithful) — the US Marine Corps motto.
• Klick One kilometer; a unit of distance used in the military.
• MIA Missing in Action; absent or unaccounted for.
• AWOL Absent Without Official Leave; missing without permission.
• Rank and file The ordinary members of an organization, as opposed to leadership.
• Fall in Get into formation; join the group and get ready.
• Stand down Relax; stop being aggressive or confrontational; return to a non-alert state.
• Gung ho Extremely enthusiastic and eager, sometimes overly so.
• Grunt An infantry soldier; someone who does the hard, unglamorous work.
• Sitrep Situation report; an update on the current status.
• Friendly fire Accidental attack on allies; unintentional harm from someone on your own side.
• Zero dark thirty Very early in the morning, before dawn; an unspecified early hour.
• Battle buddy A partner assigned to you for mutual support; a close, trusted friend.
• Lock and load Get ready for action; prepare yourself.
• Cadence A rhythmic chant sung while marching or running in military formation.
• Collateral damage Unintended harm or consequences; innocent people or things caught in the cros...
• Foxhole A defensive fighting position; a place of shelter during danger.
• Dog tags Military identification tags worn around the neck.
• Chain of command The hierarchical structure of authority from top to bottom.
• Got your six I've got your back; I'm watching out for you.
• Mission creep A gradual expansion of a project or task beyond its original scope.
• Rallying cry A phrase or slogan that unites and motivates a group.
• Tour of duty A period of service in a specific assignment; a rotation at a job or role.
• Draft dodger Someone who illegally avoids mandatory military service.
• The brass High-ranking officers; the bosses or top leadership.
• Jarhead A US Marine; slang nickname for Marines.
• Civvies Civilian clothes; non-military clothing.
• Debrief A review session after an event; to discuss what happened and what was learned.
• Flak Criticism; backlash; strong negative feedback.
• Bombshell Shocking news or revelation; also a very attractive woman.
• Go ballistic To become extremely angry; to lose control with rage.
• Drop and give me twenty A command to do twenty push-ups immediately; used as a punishment or demand f...
• Ground zero The exact point of impact; the center or origin of something.
• Deploy To send out or put into action; to leave for a military assignment.
• Pulling rank Using your seniority or authority to get your way.
• On the front lines At the forefront of an effort; in the most exposed or active position.
• Under fire Being attacked; receiving heavy criticism or pressure.
• Gear up To prepare; to get ready for something; to equip yourself.
• Smoke 'em out To force someone out of hiding; to expose or reveal someone.
• Call to arms An urgent summons to take action; a rally to fight for a cause.
• Baptism by fire A harsh first experience that tests you immediately; learning by being thrown...
• Oorah The battle cry of the US Marine Corps, expressing motivation and esprit de co...
• Hooyah The battle cry of the US Navy, especially Navy SEALs, expressing motivation a...
• Copy that Understood; message received — used to acknowledge information.
• Wilco Will comply — I have received your message and will act on it.
• Oscar Mike On the Move — heading out, currently in transit.
• Charlie Mike Continue Mission — keep going, don't stop despite obstacles.
• Lima Charlie Loud and Clear — I can hear you perfectly; I understand completely.
• Bravo Zulu Well done; good job — a naval signal of commendation.
• Whiskey Tango Foxtrot The NATO phonetic alphabet spelling of WTF — expressing shock or disbelief.
• Tango down Enemy eliminated; target neutralized; task completed.
• Pop smoke To leave quickly; to deploy a smoke grenade for concealment during extraction.
• Watch your six Watch your back; be aware of danger behind you.
• Embrace the suck Accept and endure a terrible situation that you cannot change.
• Hurry up and wait A frustrating pattern of rushing to prepare, then having nothing to do.
• Downrange Deployed to a combat zone; in the direction of the target.
• Stateside In or relating to the United States; back home in America.
• OPSEC Operational Security — keeping sensitive information secret.
• FOB Forward Operating Base — a secured military position near a combat zone.
• The sandbox The Middle East, especially Iraq — military slang referencing the desert terr...
• Squid A Navy sailor — used as a nickname, sometimes affectionate, sometimes teasing.
• Flyboy An Air Force pilot or member; someone in military aviation.
• Devil dog A nickname for a US Marine, worn as a badge of honor.
• Leatherneck A US Marine — from the leather collar once part of the Marine uniform.
• Blue falcon Someone who betrays or undermines their fellow soldiers; a buddy who stabs yo...
• DD-214 The military discharge document — symbolizing freedom from service and return...
• Torpedo To sabotage or destroy something; to deliberately ruin a plan or effort.
• MRE Meal Ready to Eat — the standard military field ration, notorious for its taste.
• Shell-shocked Stunned, dazed, or overwhelmed by a traumatic or shocking experience.
• Taps The bugle call played at military funerals and to signal lights out.
• GI Joe A generic American soldier; also the famous action figure and media franchise.
• Boot camp Basic military training; any intense, rigorous training program.
• Loose cannon An unpredictable person who may cause damage; someone who acts recklessly.
• D-Day The decisive day; the day of a major event or operation.
• Uncle Sam A personification of the United States government.
• Fallout The negative consequences or aftermath of an event or decision.
• Nuclear option The most extreme possible response; a last resort that causes maximum damage.
• Minefield A dangerous, risky situation full of hidden problems.
• Bunker mentality A defensive, siege-like mindset where you isolate from outside criticism.
• Target on your back Being singled out for attack, criticism, or competition.
• BOHICA Bend Over, Here It Comes Again — bracing for another round of bad news or bur...
• All hands on deck Everyone is needed; a call for total participation in an urgent situation.
• Tank To fail badly; to deliberately lose; to collapse or crash.
• About-face A complete reversal of direction, opinion, or policy.
• Pass muster To meet the required standard; to be acceptable or good enough.
• Going commando Humorous slang meaning not wearing underwear, used jokingly in casual convers...
• At ease Relax; stand comfortably; stop being so formal or tense.
• Reveille The morning wake-up call; the signal to start the day.