air force slang

[Bruce Hunter]

I concur. Navy versions of these tend to be somewhat "salty".
Bruce Hunter

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Wilton" <dave at WILTON.NET>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 12:57 AM
Subject: Re: air force slang


> Most of these aren't particularly USAF slang terms. Most are common to the
> US Army and probably the other services as well.
>
> --Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net
>   http://www.wilton.net
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> > Of Mullins, Bill
> > Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 9:44 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: air force slang
> >
> >
> > from Airman Magazine 11/97
> >
> > GI Jargon: A lexicon of airman idioms and flight line slang
> > by Tech. Sgt. Pat McKenna
> >
> > When I told my mom I was "short" (a double-digit midget to be exact) and
> > going TDY to the Sandbox before punching out of the Puzzle Palace
> > for a PCS
> > to the ROK, she quickly replied, "Huh?" and asked, "Could you
> > repeat that in
> > English, please?"
> >
> > Mom isn't quite conversant in Air Forcese - the unique parlance
> > that's been
> > spoken by bluesuit service insiders for the last 50 years. Air Force-speak
> > is Greek to her and many "outsiders."
> >
> > In an effort to acquaint the uninitiated with the language of Airphonics,
> > Airman magazine has provided a translation guide to this distinctive
> > dialect, including terms dating back before 1947, when the Air
> > Force became
> > a separate service.
> >
> > Above my paygrade: Another way of saying, "Don't ask me."
>
> I would translate it as, "don't ask me; I'm just doing what I've been told
> to."
>
> > Ace: A combat pilot scoring five or more air-to-air kills.
> >
> > Alert: Pulling missile launch, bomber or fighter alert duty.
> >
> > At zero: Having an enemy fighter on your tail.
> >
> > Auger in: Euphemism for crashing an airplane.
> >
> > Bag(s): Flight suit.
> >
> > Bandit: Enemy fighter.
> >
> > Bluesuiter: Air Force member.
>
> Common to the other services as well. They call airmen "bluesuiters" as
> well.
>
> > Blues: The Air Force's blue uniform.
>
> Also army, except army blues are a dress uniform, not everyday wear.
>
> > Bogey: Unidentified aircraft.
> >
> > Boomer: Boom operator on an aerial refueling aircraft.
>
> In the navy, a "boomer" is a missile submarine.
>
> > Brat: Child of a military member.
> >
> > Buck slip: Routing slip attached to memos that requires signatures. Comes
> > from "passing the buck."
> >
> > Butter bar: Second lieutenant. Also called "el tee," "louie" and the
> > "missing link."
> >
> > Buy the farm: Get killed in action.
>
> The above four are army terms as well.
>
> > Check your six: Watch your tail!
> >
> > Civvies: Civilian clothes.
>
> Army term as well.
>
> > Cumulo granite: A cloud-enshrouded mountain.
> >
> > Deadhead crew: A second crew, usually on an airlift mission, who are
> > resting.
> >
> > Deep Kimchi: Big trouble. Used by airmen stationed in Korea.
>
> Army term as well.
>
> > Doolie: First year cadet at the Air Force Academy.
> >
> > Double dipper: A retired servicemember working in civil service.
> >
> > Double-digit midget: Less than 100 days left on station.
> >
> > Dream sheet: Nickname for Air Force form used to volunteer for
> > assignments.
> >
> > El-Tee: Nickname for a lieutenant. Sometimes called a "louie."
> >
> > Face time: Getting in to see the boss.
>
> The above five are army terms as well.
>
> > Fangs out: A gung-ho fighter pilot itching for combat.
> >
> > FIGMO: Acronymn for Forget It, Got My Orders.
> >
> > File 13: Trash can, sometimes called the circular file.
>
> The above two are army terms as well.
>
> > First shirt: A squadron's first sergeant.
> >
> > First termer: Usually an enlisted member serving his first hitch
> > [enlistment] in the service. As opposed to a lifer.
> >
> > Fly Boy: An Air Force aviator, also known as "zoomies" and "wing nuts."
> > Fighter pilots also are known as "fighter jocks."
> >
> > Fruit salad: A chest full of ribbons.
> >
> > FUBAR: Acronymn for Fouled Up Beyond All Repair.
> >
> > Full-bird colonel: An Air Force 0-6, who has silver eagles. A "light"
> > colonel is the nickname for a lieutenant colonel, who wears silver
> > "bottlecaps" (leaves).
>
> The above four are not unique to the Air Force.
>
> > Fur balls: Confusion during a multiple aircraft dogfight.
> >
> > Getting mopped up: Donning chemical warfare gear.
>
> Army too. MOPP = Mission-Oriented Protective Posture
>
> > GI party: Massive "policing" [cleaning] of an office or dormitory.
> >
> > GI: Government Issue. American servicemember.
> >
> > Giant voice: A public address system that broadcasts messages across the
> > base or flightline.
> >
> > Gig line: The alignment of the uniform's shirt, belt buckle and fly.
>
> Above four are Army too.
>
> > Go get me a yard of flightline: A spurious errand new recruits are sent on
> > to procure mythical substances. These wild goose chases are called
> > "runarounds" or "go-fors." Other imaginary items requested
> > include "a gallon
> > of propwash" and "skyhooks."
>
> Army too, except for "flightline."
>
> > Golden BB: A lucky shot that brings down an aircraft.
> >
> > Ground pounder: Term for Air Force members who don't fly. They're also
> > called ground hogs, wing weenies, penguins, chairborne rangers, pencil
> > pushers and desk jockeys, among others. Aviators in staff jobs are said to
> > be "flying a desk."
>
> In the army, a "ground pounder" is an infantryman.
>
> > Hedgehop: To fly an aircraft low. Also known as brushing the
> > bushes, flying
> > in the weeds and contour chasing.
> >
> > Hitch: An enlistment.
>
> Army too.
>
> > Hitting the silk: World War II slang for parachuting from an aircraft.
> > Nowadays, it's a "nylon letdown."
> >
> > Homesteading: Remaining at one base for a long duration.
> >
> > Hurry up and wait: A term airmen use to describe the pace of military
> > operations.
> >
> > Lifer: A term used by first-termers to refer to career servicemembers.
> > Lifers are usually "ate up," and are staying in the military "for the
> > duration."
> >
> > Media puke: A journalist. Also called headaches, pencils and JIB rats. JIB
> > is short for Joint Information Bureau.
>
> Above four are army too.
>
> > Milk run: An uneventful, easy combat flight.
> >
> > Monkey suit: The fur suit used by World War I and II aviators
> > flying at high
> > altitudes. Now used to refer to the military uniform in general.
> >
> > Monopoly money: Foreign currency.
> >
> > Night CAP: Nighttime Combat Air Patrol.
> >
> > Notams: Notices issued to aircrews on what they might encounter en route.
> >
> > O-dark-30: Early in the morning.
>
> Army too.
>
> > Painted: Getting scanned by radar.
> >
> > PCS: Permanent Change of Station.
> >
> > POV: Privately Owned Vehicle. Your car as opposed to a GOV (government
> > vehicle).
> >
> > Pucker factor: Level of anxiety experienced by aircrews.
> >
> > Puke: Somebody in a different career field as yours. For
> > instance, an admin
> > puke, PA puke, headquarters puke, etc.
>
> Above four are army too.
>
> > Punch out: Eject or bail from an aircraft. Sometimes used to say
> > your going
> > home for the day or leaving.
> >
> > Puzzle Palace: The Pentagon. Also known as Fort Fumble and the Fudge
> > Factory.
> >
> > RHIP: Acronym for Rank Has Its Privileges
> >
> > ROAD: Retired On Active Duty.
> >
> > ROK: Pronounced Rock, short for Republic of Korea. Okinawa and
> > Guam are also
> > referred to as "rocks," because they are small islands.
> >
> > Sandbox: Saudi Arabia. Also called the "Desert" and the "Beach."
> >
> > Short: Ready to retire, separate or change duty stations.
> >
> > Sierra Hotel: Pilotspeak for "Super Hot!"
> >
> > Skate: Not working hard on the job.
>
> Above eight are army too.
>
> > Slick sleeve: An airman basic.
> >
> > SNAFU: Situation Normal, All Fouled Up.
> >
> > Target-rich environment: Pilotese for more targets than bombs.
> >
> > TDY: Temporary Duty
> >
> > The World: The United States, as in "When are you going back to
> > the World?"
>
> Above four are army too.
>
> > Thule coolie: Someone stationed at Thule AB, Greenland.
> >
> > Trained killer: A recent graduate of technical school, such as "He's a
> > Keesler-trained killer."
>
> Army too.
>
> > Triple-A: Anti-Aircraft Artillery fire.
> >
> > Turn and burn: To service an aircraft quickly and get it airborne again.
> > Also called a hot turn.
> >
> > Whitewalls: A hair cut high above the ears.
> >
> > Why Not Minot?: Nickname for Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
> >
> > Wizzo: Nickname for weapons systems officers, also known as backseaters,
> > GIBs [Guy In the Backseat] and trained bears.
> >
> > Yankin' and bankin': Fighter pilotese for aggressive aerial maneuvers.
> >
> > Zulu: Greenwich Mean Time.
>
> Common to all services.