U.S. NAVY SLANG

The following are some examples of 'slang of the United States Navy', sometimes also referred to as "NAVSpeak":

0-9

★ O'dark hundred: Pronounced "oh dark". Referring to some point really early in the morning, like 0200 (which would be pronounced oh-two-hundred)

★ O'dark thirty: one half hour after 0'dark hundred. (used in the same context as 0'dark hundred.)

★ 16: International VHF hailing/distress channel for marine communications; frequency is 156.8 MHz (FM). Parallel to 2182 kHz (SSB, formerly AM), and the virtually defunct 500 kHz (CW/Morse code).

★ 13: Intership navigation (bridge-to-bridge); 156.650 MHz.

★ 1st Lieutenant: Division found in most aviation and afloat commands that is responsible for the material condition and cleanliness of the ship or the spaces occupied by the Airedales. This usually means cleaning toilets (see "Shitter" below), swabbing decks, and running the gee dunk. 1st LT is usually dropped on the most junior officer in the command when he checks in. On surface ships, the 1st Lieutenant commands the deck division, made up of the boatswain's mates, and is responsible for the boats and docking.

★ 1JV: Primary maneuvering sound-powered circuit used between the bridge, lookouts, and main control.^[1]

★ 1MC: One of many amplified communication circuits aboard a ship, this is probably the most widely recognized. When used, it is heard on every external speaker but is not always heard by every crew member, due to the fact that not all spaces have a functioning speaker. However, all crew members are expected to know what is said over the 1MC regardless of whether or not it was 'audible.'

★ 2-2-2 and 80: A liberty-maximizing but disorienting shore schedule of eight-hour shifts: Two eve watches, eight hours off, two day watches, eight hours off, then two eye-glazing mids before 80 hours off.

★ 2JV: Engineering sound-powered circuit.

★ 2MC: Engineering loudspeaker circuit.

★ 1/4 Mile Island: USS ''Enterprise'' (CVN-65). Play on Three Mile Island.

★ 3M: Maintenance and Material Management.

★ 4 Balls: Midnight or 0000Hrs (See 'All Balls' below)

★ 4MC: Damage control amplified communication circuit, goes straight to the control room of a submarine, or bridge of a ship.

★ 5MC: Flight deck amplified communication circuit. Similar to the 1MC, except that it is only heard on the flight deck of an air-capable ship.

★ 50/50/90: Used to describe the phenomenon whereby a question that statistically has a 50/50 chance of being answered correctly is actually answered incorrectly 90% of the time. Used primarily in reference to nuclear operators, who tend to over-think ("nuke") a problem.

★ 688 (pron. six eighty-eight): Often used when referring to Los Angeles class fast-attack nuclear submarines, 688 is the hull number (SSN-688) for the lead ship in the class, USS ''Los Angeles'' (SSN-688).

★ 72/96: 3 or 4 days off measured in hours (technically Special Liberty) given to individuals or an entire department/division/command for good performance/behavior, personal issues, or national holidays. "Everyone will be getting a 72 for Labor Day".. a 72 or 96 is most often a 3 or 4 day weekend.

★ 90-day Wonder: An Officers Candidate School graduate. OCS students are former civilians or enlisted sailors with bachelor’s degrees who endure roughly 90 days of intense physical and academic instruction, graduating as commissioned officers.

★ 99 (pron. niner niner): When "99" is heard on the radio following a unit's call sign, it means that the transmission is for all of the aircraft in that unit.

A

★ Abaft the beam: On a ship, this refers to anything aft of the 090/270 degree relative beam of the ship, which is perpendicular to the bow/stern axis.

★ Above or above decks: A direction: Navy for "up." If you ascend to a higher deck on a Navy ship (using a ladder), you go "above." If you go all the way up to the weather decks, you go "topside" (see below).

★ Abu Dhabi (adj.): Refers to any product labeled in Arabic aboard a ship, particularly soda cans. "We've been home from cruise for 8 months and we still have Abu Dhabi Cokes in the vending machines!" Also referred to as "Hajji Pop"

★ Admin: Prearranged meeting point in-port for carrier pilots.

★ Admin Warfare Specialist: Joking, sometimes derisive term for Yeomen, Personnel men or other Navy administrative ratings. Used especially in cases when said sailor does not have a warfare pin.

★ ADSEP: Administrative Separation - Involuntary separation from the armed services due to circumstances which are not deemed dishonorable.

★ A-Farts: slang for Armed Forces Radio & Television Service. A-Farts are received via satellite all over the world and offer a variety of shows. Some of the most entertaining offerings are the propaganda commercials it frequently airs since regular advertising is not permitted. Also known as Another Fucking Reason to Sleep.

★ Aft: Towards the stern of the ship. Aft is always a direction, never a place.

★ A-Gang: The Auxiliary Division of the Engineering Department. Members known as "A-Gangers." Also known as the only gang on the boat.

★ Ahead Frank Crap on Plate: (Submarine Service) Refers to when a Submarine orders up All Ahead Flank Cavitate, without rigging for high speed.

★ Air Boss: Air Officer. His assistant is the "Mini Boss".

★ Airedale: A naval aviator. A sailor who works on or around aircraft.

★ Airedale Tuck: The act of folding and one's garrison cover (soft cap) or "piss cutter" so as to have the rear end kick up vertically.

★ Air Force Common: Sarcastic term for the Guard frequencies (see "Guard" below). These are supposed to be used only in the case of an emergency, however, sailors perceive the Air Force using the frequencies far too often for routine communications.

★ Air start: Any attempt to restart an aircraft's engine(s) after in-flight failure. Also a "blowjob; which is performed by the "Root Huffer"; a Huffer is slang for the Aircraft Start Cart which blows air into a jet engine spooling it start RPMs"

★ Air wing: All of the squadrons aboard an aircraft carrier make up the air wing.

★ A.J. Squared Away: a term used to describe a sailor who is always "squared away," meaning always having a perfect shave, perfectly ironed uniform, spit-shined shoes, haircut with less than 1 mm of hair, spotless uniform, etc. Compare to ''dirt bag'' below.

★ All Ahead Bendix : A theoretical ship's speed faster than "Flank". Based on manufacturer's (Bendix) marking on engine order telegraph, one step further than Flank.

★ Aloft: A location above the weather decks, such as the rigging or antenna farm. Usually heard in word passed every 15-minutes when personnel are working on radars aboard ship. "Aloft, there are men working aloft. Do not rotate, radiate or energize any electrical or electronic equipment while men are working aloft onboard USS ".

★ Anchors and Spurs: Famous dance club at NAVSTA San Diego where many-a lonely Navy wife has broken the seventh commandment. Many sailors find this amusing until it happens to them.

★ Angles and Dangles (Submarine Service): Placing the boat in extreme angles (also known as 'up and down bubbles') soon after leaving port, to see whether anything breaks loose. Similar consequence noises while on patrol are not desired. Usually results in plates just cleaned, half the bug juice machine, and that nights' dessert ending up on the floor and aft/forward bulkhead.

★ ALL BALLs: Midnight or 0000Hrs.

★ All Balls: Any instrument reading that is all zeros or a ship with an all male crew.

★ Aluminum Cloud: slang for the F-14 Tomcat.

★ "Another Fine Navy Day!” an expression voiced (in a very sarcastic cheery manner) on occasions when, in fact, it's not that much of a Fine Navy Day at all.

★ Anti-smack or Anti-smash: Anti-collision strobe light on an aircraft. Also called simply "Smacks."

★ Anymouse: Slang for anonymous. Safety system where sailors can drop an anonymous recommendation into a locked box.

★ AOL: Absent Over Leave; Navy speak for AWOL. See UA, the sailors' preferred usage.

★ AOM: All Officers Meeting, held for a variety of reasons like training, port calls, mess issues, etc.

★ Ape: Slang for an Auxiliary Power Unit, or APU. This is basically a small turbine engine on an aircraft that is started with battery power. It then supplies electrical power and air for starting the main engine(s).

★ Apple Jack: Slang for 21 day wine made out of bug juice, sugar and yeast.

★
★ Applejack (also Apple-jacked): Extremely intoxicated. Refers to a sailor who is so piss-drunk on liberty that his shipmates actually notice it.

★ "Armpit of the Navy": Slang for NAS Lemoore, so named because of the smell and air quality of the San Joaquin Valley.

★ A-School or "A" School: Navy career schools to develop skills in such areas as computers, transportation, electronics, engineering, etc.

★ ASMO: term/procedure used by RDCs in boot camp; means to restart or to be sent back in recruit training. "I'll ASMO your ass back to 1-1 day.

★ "Assholes and elbows": A deck hand on his hands and knees holystoning a wooden deck. As in "All I want to see is assholes and elbows." as spoken by a boatswains mate.

★ "Asshole of the Navy": Slang for Norfolk, Virginia, home of the fabled "DOGS AND SAILORS KEEP OFF THE GRASS!" sign. The Urban Legends Reference Pages says that the sign is an urban legend [1], but cold shoulders from civilians persist in Navy towns. See also "NoFuck, Vagina" and "Shit City," below.

★ Asshole of the World: Tijuana, Mexico. It is thus labeled because it is dirty, smells like shit, has high crime and drugs, corrupt police officials, and has few redeeming qualities. However, due to its close proximity to San Diego, one can often find sailors and Marines enjoying the lower drinking age, cheap booze, and loose women.

★ ASWO: Anti-Submarine Warfare Officers

★ ATFQ: Answer The Fucking Question. This grading remark often appears on nuke-school exams. See also "GCE".

★ Athwart ships: A direction perpendicular to the bow-stern axis of the ship. That is, moving port-to-starboard or starboard-to-port. A passageway that goes in this direction is called an "athwart ship passageway."

★ AUTEC: Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center

★ Auto: Short for autorotation, which is a maneuver performed by a helo pilot in the event of complete power loss. Sarcastically described as the last few seconds of a helo flight during which the crew has just enough time to kiss their ass goodbye.

★ Auto Dog: Self-serve ice cream dispensed from a machine in wardrooms and mess decks throughout the navy. Resembles a pile of dog poop. See "dog" below.

★ Aye: Yes (I understand).

★ Aye, aye: Yes (I heard the order, I understand the order, and I intend to obey the order). Also used in some circles to mean "Fuck you, bitch."

★ AWOL: Absent Without Official Leave

B

★ B1rd (B.-One-R.-D.): Called out by lookouts to report a bird to an inexperienced JOOD (See also Sea Gull pronounced Charlie -Gee U-11)

★ Baby Bird farm: An ''Iwo Jima''-class helicopter carrier.

★ Baboon Ass: Nickname for corned beef, based on color and flavor.

★ Back Alley: Card game of trump played by 2 to 4 players (mostly "snipes"). Players are first dealt 1 card each then 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13,-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Players bid on the number of tricks to be taken, trump is determined by draw. Score is kept by awarding 3 points for bids made and taken and 1 point for each additional trick. A player unable to make their bid goes set 3 X the bid. Game can be played by partners.

★ Baffles: (Submarines) The area directly aft of a submarine in which she cannot hear because of the screw's turbulence in the water and the lack of ship mounted hydrophones in that immediate area.

★ Baffle Sample: (Submarines) A prank, similar to the 'Portable Air Sample' snipe hunt, conducted on a NQP that, played correctly, can involve several departments including sonar, engineering, and weapons. Generally culminates in NQP approaching Captain in 'Chicken Suit' and declaring an emergent situation of "50 parts per baffle!".

★ Bag: Flight suit.

★ Bag: To issue demerits at the Naval Academy.

★ Bag: Full complement of fuel in an aircraft.

★ Bag: To accumulate, gather, or obtain something. (Ex. I'm going to bag some traps.)

★ Bag: To leave or postpone a regular duty for the following watch to complete. Generally, the person who gets bagged is the one using the term.

★ Bag Ass: Leave a place of duty (go on liberty)

★ Bag It Out: Fill an aircraft with its max fuel load.

★ Bag Nasty: A pre-packaged bag lunch usually consisting of a cold cut sandwich, piece of fruit, and juice box or can of soda. Served at galleys in lieu of regular chow for sailors on the go.

★ Bag of Ass: An adjective applied to a sailor whose uniform presents an unsightly appearance, characterized especially by new recruits. (See also Bag of hot ass, shitbag, dirtbag, unsat sailor, "using summer creases i.e. "summer" here, "summer" there.)

★ Balls Thirty: A term used to indicate the time of the 0030 security sweep on some bases.

★ Balls to Two: A short watch stood from 0000 to 0200. Not generally seen outside of training commands.

★ Balls to Four: A four hour watch technically spanning from 00:00 to 04:00, though in practice begins at 2345 and ends at 0345. Most commonly seen on a "Dogged Watch" schedule.

★ Balls To the Wall (WWII Airforce): Bomber throttles had a ball on the end of each one. Pushing all of the BALLS forward until they hit the fireWALL set all of the engines to full power. This is the origin.

★ Balls To The Wall (Submarine Service): Main propulsion plant dialed up to 11 for maximum speed.

★ Balls to The Walls: extremely fast, hurry up

★ Banana Eating Contest: Game in which many promiscuous women give multiple men blowjobs.

★ Bandit: Aircraft positively identified as hostile.

★ Barney Clark: Slider topped with a fried egg. Also called a "One-Eyed Jack." Named after the first man to receive an artificial heart.

★ Barricade: Also called the barrier, this is a huge nylon net strung across the landing area of a carrier to arrest the landing of an aircraft with damaged gear or a damaged tailhook. (Usually deployed to avoid pissing off the 'Air Boss' by 'breaking the spot'.)

★ Base Bunny: Slutty woman who hangs around in front of the entrance to a base, hoping to pick up a Sailor. Some Base Bunnies want to snag husband and thereby reap the Sailor's benefits. In the Old Navy (ca. 1983) she was known as a "Sea Hag."

★ Basket Leave: Highly illegal free time off. When a sailor who takes leave has his leave chit destroyed after he's returned, thereby not charging the liberty against his leave balance without the command's knowledge. Personnel men at a command who monitor leave are apt to use a favor such as basket leave in trade for favors from their shipmates.

★ Bastard Chief: Slang for Master Chief.

★ Battle Group (BG): A group of warships and supply ships centered around a large deck aircraft carrier and its air wing. Usually consists of one cruiser, one supply ship, and one or two destroyers, frigates, and submarines. Has been sanitized and emasculated lately and is now referred to as the Carrier Strike Group (CSG). Occasionally referred to as a "Battleship Group" by clueless media reporters.

★ Battle Racks: When mission-exhausted aviators are allowed to sleep through General Quarters drills.

★ Battle Racks (submarines): Catching a quick nap fully clothed, which is not allowed by regulation. Usually occurs during long sessions of section tracking parties, Fire Control Tracking parties, and Vulcan Death Watches.

★ Battle Wagon: Battleship (Note: While the Navy still owns the four remaining Iowa-class battleships, they are no longer in active duty - in fact most now serve as public museums).

★ B.B.&G.: Buffarilla Bar and Grill (Club outside the Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, MS.).

★ BCG's: Birth Control Glasses. Standard Navy-issue corrective eyewear. So named because they are so thick and hideous that you are guaranteed never to have sex while you are wearing them. The only option for vision correction during boot camp, because contacts are not allowed and other frame choices are not offered. Nearly impossible to break, although many recruits dedicate much time and effort towards that end.

★ The Beach: "Terra firma." Any place that is not covered by water.

★ Beach Pounder: A Marine (''cf.'' Ground Pounder = soldier). Coast Guard: Shoreline foot patrol (archaic/WWII); lived on in expression: "Pound sand!" for "Get lost."

★ Beam: The width of a naval vessel. Also refers to any contact close to 90 degrees off the fore/aft axis of the ship. A lookout would call a contact on the 100 relative bearing "off the starboard beam."

★ Beer Day: On many Navy ships, even in the present day, all hands are given 2 beers if they are underway without a port call for a given period of time - generally 45 days. Both beers are opened when they are given to the crewmember to prevent them from being hoarded. Considering what you have to go through to "earn" a beer day, they are definitely not a good thing. Sharing, selling, or otherwise transferring one's beer to another person is almost always strictly forbidden.

★ Beer Tickets: Foreign currency - so called because a sailor has no idea how much the bills and coins are worth. All he wants to know is how many are needed to buy drinks while in port.

★ Bells: Naval way of announcing the time of day aboard ship, usually over the 1MC. One bell corresponds to 30 minutes past the hour. Bells will only be rung as a single strike, or a closely spaced double strike, with a maximum of eight bells (4 sets of 2). Bells repeat themselves every 4 hours. For example 2 sets of 2 bells, followed by a single bell could be 0630, 1030, 1430, or 1830, but not 0230 or 2230 as bells are not rung between taps (2200) and reville (0600).

★ Below: Navy for "down." If you descend to a lower deck on a Navy ship (using a ladder), you go "below." (Surface)

★ Below: The interior of a submarine. "Going below" means descending a ladder from the topside area or bridge to the interior of the sub. (Submarines)

★ Below Decks: The watch responsible for monitoring the forward spaces of a submarine while in port.

★ Benny: A treat or reward, derived from "Benefit".

★
★ Benny Suggs: The Navy's Beneficial Suggestions program, a method where DON employees, and Navy and Marine personnel can make suggestions to improve various programs and operations.

★ Bent Shitcan: Someone below Naval standards.

★ Berthing: Living quarters for enlisted personnel. Aboard ship berthing is usually a relatively large space filled with three-deep racks, lockers, a couple of TV's, minimal furniture, and an attached head.

★ BIF: Butt In Front (see BUF)

★ Big Chicken Dinner: Slang for a Bad Conduct Discharge, which is usually handed out along with an administrative separation (ADSEP) after a sailor pops positive on a "Whiz Quiz."

★ Big E: Common nickname for USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Nickname formerly applied to WWII carrier Enterprise (CV 6). "You can't spell hEll without a Big E!"

★ Big Eyes: Large mounted binoculars normally found on or near the Signal Shack

★ Bilge: The lowest part of the ship, where all water, oil and other nasty stuff collects. Also means to fail miserably as in: "He bilged the exam."

★ Bilge Party: The cleaning of the bilges in Machinery Rooms, generally performed by younger sailors while supervisors poke fun

★ Bilge Rat: Someone who works in the engineering spaces.

★ Bilge Turd: Derogatory term for "Boiler Technician," typically from Machinist Mates who attend the identical A school

★ BINGO: Minimum fuel needed to return to base (RTB). BINGO field. Alternate place to land if you can't return.

★ Binnacle List: The daily list of ship's crew who are sick in quarters (see below). So called because in the old days of sailing, this list was posted on the binnacle, the casing that housed the ship's compass.

★ Bird: Aircraft.

★ Birdfarm: Aircraft carrier.

★ Bitchbox: Intercom or amplified circuit used to communicate between spaces of a ship.

★ Bitching Betty: The computer generated female voice heard in an aviator's earpiece when something is not as it should be. Usually caused by unsafe flight conditions or an enemy threat.

★ Black Hole, The: Reference to the Navy's main base at Norfolk, Virginia, so called because "it's where sailors' careers go to die."

★ Black Hole: An extremely dangerous situation encountered by naval aviators when landing aboard a ship on a very dark night. Limited visual cues and vestibular errors from the inner ear give the impression of forward motion when in fact forward motion has slowed considerably or stopped altogether. The pilot continues his descent, however, under the impression that he is still on a normal glide slope. Many ramp strikes and water impacts have resulted from this phenomenon.

★ Black Shoe: Any "Surface Navy" officer or CPO, from the black shoes worn with khaki uniforms. "Black shoe" is a derogatory term used by aviators in reference to ship drivers, much like carrier aviators refer to the carrier as "the boat" just to piss off the black shoes. See also "Brown Shoe."

★ Blowing a Shitter (Submarine Service): Accidentally flushing a toilet while San Tanks are being vented overboard, despite the posted warning signs. Also refers to losing one's composure, adapted from first definition.

★ Blow the DCA:(Submarines) A task made up by more senior enlisted, which sends an inexperienced junior sailor looking for an imaginary DCA horn. If done correctly, the junior sailor will thrown in a wild goose chase around the submarine until he finds the real DCA (Damage Control Assistant), which the junior sailor normally asks the DCA officer permission to blow the DCA, and the officer will usually reply, "Well, it's about time!" and begin to unzip his pants jokingly.

★ Blue and Gold: Alternating crews for the same ship - usually applied to submarines, but recently applied to forward deployed "small boys" in the "Sea Swap" program.

★ Blue Card: A card issued to a sailor that is in the process of separating from the navy. The card requires the signature from numerous departments. Its often destroyed numerous times by shipmates. The card is in fact blue.

★ Bluejacket: An enlisted sailor below the rank of E-7 (Chief Petty Officer).

★
★ Bluejacket's Manual: The handbook of seamanship issued to recruits.

★
★
★ Page 92: Upon doing something stupid, recruits will often be required to read the paragraph entitled "Discipline" multiple times while holding the Bluejacket's Manual at arms length. This is usually done when the redropes have exhausted the recruits to the point where more ITE would possibly get them into trouble.

★ Bluenose: An individual who has crossed the Arctic Circle.

★ Blue on Blue: Fratricide or friendly fire. Named for the color associated with friendly forces during "workups" and exercises. The fictional enemy country is usually Orange or Red. In port the definition of "blue on blue" is much more enjoyable, as it refers to girl-on-girl stripper acts, porn scenes, etc. Also used in the context "blue on blue contact" which refers to a fight between two sailors, often caused by the belief that a particular bar girl is committed to those men in a monogamous relationship.

★ Blue Shirt: An enlisted sailor below the rank of E-7 (Chief Petty Officer). More modern than the term Bluejacket.

★ Blue Smoke: The magic substance in microchips that makes them work. (If you see the blue smoke leave the chip, it won't work anymore)

★ Blue Tile: An area of the carrier on the starboard main passageway, O-3 level, where the Battle Group (now called Carrier Strike Group) admiral and his staff live and work. As the name implies, the deck is indeed blue there. Passing through, especially by junior enlisted sailors, is highly discouraged. During wartime, armed guards may be posted on both sides of the blue tile. Pictures of bare-assed drunken aviators standing on the blue tile during port calls are highly prized keepsakes.

★ Blue Water: Deep water far from land. Only larger, self-sufficient ships can operate on these waters. Also called the "high seas." See ''Brown Water.''
Blunt End of the Boat: (aviator slang) the round down which when run into, can seriously ruin your day.

★ B.M.S.: "Be More Specific" Seen on nuke-school exams.

★ Board: To land a fixed-wing aircraft successfully aboard an aircraft carrier via the tail hook and arresting wires.

★
★ Boarding Rate: Percentage of the time that an aviator successfully boards on the first attempt

★ Boat: Water craft small enough to be carried on a ship, unless a submarine, which is always called "a boat" or "the boat" when referring to the actual vessel (as opposed to the "ship's company" when referring to a sub's command or crew)

★
★ A ship may be called a boat but ONLY by members of its crew, and only those who have actually completed a deployment.

★
★ The Boat: (1) The Submarine; (2) Airedale term for the ship their air wing is attached to. "We're going to The Boat for a few weeks."

★ Boat Cute: Applied to female sailors who would not be attractive on the beach, but who become extremely attractive after being underway for a prolonged period of time.

★ Boat Chuck: Airedale term for any member of a ship's company.

★ Boat Goat: Usually refers to females aboard ship that are unattractive.

★ Boat Ho: Usually refers to females aboard ship that are assumed to be promiscuous.

★ Boat Wife Usually refers to monogamous females aboard ship at sea.

★ Boats: A sailor in the Boatswain's Mate rating. Nickname for a Boatswains Mate. Often sailors of rates other than Boatswains Mate will refer to any member of the Deck Department as "Boats". Although non-rate Seaman, E-1 to E-3, never refer to each other this way, but only to Boatswains Mate's E-4 to E-6. Nor to senior members of the department refer to junior members as "Boats".

★ B.O.C.O.D: "Beat-Off Cut-Off Date" The date before returning home from a deployment to stop masturbating in order to save it up for your wife or girlfriend.

★ B.O.D.: "Benefit of the Doubt" Sometimes seen on nuke-school exams when the student shows some basic understanding of the answer, but fails to answer it using the expected verbage.

★ Bogey: Unknown aircraft which could be friendly, hostile, or neutral.

★ B.O.H.I.C.A.: "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again."

★ Bollock Hamper: The captains daughter

★ Bolter: Failed attempt at an arrested landing on a carrier by a fixed-wing aircraft. Usually caused by a poor approach or a hook bounce on the deck, this embarrassing event leads to a go-around and another attempt to "board."

★ Bonnie Dick: Nickname for USS ''Bonhomme Richard'' (LHD-6)

★ Bone Me Hard Richard: Another nickname for the USS "Bonhomme Richard" (LHD-6). This name originates from Great Lakes, Illinois and generally refers to the primarily female barracks of the same name.

★ Boomer: Ballistic Missile Submarine.

★ Boomer Fag: Any Naval personnel that serves aboard a Boomer

★ Boondockers: Navy issue work boots. They are made out of black leather with black rubber sole, come up to your ankle and have steel toes. They are the most uncomfortable shoes you could ever wear.

★ Boondoggle: Any unorganized, inefficient evolution, usually grand in scale and involving many confused participants. Similar to a "goatrope." ''Alternatively:'' Used in reference to any TAD/TDY trip that is "official" on paper, but is basically just an excuse for sailors (usually senior enlisted and officers) to get away from the command for a brief vacation from home to a desirable location (e.g. Pearl Harbor).

★ Boopdiddley: All-inclusive word usually pertaining to something ridiculous.

★ Bootcamp: A term used, usually derisively, when referring to any sailor who has very little time in or a lot less time than the speaker.

★ Booter: A Sailor that has just reported to his first duty assignment after completing Recruit Training.

★ B.O.S.N.I.A.: Big Ol' Standard Navy Issue Ass.

★ Bosun's Punch: New sailors on ship are sometimes assigned to find this mythical tool in the office of one of the ship's Bosuns (Boatswains). The sailor is then typically punched very hard in the shoulder by the Bosun in question.

★ Bounce Pattern: When several aircraft are practicing touch and go landings at the same airfield or ship.

★ Bow: The front of the ship. When used by lookouts, it may be preceded by port or starboard when a contact is slightly to the left or right of the bow. For example, a surface contact on the 340 relative bearing would be on the port bow.

★ Box Kicker: Slang name for a Navy Storekeeper

★ Brain Fart: a condition when, under stress, one cannot recall or perform something that would normally be easy or second nature.

★ Branch: Lowest organizational level in most naval commands. Below department and division.

★ Bravo Foxtrot - Buddy Fucker - someone who will make himself look good at the expense of his shipmates.

★ Bravo Zulu: Originally "BZ" was a signal meaning "Well Done." It is sometimes co-opted by seniors praising subordinates in one form or another.

★ Breakaway music: Music played over the 1MC at the conclusion of an underway replenishment evolution, used to motivate the crew, but regularly fails.

★ Bremerlos: Large civilian women who prey on the sexual needs of unwary junior enlisted personnel. Resembling Buffalo, their original range was Bremerton, WA, but due to successful breeding with said junior enlisted personnel, have increased their range to all U.S. naval facilities. Closely related to Silverwhales.

★ Brig: Jail.

★
★ Brigchaser: A sailor escorting a prisoner to the brig.

★ Brightworks: Any decorative metal that must be constantly shined with Brasso or Nevr-Dull to avoid tarnishing. This undesirable duty is often performed by the most junior personnel in the command. Example: the stainless steel rails in boot camp around the galley. "Shipmate! get off my brightworks!" see also: blueworks.

★ Broke-dick: Technical term describing malfunctioning or inoperable equipment. Example: "The fuckin' aux drain pump is fuckin' broke-dick."

★ Brown bagger: Married sailor who brings his lunch from home in a paper bag (because he is receiving a Commuted Rations or COMRATS cash allowance for his meals).

★ Brown Nose: Sailor trying a "little too hard" to make rate by sucking up to superiors. Can also refer to those who wear khakis (Chiefs, Officers) since it is assumed that most have "brown-nosed" to obtain their present position. Mythical rate "Chief Brownnose" or "Brownose First Class"

★ Brown Shoe: An officer or CPO in the Naval Aviation community. Originates from the brown shoes worn with khaki uniforms that were exclusive to aviators from 1913 to 1976 and 1985 to 1999.^[2] Although all CPO's and officers may now wear either brown or black shoes, wearing brown shoes is uncommon in the non-aviation navy community and doing so is likely to get you labeled a dirtbag. Among aviators, being called a brown shoe is considered a term of endearment. See also "Black Shoe."

★ Brown Trout: Part of what comes out when there's a sewage spill. As the ship heaves to and fro, brown trout can actually "swim" on the deck.

★ Brown Water: Shallow water close to land. Also called the littorals. Smaller ships can operate in these waters.

★ BT Punch: Same as a Bosun's Punch, but delivered by a Boiler Technician (BT).

★ Bubba: Affectionate term for someone who does what you do. In aviation, someone who flies the same type of aircraft as you (Ex. He's an H-53 bubba). On subs, refers to the few oversized crewmembers who can lift the largest loads, thus getting something done. Is also a derogatory term for shipyard workers.

★ Bubble: The trim orientation of a submarine (e.g., 5 degree up bubble).

★ The Bubble: When someone is on the very edge of passing or failing at something, or when they are undecided, they are said to be on the bubble. Similar to riding the fence. Also refers to the ICCS, or Integrated Catapult Control System, which is the enclosed control room sticking out of an aircraft carrier's flight deck from which the catapult is operated.

★ Bubblehead: A sailor in the Submarine Service.

★ Budweiser: A SEAL Special Warfare insignia. Consists of a pistol, trident, and eagle.

★ BUF: Butt up Front. Refers to the large lower part of a female overlapping stomach (commonly referred to as a 'pooch') stuffed into a pair of utility/dungaree/khaki pants, with the fly seam forming a butt crack-like crease down the front. AKA BIF, "Butt In Front", as in "Butt-in-front" jeans.

★ Buffarilla: Mixture of Buffalo and Gorilla. Result of many years of female inbreeding practiced by multiple heavyset inhabitants of the Southern United States. Habitat is usually limited to the Pascagoula, Ms. locale; however, intermarriage with drunken junior enlisted sailors resulted in wide-spread minor infestations across the lower 48 states.

★ Bug: Seabee Combat Warfare insignia. Consists of a 1903 Springfield rifle, officer's sword, Banana leaves, anchor, and the Seabee "bug" in the middle.

★ Bug Juice: Kool-Aid-like beverage in dispensers on the messdeck. Side-by-side - Orange or Red. Before the turn of the century bug juice was also used as a replacement for cleaning agents to clean decks with.

★ Bug Juice Sunrise: Orange with a splash of Red.

★ Building 20: slang for the USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), which rarely leaves port.

★ Building 39: 1990s-era Naval Station Norfolk slang for the USS Emory S. Land (AS-39), which during that time period, rarely left port.

★ Bulkhead: Wall.

★
★ Bulkhead remover: an in-joke shared by veteran sailors and often delegated as a task to new sailors, as in, "Go get me a can of bulkhead remover."

★ Bull, aka "Bull Ensign": the senior-most Ensign onboard a surface ship. In charge of various wardroom duties, often including mentoring the junior-most Ensign (see "JORG") and setting up the wardroom's movie night. Originated during World War II from Admiral "Bull" Halsey's need to designate one officer to oversee wardroom functions.

★ Bull Nub: Submarine term for sailor who has been on board the longest with out getting qualified in submarines

★ Bull Nuke: The most senior nuke onboard a nuclear-powered vessel. They are usually in charge of Reactor Department on surface ships. On submarines it refers to the senior most enlisted nuke who is an assistant to the Engineer Officer.

★ Bullet Sponge: U.S. Marine.

★ Bunny Tube: Pneumatic tube system used for sending documents such as hard copies of radio messages to and from the radio room to other areas of the ship. The containers are called "bunnies" and warning of a container being sent are given over a squawk box by, "Bunny on the run."

★ BUNO: short for Bureau Number - this is a 6-digit serial number assigned to every naval aircraft when it is accepted into service. In no way related to an aircraft's 3-digit "side number."

★ Burn a copy: Make a Xerox copy of a document or sheet of paper. (Probably goes back to Thermofax copiers.)

★ Burn a Flick: Watch a Movie.

★ Burn Bag: Trash bag for outdated or no longer needed classified materials. They are usually paper grocery bags with red and white stripes on them. The contents are actually no longer burned, though the name persists. They are almost always shredded.

★ Burn One: Taking a smoke break. To smoke a cigarette. "Hey man, forget what Chief said about sweeping that space, lets go burn one."

★ Bus Driver Uniform: The unpopular uniform, based on an officer's dress blues, which was briefly issued to recruits in the 1970s.

★ Buster: Proceed at max possible speed.

★ "Bust Me on The Surface" (Submarine Service): An expression voiced when a subordinate strongly disagrees with a superior's order (who may be under heavy situational pressure), and the subordinate takes actions he knows to be the correct procedure, counter to the order. "Bust Me On The Surface" refers to disciplinary action that could result, which would take place in the fresh air of safety that would not be reached if the original order was carried out. Rarely invoked, and the subordinate better be right. More often used as slang in less life-threatening situations.

★ Butt Kit: Ash tray. Aboard ship it is a can with a hole in the lid, usually hung from the bulkhead near watch stations.

★ Butter Bars: Refers to the gold-colored bars designating the rank of Ensign (the lowest rank for commissioned officers).

★ Button Crusher: Imaginary machine used by a ship's laundry to pulverize buttons. Unique in that buttons processed by a button crusher look perfectly OK when they leave the laundry but fall to pieces when touched by the recipient.

C

★ CAG: Title used when addressing the airwing commander. It is a holdover from the days when airwings were called air groups, and stands for Commander Air Group. Can also refer to the airwing itself, as in CAG-14. See "airwing."

★ Cake Dryer: Imaginary appliance in a ship's galley used to dry (like toast) otherwise good pieces of cake.

★ Camel: The wooden floating structures, at the waterline, that separate ships tied up in a nest.

★ Candy-O: Candidate Officer, a trainee of Navy Officer Candidate School upon reaching the final two weeks of training.

★ CANEX: Cancelled Exercise. Used to refer to any event which has been cancelled, not just formal exercises.

★ Cann: short for cannibalize, which is the practice of using one or more of a unit's aircraft strictly for parts to keep the rest of the aircraft flying. Often the cannibalized aircraft is a "hangar queen." See "Rob"

★ Cannon balls: Baked, candied apples served to midshipmen at the Naval Academy on special occasions. Twelve are served per table. If one person at the table is willing to eat all 12 apples and succeeds, then he is given the honor of "carry on" (lack of harassment by upper classmen) for the remainder of the semester.

★ Canoe Club: The United States Navy

★ Canoe U: United States Naval Academy

★ Captain's Mast: Navy term for Nonjudicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Depending on the rank or position involved, the name of the procedure may change, i.e. Admiral's Mast, OIC's Mast.

★ Carrier Strike Group (CSG): See "Battle Group"

★ Carry on: An officers reply to a junior person's call to "attention on deck", meaning all present rise and come to attention as a sign of respect. "Carry on" allows personnel to continue whatever they were doing. Also see "cannon ball" above.

★ CASREP: Inoperative, casualty reported; casually, OOC (out of commission). Often jocularly applied to broken minor items not requiring any report, or to personnel on the ''binnacle list.''

★ CAVU: Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited - perfect flying weather. Pronounced as "Ka-Voo", it is commonly used in sentences such as "CAVU to the Moon".

★ CB - Construction Battalion (pronounced Seabees)

★ CBC: Clean Bitches Clean. A term used to order junior sailors to clean so they can to secure for the day, or to commence field day.

★ Cellblock 10: Crew-coined term for the USS Juneau. Term could come from the feeling that the Juneau has the homely warmth of a prison cellblock. 10 is the vessel's hull number.

★ Cellblock 65: Same as above only referring to the U.S.S. Enterprise (CVN-65).

★ CC: Company Commander in bootcamp - the place where new boots start learn all these new 'hosed up' terms

★ CF: (pronounced Charlie Foxtrot) Cluster fuck, meaning completely screwed up.

★ CFIT (pron. see-fit): Controlled Flight into Terrain - When a pilot flies a perfectly good airplane into the ground or the water. Often fatal if unanticipated.

★ C-GU11: Seagull. Pronounced "See-Gee-Yuu-Eleven." Similar to "bulkhead remover," an inexpensive way to derive enjoyment from inexperienced personnel on watch. "Forward lookout, keep an eye out for signs of C-GU11s in the area, over." Also sometimes spelled C-6U11, Z-6UL1 or various L33T-like combinations.

★ Channel Fever: Said if a sailor is anxious when approaching port to get leave. Sometimes cured by the "Channel Fever Shot", a slap or kick to the backside.

★ Charles County Crab: Throughout the years the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal has moved several times. It is currently located at Eglin AFB, Florida. The term "Charles County Crab" refers to the "crab" insignia worn by graduates of Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, who attended training during the period of time when NAVSCHOLEOD was based at Naval Ordnance Station, Indian Head, Charles County Maryland (old school).

★ Charlie Foxtrot: See "clusterfuck"

★ Charlie Noble: The stove pipe from the mess deck, the cleaning of which is a major chore.

★ Charlie Oscar: Phonetic letters C and O. Refers to the Commanding Officer of a unit.

★ Chart: What landlubbers call a "map".

★ Charting: A practice peculiar to Operations Specialists in which they take any personal gear left unstowed by the previous watch section (usually personal coffee cups) and fling them overboard, marking the location on the chart and subsequently inform the unfortunate owner of the location, remarking that he is free to return to retrieve it at his leisure.

★ Check Valve (primarily used by Engineering/Reactor departments): A shipmate who is willing to acdddcept (and may even ask for) gedunk or help, but isn't willing to give. He is being "one way"...(a check valve only allows flow in one direction).

★ Cheez Whiz: Derogatory term for Chief Warrant Officers, former enlisted personnel who have received a commission for specialized skills. Most Warrant Officers (aka "Warrants") are former Chiefs but have "moved up" to the officers' mess (Wardroom), hence there is often a degree of resentment and animosity between the two groups.

★ CHENG: Chief Engineer

★ Chicken Suit: A yellow cloth suit that is worn from head-to-toe by navy "Nukes" (see below) when cleaning up radioactive spills or are otherwise in areas that may lead to skin contamination by radioactive material. To complete the ensemble, bright orange rubber gloves are worn as well.

★ Chit: Name given to the document a sailor fills out to make various types of special request (i.e. emergency leave, move off base to civilian housing, etc.)

★
★ My Wife Chit: A special request that uses the wife as the excuse/justification for needing to be absent.

★ Chop, The: Supply Officer. Taken from the Supply Corps' porkchop-shaped insignia.

★ Chow: Food.

★
★ Chow Boss: Food Service Officer.

★
★ Chow down: Eat.

★
★ Chow Hall: Dining room.

★
★ Chow Hound: Someone who never misses a meal. A proficient chow hound generally gains membership in the Chub Club.

★ Chrome Dome: Bright silver helmet worn by officer candidates as part of the "poopie suit" during the first week of OCS.

★ Chub Club: Sailors assigned mandatory physical training due to being overweight.

★ Chuckie V: USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Also Chuckwagon, Chuck Bucket.

★ Chula-juana: Derisive term for the city of Chula Vista, CA, a city where many sailors assigned to NAVSTA San Diego live for its proximity to the base and perceived similarity to Tijuana, Mexico.

★ CIC: Combat Information Center - see "Combat" below

★ Cinderella Liberty: Liberty that expires at midnight.

★ CIVLANT: Form DD-214 transfers you from COMSUBLANT to CIVLANT.

★ CIWS (pron. sea whiz): Close in Weapon System, or Phalanx gun, also "Captain, it won't shoot!", is intended to shoot down incoming missiles, but is frequently under repair.

★ CLA: A career-limiting action. A truly bad ''whatever'' that spells the end. Leads to questions about the location of the truck-driver school phone number. aka CLE event.

★ Cleaning Stations: Hour-long field day evolution where everyone drops what they're doing and cleans their spaces. See "XO's Happy Hour"

★ Clinometer: 1. (Also known as an inclinometer) An instrument for measuring angles of slope (or tilt), elevation or inclination of an object with respect to gravity. 2. An instrument used on shipboard to indicate the approximate amount of vomit being produced by the ship's crew. In unusually heavy seas, crews will improvise their own in work or rec spaces, marking the scale with obscenities progressing from morbid to macabre. The first notice some of the crew receive of a storm ahead is the appearance of large bowls of saltines on the mess desk.

★ Clobbered: When the landing pattern or the comms frequency at a field or ship is filled to capacity and you can't get an aircraft or a word in.

★ Clusterfuck: Term used to describe an evolution that has gone awry.

★ Coastie: A Coast Guardsman.

★ COB: (Submarine Service) Chief of the Boat; a chief (generally a Master or Senior Chief) specifically assigned to the submarine to liaise between the CO and the crew of the boat. Such a good idea, that the surface fleet borrowed it, mucked it up, and created the CMC (Command Master Chief) program.

★ COD: Carrier Onboard Delivery - the mighty C-2 Greyhound, which ferries people and supplies to and from the carrier on a regular basis. The C-2 Greyhound COD was preceded in service by the smaller C-1 Trader (photo) COD aircraft.

★ Coffin Locker: A personal storage area located underneath a sailor's rack (see below).

★ Cold Shot: A catapult launch from a carrier in which insufficient speed is attained to generate lift. Often fatal for the aircrew if they do not eject in time.

★ Connex Box Talk: A shipping container used when a Junior "dirt Sailor" is in need of a Physical attitude re-alignment. Although officially illegal under the U.C.M.J. It is rumored to be an effective tool but generally only allowed in the most severe cases.

★ Combat: Short for Combat Information Center (CIC). This space is a nexus where all of the ship's sensors and weapons systems come together. The room is filled with various screens and displays, and the Tactical Action Officer (TAO) "fights the ship" from there.

★ Combat Dump: Evacuating the bowels right before a flight or a mission. Also called "putting the marines ashore" or "drowning an O-4."

★ Combo Cover: Short for Combination Cover, which is a type of hat worn by chiefs and officers. It is circular on top and covered with white or khaki fabric. On the front you'll find the officer's crest or the (senior or master) chief's insignia. Below that there is a chin strap and a black brim. AKA visor cap.

★ Commodore: Title of the Captain (O-6) in charge of a squadron of ships or submarines or a wing of the same type of aircraft. Prior to 1984 this was the designation given to the lowest rank of flag officer (O-7 or one-star); however, there was occasional confusion with the other military branches over whether a Commodore was a flag officer. To be more inline with the other services, the US Navy changed the one-star title to Rear Admiral, Lower Half.

★
★ Commodore: The title given for any Captain embarked upon a naval vessel that he is not the CO of the unit, even if the CO of the unit is a Commander, he is the "Captain". There can be only one Captain. This most commonly occurs on submarines and destroyers.

★ COMNAVFUDGEPAC: Pejorative for any suspected homosexual sailor onboard a ship or station. Derives from the acronym "COMNAVSURFPAC" (Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Pacific), with the humorous reference to "fudge-pack[ing]."

★ Comp Time: Compensation Time, time/days off during week for shore-based sailors who had weekend assignments, above and beyond mere watch-standing.

★ Conar Tech: Slang for Sonar Tech, Coner+Sonar= Conar.

★ Coner: (Submarine Service) A submarine crewman who is not part of the engineering department (synonymous with retard), especially Torpedomen. Also known as "Forward Pukes" and "Fags" (see below)
Constantly Gone: Guided missile cruiser (CG), especially during the Gulf War due to their lengthly underway time and extended deployments

★ Cool Breeze: Laid back individual that can be found randomly in fields watching sunsets. Also may or may not be collecting butterflies and placing them in jars. Cool Breezes can be found normally on Whidbey Island.

★ Corpsman Candy: Sore-throat lozenges handed out at sick bay in lieu of any substantive treatment. Sometimes accompanied by two aspirin.

★ Corp Whore: A degrading term for a female corpsman.

★ Countersunk Sailor: Female sailor.

★ Cover: HEADGEAR - includes the dixie cup (white hat (go figure)), cloth cap (cracker jack cover), watch cap, snoopy headgear, fatigue cap; garrison cap: see "piss cutter", "cunt cap" and "combo cover"; NOW HEAR THIS: These are NOT hats. ''Ladies'' wear hats, sailors and Marines wear "covers". That is all.

★ The COW: The Commanding Officer's Wife

★ Crab: affectionate slang term for the warefare insignia/ badge worn by special operations personnel qualified in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (BOMB SQUAD).

★ Cracker Jacks: Slang for the dress blue uniforms worn by sailors E-6 and below. (see Marine Corps Table Cloth)

★ Crack House: Designated smoking area aboard ship that is not a weatherdeck space. Quickly fills with a haze of smoke. Also called "Crack shack".

★ Crank: See "Mess Crank"

★ Crash & Smash: Permanently assigned flight deck firefighting personnel. Also, a game played by aviation personnel involving several long tables and a great deal of beer, wherein the aviators attempt to replicate with their bodies the arrested landings their aircraft make.

★ Crazy Ivan: (Submarine Service), demonstrated in the movie ''The Hunt for Red October''. Russian submarines would quickly turn 180 degrees while underway to see whether any American submarines were following. Collisions occasionally resulted during the Cold War.

★ Creamed foreskins: creamed chipped beef.

★ Cripler: Tripler Army Medical Center, Oahu, scourge of sailors at Pearl Harbor.

★ Crotch Crickets: Pubic lice, a/k/a Crabs.

★ Crow: Black eagle for petty officer rank used on a white uniform

★ Crow Fever: A term when a sailor reaches E-4 and lets the limited authority of the rank go to his head, causing him to go mad with petty power.

★ Cruise: A 6-month (or longer) deployment on a ship. Work-ups precede cruise.

★
★ Cruise sock: A sock that is sacrificed early in a deployment and used to clean up after masturbating. It is usually kept under the mattress and can stand up on its own by the end of cruise.

★ Crunch: Aircraft handling mishap that results in structural damage to one or more aircraft.

★ Crunchies: Marines or soldiers. Derived from the sound they make when tanks roll over them.

★ Crusty: A term applied to an old, seasoned sailor when he is beyond salty. It's time for him to retire, but he can't seem to let go, and the Navy forgot he was still around (frequently the case with geriatric Senior Chiefs). Can also describe a sailor's underwear, when that sailor has bowel control problems and personal hygiene problems.

★ Cryppy/Cryppy Critter: Cryptographer, also seen on a highway near the Cryptography School in San Angelo, Texas without vowels, as CRYPPY CRTTR.

★ Cum Dumpster: A derogatory term for a woman, used by sailors who are looking for a quick sexual release after an extended period of celibacy.

★ Cumshaw: Other than ethical means of procurement ;^) aka midnight marine supply, etc.

★ CUNT: Civilian Under Naval Training

★ Cunt Cap: Garrison Cap (fore-and-aft cover worn by CPO, WO, and commissioned officers. Oh, yes, Marines wear them, too). See "Piss Cutter"

★ Cut orders (for transfer, travel): Before photocopiers were common, such were prepared by typing a mimeo or ditto master, due to the number pF copies required. (Term may be obsolete today. As with most obsolete Naval terms, still in wide use.)

★ CVIC: (pron. "civic") Carrier Intelligence Center - centrally located space on an aircraft carrier occupied by intelligence officers and IS's. Flight crews often go there to debrief after a flight. The most useful thing in CVIC is usually the high-speed industrial strength paper shredder.

★ CVE: (pron. cee-vee-ee) Normally it means escort aircraft carrier but it also means "Combustible, Vulnerable, and Expendable" by their crews due to lack of armor.

D

★ Danger Nut: A "fun" game in which one or more sailors place a washer or nut around a rod or similar metal device and then hold it to a HP Air hose, 125-700 psi. The washer or nut spins wildly due to the high pressure air venting. Once it reaches a high enough speed, the rod is turned so that the air blows the object completely off the rod and around the machinery room. At which point A-Gangers giggle and try to hide behind the EOG. Thus the beloved name, "DANGER NUT".

★ DCA: Damage Control Assistant, usually is a junior officer.

★ D.C. Dink: A sailor who has failed to qualify in Damage Control in the stipulated time period and has become "Damage Control Delinquent".

★ D.B.F.: (Diesel Boats Forever) Unauthorized pin showing a non-nuclear submarine. Originally intended by the makers to be awarded whenever a nuke boat went brokedick and a diesel boat had to fill its role. Later co-opted by the diesel fleet at large and sailors began wearing the pin with stars for each diesel boat they served on, rather than each emergency deployment due to nuclear boat breakdowns.

★ DDA: Day Dick-Around: In naval aviation, a DDA is a very enjoyable flight during the day when there is no real mission or training to accomplish. The purpose of the flight is to burn gas or hours, often before the end of a quarter or fiscal year.

★ Death Pillows: Ravioli

★ Death Pucks: Hamburger Patty

★ Deck: Floor.

★ Deck Ape: Non-designated enlisted person serving on the deck force, often as result of washing out of "A" school or being stripped of another rating.

★ Deep Six: Obsolete term for throwing something overboard; refers to the "deep six", the lowest fathom (six feet) before the ocean floor. Has been mostly replaced by Float Checking (see below). Is now generally used to refer to getting rid of something in any manner, including Personnel, for example - "Deep six your porn, Inspection at 0630" See also: Float Test

★
★ Deep/Black Water OPs: Throwing things over the side when not authorized, such as trash or broken furniture

★ Department: Highest organizational level in most naval commands. Common departments are admin, deck, engineering, operations, and maintenance. Broken up into divisions.

★ Deployment: When your unit travels "over the horizon" and operates at the "pointy end of the spear" in support of national security. Most naval deployments last a minimum of six months (if you're lucky!). Work-ups precede deployment. See "cruise."

★ Det: Short for detachment. When part of a unit leaves and operates at another ship or base. Also used in reference to some "workups" that involve the entire unit. Ex. NAS Fallon det.

★ Devil Doc: Term used by Marines to describe Corpsmen that they like within Fleet Marine Force Units.

★ Devil Dolphins: Navy Personel serving with Marines in ground or combat operations or those wishing to do so. A relative new term with regards to the IRAQ and AFGANISTAN conflicts. Specifically Naval Corpsman or Seabee's.

★ Dick Skinners: Hands, i.e. "get your dick skinners off my white hat"

★ Dicking the dog: putting "half-assed" effort into a task (refers to improperly securing the "dogs" on a watertight hatch when passing through. Such a lax procedure could spell doom for a sinking ship if hatches were not absolutely watertight). Also said as "poking the poodle" or "fornicating the canine". Not to be confused with "screwing the pooch" which refers to royally (often fatally) messing up a task.

★ Dicksmith: Derogatory term for hospital corpsmen.

★ Dig-it: Someone who loves the Navy ("digs it"). Also a shortened form of "dig-it tool," a device such as a Leatherman or Gerber multi-tool often carried by those who love the Navy.

★ Dilbert: Fictional and clueless cartoon character used in WWII era training material to demonstrate what NOT to do in naval aviation. Dilbert often paid dearly for his ignorance, lack of attention to detail, or carelessness.

★ Dilbert Dunker: Device used in water survival training ("swims") to teach aviators how to get out of the cockpit of a fixed-wing aircraft that has crashed or ditched at sea. Much easier than the dreaded "helo dunker."

★ DILDO: Direct Input Limited Duty Officer - A civilian teacher hired to train nuclear-field candidates in theoretical math, physics, chemistry, materials, and thermodynamics. The commission was given specifically to these teachers in order for them to have some disciplinary tools and rank above their students. Commissions were for a set amount of time and these teachers did not have normal line officer duties.

★ D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F: (Do I Look Like I Give A Fuck?), A term indicating supreme indifference; "Gaffer".

★ Ding: Similar to "hit" (see below). Also, to cause minor damage to something (Ex. He dinged his aileron when he had a birdstrike on final to the boat.)

★ Dining-in/Dining-out: Social functions, usually for officers and chiefs, where dinner dress is worn and certain "rules of the mess" are followed. Generally presided over by the Executive Officer (XO) and run by a Chief of Junior Officer (JO) called "Mr. Vice," these events can become quite rowdy and raucous. The difference between the two is that significant others may attend dining-outs. Dining-ins are for the servicemembers only.

★ DINK: Acronym for married servicemembers with no children - Dual Income No Kids.

★ DINQ: (pronounced "Dink") Acronym for Delinquent IN Qualifications. Ex: "That shitbird is dinq on ship's quals!" Also Delinquent In Nuclear Quals.

★ Dipper: An anti-submarine helo with a variable depth dipping SONAR. See "Dome."

★ Dirka: Any term referring to the language, money, or products of the Middle East.

★ Dirtbag: A lazy and almost useless sailor. Produces substandard work-usually creating extra work for his shipmates. Accompanied by a bad attitude and desire to leave service ASAP.

★ Dirty-dicking: Wiping one's genital organ around the inside of a senior enlisted or officer's coffee cup. Laughter ensues when the junior crewmen watch the senior victim "enjoying" their beverage.

★ Dirty-shirt wardroom: (Aircraft Carrier): Forward wardroom for pilots wearing (sweaty) flight gear. As opposed to formal ship's wardroom.

★ Dirt Sailor: Nickname for Seabees who spend most of their time in a fox hole and never set foot on a ship.

★ Disbo: DISBursing Officer.

★ DISCO: DISCiplinary Officer. Usually works with Ship's JAG Officer

★ Ditch: To intentionally crash land an aircraft as "gently" as possible - usually into the water. This is generally done when fuel is almost all used up with no hope of making it to a safe landing area, or when a slowly developing but potentially fatal emergency is going on.

★ Dit Dot Bomb: a form of hazing by taking the round paper cutouts left from a hole punch and putting them in a box or other container rigged to open and rain down on another. Mixing with shredded paper will give a greater effect.

★ DITE (prounuced Dite) acronym for "Dick in the eye" Usually reserved for undesirable tasks forced on one by superiors, "The weps is throwing some major league DITE our way, but we'll take care of it."

★ Ditty Bag: The term is at least 207 years old and originates with our seafarers, and not, as is supposed by some, with our 20th century armies. Ditty bag was originally called `ditto bag' because it contained at least two of everything: two needles, two spools of thread, two buttons, etc. With the passing of years, the `ditto' was dropped in favor of `ditty' and remains so today. Before World War I, the Navy issued ditty boxes made of wood and styled after foot lockers. These carried the personal gear and some clothes of the sailor. Today, the ditty bag is still issued to recruits and contains a sewing kit, toiletry articles, and personal items such as writing paper and pens.

★ Ditty bag (usage varied): An issued sewing kit, kit of toiletries, or some combination. Occasionally: Any mesh bag, from the use of such to contain soiled laundry. (In days of yore before ample fresh water, such bags were pulled alongside for seawater rinsing.)

★ Divers: Word passed every 15-minutes when divers are working over the side of a ship. "Divers. There are divers working aboard USS . Do not rotate screws, cycle rudders, take suction from or discharge to the sea or throw anything over the side while diver's are working aboard USS ".

★ Division: Middle organizational level in most naval commands, below department and above branch. Usually headed by a junior officer (JO). Common divisions are powerplants, airframes, 1st Lieutenant, etc... Divisions are sometimes divided into branches. A ship may have 1st and 2nd Divisions on the deck, M(Machinery) division and E(electrical) division, and Auxiliaries Division in engineering, Combat Systems division, and Weapons division as examples.

★
★ DIVO: DIVision Officer. See above.

★ Dixie Cup: The canvas white hat Sailors wear with their dress uniforms.

★ DFOB: (pronounced "dee fob") Dumbest Fuck On Board.

★ Dock jumpers: The unfortunates who would have to leap ashore to tie up when no "line handlers" are available.

★ Dog: A Soft Serve Ice Cream machine. Named from the appearance of the Chocolate flavor in relation to a product of man's best friend. Also referred to as ''auto dog''.

★
★ Dog: To close or "dog down" a water tight hatch.

★
★ Dog: When one is overworked by a pissed off superior ("The chief completely dogged us."), screwed over by a peer ("That brown-nosing little prick found my apple jack, so he went to the MAA and dogged me.") , or, conversely, as a promise of impending doom ("Just wait until I get you in my galley, you little shitbird... I will dog you out".)

★
★ Dog Log: An "unofficial" log which is kept by watch standers to record the important social events on the ship, such as: "STG3 Dirty Douche was caught with a fellow shipmate in coitus." It is vital entertainment for shipmates stuck on duty in exotic ports while the rest of the ship gets shit-faced. It can also contain humorous drawings of the LPO, CPO, or DIVO. It is therefore an unauthorized piece of "gear adrift" that is usually hidden in various stations so as not to be found by the meddling higher ups.

★ Dog Vomit: A breakfast item in the same category as Shit on A Shingle. A mealy paste of tomato juice and hamburger, with bits of leftovers from the previous day's evening meal. Usually served on toast.

★ Dog watch: Split of evening watch into two 2 hour watches - 1600-1800 and 1800 - 2000. Done to allow the watchstanders to eat the evening meal.

★ Dolphins: (Submarine Service) Submarine Qualification Device, called dolphins because of the dolphin fish used in the design.

★ Dome: A SONAR transmitter/receiver. It may be fixed, as in those mounted on the bow of a ship below the waterline, or mobile like those "dipped" by anti-submarine helos.

★ Donkey-Dick: Term used for many nozzle shaped implements. Also a large pipe cleaner used in the galley to unclog sink drains and steam jacketed kettles.

★ Dopey: Green log book hidden somewhere in an engineering space that sailors often write in to vent frustration in the form of prose, poetry or even drawings and cartoons. The information in the dopey could often lead to charges of mutiny and sedition if found. The location is usually well guarded against discovery by senior personnel.

★ Double-Digit Midget: Less than 100 days to EAOS. Also known as a "Two-Digit Midget"; pick your own favorite alliteration.

★ Double Nuts: Name given to the (usually brightly painted) CAG bird in each squadron in the airwing - so called because the side number ends with double zeros.

★ Double Ugly: Nickname for the F-4 Phantom back in the day

★ Douche Kit: Container (usually zipper closed) for toilet articles such as shaving cream, deoderant, after shave lotion, etc.

★ Down: Not working, out of commission, broken, "broke-dick." In aviation, non-flyable, usually for maintenance reasons. When applied to an aviator, it means not allowed to fly. This can be for a variety of reasons: medical, personal, disciplinary, etc... In flight training, a down is a failed flight.

★ DRB: Disciplinary Review Board. Composed of Chief Petty Officers, a sailor who has committed some infraction usually stands before this board to have his case heard. The board will either dismiss the case (with or without informal punishment) or recommend further review by the XO or the CO.

★ Drift Count: Monitoring the movement of the ship while at anchor.

★ Drifty: Sailor lacking the ability to stay focused while attempting to perform a given task. (Petty Officer to sailor: "Is there something the matter with you? You are acting drifty today!")

★
★ Drifter: Sailor who at all times lacks the ability to stay focused. Also called drift-pack, or in the very extreme case "COMNAVDRIFTPAC", a parody of COMNAVSURFPAC.

★ Drop a Chit: The act of filling out a chit.

★ Drop your cocks and grab your socks: A saying that the petty officer of the watch yells in the sleeping quarters when it's time for everyone to get up. Often done in boot camp.

★ Drug Deal: A mutually beneficial agreement or compromise worked out between peers, conducted outside of normal channels and without approval from higher authority.

★ Duck Dinner: Slang for Dishonorable Discharge.

★ Dynamited Chicken: Chicken a la King or Chicken Cacciatore.

E

★ EAOS: End of Active Obligated Service. This is the normal end of enlistment unless the person reenlists. At this point the sailor is transferred into a non-active reserve status if they have spent less the eight years active duty for a length of time to result in eight years total active service or reserves and non-active reserves.

★ Earth Sack: Pile of shit or turd.

★ EAWS: Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist. Often pronounced "A-wis".

★ Ed's Motel: Navy Filmmakers' acronym for Editorials, Motion Picture, and Television Department.

★ Emergency Blow (Submarine Service); Also known as "Hittin' the Chicken Switches": When a submarine is made to rapidly blow all the seawater out of her main ballast tanks; this results in a rapid (and uncontrolled) ascent to the surface. This makes an impressive display as the sub breaks the surface, as seen on TV: few submariners have ever seen this big splash, except on TV. The only thing submarine crewmen get to see during an emergency blow is: (1) the depth gauge moving counter-clockwise towards surface depth, and (2) all the unsecured gear hitting the overhead when surface depth is achieved. Performing this maneuver beneath other ships is not a good idea (see USS Greeneville for details).

★ End-of-the-World Party: A party for a sailor who is about to leave on a cruise, often much like a bachelor party. It is said that this tradition originates with Vikings, who believed that they might sail off the end of world.

★ Ensign Recruit: Combination of "Ensign", the lowest officer rank, and "Seaman Recruit", the lowest rank in the Navy. Used for the newest Ensigns to signify that even though they are higher in rank, their knowledge of the Navy is roughly equivalent to that of someone fresh out of bootcamp.

★ Ensign Upper Half: Alternative designation for those who fail to live up to the standards of O-2.

★ E-Nothin: Used to describe a junior Seaman. Usually reserved for someone right out of bootcamp or A School.

★ Enswine: Derogatory term for an ensign.

★ EMI: Extra Military Instruction. Extra work, usually as dirty as possible, assigned as punishment for minor infractions.

★ EOOW: Engineering Officer Of the Watch.

★ ESFOAD: Eat Shit, Fuck Off, And Die

★ ESWS: Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist. Often pronounced "E-swas".

★ E-ticket: When an officer has sex with an enlisted sailor it is referred to as the officer "getting his/her e-ticket punched."

★ Even Numbered Chief: Pejorative for an E-8 who, through his own ineptitude, is unable to advance to E-9 and who refuses to let E-7's be. Lonestar.

★ Evolution: Navy preferred term for exercise.

★ Expire Before Your ID Card: To die before being discharged.

F

★ FAB: Feet, Ass, and Balls. Smells occasionally encountered by the XO during his or her daily messing and berthing inspection.

★ FAG: Fighter Attack Guy - an F/A-18 Hornet/Super Hornet pilot or naval flight officer ("NFO"). Also a "Fine Academy Graduate" used as a derogatory term to refer to graduates of the Naval Academy. Also "Forward Area Guy" used as derogatory term for submarine personnel other than engineering department, brought upon due to a COB's ban of the term "Coner" (see above).

★ F.A.T.A.F.U (pronounced fatafoo) Someone who serves on fast attack submarines (stands for Fast Attack Tough All Fucked Up)

★ F.A.W.C.U. (pronounced Fuck you) (Submarine Service): Focused After Watch Clean Up: usually between 1 to 2 hours of "Field Day" after every watch rotation.

★ Fart sack: Canvas mattress cover. (In cold conditions sailors would sleep inside them for extra warmth.)

★ Fart Suit: Dry suit worn by aviators when flying over extremely cold water. Keeps out the cold water and keeps everything else in.

★ Fashion Show: Form of remedial instruction usually used to correct deficiencies in uniform appearance. The sailor is required to dress in each service uniform, and stand a uniform inspection in each one, with the sailor's supervisor or Chief as inspector.

★ Father: The navigational aid (TACAN) on the Aircraft Carrier (a.k.a. Mother).

★ Father's Day: The most confusing day in any wardroom. There is a reason you call them 'sir'.

★ Feeding the Fish: When a seasick sailor vomits over the side, usually from the fantail.

★ FEP: Fitness Enhancement Program. Mandatory physical training regimen designed to return sailors to within physical readiness standards. Also refers to sailors who are enrolled in the program... (derogatory acronym for: Fat Enlisted People / Forced Exercise Program". See "Chub Club".

★ Field Day: All hands clean-up. usually lasts on a good day about 3-4 hours. (30 min of cleaning and 2-4 hours of fucking off.)

★ Field Survey: To discard a worn-out item ("in the field," often off the end of the pier) instead of submitting for formal "survey" to determine redistribution or disposal. Sometimes items handed down to a needier local unit.

★ F.I.G.M.O.: (Fuck It, Got My Orders, pronounced fig-mo); refusal of a long or tough assignment near the end of a duty rotation. Also seen as a name badge at this time, so officers/petty officers will forget your real name.

★ Fighting gear: Eating utensils.

★ Filet of Mule Tool: the green mystery meat or bologna used frequently for MidRats.

★ Filipino Mafia: Any group of sailors of Filipino descent at a command, often accused of favoritism and shady practices. Term likely originated in the days when Filipino sailors comprised the majority of Supply Department personnel (cooks, stewards, laundry, barbershop, supply issue) and those with connections to the "mafia" got faster, better service than the common guy.

★ Filthy Fifteen: The fifteen recruits assigned to maintain cleanliness of the compartment head for the division in boot camp.

★ Five and Dimes: A watch rotation where the sailor or watch team stand five hours of watch, then have ten hours off (to clean, perform maintenance, train, get qualified, conduct drills, take care of divisional business or their collateral duty, eat, shower, and occasionally sleep). This follows from a three-section watch rotation, and results in the sailor standing watch at a different time every day and night, repeating every three days.

★ Fish: (Submarine Service) See Dolphins, above. Also "torpedo".

★ Flag Deck: command level on large ships for Admirals (flag rank, because they are entitled to show a flag with appropriate number of stars on a car, ship, etc. if they are present)

★ Flail: An action taken by leadership that is a major response to an extremely minor problem. The orders given usually do not address the original problem at all.

★ FlailEx: A pointless, flailing exercise. See "flail".

★ Flathatting: Flying in a dangerous manner and performing unsafe and unnecessary maneuvers for the purpose of thrillseeking or fun.

★ Flattop: Aircraft carrier. Also the haircut worn by truly motivated sailors.

★ Fleet Up: When a second in command takes his senior's place upon that senior's transfer, retirement, or other re-assignment.

★ Fleet Meat: Term used by male sailors to describe sexually active female sailors.

★ Fleet Tac: Fleet Tactical radio frequency. This frequency is supposed to be monitored by every US and NATO ship in the world at all times. In reality, this is rarely the case.

★ Flight Deck Buzzard: Chicken (food).

★ Flight Line: The area on a ship or station where aircraft are made ready for flight. Also used as a prank on gullible new sailors, as in "Go get me 100 feet of flight line from the crash shack."

★ Flip me for it: Pulling rank, with the senior sailor obscuring his crow/anchor (or with the submarine-qualified sailor obscuring his dolphins) as if revealing the side of a coin.

★ Float Check (also Flotation Testing): Throwing something overboard.

★ Float Test: (Submarine Service) A game usually played by the Topside and Pier Rover. In which items known not to float are thrown or pushed from topside or the pier. I.E. TDU Weights, Compressors, Valves, Level Parts with no tag, etc.

★ Float she may, shine she must: May be heard from grumbling enlisted when the command decides that ship cleanliness takes precedence over all else. "I have maintenance to do. Why are we out here field-daying the p-way?"

★ Floating Bellhop: Derisive Army term for sailor.

★ Float Coat: Jacket worn by almost all personnel on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier during flight operations. Should a sailor find himself blown overboard, the float coat will automatically inflate flotation bladders when it hits salt water. This garment also contains signalling devices and manual inflation tubes. The jackets come in different colors to identify the crewmember's job on the flight deck. See "skittles"

★ Flying Bravo: Menstruating; from the signal flag.

★ Fo'c's'le Follies: A gathering of all the aviators in the airwing in the carrier's fo'c's'le (forecastle). The CAG, ship's CO, and battle group admiral are also usually invited and present. The "official" reason for this event is to hand out awards to the top aviators. The most enjoyable parts are the "roll calls" from each squadron, and the skits that two or three of the squadrons perform. If the roll call or the skit fails to amuse the rest of the airwing, the offending squadron is booed and belittled mercilessly. Follies are held about every 6 to 8 weeks while on deployment.

★ FNG: Fuckin' New Guy - self-explanatory. Pronounced "effin-g".

★ Fobbit: ANY person who won't leave the security of a Forward Operating Base (FOB), except in an overly secure convoy to go to another FOB. Generally denotes someone who has "no clue" that there is a war going on and is viewed by troops in the field as incompetent. Associates itself with the term "Hobbit"- short, fat, scared guy who just wants to go home.

★ FOAD: Fuck Off And Die. Pronounced "fo-ad".

★ FOD: Foreign Object Damage. Caused by Foreign Object Debris, such as nuts, bolts, or anything that could be sucked into a jet engine, damaging it. At aviation commands, FOD can also describe a worthless individual, i.e. "If Airman Smith isn't in this shop in 5 minutes, write that piece of FOD up."

★ FOD Walk Down: A periodic, organized search on an aircraft carrier flight deck, hangar deck, or runway looking for debris that a jet engine might ingest.

★ Form: Short for formation. This is when two or more aircraft or ships maneuver in close proximity while maintaining constant relative positions to each other.

★ Foreskins on a raft: Chipped beef in cream sauce on toast.

★ Foot Soldier: A term used for a Navy female who has no car but will sleep with her male counterparts for a ride.

★ Forward: The direction towards the bow of the ship (if you are walking towards the bow, you are going forward). May also be used as a relative indicator (as in the "forward berthing areas" or the "forward mess decks").

★ "Forward Pals": Nickname given to Coners after you get in trouble for calling them Coners.

★ Four (4) by Eight (8) Watch: The worst watch section to be in because your first watch is 0400 to 0800, then you work your duty station until 1600, followed by your second watch 1600 to 2000, every day.

★ Four Fan Trashcan: P-3 Orion 4 propeller patrol aircraft

★ Foxtrot Uniform: The polite phonetic pronunciation of saying "Fuck You"

★ FRED: F
★ ckin' Retarded Enlisted Dude

★ FRED: Fuckin' Ridiculous Electronic Device, or the Computer guided self training system in B.E.E. (read "B Double E") Basic Electronics and Electricity School, the "Prep School" for most every Electrical or Electronics "A" School specialty.

★ Freeboard: On a ship or boat, this is the vertical distance between the waterline and the "gunwale" (see below).

★ Freq: (pron. freak) Short for frequency

★ Freidas Napsack: The testicles

★ Fried hamsters: Chicken or beef cordon bleu

★ Fried horsecock: Fried bologna

★ Frock: A procedure in the Navy allowing a recently advanced sailor to wear the insignia of the next higher pay grade (and enjoy the privileges thereto) before he has officially been advanced to that grade. Frocking is generally accompanied by the informal ceremony of "tacking on" your crow (q.v.).

★ FRS: Fleet Replacement Squadron - see "RAG" below

★ FTN: Fuck the Navy (common epithet used when complaining about naval policies or regulations). Often scrawled on the walls of toilet stalls by sailors who have been assigned to clean it for a reason. Also can refer to "Free The Nukes," referring to sailors in the nuclear power field. Also refers to a mythical rate or ship type an "FTN Striker" says he/she is trying to get in (i.e. Fleet Tug-Nuclear, Fire Technician-Nuclear)

★
★ FTN Striker: Sailor whose stated goal/desire is get discharged

★ F.U.B.A.: Female of Unusually Broad Ass. Navy female with said condition.

★ F.U.B.A.R.: Fouled up beyond all repair, Fucked up beyond all recognition. ''(Foobar)''{Fucked up beyond all recognition}

★ F.U.B.I.J.A.R.: Fuck U Buddy, I'm Just A Reservist ("backbone of the Navy")

★ F.U.B.Y.O.Y.O.: Fuck U Buddy, You're On You're Own (self explanatory)

★ F.U.P.A.: Fat Upper Pussy Area, pronounced foopa. A pejorative term referring to an overweight female sailor and the bulge that protrudes from ill fitting pants.

★ Fuck the mission, clean the position: Break out the swabs.

★ Fuck You, strong message follows: Seen on a numerical list of epithet substitutions (the unauthorized "Falcon Code," derived from the "Charlie Echo" code), especially transmitted over radio, which has to stay clean

★ FuFu Juice: Perfume or cologne

★ Fun Boss: Morale, Welfare and Recreation Officer

★ Fun Meter: Fictitious gauge that shows the amount of mirth one is experiencing in any given situation. Most often used sarcastically to express extreme boredom or disinterest. "Please end this redass of an AOM. My fun meter is pegged!" See "suck meter"

G

★ Gaff Off: When a junior person ignores or purposely fails to show proper respect to a senior person. Examples may include blowing off an assigned task, not saluting, or using improper forms of address. Also refers to signing undeserved signatures on a qualification card. Can also refer to blazing logs or maintenance. From Give A Flying F
★ ck. Person concerned is the Gaffer.

★ Gastro: General term for Gastroentritis, or food-poisoning underway.

★ Gator-Freighter: Ship used in amphibious warfare, or generally the transportation of marines and their equipment. Especially, a carrier-like vessel (amphibious assault ship) whose primary purpose is to put ass in the grass.

★ Galley: Crews' mess, or dining area. Place where food is prepared for consumption.

★ Gank: To steal something. Most often used to describe taking cleaning gear from other divisions or other "ganking" useless items. i.e. pens, random things from the galley or messdecks, cleaning gear and/or gear adrift

★ Garrison Cap: (fore-and-aft cover worn by CPO, WO, and commissioned officers. Oh, yes, Marines wear them, too). See "Cunt Cap" "Piss Cutter"

★ GCE: Gross Conceptual Error. This grading remark often appears on nuke-school exams. See also "ATFQ".

★ Gear adrift: Loose or unsecured gear or equipment. Also a less-than-flattering assessment of a sailor "Seaman Jones is gear adrift!"

★
★ Gear Adrift: Referring to equipment, items, objects, geegaws, or anything else that can be acquired through judicious use of the saying "Gear Adrift, Must be a gift"

★ Geedunk: Candy, or a place that sells candy in a short form of Gedunk bar. Also "ice cream".

★ General Quarters: (GQ) Every sailor has an assigned duty station to be manned during an emergency (AKA "Battlestations").

★ George: The juniormost officer onboard a surface ship. Also spelled "JORG", meaning Junior Officer Requiring Guidance.

★ Gerbil: Cordon Bleu. Named so since it looks like a deep fried gerbil. AKA "fried hamster."

★ Gerbil Alley: Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. The only guaranteed port visit during any Persian Gulf deployment.

★ Gerbil Gym: Exercise space on board ship with treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical trainers - all pieces of equipment on which you perform motions that should move you to another place, but you remain in the same position like a gerbil on its wheel.

★ Getting Slant-Eyed: Masturbating.

★ Get your khakis: A term used when enlisted personnel sleep with officers, generally happens between low ranking enlisted personnel and low ranking officers.

★ Ghetto: Open-bay barracks, usually reserved for single sailors who are in transit or otherwise temporarily assigned there.

★ Ghetto-prise: alternate name the sailors of U.S.S. Enterprise have for their ship.

★ Ghost turd: The sailor's term for a dust bunny.

★ Gibson Girl (obsolete): A hand-cranked, vacuum-tube 500kHz/8mHz survival transmitter, packaged in a somewhat hourglass-shaped case (hence its name), in order to be held between the knees while operated with both hands. Many versions; postwar U.S. models were the SCR-578, AN/CRT3 and AN/CRT3A, and still part of some aircraft and liferaft kits through the 1970s.

★ Gig line: The visual line formed by uniform zipper, belt buckle, and buttoned shirt seam. Also used as another in-joke to send new sailors on a wild goose chase. See ''bulkhead remover.''

★ GITMO: Guantanamo Bay Naval Station on Cuba, which had a shorthand designation of GTMO.

★ GITMO Cute: Females on Guantanamo Bay who wouldn't normally get your attention back in the states, also known as OFAFBU (One Flight Away From Being Ugly).

★ Glasses: Binoculars

★ GMT: General Military Training, often derisively referred to as "Gross Misuse of Time."

★ Goat Herder: Any man (or woman) aboard the ship that spends his or her free time "slinging game" on boat goats or boat ho's.

★ Goat locker: Lounge or galley for the exclusive use of Chiefs.

★ Goatrope or goatfuck: Any situation that is "FUBAR." An especially FUBARed situation is a ''Royal Mongolian Goatfuck''.

★ Goes Away: What happens to an enemy aircraft when it is hit by a missile

★ Goggles: Short for Night Vision Goggles, which greatly amplify ambient light allowing the user to see in a green monochrome at night.

★ Golden Dragon: A sailor who has crossed the Prime Meridian or the International Date Line into the Eastern Hemisphere.

★ Golden rivet: Folklore that every ship is built containing a single, commemorative "'golden rivet'"

★ Golden Shellback: A sailor who has crossed the equator at the 180th Meridian twice or has gone through the ritual twice.

★ The Goo: Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). When an aviator flies an aircraft into the clouds, can no longer see the earth or the horizon, and is dependent on instruments for navigation, he is said to be "in the goo." This is usually done intentionally when flying with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan, but can lead to high "pucker factor" when it is done accidentally.

★ Good Humor Man: Reference to the Summer White uniform. This is an all-white short sleeve cotton uniform that makes the wearer look suspiciously like the ice cream man.

★ Goon It Up or Gooned Up: To execute poorly a task that is generally routine or commonplace. (Ex. He really gooned up that landing.)

★ Gouge: The inside scoop, the skinny, the low-down. Only the information you need to know in a given situation, with nothing else to waste your time. Some black shoes say "Live by the gouge, die by the gouge." Aviators correctly say "Live by the gouge, EXCEL by the gouge."

★ Grape: (Submarine Service) Easy as pie, man. Examples: "This is grape duty" or "That was a grape sig, you jerk." Latter example can be translated as "Bravo Zulu, shipmate!!" (See Bravo Zulu, above). (Also see "sig" below).

★
★ Grape: (Aviation Service) A sailor in an aviation fuels rating. So named because of the purple flight deck jersey.

★ Great Mistakes: common ephitet used when complaining about RTC/NTC Great Lakes Illinois

★ Green Scrubby: Mildly abrasive scouring pad. Also called a "Greeny Weeny," or just a "Greenie." It's green, of course.

★ Green Table Tea Party: Captain's Mast, Non Judicial Punishment (see "Mast" below)

★ Grinder: A place at boot camp, normally a parking lot, where the company commander makes you do pushups, other forms of exercise, etc. when you screw up.

★ Gripe: Slang for a MAF (Maintenance Action Form), which is written when something is wrong with an aircraft.

★ Grog: Initially, this referred to the watered down rum ration given daily to sailors in the Royal Navy. Presently in the USN, it refers to the alcoholic brew offered at social events like "dining-ins" and "dining-outs." Depending on the wardroom and in particular on the person preparing the grog, it may be pleasant and delicious or one of the most foul and disgusting beverages ever conceived.

★ Gronk: (Submarine Service) When a bolt or nut has been or is in process of being tightened so much that the operator of the wrench or ratchet sees stars when applying. "Who the Fuck gronked this nut on so tight?" See "Star tight"

★ Ground-Pounder: Navy term for the Army or Marines, specifically infantry. Generally pejorative.

★ G.U.A.M.: "Giving Up and Masturbating"--Common sailor's complaint about being stationed on the remote island of Guam.

★
★ G.U.A.M.: Give Us American Money

★
★ G.U.A.M.: Gooks Under American Management

★ Guard: Standardized emergency radio frequencies that are constantly monitored by ships and aircraft. High Frequency (HF) guard is 40.5 MHz, Very High Frequency (VHF) guard is 121.5 MHz, and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) guard is 243.0 MHz. See "Air Force Common"
GUCCI GEAR:Commonly referred to Sailors (SEABEE's, Individual Augmentee's) Who are stationed on the ground most commonly in IRAQ or AFGANISTAN who buy a large amount of commando gear for their rifle's or personal gear which will rarely get used but used to look as much like a commando IE:Navy SEAL as possible.

★ Gulfport Slam Hound: Derogatory term given to local women by Navy Seabees stationed in Gulfport, MS. See: Local talent.

★ Gumby Suit: Brightly colored, puffy anti-exposure survival suit somewhat resembling the claymation character with the same name.

★ Gundeck: To juryrig something; falsifying or misrepresenting records and reports. The term originates from the days of sail, when ships would sometimes paint black squares along the hull to represent more gun ports than they actually had. Also refers to reports of happenings on the weather decks that were documented on the gun deck without ever having gone to the weather decks.

★ Gun Boss: Weapons Department head.

★ Guns: A sailor in the Gunner's Mate rating.

★ Gunwale: (pronounced "gunnel") The top of the hull portion of a ship that runs down the port and starboard sides.

★ Gussy: USS Augusta

★ Gut Bomb: A Hamburger

★ Gyrene: Derogatory Navy term for a U.S. Marine. Also called "Jarheads"

H

★ HAC: (pronounced "hack") Helicopter Aircraft Commander - the pilot in command of a helo.

★ Hack: Unofficial punishment confining an officer to his stateroom, usually during a port call.

★ Halfway-Night: (Submarine Service) Party night on pre-determined halfway point of boat's patrol. Tenderloin and lobster, frozen, but good.

★ Haji: Anything Middle Eastern in origin. See Abu Dhabi.

★ Hamster: Chicken cordon bleu that is shaped like a deep fried hamster served on board naval submarines.

★ Hangar Queen: An aircraft that is chronically down or "broke-dick." These aircraft are often used for parts to keep the rest of the aircraft flying. See "Cann"

★ Haole: Pronounced "How-Lee". Hawaiian term for non-native. A dangerous thing for a sailor to be around Pearl Harbor as some of the natives see them as easy targets for crime, especially when local law-enforcement doesn't seem to care.

★ Happy Sock: A soft sock brought for personal use (masturbating) by a sailor underway, or a Seabee in the field.

★ Hatch: A vertical access for traveling between decks. Also used to describe a door.

★ Hawser Tech: Any deck rating, especially Boatswain's Mates

★ Haze Gray and Underway: Surface ships in arduous duty at sea, in contrast to aircraft carriers or submarines, or naval units in ceremonial roles or in port. It is a term of tribal pride and identification, e.g. surface ship crew use it to distinguish themselves from submarine crew or aircraft carrier crew.

★ HAZREP: HAZard REPort - A safety message generated after an unsafe incident that is released to the rest of the fleet so as to prevent the incident from happening again.

★ HDIC: Head Dick in Charge, sometimes referring to the Officer of the Deck.

★ Head: Bathroom - The term comes from the days of sail, because wind would blow from the rear of the ship to the front. The bathroom would be located at the front, "Head", of the ship to carry the foul smell of excrement away from the crew.

★ Heat Shield: Anyone who is a complete and total fuck-up, and is always in trouble with the LPO, Chief, CO, etc... So called because he keeps the heat off everyone else in the organization. It is good to have one or two of these individuals around.

★ Helm: Steering wheel of a ship

★ Heisman: A position assumed by many young women when approached by sailors on liberty; legs crossed, one arm covering the breasts and the other straight out for a block, just like the Heisman Trophy.

★ Helmet Fire: When a pilot becomes so task-saturated in the cockpit that he loses the big picture and situational awareness (SA). Often leads to mistakes that can produce lethal results.

★ Helo (pron. ''hee-low''): Term applied to all naval helicopters (from the standard message abbreviation HELO). Calling a naval helicopter anything other than a helo, and especially a "chopper," is grounds for a serious beat-down.

★ Helo Dunker: Dreaded training device that all naval aircrew and pilots must endure every few years when they complete water survival training, or "swims." Designed to simulate crashing a helo at sea, it is basically a huge metal drum with seats and windows that is lowered into a pool and then flipped upside down with the "passengers" strapped into it. There are generally four runs that must be successfully completed. Two of these are blindfolded. It is not fun.

★ Here today, GUAM tomorrow: Received orders from one island to another island, as in ADAK to GUAM.

★ Hinge: slang for an O-4, or Lieutenant Commander (LCDR). So called because of the lobotomy that is supposedly mandated as soon as a naval officer is promoted to this rank, in which half of his brain is removed. A hinge is then inserted that allows for reattachment of the removed gray matter later. The hinge also limits the LCDR's head movement to the fore-aft axis. This is clearly demonstrated as the O-4 is constantly nodding in the affirmative and saying "Yes sir, yes sir..." when in the presence of the CO.

★ Hit: A discrepancy or failing mark during an inspection. (Ex. He took a hit on his personnel inspection for his unshined shoes.) See "ding"

★ Hit The Beach: Go on liberty

★ HMFIC: Head Mother Fucker In Charge, Slang for the sailor who is in charge of an evolution

★ Hockey pucks: Swedish meatballs (also, trail markers, porcupines, road apples).

★ The Hole: Area on the deck of an aircraft carrier directly inboard of the island. This is where the airwing's helos are usually "stuffed." Also: Slang for a ship's engineering spaces.

★ Holiday Routine: Ship's schedule on Sundays or other national holidays while underway when watches are minimally manned and most of the crew can sleep in (late or no reveille), however some personnel must still be on watch, "Holiday for some, routine for others"

★ Hollywood Shower (or Hotel Shower): A shower taken aboard a ship in a civilian manner, i.e. in which the water stays on throughout the shower, wasting much of it. (cf. Navy Shower) Definitely frowned upon.

★ Holy Helo: On Sundays, one of the helos from the carrier flies one or more of the chaplains around to the other ships in the battle group for services. This aircraft is dubbed the holy helo.

★ Holy Crotch: Between 1960 and 1991, Holy Loch, Dunoon, Scotland was the site of a United States Navy base and home to the Polaris nuclear fleet. Site One, the most forward deployed Submarine Fleet. The weather was mostly horrible and cold but the Scottish girls were quite warm.

★ Holy stone: The stone or the act of using one. A pumice stone for cleaning a wooden deck, which is generally done while the sailor is on his knees. Sailors figured that anything that put them on their knees so often must be holy.

★ The Honch: A nickname for the Honcho bar district right outside the gate of the Yokosuka Naval Base, known to be a generally trashy place.

★ Honch Ho/ Honch Honey: A term used to describe female frequenters of the Honch.

★ Honch Rat: A sailor who frequents the Honcho bar district in Yokosuka on his/her free time. A Japanese girl who frequents the company of American sailors in Honcho is also called a "Honch Rat."

★ Hooligan Navy: WWII Navy pejorative for the Coast Guard, from its flexibility in enlisting men discharged from other services to rapidly expand for Prohibition. (Term endures within CG.)

★ Hook: Short for "tailhook'"

★ Hooker: or "Tail-hooker", One who lands aboard an Aircraft Carrier.

★ Hoover: Slang for the S-3B Viking, mostly due to its unique engine noises

★ Hop'n'pop: Dreaded 8-count, 3-part physical exercise that is often inflicted on officer candidates at OCS when they screw up. It is the combination of a jumping jack, squat thrust, and pushup, and the offenders often perform them to the point of physical exhaustion.

★ Horse Cock: Large log of baloney or Polish Sausage usually put out for lunch or mid rats. Horse Cock sandwich is one of the least favorite boxed lunches served to helo crews when visiting other ships.

★ Horse Shoe: (Submarine Service) Area aft of maneuvering on 688's often used for telling sea stories.

★ Hosed Up: Messed up

★ Hot Racking or Hot Bunking: Submariners share racks. When one goes off, the other takes his place. (Three men share two racks) The Name is taken from the fact that the bunk more often than not still warm from its last occupant.

★ "Hot Racking": Also a term for a sailor climbing into his rack to sleep, without showering.

★ However,: (spoken "however comma") An over-the-top method of expressing additional items. Often used by people who have been in the Navy too long (see "dig-it").

★ HR Puff and Stuff: A nickname given to sailors who regularly appear for duty in a disheveled manner with their uniform in disarray. It is a combination of a rank (Hospitalman Recruit, the most junior Hospital Corpsman rank) and a name that connotates the obesity and stresses placed on the uniform of just such an overweight and careless sailor. Also used as an admonishment to junior corpsmen and dental techs in order to motivate them to perform regular uniform maintenance.

★ HSC: (Heavy Shit Carrier) Rate most commonly given to junior sailors, mostly comprised of firemen

★ Hummer: Slang for the E-2C Hawkeye, mostly for the sound of its props

★ Hummer Hole: Tight space aft of the island on the flight deck where they parked the E-2C Hawkeye. Since the E-2 could reverse prop and back up, the Yellow Shirts took perverse pleasure in trying to back the Hummer into this tight space, usually as the boat was heeling hard to port, requiring a serious uphill climb.

I

★ IA: "Individual Augmentation/Augmentee." Program currently in use by the U.S. Navy to deploy sailors on an individual basis to the Middle East for 6-14 months in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. Personnel who complete IAs are (supposedly) given preferential treatment with regards to follow-on orders and promotion boards. IAs are often referred to as "Sand Sailors", "Dirt Sailors" or "being in the Narmy." [Navy+Army=Narmy]

★ I and I: Intercourse and Intoxication. An alternative acronym to R and R

★ IFBM: Instant Fucking Boatswains Mate. "A" school washout assigned to deck force.

★ ID10T: Pronounced "Eye-Dee-Ten-Tango." Similar to "bulkhead remover," an inexpensive way to derive enjoyment from inexperienced personnel. "Recruit, go get me an ID10T form, and step on it!"

★ IHTFP: I Hate This Fucking Place. A common expression uttered by midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. Found carved into most bathroom doors and above most bunks. Originally a term used by MIT students for the identical sentiment. Other meanings: I Have Truly Found Paradise, I Hope There's a Friday Parade, etc

★ In-chop: To enter an area of responsibility. "We in-chop to 5th Fleet when we pass through the Straits of Malacca." From "Change of Operational Control" (CHOP<-OPCON). See "out-chop"

★ INT WTF: Letters Pronounced Individually. INTerrogative What The Fuck. See WTFO below. Usually used in a text/teletype medium where WTFO is over voice communications.

★ Irish Pennant: Loose thread on uniform. Originally a Royal Navy term used to describe the bits of line or cordage that would hang off the rigging on a sloppy ship - the frayed line would flutter in the wind like a pennant.

★ Island: The superstructure of an aircraft carrier, which is on the starboard side of the landing area.

★ IYAOYAS: Unofficial acronym commonly found on the uniforms of airedales who specialize in ordnance handling, such as the Aviation Ordnance of the United States Military. Read as "If you ain't ordnance, you ain't shit".

★ IYARGOL: Term coined by the nukes in response to Ordnance's navy pride. "If you ain't Reactor, go on liberty." Unlike the majority of junior enlisted personnel, nukes are trained with "questioning attitude" and have a much harder time living in ignorance so to speak.

J

★ Jack-o'-the-Dust: a ship cook in charge of keeping track of the ship's food stores.

★ Jack Off Curtain: The small privacy curtain hanging on the outside of a rack. Usually the only small bit of privacy found on a ship.

★ JAG: Judge Advocate General's Corps - Navy lawyers

★ Jarhead: U. S. Marine.

★ JARTGO: Just Another Reason To Get Out. "A grain of sand on the beach of reasons to get out of the Navy."

★ Jerkin' the Gherkin: Masturbating.

★ Jesus Ring: The tiny spring-washer installed on flange fittings which, if removed carelessly, will fly off the bolt - eliciting a loud "Jesus!" from many maintenance people.

★ JG: Short for Lieutenant Junior Grade, which is abbreviated LT (j.g.)

★ Jody: Fictitious person referred to in marching/running cadences who steals your wife/girlfriend while you're on deployment.

★ JO: Junior Officer - Technically O-1 (Ensign), O-2 (Lieutenant Junior Grade), O-3 (Lieutenant), and O-4 (Lieutenant Commander). O-4's do not consider themselves to be JO's, even though they do not wear "scrambled eggs" on the brim of their combination covers. Conversely, O-1's through O-3's don't consider O-4's to be JO's either.

★ JO Jungle: Stateroom, usually on a larger ship, where six to eight lower ranking JO's are billeted. Noted for its lack of comfort and privacy. Part of the harassment package and rite of passage for low-end JO's.

★ JOOD: Junior Officer of the Deck.

★ Joe Navy: A lifer with no life outside the Navy.

★ Johnny Cash's: Winter Working Blue uniform. So designated because they are all black, (though called Navy blue) and Johnny Cash was the man in black. Occasionally also referred to as the "Gestapo

Home

Blogs

Trip Deals

Hotel Deals

Jobs

Videos

Articles

Directory

Languages

U.S. NAVY SLANG

0-9

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

Username:	Password:

	or Sign up here