Platoon Leaders’ Course. An innovative officer training program in which participants take part in officer training during the summers of their college years and upon graduation from college are commissioned Second Lieutenants of Marines. There are no classes or commitments during the school year. The program also has two career specific tracks: aviation and legal.

Preventive Maintenance. First level (echelon) maintenance of vehicles and equipment.

Any small town or someone’s home town unless they are from a big city.

Candy or other junk food. (see Geedunk.)

A pejorative term for the French Fourragere.

A headquarters or office person with no understanding of the real Marine Corps.

Lead Marine in a patrol. Lead element in a company.

To clean up or pick up an area, i.e., policing the firing line for brass.

The national flag flown upside down. It was only used when an extreme situation confronts the captain on board ship. It is never used ashore. (synonym) Distress Flag.

(see Shellbac.k)

A multi-purpose rectangle of rubberized canvas. Has a hole in the middle for the head. It was used to fend off rain, as a tent or to carry bodies, among many other uses.

A camouflaged, quilted, lightweight nylon blanket that ties to the inside of a poncho. It was usually the only blanket carried by troops in Vietnam.

An unofficial rank assigned by Marine recruiters to newly enlisted recruits in the delayed entry program, awaiting departure to recruit training. Some recruiters have regular, mandatory, formations in which rudimentary drill and physical training are conducted.

Information, as in straight poop, bad poop or poop from the group.

Aluminum handheld tubes holding a flare and a small parachute for field illumination. (origin) Vietnam

Naval term for left. The port side of a ship will be illuminated with a red light. (background) Larboard was the original term, but it was changed in the late 18th Century to keep from confusing it with starboard, which means right.

A situation where half of a unit is always on duty while the other half is on liberty (off duty and usually off base getting drunk).

Eyeglasses. Originally holes in the sides of ships to provide light and sometimes ventilation.

Piece of Shit.

1. (noun) A place where a Marine is assigned, i.e., sentry post or an embassy. Used extensively by the Army to designate bases not named forts. 2. (verb) A marching command for specific officers to take their assigned positions, or the act of placing a sentry on post or assigning a Marine to an embassy.

(see Tombstone Brigadier General) /unofficial/t.shtml

President of the United States. (background) Originally used by Secret Service, the phrase was picked up by Department of Defense and other government agencies around the 1990s.

Standing around doing nothing. Wasting time. From the colloquial expression for masturbating.

Privately Owned Vehicle.

A Civil War era sailor in the rank of Boy whose job it was to keep gun crews supplied with gunpowder and shot during battle. At other times, they served in other menial ways earning little more than a cot and food.

A formal list of commissioned officers in the Naval Service and their position of authority relative to each other.

Name given to the United States Marine Corps Band, the official band for the President of the United States, called “The President’s Own”.

Radio Set AN/PRC-25 (RT-505)(NSN 5820-01-857-0934). Man portable, nautical radio – one tube. Was the predecessor of the PRC-77. (origin) Vietnam

A truck.

1. The first enlisted rank in the Marine Corps which is identified by having no insignia.. 2. The pay grade is E-1 and is equivalent to an Army private (or Air Force airman basic) who also wears no rank insignia. 3. In the Navy and Coast Guard, a seaman recruit wears a single slash in a box on the left sleeve only.

1. The second enlisted rank in the Marine Corps. Designated by a single chevron on each sleeve. 2. The pay grade is E-2 and is equivalent to an Army private (the Army has two ranks of privates) who also wears a single chevron. 3. In the Air Force, an airman wears an inverted single stripe with a star in a circle which covers the point of the chevron. 4. Navy and Coast Guard seaman apprentices wear two slashes in a box on the left sleeve only.

Proficiency and conduct marks given to Marines to the rank of sergeant by their supervisors. They are part of the formula used for promotion. Each is between 0 (totally unsat, probably not breathing) and 4 (God, on a good day).

Physical Training.

The clothing worn for PT. It is a prescribed uniform consisting of t-shirt and shorts or sweats. Usually green on green, unless a unit t-shirt has been authorized.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Previously called Shell Shock (WW I) or Battle Fatigue (WW II), it is the first line of legal defense when a Vietnam Vet goes berserk and kills a lot of innocent civilians. It manifests itself mostly as dreams recalling battlefield situations or in response to sharp sounds or scenario. Those with PTSD respond as though they were in combat–not acceptable in polite society.

A measure of the stress in any situation. A high pucker factor means high stress.

Sixth Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, serving in that position from Feb 1, 1973 through May 31, 1975. He was born March 6, 1926 in Waurika, OK and died in 200 2.

A flare ship (origin) Vietnam (see Basketball

Padded training sticks used to simulate bayonet fighting.

Lieutenant General of Marines. The icon of a Marine whose exploits, on and off the battlefield, are the genesis of many legends. His command of a Marine regiment at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea earned him the love of his men and an entire Corps. For decades, Marine Drill Instructors would have their recruits recite, “Good night General Puller, wherever you are” before retiring for the night. (see Chosin Reservoir)

Bamboo sticks sharpened and often laced with poison. They were placed in holes and covered so a Marine would step in the hole and impale his foot or leg. (origin) Vietnam

Medicated patch given to those who get seasick.

Specifically the Pentagon or often any headquarters.

Post Exchange, an Army term. Now the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). (see Marine Corps Exchange)

Any retard in the U.S. Army that goes to the PX, buys military awards and/or decorations that they didn”t earn and then pins them on their chest so that they can go around looking like a hero. These yahoos often claim to have served in the Rangers or Force Recon or some other elite unit, but that they got out because of an injury or because they got tired of the B.S.

see Quonset Hut.

An anti-aircraft weapon employed by the Army. The Geneva Convention limits anti-personnel weapons to 30 caliber, so these four 50 caliber rifles could only be used on aircraft and other equipment. R-i-i-ght! (origin) Vietnam

Marine Corps Base south of Washington, DC. The home of Marine Corps University and most training for commissioned officers. Also headquarters of the Marine Corps Association and Leatherneck magazine.

The location of the Officer of the Deck aboard ship. The ceremonial seat of authority in any shore-based unit. Where one goes to report in to a new command. A section of the recruit squad bay set aside for physical punishment of errant recruits–usually involving PT.

To be taken to the quarterdeck for Incentive Training by the drill instructor. Outside, it is called Pitting,

The second ranking enlisted grade in the Marine Corps during the Civil War. Not presently used.

Living space.

A four-pointed decoration on the top of a warrant or commissioned officer”s dress and service caps. Tradition says the design was first used on sailing ships so Marine sharpshooters in the rigging did not shoot their own officers on the deck.

The normal pace in marching, approximately 120 steps per minute.

A temporary building created in 1941 by Peter Dejongh and Otto Brandenburger and manufactured for the Navy at their facility in Quonset, RI. The ubiquitous buildings were little more than semi-circular steel ribs with corrugated sheet metal attached to them. They were used for everything from troop quarters to supply sheds to airplane hangars. For many years, both Marine Corps Recruit Depots at Parris Island, SC and San Diego, CA used them until more permanent structures could be built. Many Old Corps Marines were trained in quonset huts.

Rest and Recuperation. A respite from combat.

Bed, usually bunk beds.

(Gulf War, Iraqi Freedom)(Not PC) Any Arab person. Refers to the common headdress of the region.

Slang for the rank insignia of a Marine, Army or Air Force captain or a Navy or Coast Guard lieutenant.

The military authority of an individual within the structure of the organization. Rank is represented by insignia showing relative authority. Rank increases in relationship to pay grade but is distinctly different. For instance a Major of Marines should not be referred to as an O-4 and a Sergeant Major of Marines is never an E-9. (see Pay Grade.)

Seniority within a rank or within a unit. Factors involved are date of rank, date of enlistment or commissioning. It is similar to precedence.

To be seriously torn apart or rifled through. Originating in Vietnam when cases of C-Rations (Rats) would be gone through in the process of transporting them to the front.

Any of the ranks within the Navy or Coast Guard enlisted structure.

Second Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, he served from Sept 1, 1959 until June 28, 1961. He was born July 10, 1901 in Rochester, NY and died Feb 19, 1991.

Similar to barbed wire or concertina with a sharp edge on one side and spikes every inch or so.

To patrol looking for enemy movements and facilities in order to gain information. Generally, contact is avoided if at all possible.

Marine Recon conducts amphibious and ground reconnaissance operations, surveillance, battlespace shaping, and limited scale raids in support of a Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Unit, and other Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF’S) or a Combined/Joint Task Force.

A person enlisted into the Marine Corps in anticipation of attending boot camp or a person undergoing training in boot camp. A recruit must earn the title “Marine” by successfully completing boot camp. Some people are given rank (usually PFC or LCpl) on enlistment and are paid at that rank, but during boot camp they wear no rank and are called “Recruit” like everyone else in training. Only upon graduation are they allowed to wear the insignia of their rank.

A temporary duty assignment of up to 30 days, to assist local recruiters by making presentations to school groups, leading poolee training and general office duties. Offered to recent boot camp graduates by recruiters, if the recruiter believes the new Marine can be of help to him or her. Also available to all Marines when mutually agreed upon and approved. This is not an automatic assignment.

A boot camp term meaning that a recruit is removed from his or her platoon and placed in another platoon in order to repeat some portion of training. It usually occurs because the recruit did not successfully complete a required training item or in order to improve the recruit”s physical conditioning or, in some cases, because the recruit”s has a bad attitude. This is a traumatic event for the recruit and means that they will spend more time in training but it is not the end of the world and often turns out to be a good thing.

A lifer. At times, commanders consider will direct that the term lifer not be used. In those instances the term Refil is often substituted to the same effect.

A unit consisting of 4 to 6 battalions. It is generally commanded by a colonel. A number of regiments will make up a division.

1. Rear Echelon Mother Fucker. 2. A staff person.

Office personnel, from the reference to the Remington typewriter which was widely used. (Typewriter is the term for a mechanical device used prior to computers to create printed pages containing words and phrases generated by the operator–often known as a typist.)

A word removed from the vocabulary of artillery and mortar personnel. Using the term casually can cause unwanted action. (synonym) “Say again” is the acceptable replacement phrase.

Every Marine”s right to be heard. At every step up the chain of command, any Marine may request to see the next person in authority all the way to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. When a request mast is asked for, the Marine does not have to explain why but he or she must make the request at every step up the ladder. If a Marine requests mast to the CMC he or she had better have a good reason.

1. Has a number of uses in the military, usually referring to a person who makes a change. 2. A person who gets out of the military and then comes back in. 3. Someone who retrains into another MOS. 4. In boot camp, someone who was recycled into a new platoon.

A bugle call sounded when the U. S. flag is being lowered at the end of the day.

A special tank designed as a sort of “wrecker” for tanks. The things they can do are almost miraculous.

Reenlist or volunteer to serve another tour.

1. A signal to awaken, get out of bed and begin the day. 2. Often a bugle call, in boot camp more often the yells and screams of Drill Instructors and the sounds of GI cans crashing to the deck.

Regional Forces. Sort of like an Army reserve ranking between the ARVN and the PF.

1. Rank Has Its Privileges. 2. Also, among lower ranking enlisted Marines, Rank Has Its Pricks.

A small river that flows through Parris Island in an area once used for field training. (background) In 1956, six recruits died while on a training exercise here. Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon, their Senior Drill Instructor, was courts-martialed and found guilty of negligence and drinking on duty. The investigations that followed highlighted the general practices of maltreatment of recruits and caused extensive revisions in the training program.

Quickly. From an oriental phrase. Used mostly in the form “Mo Riki Tik.”

A graduate of the Naval Academy, Military Academy or Air Force Academy. “Absentmindedly” tapping the ring on a bar brings attention to it so that everyone is aware that the officer is an academy grad.

Regimental Landing Team. A regiment of Marines consisting of three battalions and supporting artillery, tanks, Amtracks, heavy weapons, etc. A self-supporting force and a concept unique to the Marine Corps.

Royal Marines.

Idiot, as in “That rock is really stupid.”

An alliteration of lock and load, it means to begin an action, to start. In Vietnam, it also meant to set the M16A1 to full-automatic fire (full-automatic fire used up ammunition so fast that later models were modified to fire only three-round blasts with each pull of the trigger on automatic).

Okinawa, Japan.

A chevron that goes underneath divided chevrons, Resembles the wooden piece on the bottom of a rocking chair.

The system of Naval justice prior to the introduction of the UCMJ

(Commtalk) Yes.

The fiercest of the fighters in the Republic of Korea.

Naval term for hot dogs or frankfurters.

Remain Overnight.

All rope used on a ship is called line. A former name for a female drill instructor. Until they were authorized to wear the campaign cover, female Marine drill instructors were designated with a crimson aiguillette worn on the left shoulder.

Helicopter pilot.

(see Suzy Rottencrotch.)

A normal pace in marching in which it is not necessary to march in step. Used mainly in the field when moving from place to place as a unit.

British Marines in the service of the Queen.

Rocket-Propelled Grenade. A shoulder-fired infantry weapon.

Recruit Training Regiment. The headquarters unit of the Recruit Training Battalions. (background) The RTR at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC currently (2005) has four battalions (including the 4th RTBn which is the only boot camp unit for female Marines) while the RTR at MCRD San Diego CA has three battalions.

Air mattress. Sometimes called a Rubber Whore.

Sixteenth Commandant of the Marine Corps and fifth consecutive Commandant to graduate from the U. S. Naval Academy. The Californian was born Nov. 14, 1872 and was named Major General Commandant March 1, 1934. He served until Nov. 30, 1936 and died March 6, 1947.

The administrative section of a battalion. Administrative personnel are usually given 01 MOSs.

The intelligence section of a battalion. The 02 MOS is assigned to intelligence personnel. br-

The logistics and supply section of a battalion.

One of the names for the color of utility uniforms. (see also OD)

Nickname for the air mattresses at one time provided to Marines for field use.

A gate or passage into a fortified place.

Referring to someone or something with a lot of experience, particularly at sea. A salty Marine is one who has been around a while. A salty uniform is more faded and obviously used, but still sharp. Salty language is language salted with profanities or obscenities.

A leather duty belt worn by commissioned and warrant officers, consisting of a belt around the waist with a second belt running from left hip over the right shoulder back to the left hip. I t would give added support for the wearing of a sword. Worn only for special occasions such as parades and formal events.

Location of the Marine Corps’ west coast Recruit Depot, it is located in San Diego adjacent to the airport. Parents, friends and other relatives of Marine Corps Recruits can find help and understanding among the members of myMarine. (see Hollywood Marine.)

A sideways-walking beach scavenger. It refers to a civil service employee or a civilian contractor on board ship.

Parris Island pests which delight in climbing on recruits standing at attention.

A-1 aircraft.

An army diminutive of sergeant, and a good way to get your ass kicked when talking to a Sergeant of Marines.

M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The automatic weapon for each fire team. It replaced the BAR after Vietnam.

Repeat. Particularly important when talking to an artillery or mortar unit on the radio. Repeat has specific consequences. By someone not paying attention the phrase, “Say again, all after ‘good morning’” could be used, but the consequences may be painful.

The official colors of the U. S. Marine Corps as ordered by Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune in 1921.

An informal circle, sitting or standing around a Drill Instructor or other instructor for the purpose of receiving training.

The MOS school for the Infantry career field. SOI East is at Camp Lejeune, NC and SOI West is at Camp Pendleton, CA. Every Marine graduating from boot camp at either Parris Island, SC or San Diego, CA goes next to SOI. New Marines who have not been assigned an 0300 (Infantry MOS) report to Marine Combat Training for four weeks of intensive training in combat weapons and techniques because “Every Marine is a Rifleman.” After MCT they are sent to their MOS school. New Infantry Marines report to the School of Infantry’s Infantry Training Battalion for MOS training. In addition, SOI operates an Advanced Infantry Training company to teach NCOs basic combat leadership skills as well as a Staff Non-Commissioned Officer’s Academy.

Information, usually unofficial but often correct. (see Bum Scoop.)

To make a major mistake, particularly one that will have serious ramifications.

A recruit who takes notes and makes lists for the platoon and the drill instructors. This is an informal position selected by the drill instructors.

Intricate drawings and etchings, usually on whalebone. Sailors would spend many of the boring hours at sea creating these masterpieces of art.

The only English language word that can be made from the letters USMC.

(see Shitbird or Maggot.)

1. A keg of water on board ship around which sailors would gather and swap tales and gossip. 2. Present use is as unverified information passed informally 3. Water fountain or bubbler

The cleaning brush included in the PX issue used for cleaning floors and porcelain objects. As with all other items in the PX issue, the recruit pays for this item from his or her first pay.

Staff (or Squadron) Duty Officer. The commander”s representative during non-duty hours.

see Mail Buoy.

An effect of over-tightening the hoop in a Frame Cover, causing the sides to curve downward. A sign of saltiness sometimes considered fashionable among enlisted Marines. Never done by any officer other than a Mustang, and then only with great subtlety.

A legendary creature for which newer crew members would be sent to find or which would be used to intimidate inexperienced members of the ship’s complement. During Vietnam, however, great masses of white churning fish would follow the illuminated hull of the USS Repose (hospital ship) as she plied her course at Yankee Station.

A tale. Often containing a small grain of truth somewhere.

A large canvas bag into which sailors and Marines stuff their entire issue of uniforms and personal items when being transferred. In the Army and Air Force, it is a duffel bag.

see Bag Drag.

A mythical creature used in a practical joke by salty Marines and sailors against inexperienced compatriots, usually aboard ship. There are a number of permutations of this joke, some quite nasty. One is that a newbie is shown a helmet laying on the deck and is told that someone has captured a sea bat. He is then told to position himself with one hand on each side of the helmet so that when the helmet is lifted he can capture the bat with his hands. The “bat” turns out to be a pile of feces or some other nasty substance.

Navy Combat Construction Battalions.

Derogatory term for Marines.

The first mission of the Marine Corps. A Marine, trained at Sea School and assigned to the Marine Detachment on board ship. While most Marines at some time in their career will spend time on ship, only those Marines assigned as members of the ship”s complement earn this title. The insignia of a seagoing Marine is a gold seahorse superimposed on a gold anchor within a crimson lozenge. In 1998, all Marine Detachments on board ships were disbanded, thus ending a tradition that dated to 1775 and the first duty of the Marine Corps. (see USS Marine Association.)

Sea, Air, Land. The guerrilla and reconnaissance force of the U. S. Navy, specially trained for covert operations.

Someone who appears to know all the angles and methods to escape punishment or who provides legal advice while not a lawyer.

An enlisted sailor in the pay grade E-3, equivalent to a Marine lance corporal. The non-rated grades wear slash marks on the upper left arm only. Seaman is a “deck force” rate and is indicated with white slashes. Airman is an “aviation” rate and is indicated with green slashes. Fireman is a mechanical rate and is indicated with red slashes. Constructionman is for members of Navy Construction Battalions (Sea Bees) and the slashes are blue.

An enlisted sailor in the pay grade E-2, equivalent to a Marine private first class. (see Seaman.)

An enlisted sailor in the pay grade E-1, equivalent to a Marine private. (see Seaman.)

The first grade of commissioned officer indicated by a gold bar on the collar of the uniform. The pay grade is O-1 and is the same in the Army and the Air Force. In the Navy and Coast Guard the rank is ensign, and is additionally indicated with a broad gold stripe topped by a gold star (or insignia of staff branch) in the Navy, or a gold shield in the Coast Guard worn on shoulder boards or jacket cuffs. Sometimes pejoratively called a “butter bar.”

The civilian appointee of the President responsible for the efficient management of the Navy and Marine Corps. Abbreviated SecNav.

To stop work or to lock up for safe keeping.

Latin for “always faithful”. The current motto of the U. S. Marine Corps. Often expressed informally as Semper Fi.

An unofficial motto of the Marines in a mixed Latin/cartoon dialect meaning “always flexible”.

(see Drill Instructor.)

The senior enlisted person in a battalion, regiment, group, wing or higher. His or her insignia consists of three chevrons and four rockers with a star between the chevrons and rockers. The pay grade is E-9 and it is shared with the rank of master gunnery sergeant. In the Army, the rank is the same but the insignia contains one less rocker. In the Air Force, the rank is chief master sergeant and the insignia is a technical sergeant insignia with three chevrons on top. In the Navy and Coast Guard, the insignia is worn on the left arm only and consists of a chief petty officer insignia with two stars above the eagle.

This is a billet and not a rank. He or she is the senior enlisted advisor to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the insignia is the same as a sergeant major except that, between the chevrons and rockers is an eagle globe and anchor flanked by stars. The pay grade is E-9 and is shared with sergeants major and master gunnery sergeants. The other services have equivalent billets. The Sergeant Major of the Army”s insignia replaces the star with the Army eagle flanked by two stars. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force wears a chief master sergeant rank except that the silver star is contained within a wreath. The Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and the Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard wear chief petty officer insignia with three stars above the eagle.

The second step in the noncommissioned officer ranks is indicated by three chevrons with crossed rifles. The pay grade is E-5 and is equivalent in the Army to a sergeant who wears three chevrons. In the Air Force, a staff sergeant wears four inverted chevrons with the top three covered at the angle by a blue field and a silver star. In the Navy and Coast Guard, the rank is petty officer second class and is indicated by two inverted chevrons under a Navy eagle, on the left arm only.

Pejorative term for a member of the submarine service.

Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance. GI Life Insurance.

Coast Guardsmen. (background) There is a Navy joke that inquires of a Coastie of short stature, how he was able to enlist. When asked what is meant by that the response is, “You guys in the Coast Guard have to be 6 feet tall so that when your ship sinks you can walk ashore.”

A Navy doctor.

Anyone who has crossed the Equator and gone through the initiation. All others are Polliwogs.

Half of a pup tent. Each Marine carried one half so that two Marines could buddy up, snap or button their shelter halves together and make a pup tent.

Twentieth Commandant of the Marine Corps from Jan 1, 1952 until Dec 31, 1955 in the rank of general. He was born in Virginia on Feb 10, 1897 and died on Aug 6, 1990.

Subdued metal collar device with a Caduceus on a shield worn by Medical corpsmen, below the rank of chief petty officer, while in field uniform. The shield is worn on the left collar while a rank insignia is worn on the right collar.

A large vessel equipped for deep-water operation. A sailing vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts (a mainmast, a foremast, and a mizzenmast), each of which is composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast, and square-rigged on all masts.

To reenlist.

The sailors and Marines who make up the permanent party of a ship, as opposed to those who are assigned for a single cruise or action. (see Seagoing Marine.)

A screw-up. Someone who regularly gets into trouble.

A bad or barely tolerable event. Usually a mission or activity that has gone bad.

A trash can or to remove a person from his or her position.

A pejorative term for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

Toilet or a large group as in “A whole shitpot full of Army pukes.”

Nickname given to CH-53 helicopters due to the huge amounts of exhaust smoke that they “shit” out of their exhausts. (see Super Shitter)

A form of address between Marines, mostly in-country. (origin) Vietnam

Close to ETS or PCS. An attitude involving lack of interest and inattention. Someone who is short is known as a Short-timer.

1. An artillery shell that falls short of its intended target, often because of defective gunpowder or a miscalculation. 2. A person who is diminutive in stature.

A physical inspection of the genitals usually by a corpsman, often in formation following Cinderella Liberty in a foreign port. It was intended to identify the early signs of sexually transmitted diseases early enough to be treated properly.

Anyone nearing the end of an enlistment or an assignment.

Medal of Honor recipient and twenty-second Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving from Jan 1, 1960 until Dec 31, 1963. He was born Dec 30, 1904 and died Jan 13, 1983.

The location on ship where sick and injured people are treated.

Someone who is frequently at sick call. A malingerer.

A designated time and place for people to report themselves as sick and unable to perform their duties.

brShit Hot, meaning the best or in prime form.

Firing alignment. Aligning the rear and front sights of a weapon so that the bull rests directly upon the sight blade.

A small open deck in the superstructure of a ship, usually above the bridge, for the hoisting of flags and pennants, which were used to signal to other ships and to shore installations from ship.

Usually, Your Six, meaning your back. From the clock system of identifying an object when 12 is to your front, 6 is to your rear.

The ultimate General Courts Martial punishment consisting of 6 months forfeiture of pay, 6 months confinement at hard labor and a dishonorable discharge.

A full colonel from the pay grade (O-6).

Originally a truck with six-wheel drive, a deuce and a half. Now any multi-wheeled, multi-drive vehicle.

Information, usually accurate. When it is known to be accurate it is often called Straight Skinny.

A term of respect for a company grade officer (usually a captain). Not used much in the modern Marine Corps.

A not-too-bright Marine. br” – br” The name is used supposedly because Navy Corpsmen handed out the pain killers like candy.

Underwear. More specifically, white baggy boxer shorts.

Lothario or ladies man.

Brothel. Whore House.

A small space or time, from Japanese. (synonym) Sometimes Mo Skosh.

Simonov Soviet or Chinese made semiautomatic 7.62 x 39 mm rifle. Standard Viet Com infantry rifle with a distinctive sound and high accuracy.

To treat with a reduced level of emphasis, i.e., to give someone slack. To ease off.

A Huey helicopter with the seats removed so that a larger number of combat troops could be transported (from the helicopter’s slick deck). (origin) Vietnam

Hamburgers, from the Naval reference to the amount of fat and grease on them, allowing them to slide down the throat. “With Lids” refers to cheeseburgers.

(see Straddle Trench.)

A bar for lower enlisted grades having few amenities and serving only low content beer-no hard liquor.

The U. S. Naval Academy.

Weapons of small caliber and usually requiring only one person to operate as opposed to crew-served weapons. This is not a precise term as some crew-served weapons, such as smaller machine guns are usually called small arms.

Shoulder Launched Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon. A missile-firing weapon which fires an 83 mm dual-mode encased rocket which detonates in either a fast mode against a hard target or a slow mode against a soft target.

Boxing matches pitting unit champion boxers against on another.

Naval term. When the smoking lamp is lit it is alright to smoke, when it is out smoking is prohibited. Fire is the most dangerous threat at sea so, particularly on wooden ships, it was necessary to strictly control the use of fire and smoking materials. A lamp was hung on the forecastle, where sailors were allowed to sit and relax, and the sailors knew they could smoke their pipes if the lamp was lit. If it was not lit, smoking was not allowed.

Situation Normal; All Fucked Up.

A pejorative term used in the 1960s in reference to Women Marines.

(Not PC) Living quarters of female enlisted Marines (BAMs or WMs).

Practice, especially on a rifle range.

Staff Noncommissioned Officer. An NCO in the rank of staff sergeant, gunnery sergeant, master sergeant or first sergeant, sergeant major or master gunnery sergeant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps. While officially Enlisted Marines they are set apart much like Commissioned Officers are set apart from enlisted Marines.

Patrolling or walking in the bush. (origin) Vietnam

The nose. Used mostly as in “I’m gonna hit you in the snot locker.”

A low ranking enlisted Marine.

Special Operations Capable, a designation usually placed after the title of a Marine unit and usually within parenthesis (SOC). See Marine Expeditionary Unit as an example of an organization that can be given this additional designation.

School of Infantry.

A member of a military force that trains for and fights in wars. General reference is to a member of the Army while in fact soldiering is practiced by Marines, certain sailors and some airmen.

Eleventh Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps serving from June 27, 1987 through June 27, 1991. He was born on Feb. 18, 1943 in St. Louis, MO.

Standard Operating Procedure.

An international distress signal used mostly with Morse code communications. Also, Shit on a Shingle, a breakfast meal consisting of creamed chipped beef served on toast. (see Mayday.)

1. Large lips. 2. The mouth.

1. Not squared away. 2. Not sharp or crisp.

Shore Patrol. Duties performed by both Navy petty officers and Marine noncommissioned officers, usually as an additional duty, to police sailors and Marines on liberty in a foreign or domestic port. Not a professional MOS but now often performed by MPs. (see MP)

A-1 aircraft.

Semper Paratus, Always Ready. The motto of the U. S. Coast Guard and the group name for a woman in the Coast Guard. Also a wooden or metal pole such as a boom, yard or bowsprit used to support sails. (see Women Marines)

A shipboard situation in which everyone has a special job on entering and leaving a port. This may include Manning the Rails.

An enemy fighting hole, always well hidden. (origin) Vietnam

An unauthorized reference to “high gloss footwear”. It came by its name honestly as it had been customary to use saliva when shining leather shoes and boots before Corfam” became the norm.

To drive an Amtrac off the back of an amphibious ship.

A derogatory term for black people. Sometimes spelled Spliv. (origin) Vietnam

(Civil War) A Naval term indicating that the crew should muster for their regular issue of Grog. The issue of Grog on U. S. flag vessels ended during the Civil War. It is still practiced in the Royal Navy. The main brace is the line (not rope) that holds the main sail in place. It was always a target of battle and after the battle the first duty of most sailors was to take care of the main brace and splice it if it was torn. On completion of that arduous task it was customary to take a drink of strong spirits to also strengthen the men.

A female.

A flare ship (origin) Vietnam (see Basketball )

Wife or husband, usually preceded with “Dependent”. (see Dependent Wife)

A rope designed to be hung from a helicopter to which Marines have been attached for the purpose of inserting them into or extracting them from dense jungle or other places where helicopters can not land. (synonym) Sometimes called Dope on a Rope.

A unit consisting of three fire teams. It is assigned to a platoon and is usually led by a sergeant or staff sergeant.

The living quarters for a recruit platoon, it consists of a large open space where bunk beds are set up, a head, a drill instructor”s hut and a small meeting area. Also, any open living space for Marines.

In good shape, everything in place, prepared.

A pejorative term for sailors.

Service Record Book.

Social Security Account Number. Attack Nuclear Submarine .

Social Security Number. Nuclear Submarine.

Shit, shower and shave or Skin So Soft, a skin moisturizer by Avon that also repels bugs. (background) Skin So Soft works so well that it is part of the initial PX issue in boot camp (the cost of which comes out of the recruit’s first pay).

1. A clip near the muzzle of most military rifles allowing for the stacking of weapons when in a garrison setting. 2. Often a euphemism for the neck. A drill instructor might, for instance, threaten to grab a recruit by the stacking swivel if he or she were particularly upset with the recruit.

The first staff non-commissioned officer rank is indicated by three chevrons with a single rocker connecting them and crossed rifles in between chevrons and rocker. The pay grade is E-6, and the Army equivalent is also a staff sergeant who wears the same insignia except for the color and without the crossed rifles. In the Air Force, the rank is Technical Sergeant which is indicated by five inverted chevrons with the top three partially covered with a blue circle containing a star. Navy and Coast Guard equivalents are Petty Officer First Class and their insignia of three inverted chevrons topped with a Navy eagle is worn on the left arm only.

On board ship, any pole or pillar used to support the overhead.

A command to stay where you are and not move until told otherwise.