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The venereal diseases prevention posters made by war propaganda departments have got very little attention from the modern media. It is very interesting to learn how armies deal with gonorrhea and syphilis in 20th century before the invention of antibiotics. That review will help to modern readers to understand better the psychology of Europeans during the Second War War.1.UNITED STATES OF AMERICAThe USA military has always taught new troops the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases. Every soldier at some time in his basic training was forced to sit through what was used to call a "Susie Rotten-crotch" film where a soldier is shown out meeting a local female, only to appear at sick call with gonorrhea or syphilis shortly afterwards. The U.S. Government and its agencies prepared posters during WWII in an attempt to keep servicemen free of VD. The following posters were aimed at specific services and show that they were each considered vulnerable and addressed.Arthur Szyk caricature: Fool the AxisIn the above 1942 warning poster about VD, the three Axis leaders are shown with hypodermic needles, ready to give shots to soldiers with sexually transmitted diseases. The text of the poster is "Fool the Axis – use prophylaxis, prophylaxis prevents venereal disease!" During the war the medical corps had a prophylaxis kit that would sometimes be issued to soldiers going into town.The American artist who created the poster, Russian born Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) attended art school in Paris before enlisting in the Russian Army in 1914. He served for six months and saw front-line action. After World War I he fought as an officer in a Polish guerilla regiment against the Bolsheviks and eventually located in Paris with his new wife. With the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 he began producing cartoons and eventually moved to New York City. During the war he created numerous covers for Collier's magazine. Hitler put a price tag on Arthur Szyk’s head. The American press called Szyk a "one-man army against fascism." The Times of London declared his art work to "be among the most beautiful...ever produced by the hand of man."A second poster (1943) , shows the same three enemy buffoons discussing the disease marked "VD" with actual microscopic pictures of the microbes. The syphilis spirochete, chancroid gram-negative bacilli, and gonorrhea gram-negative diplococci are all depicted as Tojo says "American soldier could catch it with ease" and Hitler answers, "but prophylaxis prevents disease."During World War II, the leaders of the Axis powers (Hitler, Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo) were depicted by Allies as monsters. The enemy leaders were caricatured as gorillas, skeletons, rats, or whatever the Allied warriors could dream up. This was all part of the process of wartime depersonalization, and the resultant new image of him as vermin good only for killing. Nazis propagandists used exactly the same effective tactics of dehumanisation of the enemy for the killing purpose.She is our Sunshine…After seeing Arthur Szyk’s work this poster seems rather lame, but once again it vilifies Hitler and the Japanese and points out that a lovely bathing beauty, “Miss GI Pickup of ‘44” will infect “you, you, an you” with VD.Here we see that Walt Disney has joined the war against VD. Donald Duck has been drafted and is thinking of having sex with a beautiful woman but finds himself without the safety of a Prophylaxis.Axis AgentsThis poster also uses the theme that it helps the Axis when you are infected with a venereal disease. It implies that it is almost treasonous to have sex with a prostitute because it hurts the war effort.Pages from War Department Pamphlet No. 21-15U.S. Government produced a number of pamphlets, flyers, leaflets and other published literature in an attempt to reduce the rate of VD among the troops. The booklet, War Department Pamphlet No. 21-15, depicts American troops hitting the beaches from a landing craft on some foreign shore and warns that VD might take them out of the picture. One wonders about the effectiveness of this illustration as positive propaganda. Given the choice of attacking a machine gun nest at Normandy or getting a needle in the butt at a comfortable aid station in the United Kingdom, the latter seems somewhat preferable. This 16-page War Department brochure is entitled Sex Hygiene and VD – Venereal Disease was first printed in 1940 under the direction of the Surgeon General of the Army with an introduction by Secretary of War Marshall. It was issued to every new recruit and discusses sexuality in general and attempts to educate the young soldier on all of the emotions and desires he might encounter away from home. It was issued again in 1943 with a slightly changed cover. Some of the introduction is:The Army can protect you from many diseases but you will have to protect yourself from syphilis and gonorrhea. The only sure way is to stay away from women. Don’t forget that any woman who lets you use her, or who consents easily, is not safe.If you wait until you marry, you’re safe and keep your self respect. You also play fair with the girl back home whom you expect to play fair with you. There’s no substitute for moralsShe may look Clean –ButIn this poster we see a mix of Army, Navy and a civilian together. In a way, civilians were part of the war effort because they built the weapons and kept the economy moving. So this poster warns all three of the dangers of having sex with a prostitute. It can hurt the war effort.USA Propaganda posters promoting the use of condoms :U.S. Government WWII Posters for the Military Services. USA propaganda posters promoting the awareness of syphilis and gonorrhea:These posters look funny and very naive to me. It's doubtful that they could avert young men from the idea to have a sex with women because of illness.2. UNITED KINGDOMThe British Army, which had no clear strategy other than the ineffective one of placing sections of Naples out of bounds, reacted to the soaring VD rate by blaming it on the Germans. A circular that arrived in all units by Christmas warned: “From reports that have been received it is apparent that prostitution in occupied Italy and Naples in particular, has reached a pitch greater than has ever been witnessed in Italy before. So much is this so that it has led to a suggestion that the encouragement of prostitution is part of a formulated plan arranged by the pro-Axis elements, primarily to spread venereal disease among Allied troops. The British were defeated by the prostitutes and decided that it must be part of a devious Nazi plot.The British military historian John Costello talks about the problem with prostitutes and venereal disease in Love, Sex and War:Changing Values, 1939-45, William Collins, London, 1985.Prostitutes were made synonymous with venereal disease not just by the Germans, but also by the British and United States army commands, who declared war on the women who had been blamed for the million and a half syphilis and gonorrhea casualties suffered by the Allied armies in World War I. The German armed forces applied the lessons learned twenty years earlier when the Kaiser's army strictly regulated the 'sexual logistics' of the troops and thereby cut its VD casualty rate to half that of the French army by 1918. Corpsmen collected the fees at the medically supervised military brothels behind the front lines, imposing a strict ten-minute time-limit per man during the evening 'rush hour' and providing prophylactic treatments as well as keeping a detailed log of the visitor's rank and regiment so that fines could be levied from those who failed to report contracted venereal infections.VD - Hello boy friend, coming MY way?A colorful 1943 VD poster produced in Great Britain by Reginald Mount depicts a female with the face of a skull in bright pink bonnet. The text is "VD - Hello boy friend, coming MY way? The 'easy' girl friend spreads Syphilis and Gonorrhea, which unless properly treated may result in blindness, insanity, paralysis, premature death. If you have run the risk, get skilled treatment at once. Treatment is free and confidential."In World War I the venereal infection rates of the British army were 7 times higher than the Germans, principally because national prudery prevented the British high command from acknowledging that there was any problem at all until 1915, when the Canadian and New Zealand prime ministers forced the chiefs of staff to issue free contraceptives to the troops.Venereal DiseasesThis British WWI poster is interesting because at the time they list only two forms of venereal disease. Now there are about a half dozen known to exist. Notice they do not list antibiotics. They were unknown at the time. In November 1918, bottles of potassium permanganate lotion and tubes of calomel cream were given to soldiers stationed overseas to use for self-disinfection. Still, the British had 150,000 admissions to the hospital for VD in France during the war. Many of the patients had self-inflicted VD. That is, they chose to catch it hoping it would keep them out of the front lines. In later wars, troops would sometimes shoot themselves in the foot to become hors de combat.3. THE SOVIET UNIONSoviet Union did not have venereal diseases such as syphilis or gonorrhea before the outbreak of the WW2. The moral standards of Soviet citizens were exceptionally high, Russians were very healthy before the WW2, they had lived according to the religious principles and state laws. Prostitution was prohibited and criminalized in USSR, it was absolutely no brothels, not even one. Germans changed it, they opened brothels and legalised prostitution. The WW2 was a total disaster for USSR, the whole country got sick of the war had never been recovered since then.Inhabitants of the Russian city of Kursk have never had any syphilis before the war but during the German occupation hundreds of local women were infected with syphilis by German soldiers. Women didn't get any treatment but were imprisoned and killed as a punishment.(Ehrenburg I.G., ““The New order” in Kursk”)“Fritzs are professional rapists, fornicators with solid experience, hereditary baboons. They have polluted the whole of Europe.” - wrote Soviet journalist Ilya Ehrenburg in 1943Red Army soldiers had no syphilis neither gonorrhea utill they advanced to liberate occupied USSR that was 4 years under the Nazi yok. When they moved to the Central Europe especially to Germany the situation got worse. In Romania Soviet soldiers were very surprised to meet local girls that demanded money for sex. This phenomenon was very alien to the Russian mind, obviously Russian soldiers refused to pay and consequently had a big trouble (fight, police complaints) from Romanian prostitutes and their husbands that were pimps. In Germany Soviet soldiers met another foreign style, German women freely offered sex for pleasure however later was discovered that many of those women had honorea and syphilis.. A lot of Soviet soldiers got it that was really trouble for Soviet authorities.USSR. The leaflet #1857The leaflets prepared by the Soviet Union for Germany were occasionally sexual in nature, insulting, usually long winded, and sometimes contained a safe conduct pass. Soviet leaflet #1857 contains all of these attributes. This Russian leaflet is aimed to destroy the morale of the German soldier by informing him that while he is at the front Hitler replaces them by foreigners who are taking their jobs, their land and their women. The leaflet is entitled Auslaender nehmen Deinen Platz ein! "Foreigners are taking your place." The first paragraph mentions the various nationalities that have been sent to Germany to work on the farms and in the factories; French, Italians, Slovaks, Dutch, and more. Two pictures are depicted on the front, a soldier holding his rifle at the top of the leaflet with the caption "While he squats in the bunker," and a female in the arms of another man at the bottom with the text, "his wife amuses herself with a foreigner." There is a photograph of her husband in uniform on the wall behind them. This was a common image on many Russian leaflets. The back is all text. Two letters are depicted from lonely German wives to their husbands at the front. The letters are designed to intensify the feeling of uneasiness among the German soldiers. One says that the foreigner plows his field now that he is away at the front. It says that foreigners sleep in the beds of German women, and many of them are the wives of soldiers. The second letter says that Berlin is now so international that the German language is hardly ever spoken or written. On the reverse, the leaflet tells in no uncertain terms, "Yes soldier, you should know: there are women who like to get involved with foreigners. You should also know: People who are gathered from all parts of the world will infect German women with venereal diseases of every kind. Family life will break up…should you, soldier, ever come home, you might be received by your wife with a black curly-headed Italian half-breed in her arms, and it will be your joy to raise this illegitimate child…" The leaflet offers hope. After the appeal "German soldier! Must this be? No! Your place is at home…Don’t take the war any longer! Your family is waiting for you!" The message encourages the German soldier to leave the war. Hitler is blamed for everything. He has forced the German people into the war and taken everything that makes life worthwhile. The leaflet ends with "No longer take part in the war! Your family waits for you!" There is a passierschein safe conduct pass in German and Russian at the bottom of the leaflet.4. NAZI GERMANYBy 1942, the Wehrmacht was running over 500 “Wehrmachtsbordellen,” and the setting-up, running, and supply of these establishments was the responsibility of the Area Commander (Ortskommanturen). Disease control was the responsibility of the area medical officer, and the girls would be checked twice a week by local doctors. There were “special rules” for Officer's facilities, for which a hotel character was to be maintained. Every Army brothel was required to have a prophylactic station (Sanierstube). They were to be marked with a small blue light marked with the Red Cross.German WWII Soldier’s Certificate to Visit a ProstituteThis certificate was issued to WWII German soldiers who wished to have sex with a prostitute in a brothel. They turned in their identification tag and received this certificate. They would write the name of the prostitute at the lower right and upon leaving the brothel turned in the certificate to a medic and had their identification tag returned and received treatment if it was deemed necessary. The text is:Entry to the brothel is permitted only with this ID card!Name of the sanitation roomContinuous numberDateAfter leaving the brothel you are ordered to visit the sanitation room at once for protective treatment. Your identification tag will be returned only after successful sanitation.Name of the prostitute:____________________Other forms of these passes might contain the following instructions: a Certificate of subsequent prophylactic treatment; Number and unit on dog tag; Field-post number of recipient; The above received prophylactic treatment at ____ hours under a control number of prophylactic station no. ____ and is thus certified by: Rank, name; and This document is to be kept for 3 months and is to be presented in the event of sickness.Brothel rules obliged visitors to disinfect female genitals after sexual acts. According to testimonies of soldiers they didn't really like that procedure . Here are two testimonies of German soldiers:Obergrenadier Martin Eichenseer of Stabs Kompanie, G.R. 916:"The first time I went I was a lad of 17-½ and still somewhat of a virgin, I never had intercourse but had done other things with the local girls. With my pockets filled with the 'regulation equipment', I went to the brothel in St. Laurent. I was very nervous and did not know what to expect. When my turn came I went into a room with a very good-looking girl about my age from Slovakia. She had dark hair and big breasts. Sex with her was great even though I didn't know what she was saying. We weren't supposed to pay them in the Army brothels but I gave her some money anyway. The worst part was when she spread her legs and I had to spray her with the can of disinfectant. Only then would she sign my card. You had to bring back the empty can with the pass. If you didn't spray or bring it back you got two weeks extra labor and guard for punishment.The next time I went I was excited at seeing this Slovak girl again but to my disgust I got this German woman who was in her late thirties, although I wouldn't mind her now, ha ha. She was big-breasted but flabby and had "a lot of wear on her tires" if you know what I mean. I just couldn't do it. She finally told me to close my eyes and she performed oral sex on me. It wasn't too bad as I thought of the other girl. She signed my pass and I left. On the way back I realized I still has a full can. In order not to get in trouble I sprayed it empty in the woods. I would have gone again but the war got in the way."Obergefreiter Josef Brass, Nr. 1 Kompanie, Pionier Bn. 352:"In Russia we didn't get to go to any but in France they were quite plentiful. The women were about average in appearance but certainly knew how to please a man. But as young and virile as we were then it didn't take much. Many of the younger men, 17-19 years old, didn't go because they were embarrassed by the things they were required to do, such as disinfecting the woman's genitals. I always felt that the army procedures were a bit too much but then again no-one I know of ever got a disease from an Army brothel. And if you did they knew which girl gave it to you and who ever else she had sex with and everyone could get cured. Some of us did go to the local civilian ones, the girls were prettier and acted like they enjoyed it. However if you got V.D. from one of them it was bad luck. You got cured then sent East to serve in a Penal Battalion for two weeks to three months. Being a "500" (slang for military prisoners) was no easy life and chances were slim you would make it back. In any event the Army tried to give us the best it could under the circumstances.5. ITALYThe Italian campaign more than any other in World War II confronted the British and American military commanders with their impotence when it came to coping with endemic prostitution. A foretaste of the problem was given by British medical officers in Sicily, who were treating 40 thousand VD cases a month, 20 times more than the number treated in England. As one report advised, “prostitution is almost universal among all but the highest class of Sicilian women.”Government-regulated brothels also existed in all of the large towns. Control had broken down, although General Patton wasted no time trying to restore it by putting US Army medical teams into Palermo's six large houses of prostitution. This did not endear him to General Montgomery, his arch rival, whose pride as well as his Puritanism was offended when it was announced that the brothels were open for business again – under US Army management. The invasion of Italy proper magnified the scale of the problem. But it was the capture of Naples in October 1943 that pitched the American and British commands into a two-year battle with an army of prostitutes – a battle Allied chaplains and doctors of both armies would later concede they lost.6. THE PROPHYLAXIS KIT AND INSTRUCTIONSThe Prophylactic Kit:Instructions:During the war, medics are generally supplied with prophylactic kits in bulk. These can be used to treat soldiers, or are often just given to the men to take with them on leave. The kits can contain different items, but during WWII soldiers were often issued an “Individual Chemical Prophylactic Packet” designed to allow him to perform prophylactic treatment on himself if he feared he might have had sex with an infected woman. The individual packet contained a tube containing 5 grams of ointment (30% calomel + 15% sulfathiazole), a direction sheet explaining how to apply the ointment, a soap impregnated cloth and cleansing tissue. Sometimes the men were issued condoms (usually 3 to a pack) and sometimes they were given sulfa or other pills to carry “just in case.”It must be told that syphilis is horrible ancient contagious disease; it starts from the little painless pimple and in the last stage it brings the body to the full disfiguration, tumors, blindness and paralysis. The untreated person slowly but surely, during few years, painfully get rotten alive. If I would be the WW2 propagandist I would scare guys with these real pictures of patients with the last stage of syphilis:The Italians called it ‘the French disease’ and the French called it ‘the Neapolitan disease’. The Russians knew it as ‘the Polish disease’ and the Poles called it the ‘German disease’. To the people of Flanders and North Africa it was ‘the Spanish disease’, while to the Spanish it was known as ‘las bubas’. The British called it ‘the pox’, but you will know it as syphilis. Syphilis - Wikipedia7. OTHER POSTERSVenereal disease (VD) was epidemic in the early twentieth century; estimates were that 1/10 people would contract syphilis at some point in their lives and even more would get gonorrhea. In spite of these startling facts, VD remained a taboo topic because of the stigma associated with these diseases.However, in the 1930s, popular attitudes about venereal disease changed dramatically in the United States. Syphilis and gonorrhea became topics that people commonly encountered in their everyday life—in all types of media, at work and school, and in a multitude of public spaces.1.MercuryBefore antibiotics were introduced in 1943. VD were treated with mercury and sulfa. If you got strep throat or some other infection you took the sulfa and were warned to wash it down with a lot of ginger ale. The antibiotics like penicillin came in with WWII and were a great boon to mankind in general. In the bad old days one of the treatments was mercury, and that is a poison itself. After hundreds of years of suffering, the introduction of penicillin in the 1940s meant that infections such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia could finally be cured. But today, with less than half of young people regularly practising safe sex, syphilis is on the rise once more. In 2017 there were 7,137 cases reported in England, a 20 per cent increase from 2016, and a shocking 148 per cent increase from 2008. Before you decide to risk it, spare a thought for our ancestors and the horrors of syphilis they had to endure – and always wrap it up.The poster was produced for the Ministry of Health promoting the first national campaign about venereal diseases. It was aimed at warning service men against the health risks of promiscuous sexual behavior. Women at the time were finding themselves in contrasting situations of sometimes-unprecedented liberty and discipline, often combined with sexual ignorance. Having to stay faithful while the men were away fighting, in charge of the household for the first time, freed from the presence of a male in their family household for perhaps the first time. There was limited information available to them on bodily functions, sex or birth control.2.Almost all of the artwork we see warns the soldiers to stay away from loose women. Here, that poster warns women to stay away from these “over-sexed, over-paid, and over-here” horny American GIs landing in Great Britain in 1944 in preparation for D-Day.3.A Sorry Ending to a FurloughIn 1946 as the war ended and hundreds of thousands of troops were still overseas, the military tried again to keep them safe from disease. An artist by the name of Ferree painted a poster that depicted a sad GI sitting on his cot. The text is, "VD- a sorry ending to a Furlough. Prophylaxis prevents venereal disease!"4.You Kept Fit and Defeated the HunThe colorful poster depicts a smiling “doughboy” with an American eagle on his shoulder standing on the helmets of defeated Germans. The text is:You kept fit and defeated the Hun.Now set a high standard.A clean America!Stamp out venereal diseases.5.We’ve fought in the open—bubonic plague, yellow fever, tuberculosis. Now Venereal DiseaseH. Dewitt Welsh crea. ted this WWI poster and it was published by the H. C. Miner Lithograph Company of New York. A semi-dressed female figure, representing Venereal Disease, is shown pouring blood from a wine glass. Chained to her left wrist is a vulture, standing on a skull. Beneath her are three macabre figures representing6.Soldier, the country counts on youVD was also a problem among the French. In 1916, Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen printed a poster for French soldiers fighting in WWI. The title was "Soldat, La Patrie Compte Sur Toi." The poster depicted a woman and man embracing, followed by the physically debilitated soldier on his hospital bed. A skull and crossed bones appear at the bottom of the poster. Due to prevailing taboos, no mention of syphilis or gonorrhea is made, but the words on the tombstone make a connection between morality and patriotism. The message reads:Soldier, the country counts on you - keep healthy. Resist the temptation of the street where a sickness as dangerous as the war awaits you… It carries its victims to decay and death, without honor, without happiness. . .7.Disease is disguised - Don't gamble with VD!This poster was produced in 1946 when the U.S. military was trying to enforce a policy of non-fraternization in the occupation zones between the USA troops and European women. It depicts a dark and ominous female hiding behind the mask of a healthy beautiful woman. The text is "DISEASE IS DISGUISED - DON'T GAMBLE WITH VD!" The poster was designed by Forsyth.8.Loaded?I like this poster because the girls are attractive and almost coy; not “trampy” at all. And, a Colt 1911 .45 automatic pistol is shown at the top. Notice that the pistol is cocked and ready for firing.9.Going home? Don't be delayed by VDThis 1946 poster shows a U.S. soldier at the end of the war waiting to return home. A map of Europe is in background. He is held in place by a rope that spells "VD" and is around his body. The text is, "GOING HOME? DON'T BE DELAYED BY VD." The artist is Schiffers. In every recent war American troops overseas are tested for disease before they are returned home. Any soldier found to have VD would be held until such time as a doctor pronounced him cured. He would be allowed to board ship at that time.10.AlmostIn one of the most attractive and poignant 1946 posters an American soldier (probably airborne by his bloused boots) stands at the dock and watches a troopship taking his buddies home to the U.S.A. He is held back by a ghostly hand marked "V D." The text is "ALMOST!" The artist is Schiffers. It was not an easy task to tell a man who had not been home for several years that he was "red-lined." There were several cases of doctors or medics being threatened, and it was one case where a G.I. pulled a knife on a First Sergeant after being told that he was held over in Southeast Asia.The entire concept of producing posters and leaflets of the subject of sexually transmitted diseases had to be approached with great care. Before the WW1 such things were not even discussed by proper gentlemen and ladies. In times of warfare when men are away on distant shores under stress, and women find themselves home alone perhaps for the first time, the subject must be broached. We have seen that some of the posters ask the men in uniform to use precautions as a form of patriotism so that they can continue to fight for their nation. Others imply that catching such a disease is almost treason in a time of war.8. BLACK VENEREAL DISEASE CAMPAIGNSThe black leaflets pretend to be helpful and offer hints on medical care, but are written in such a way as to demoralize the front line soldier worrying about his wife or girlfriend back home.Venereal disease has been mentioned in several PSYOP campaigns. It sometimes appears in white propaganda as a way to keep an Army healthy and moving forward. It is more valuable as black propaganda where it is used in several ways. Sometimes, one combatant tries to convince an occupied people that their invaders consider their women immoral and infected. At other times, one combatant will try to convince and enemy that their ally looks down upon their women. This was especially true in the Philippines during WWII where the Japanese implied on several occasions that the Americans saw the Filipino women as whores to be used and discarded. In other cases one combatant will try to destroy the morale of the enemy armed force while they fight at the front by stating that their wives and girlfriends are having illicit sex and being infected at home. Japanese black propaganda leaflet dropped during their advance in the Philippines alleges to be from the United States Army and warns American soldiers that Filipino women were uncleanThe German dropped a similar black leaflet on Allied troops in English language on the Western Front during WWII.British black propaganda 4-page booklet coded H.359The British produced several black leaflets in German language that mentioned VD. One coded H.336 and entitled Merkblatt - Deutsche Nachrichtenhelferin! The leaflet implied that citizens other than German are infected, and also hints that the wife or sweetheart of the soldier might have a "dalliance" while he is away. This certainly did not help the morale of the German soldier or the citizen of a foreign country either allied to Germany or sending workers into the Reich. A second (the image) British black propaganda 4-page booklet coded H.359 and entitled Deutsches madel! Vorsicht…(German Girl! Caution…) attacks the foreign worker (who sometimes volunteered to work in Germany to help the war effort) as a diseased individual.9. THE WHISPERS CAMPAIGNBesides leaflets, in an attempt to raise the morale of occupied Europe and lower the morale of the German military, civilians and their allies, the secret British Underground Committee produced well over 8,000 rumors, (they called them “Sibs” from the Latin sibalare – to hiss). Researcher Lee Richards mentions the whisper campaign and many of these rumors in his book Whispers of War, 2010. In regard to British propaganda rumors about sexual activity within the Third Reich and its occupied territories he lists dozens of moral-destroying rumors:4 July 1941 – German officers know the address of all the prostitutes in Amsterdam that have VD. They use them to get medical leave. It is called “krank durch Freude,” (Illness through joy).19 September 1941 – The girls in the Brest brothels have infected so many U-Boat crews with VD that it is now called “Malady V.”5 May 1942 – Of 50 Spanish workers who just returned from Germany, 37 have venereal disease.February 1943 - All women factory workers in Germany are to have a weekly VD inspection, carried out by medical students.11 June 1943 – The Germans have reduced the punishment for U-Boat crew members catching VD from a court martial to three days confinement.4 August 1944 – In order to slow the spread of VD in the German Army, boys under 16 have been forbidden to enter brothels.10. “THE ISLAND OF THE BLACK SYPH”Some WWII troops believed that there was a secret island off the coast of Greenland where horribly burnt and disfigured American soldiers were sent so as not to destroy the morale of their families in USA . Later during the Korean War, some soldiers were told of an island off the coast of South Korea where men with incurable venereal diseases were sent to die. The same rumours about secret islands existed during the Vietnam War. This rumor, or a reasonable facsimile, seems to have been circulating for at least 60 years.One of the most interesting rumors having to do with venereal disease was that of the mysterious island where service members with the dreaded and incurable "black syph" were sent to spend their last days in exile. Everyone knew someone who had a friend who had heard from a buddy that there was this deadly incurable, antibiotics resistant strain of syphilis. They whispered that rather than send a soldier home with this disease which would demoralize his family and the American public if the truth be known, the infected individual would be sent to this secret island where he would spend his last days in pain and dementia until he died.Private Bill Lupton of the 27th Infantry Regiment “Wolfhounds” talks about his personal introduction to the island in a narration entitled “February 1966” :You men need to use some common sense in dealing with these boom boom girls.Not only are they treacherous but they carry venereal disease,” There is another pause. “Now I know all of you men want to go back to your families safe and sound, and nobody wants to end up on the South Seas Island where they keep men who have venereal disease that will not respond to penicillin.They are not allowed to go back to the States until their syphilis is cured.”An Army veteran who was in Vietnam in 1968 heard the story a bit differently. It was gonorrhea, not syphilis:I heard stories about the Black Clap in 1968, and if you got it you were sent to an island off the coast till you died or a cure was found.A former cavalry man said:“I heard the story of the secret island in 1966 when I was stationed in South Korea. I heard the same story in 1968 when I was in Vietnam. They told us in glorious detail also about the “bullheaded clap.” This is where your dick swelled up and the medics took an “umbrella needle” and ran it up your crank and opened it and then ripped the puss and stuff out of your dick when they withdrew the “expanded umbrella needle.” I only heard that story in South Korea.”“I will tell you why some of the MIA’s didn’t come back from Vietnam, because the venereal disease they had was so terribly, terribly addictive and it could spread so fast we couldn’t let them come back. And those of you in Vietnam know that.”Most likely, the "black syph" story was invented and promoted by the U.S. military to terrify their young troops, lessen the fraternization with local women, and ultimately lower the rate of VD among the men.Sources:Venereal Disease Visual History ArchiveVenereal Disease PropagandaMiscman.comWehrmacht Brothels / der Erste Zug

I took this from the wiknonary for Australian military slang, I have heard a lot of them within the army others might be old and not used.ACE, spelt ASM, Warrant officer Class 2 of a RAEME unit, Artificer Sergeant Major. "G'day ace, how are ya Sir?"Ace fuckheads - headquarters in an armoured unit. Comes from the callsigns 9A, 9C, 9E, 9F, 9H. '90s usage. Being the 2ic, Tech. O, LO, SSM and SQMS, respectively.ACMS - Army Capability Management System - Because entering all your data in three systems isnt enough (ROMAN, PMKeyS, and MILIS). ACMS excels at reversing the pareto principle, that is, instead of 20% of the work accounting for 80% of the assets, ACMS creates 80% of the work to account for less than 20% of the Army's assets.Adgie - Refers to a RAAF airfield defence guard. Commonly understood to not be seen past the FLOSS (see FLOSS)Aero-flage - The RAAF's ridiculous attempt to design camoflage for the sky. Can also be described as "Cloud-Cam" (See also Aqua-flage)After fives - Refers to the plain black spit polished dress shoe worn by soldiers either with their pollies or after dinner to give their feet a rest from their boots.Air Base - A RAAF Base as described by the Australian media, Army and Navy personnel. "Today, an Army C130 Hercules was seen landing at Air Base Amberly."Airy-fairies - Refers to Air Force personnel, usually used by the Army or Navy. Rarely heard these days.A.J. (A Jay) - Army Jerk. A derogatory term often used by civilians, RAAF and Navy personnel in reference to soldiers in townships with large concentrations of soldiers (particularly Darwin and Townsville). Also often used by soldiers in reference to other soldiers behaving badly in public, for example "He was being a real AJ" or "They were acting like a bunch of real AJ's and giving the rest of us a bad name". As in 'this was written by an A.J....'. Like many derogatory terms, AJ has been "taken back" by the AJs. In other words it's OK for us to say it, but you might get a slap if you say it, depending on tone and location.A.J. fade-away - Refers to a soldier's ability to disapear when they are required to do something or attend something "after 1600 hr marridies did the A.J fade-away from the boozer". also refers to the habit of Army personnel to fade away when having a night out, usually in the form of leaving without saying goodbye to the people they are there with. Often used to describe the habit of Army males leaving the females they have been trying to become romantically involved with. As in "Where'd you end up last night, I didn't see you after dinner?" "Yeah I did the old A.J. fade-away"AJAX Packet - Ajax packets were placed in the front windows of married quarters to indicate to single men that the man of the house was away, AJAX, AJ Away at Exercise. See OMO. See also FAB.Angel Raper - Air Defence Regiment (Surface-Air Missiles) member, part of the Royal Australian Artillery.Angry Chook - Army Chinook heavy lift helicopter.Angry Palm Tree - Army or Navy helicopter.APC - Armoured personnel carrier.APC - Arm, pits, and crotch, a type of bath taken in the bush with limited water.Arc-up - To initiate an engagement against an enemy force with offensive fire. Also to shout at, as in "Sarge arced-up at me for not ironing my DPCUs."Arse-end Arnold - Used to refer to the person who is guarding the rear in any field patrol formation (typically used by Army).Arse Ripping - RAN version of a Face Ripping. Also described as 'Getting torn a new one'Argit short for Arghhh get fucked!Army appreciation day - Pay day.Ahp response diggers may give if someone requires their attention, a general response to instruction, or when name is called on parade. It is a bastardisation of "Sir".Aqua-flage The RAN's attempt to design camoflage and make a cameo appearance beside Rihanna in the movie Battleship. Also known as Wet-Cam, Boat-Cam and...actually nobody cares ...it just looks silly. (See also Aero-flage).AusCam - An abbreviation of Australian camouflage, the standard camouflage pattern on Australian Military equipment.BEditBack-ups - Seconds (when having a meal).Bag, the - Conduct After Capture (CAC) training. Formerly known as Resistance To Interrogation (RTI) training. Also referred to as "getting bagged" or "going in the bag".Bagger - Air Force term for a married member living off-base. Refers to brown-bagging meals from home instead of eating in the Mess.Bagus - From the Indonesian word for good, Bagus (pronounced in an Australian accent as baggis), is used by Indonesian linguists as an alternative for good.Bait layer - An Army cook. Refers to a person who drops poison meat to kill dingos.Balder- Refers to a conversation not worth having.Bang Fuck - The two sounds that make up a Negligent / Unauthorised Discharge. See also "Career Dissipation Light".Bang Seat - Ejection seat.Bang Stick - A rifle.Banjo - Refers to a bacon and egg breakfast roll wrapped in tin foil and delivered in hot boxes typically to troops staying overnight at the range.Barbecue - After firing weapons at the range, or on exercise, the unit will spend as long as it takes to clean all the weapons. This is called a barbecue. "After we finish here, we're going back to the barracks for a barbecue." "A barbecue! Great! Will there be beer and snags?" "Ha ha ha, no son, it's not that kind of barbecue." Derived from the similar appearance of both a barbecue and a weapon cleaning bath made from a 44-gallon drum that has been cut lengthwise.Barracks lawyer - A soldier who professes to know everything about military law, who reckons he could have probably got David Hicks out of Gitmo by finding a technicality in his charge sheet.Base Rat - A female civilian resident of a garrison town who can be frequently found on an Army barracks at the consecutive invitation of a high number of male soldiers.Bash - To mould a KFF (q.v.) or beret into an acceptable, close-fitting shape.Bastardisation - An archaic term used in reference to illegal initiations and punishments that often involved putting subordinates or peers in highly irregular situations.Bat - Masturbation.Bat cave - Secluded place adorned with or having access to pornographic material. (e.g., assemblage (Sigs Corps). connex, command bunker/pit (Infantry Corps, Engineers Corps), armoured command vehicle (Armoured Corps)). Usually used on long deployments or exercises. In training establishments, also denotes a supposedly secret location where dirty clothing and other contraband is hidden by recruits prior to an inspection.Battle tranny - Refers to a portable device (cf. transistor radio) used to access FM/AM radio stations (often cammed up by individual soldiers).Bayo - Bayonet Assault Course.BBDA - Back blast danger area a term used when firing shoulder fired rockets such as the M72 or 84mm Carl Gustav. Also used in emails that are sent out that nobody wants anyone else to see "check your BBDA" you would then check your rear for any onlookersBBDA Bag - A fabric sack designed to be attached to the rear of the 84mm Carl Gustav Medium Direct Fire Support Weapon to contain the back blast. Belongs to the same equipment set at 'left-handed screwdrivers' and 'long weights'BBPAG - Big Black Plastic Army Gun - refers to the M60 GPMG (in contrast to the LBPAG (M16) and LGPAG (F88))Bed Wetter - RAAF term for a RAAF apprentice who looks far too young to be enlistedBean counter - Refers to anyone that knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Can also refer to military accountants and unit resource managers.Beasting - To Beast means to stand over or monster a subordinate. The expression is more commonly used by officers. For example, He copped a beasting off the Sergeant Major.Bedpan scrapper - medicBear - EW Operator. From the location of 7 SIG REGT at Cabarlah, QLD as in Cabarlah BearsBeer Issue - "Two beers per night perhaps" Refers to the practice of issuing each sailor two beers either on a special occasion or (rarely) when the time can be spared.Bible - Pornographic magazines.Bin-A-Raffie - A not so nice prank where members of the Army attached to the Air Force would throw intoxicated airmen in garbage bins and place bets on how long it takes for them to escape. Game first played at RAAF Williamtown by members of 16 Air Defence Regiment the night before the start of Ex ACES NORTH, late 1987 or 88. The term "Get me another Raafie: This one is ripped!" was coined at the same time.Bird bath - Washing of Aircrft after coming back from a flight over water (salt water), Hygienic activity taken by a soldier in the field to clean body parts, utilising any available resources such as baby wipes or a small basin of water. This action replaces normal daily showering or bathing at home. Also refers to the airfield spray system used to wash salt residue from maritime patrol aircraft.Bird gunner - Air Defence Regiment (Surface-Air Missiles) member, division of the Royal Australian Artillery.Bird shit - Officer pips. Older style DPCU had rank slides on the epaulettes, inferring a bird has shit on the officers shoulder.BJ - Big Juby.Black Magic - A term used by infantrymen to describe any process or discipline which is incomprehensible to them (eg Computers, radios, shoe laces etc).Blade - Descriptive term for an SAS soldier. "He's a blade'. (From the Winged sword/dagger beret badge of the SAS.)Blair - A waste of Military fundsBlack handers - Air Force term for maintenance personnel working on mechanical systems; i.e., those who get their hands dirty because they are not well educated(cf. gay traders).Black hat or Blackhead - Refers to either Armoured Corps personnel (Black Berets) or to non-SAS personnel (who wear very dark blue berets that look black) posted to the SAS regiment.Black plastic fantastic - slang for the M16 when the SLR and M16 were the common service rifles.Blanket stacker/blanket counter - a Q-bloke. Trained to make large stacks of blankets in the Q-store, and to make sure that the blankets stay where they are. Fully aware of the risk of a collapsing stack of blankets, these highly trained warriors have the stealth of a ninja and the reflexes of a cat.Blood bath - The US Meritorious Unit Commendation. Awarded to some Australian Army units for actions during the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. See Swimming Pool.Blowie/blow fly - Refers to Royal Australian Army Medical Corps Environmental Health personnel.Blow Flow – see Blowies. Also the civilian contractor who removes the contents of a Honey Pot (see below) when latrines are not allowed to be dug.Bludging on the Queen's shilling - Derogatory term for any attempt to avoid overseas deployment. i.e. Being willing to serve and draw pay in peace time but not in war.Blue orchids - Derogatory term for Air Force personnel (used by soldiers and sailors in reference to their preciousness and scarceness). Also a non-derogatory term used to describe RAAF personnel during WW2 due to their Service Dress Uniform appearing more glamorous than that of other Commonwealth Air Forces.Blues - Navy or Air Force (Blue) Service Dress uniform. Also Blue Suiter or Blue job, a member of the RAAF (not necessarily wearing blues). Army full dress uniform, commonly used at the RMC. Once issued to all ranks from Sergeant upwards.Blunt - A derogative term to describe anyone deemed not to be at the sharp end (i.e., front-line/operational). Always a favourite of fighter pilots, who believe that pretty much anyone that isn't strapped into a bang seat (q.v.) is a blunt.Boffin - An Army electronics/communications technician.Bog/date roll - Toilet paper.Boggy - Short for bograt, the slang term for a Pilot Officer (the most junior commissioned Air Force Officer rank).BOHICA - Bend Over, Here It Comes Again. Often heard prior to the delivery of a pineapple (q.v.); i.e., one is about to be lumbered with an unpleasant task.Bomb up - To be issued or restocked with ammunition, equipment, or stores.Boned in - To be yelled at for doing something wrong (RAN) e.g. 'The Buffer boned me in for being late on watch'.Bongos - In general, equipment; often refers to field equipment, webbing and/or packs carried on the person. Pack up your bongos and get on that truck.Bookie [Bukie] or Bookoo - Many. As in 'How many rounds do we need?' 'Bookie rounds, Boss' Presumably derived during the Vietnam period from the Indo China French 'Beaucoup'.Boots - A suck up. Refers to somebody who is so far up somebody else's backside that all that you can see is his/her boots.Boozer - Pub or Bar on an Army Base; usually a Soldiers' Boozer as distinct from a Sergeants' or Officers' Mess.Boss - A complimentary term used by soldiers to refer to their immediate superior officer, usually their Platoon Commander, but can be other Officers in their unit, in the chain of command like the Company Commander or Company 2IC (Second in Charge). E.g., Do you know what we're doing today, boss? Implies respect: unpopular and/or incompetent officers remain 'sir' or 'ma'am'. Also used in the British Armed Forces.Brass - A high ranking officer. Referring to the amount of brass on someone's uniform.Brass Party - Soldiers tasked with clearing the firing mound of spent brass and link after a range shoot. Not nearly as fun as it might initially sound.Brass up - To fire a lot of rounds at something.Brew - Coffee or tea. Usually made in Standard NATO - Milk and 2 sugars.Bubba - Useless Member of the Australian Air Force, and biggest RAAF Cock alive. See RAAF Cock.Bucket - As in bucket of shit. An M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier.Buckets - A-vehicles, tanks, APCs, ASLAVs, or the Royal Australian Armoured Corps in general. This usage is debated and appears to have been invented by a dumb grunt. Fuckin' smartarse buckets, why do we have to walk? (If we carried grunts, there'd be no room for slabs of coke, chocolate, salami, cheese, travel fridges or all the other stuff that the gentlemen of the Cavalry require when roughing it in the field. And we'd have to take our hammocks down. If you wanted to ride, you should have learnt joined up writing).Buffer - The NCO who runs the seamanship department aboard a ship.Bug - Someone with poor personal hygieneBug-mariner - A collegial term for submariners. Refers to their austere hygiene conditions.Bug out - Leave an area.Bullshit Castle - Headquarters Air Command, Glenbrook, New South Wales.Bunghole (Bung'ole)- the very popular tinned fruit pudding in the old 10 man rat pack.Bush Chook - RAAC member with initial posting to 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) because of the emu on their Unit BadgeBush hat - The floppy hat worn by soldiers in the field or in non-barracks training.Bushie - The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) in use by the Australian Army.CEditCake and arse party - Semiformal gathering of officers and / or senior NCOs where alcohol and nibblies are enjoyed. And or where an activity is being poorly run with multiple leaders not really doing a good job EG "Who the fuck is running this cake and arse party?"Camel Brickers Members of 26 Transport Squadron. Their mascots are a male and a female camel. Camel bricking is restricted to male camels and doesn't hurt unless you get your thumbs caught.Can anybody drive a tractor? - See Motorbike licenceCanteen medals - Beer or food stains on the breast of a shirt or jacket.Cams - Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU), working dress for Army and Air Force and worn on exercises/deployment. Also used in the British Armed Forces.Career Dissipation Light - A brightly flashing beacon, often completely invisible to the owner, yet clear as day to SNCO's and the command hierarchy. Is known to spontaneously switch on after a "Bang Fuck" incident. Can attract Moths (see Moths).CDF - Chief of Defence Force; also Common Dog F@#k, See Common Dog Fuck.C-Dubs - Short for CWD, or Combined Working Dress; the obsolete, Hard Yakka-esque dark blue uniform worn by the Air Force as working dress until the turn of the century. Subsequently replaced by GPU (see Smurf Cams). Never yet seen past the FLOSS (see FLOSS).Cent - a Centurion Armoured Fighting Vehicle.Chair Force - Derogatory term referring to the RAAF.Champagne Showers - Expend ammunition.Chef - In the Navy, they call the chefs on board the ships Chef. And the food is much better too. Compare Army names such as Ration Assassin or Bait Layer.Chicken strangler - An SAS or Commando soldier; refers to ability to live off the land.Chief Wheelnut - Refers to a Warrant Officer of the Transport Corps.Chit Monger - See Linger.Civvy - (Pronounced "Siv-ie") The name given by members of the ADF to non-ADF members. Stems from the word civilianChoco - (Pronounced "Chock-o") A "chocolate soldier". First used in World War 2 to describe CMF units joining the AIF units in the war in Papua New Guinea. Thought to come about when the CMF passed the AIF on the Kokoda Trail, the CMF would give the AIF that they were replacing, chocolates from their ration packs. Many interpretations of the name's origin include the AIF belief they would melt like chocolate in battle or the fact that they were constantly caked in mud. The name has continued on, referring to current Reservists.Choc-wit - Term for Army Reservist.Chooffer – Immersion Water Heater, so called due to the noise it makes when lit incorrectly and explosively – CHOOFF !Chooffer Face – Last picquet to come off duty before stand-to in the morning (i.e. 3rd last picquet) who is required to light the chooffers by the mess tent. Also the typical singed hair and eyebrows resulting from incorrectly lighting a chooffer.Chook – A signals operator. The term comes from the days of Morse code communications, where an operator transmitting a message resembled a chook pecking the ground. 108th Signals Squadron has the famous cartoon chook Foghorn Leghorn as their unit mascot. However, 108th Signal Squadron ran a not so close second to the most famous Signals Squadron in the Australian Army: 139 Signal Squadron, who were well loved by the Brigade Commander especially after "Chooking" his personal Armoured Command Vehicle in the early ninety's. Also well known for their singing ability and known far and wide for their early 90's classic hit song "139 is on the piss again"Chook on a stick - the cap badge of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, - the 2 Cav cap badge is a wedge tailed eagle carrying a lance in its talon, with a guidon bearing the word "Courage". Also the term for the American-Australian monument at Russell Offices, Canberra.Chookie Scrabble - a friendly competition at after work drinks where the prize is a portion of barbecue chicken. The format of the game is thus: The company/squadron retires early on a Friday afternoon (or on sporties) to engage in some inter-rank fratnerisation. Beer is drunk. Approx 30 minutes before the mess opens, when everyone is feeling quite hungry and suitably lubricated, a circle is formed and one or two barbecue chickens are produced, removed from their packaging and lobbed onto the floor. A companies worth of hungry soldiers (and it has been rumoured offices and SNCOs at time) race toward the chooks and compete - bodily and aggressively for a portion of chicken.Clacker - The hand-held firing device for a 'Claymore' anti-personnel weapon. (As distinct from the mild Australian profanity meaning 'anus'.)Clicker - RAAC member with inital posting to 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Also any person who is prone to angry and or crazy outburst, "Man that guy is a clicker"Clicks - A measure of distance for grunts - how many clicks have we come? A click is a KM.Clinton - Refers to a person with a soft almost fairy like telephone voice.Clockwinder - refers to an Air Force Instrument Fitter.Cloud puncher – Refers to the Air defence branch of Artillery.Clubs - Navy PT Instructor, aka Clubswinger. Derived from the Crossed Indian Clubs (from their category badge) used by the RN over 100 years ago as strength training equipment.Cluster - Short for cluster fuck. A individual that has a tendency to get things wrong. Can also be used to describe the current situation in a negative light. E.g., Exercise Mantail Sword 2005 was an absolute clusterClutch Fucker - Transport driver, derogitory term, joking termClunge - Artillery term for a woman on the platform.Cock Holster - Refers to mouth EG, "shut your cock holster"Cockroach - An Ordnance Corps (Supply) person, also referred to as a 'ROACH'. From the Corps initials RAAOC.Cockroach Farm - Term of endearment for 292 Squadron, RAAF; the training and support unit for the RAAF AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.Coffin nail - A cigarette. Also known as 'lung lollie'.Coke medal - The Australian Defence Medal. Refers to the white and red ribbon colours. Also known as the 'thanks for coming medal', in reference to the eligibility requirements.Colour, dash and daring- what the gentlemen of the Cavalry bring to war. Without it/them, war would just be a mindless shitfight amongst grunts.Combat PJs - Term used to describe cams when well worn in the field. So known because they are never taken off, even when sleeping.Combat Wombat Term used to describe infantry soldiers away from home location as he "eats, roots, shoots, and leaves". Also a common name for a digger who is rather short and chubby(resembles the shape and size of a wombat).Comfy Num Num - the affectionate name given to the DPCU 'jacket' issued to Army personnel. Has a softshell type fabric with hardwearing cordura type fabric at the elbows and across the shoulders.Common Dog Fuck Term used when describing how easy something "should" be to understand, "A common Dog would know that, Fuck"Conehead - See "Boffin". Also refers to Airborne Electronics Analyst crew members on AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.COT Death - Derogatory Term used by RAAF Engineering/Trade Apprentices at Wagga to describe RAAF Technology Apprentices, derives from Certificate Of Technology the techapps graduate with. See "Spud App"Crack the sads - To be sad or upset about anything "Johno why you cracking the sads mate?"Craftie - A private in the corps of Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) - short for "Craftsman".Crap Hat - Name given to the slouch hat or any non Maroon beret by airborne soldiers who wear the beret. Also a derogatory term for a person who is not parra qualified. EG, Cav Black Berets are crap hats.Cruds - Recruits in traiing at 1RTB, also can refer to poor quality food EG "This food is crud" or "Dinner was crud"Crump in - To have a relatively bad landing when parachuting.AKA "Spudding" in.Crust - Usually a ancient W02 who has no life outside of the Army. Lives for drill, stage 3 revetted pits and wishes the SLR was still in use.CSM - Company Sergeant Major, AKA, Chief Sandwich Maker, usually out for the RSM's position.Cunning Kick - literally 'secret pocket' but used in particular to mean 'money kept secret from one's spouse'. e.g. "The wife sees my pay slips but the travel allowance for this course goes straight into my cunning kick"CUNT - A group of two or more officers. Cunt is also widely used in a non offence way EG When greeting a mate, "Whats going on Cunt, how ya been?"Cunt Cap or Pencil Case - Term used to describe a RAAF garrison cap.Cut Lunch Commando - A member of the CMF (Citizens Military Forces), precursor of the current Army Reserve.Cyclone Training - To be spread out on ones bed as if to be holding down your bed in a cyclone. Term is widely used in the northern parts of Australia, particularly in reference to soldiers shirking away from work to their rooms and getting some quiet sleep. Also used at Kapooka when instructors tear a Recruits room apart like a Cyclone.Chucking a fergo - To fall out of a unimog and break your back.Champ - Whilst not an exclusively army term, within the army it takes on an entirely derogatory meaning; "Oh alright CHAMP!", "Listen up champ", "Fucking count Champ-ula'. Can also sometimes be substituted with 'chief' and very occasionally 'sports fan'.Cunt Scratcher - Your hand. EG. If there are any questions raise your 'Cunt Scratchers'DEditDad - A derogative term used in conversation to describe a disliked and incompetent superior. "Mate, we are stuck here cleaning weapons past knockoff thanks to your Dad" (see 'Son')Diesel Dyke - A female member of the Transport corps.Dart thrower - A member of the Australian Intelligence Corps. Refers to the perceived method of identifying compounds/areas of interest for future operations, usually conducted eyes-shut with non-master hand to ensure statistically random results.Dargan - a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the Army.Dark Side - The Officer Cadre of the Australian Army. (To 'Cross over to the Dark Side' is to apply for appointment as an officer.)Delta - female recruits at 1 RTB (now ARTC) as Delta company housed/trained the female recruits (see groundsheet). Also, "to make a Delta (or D)" is to make a decision. "What's your Delta, Sir?"Delta Romeo - Direct Reflection. As in "your digger is a shit fight, delta romeo"Diddly Bop - to run under fire or conduct a patrol (Vietnam Era) We took a quick DiddlyBop round the perimeter to see what Charlie was up to.Digger – A soldier of the rank of private or equivalent in the Australian Army, for example Look after your diggers, Lieutenant. Term comes from the Anzacs.Diggers Breakfast - Term used for a 'Smoke and coffee' undertaken during morning routine.Digging With Your Eyebrows - Refers to the act of taking cover during contact when in open terrain.DILLIGAF - Does It Look Like I Give A Fuck.Dirked : To be assigned a task by a superior, it usually not being a task an individual would volunteer to complete. E.g., I've been dirked by the boss to sell Unit T-shirts at our social function. From the Scottish term for a stiletto or dagger : a Dirk. (See also 'Stabbed'). Also, to be assessed while giving a lesson, particularly on a promotion course.Dirt Dart - A soldier undertaking Army parachuting.Dirt Road Driver - 80s RAAF term for a male suspected of being homosexualDish Licker - Term used to describe a member of the Steward Mustering of the RAAF.Dish Washer - Term used by Telecommunication Technicians to describe the most junior member of that trade at the unit. A reference to the fact that these members are often tasked with washing the satellite dishes among other low level tasks (See also "Joob").Dit - A DVD; i.e., "What's the Dit?". Also the "." in Morse code (Dits and Dahs).Dixies - Small aluminium cooking and eating pans used by individuals in the bush; mess tins. Issued to all soldiers in the Australian Army and required for inspections during DP1 checks.Dixie-bashing - Washing up pots and pans.Dhoby - A wash, or shower, derived from 'Dhobi', a caste of launderers found in India and Pakistan.Dhoby Dust - Royal Australian Navy term for Laundry powder.Doc - Medic.Doe - A name referring to Commandos, usually by the SAS.Dog and pony show - A painstakingly prepared briefing, usually of little real substance or value, pandering to the whims of a senior officer. Also used to describe having to participate in some sort of display for civilians as a recruiting drive. E.g. 'The boys got stabbed to do a dog and pony at the footy on Friday night.' When Moths and those with an active Career Dissipation Light are present a Dog and Pony Show can turn into a Shit Fight.Dog Biscuits Name given to the hard tasteless biscuits issued by the Army as marching rations. Sometimes found in 70s 'One Man Ration' packs.Donk - Nickname given to engines by RAAF tradesmen. Can be aero or motor vehicle. 'CPL, go round up some troops to pull the left donk out of A8-109.'Donkey Fucker - Nickname given to soldiers from 1RAR because their Mascot is a shetland Pony (refer to SEPPIE).Donga - Term used to describe a sailors room on base. Also used by the RAAF to describe a small hut on the airfield or a workshop's SNCO office. "CPL have you seen the FSGT?" "Think he is in his donga, Sir";Donga - a large pothole or bump in the road. As in 'The driver hit that donga so hard I fell of my seat.Doona wrestling - a favourite "sport"; i.e., sleeping. (Doona is an Australian term meaning duvet or quilt). "What are you doing for sport this arvo?", "I'm doona wrestling." See Cyclone training. "Arvo" is regular Aussie slang for "afternoon".Door kicker* - A member of the SAS who is trained in gaining entry by force.DP1 - Draft Priority - One. The status of soldiers' equipment and personal administration which renders them available for immediate deployment on operations or exercise. Usually attained subsequent to the conduct of innumerable "DP1 Checks".DP1 Check - An activity (the frequency of which is determined by the level of sadism prevalent in one's superiors) where soldiers present all of their personal equipment for inspection, lay it out on the ground, then stand around for several hours.DPCU - Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform. see 'Cams'.DPNU - Disruptive Pattern Naval Uniform. see 'Cams'.Drabs - Air Force Tropical Dress which replaces Service Dress (see Blues) in tropical areas.Draggie - Device for converting noise into lift/thrust. RAAF term of endearment for the now sadly departed Hawker Siddeley HS 748.Drop shorts – An artillery solider,'Drop shorts' also implied that gunners dropped their rounds onto our grunts rather than the enemy by accident.Drut - Driver Recruit Under Training, also a Backward Turd, A sometimes derogatory, sometimes affectionate description of an army recruit.DS Solution - The correct answer to a problem. DS Comes from the term 'Directing Staff'Duck Fucker - nickname for the M79 Grenade Launcher. AKA Wombat Gun or "The Blooper"Durries/darts/darbs - A common army term for http://cigarettes.To smoke is to 'throw darts'.Duty First - The motto of the Royal Australian Regiment. It was selected because, "The unhesitating and unquestioning performance of his duty is the fundamental requirement of a soldier."EEditEating irons - Cutlery (mainly known in the army as KFS - knife, fork and spoon).EABOD - Eat A Bag Of DicksEAD - term used when reminding someone of having been made to do something unpleasant or extremely time consuming and wasteful, ie 'Hey Davo you got stabbed for duty on Saturday, eat a dick!'EADC - Eat A Dick CuntEAD Knyvett - Eat A Dick KnyvettEADT - Eat A Dick TrentEKO - Early Knock Off. Also 'Eventual Knock Off' when an announced early knock off is expected to result in working later than usual.Elephant gun - L1A1 SLR Self Loading Rifle (not used while the SLR was the main rifle).Elephant trackers - RAAF security police. A derisive reference to their supposed lack of investigative acumen.Emu bob - A line of soldiers, under the control of a junior NCO, side by side, almost shoulder to shoulder, walking slowly forwards cleaning up an area, therefore bobbing up and down to pick up litter (usually cigarette butts or brass), which resembles an emu searching for food. Also known as an "Emu Parade".Enemy Pam - Woman's fashion magazineEnt Moot - an unnecessarily long bullshit meeting that achieves nothing and wastes a lot of fucking time. Often complemented with warries and the micromanaging of tasks that have already been done.EX - Shorthand for an "Exercise" or training mission/deployment.Extras - extra duties, used as a form of punishment, usually illegally awarded without hearing by NCOs. Can only legally be awarded after a trial by a summary sub-ordinate authority (i.e. OC level officer). But try telling that to your platoon sergeant. I dare you.FEditFAB - FAB packets were placed in the front windows of married quarters to indicate to single men that the Man of the house home, FAB, Fucking Arsehole is Back. See also AJAX. Also used to describe an ample bottomed WAAF: Fat Arsed BitchFAC - "Fucking ADFA Cunt", a Royal Military College Term used to describe ADFA (Australian Defence Force Academy)Cadets, or Officers who have previously attended ADFA.Face ripping - A one-way discussion, usually between a soldier and a superior, where the "face ripper" gets so close that the "face rippee" can see the pores on his forehead. This usually occurs on the drill square or in the CSM's office.Fagpants - Refers to a company commander from the early 80s who dressed in lovely technicolour pants - peach, crimson, lime civie daks at all functions. Now refers to metros.Fake - Refering to a civilian contractor usually working on a RAAF Base. 'That guy's fake.....'Fang - Food. To eat or in reference to food. For example "Go and get a fang" or to "Fang out".Fang Farrier - An Army dentist.Fang Bosun - An RAN dentist.Farter - Bed or sleeping bag. Normally refers to going to bed, for example "Hit the Farter". Also known as a Fart Sack, or in the RAN as a Rack.Fatcans or Fat shop - Describes Australian Defence Force Canteens, for example "I'm going to get some food from Fatcans". Probably derives from AAFCANS - the Army Airforce Canteen Service, which used to run military canteens before Frontline.Fat-truck - Vehicle used to supply hot food and cold drinks to soldiers in the lines. Driven by the "Fat-slut". Also known as the "Gut-truck" and "gut-slut" respectively or "pie-slut".Fat, dumb and happy – To be complacent or less than vigilant.Fat pills – Chocolate and lollies (sweets/candy).Ferret - BeretF.I.G.J.A.M. - Fuck I'm Good Just Ask Me.Filled in - RAN term for getting beaten up.F.I.N.C.L. - A Fucking Idiot No Cunt Likes. (See Also PTE Fry)Fish head - Maritime patrol aircrew.Fisty Cuffs - A term used when two soldiers fight over a disagreement, usually at the boozer. "Johnno and Smithy went fisty cuffs last night!"Fitter and turner - An Army cook. It means "to fit good food into a pot and turn it into sh-t".Fitted for, not with - Defence equipment can be expensive. In the interest of good economy therefore the Australian Government has developed the practice of purchasing defense equipment that has provision for certain facilities or features, but is not fitted with the afore said facilities or features. For example Guided Missile Frigates, without Guided Missiles. The idea being that should we even need them, we'll have plenty of time to procure them. And plenty of time will be needed, given the prodigiously spectacular lack of anything resembling movement at Russel Offices. The problem with this idea is of course that the enemy has on occasion been known to attack without letting their targets know (reference Blitzkrieg, Pearl Harbour, etc). This is referred to as a "surprise attack", because it is a surprise. The other problem is that we tend to buy equipment from the US, France, the UK, Sweden and other countries in the other hemisphere on the other side of the world. The ships and planes we'd need to import this equipment might not survive the voyage/flight, as they'd need to be escorted by frigates/fighters etc - most of which are fitted for, but not with key systems. To be fair defense has gotten better over the years and this practise is less common that traditionally was the case, but still occurs to some extent.Fire Piquet - A piquet that doesn't achieve a fucking thing. Probably not allowed to have a fire even with the presence of a goddamn fire truck.Fizzer - Getting charged for breach of discipline, Getting FIZZEDFlight Lewie - Nickname for Flight Lieutenant, Air Force Junior Officer rank.Flight Stupid - Term used to describe a RAAF member of the former Flight Steward mustering.Flogg Off - Spoken abbreviation for Flying Officer(FLGOFF), Air Force Junior Officer rank. Also used in the Army to describe the act of onaism. At least it was in the 90s.FLOSS - Forward Line Of Shower Support. Common deliniation between "Poges" and "Warfighters". Also understood to be the limit of RAAF ground personnelFobbit - A soldier who, when deployed, remains confined to the relative safety of a Forward Operating Base (FOB). See Pogo. See Out The Wire.Foreigners - RAAF term for a job done for a mate as a favour or himself, by a specialist in that area such as a RADTECH fixing a mate's stereo or an MTFITT tuning a car. Usually in work time using RAAF facilities and tools. "Hey Dave, could you do a foreigners on my car tomorrow?" See also Rabbit (q.v.).F.O.N.C - Friend Of No Cunt.Fornicatorium - An armoured vehicle with a meeting room incorporated into its design or any office where (f***ed-up) decisions were made.Four Star Hotel - The accommodation used by Air Force members on exercise whilst Army members reside in dirt pits or tents if lucky.Fraudline - Another common name for the on base canteen monopoly 'Frontline'. The outrageous pricing of the canteen items could be investigated by ADFIS as fraudulent behaviour.F.R.E.D - A small device which is a combination of a can opener, a bottle opener and a spoon. Officially named a "Field Ration Eating Device", but more popularly known as a "F--king Ridiculous/Retarded Eating Device". In the Air Force this acronym can also denote a 'F--king Ridiculous Electronic Device'.Free balling/furring/snaking - Going without underwear. Often done in the field for hygiene and comfort reasons. Known also as "going commando". See also PTE McDonalds PantsFrog - Derogatory Term used by RAAF to describe RAAF Radio Apprentices at Laverton, possibly a "play on Words" of "Sprog" and "RAAF Frognall" where there were considerable Radio positions.Frontscam - Another common name for the on base canteen monopoly 'Frontline'.Frozo - Pre-cooked frozen delicacy provided for the enjoyment and nutrition of RAAF aircrew, primarily AP-3C Orion crews.Fruit salad - Medal ribbons.Front Bum - Female, also denotes a sad soldier.FONC - Friend Of No Cunt - An offensive term for anybody who is disruptive and who does not fit in.FOX - Used in armoured units for the Squadron Sergeant MajorFTA - Fuck the ArmyFucktard found everywhere but mainly 2/4 RAR roll book or a certain P3 maintenance crew.Fuck yeah Northy! The reply for when someone has a bad idea, or says something stupid.Fudge factor to inflate and estimation for unexpected events. 'Carry an extra 50 rounds each as our fudge factor ' or 'Carry an extra 50 rounds as fudge '.Full-track - Term used in place of the rank Corporal.FOB - Forward Operating BaseGEditGalah - Slang term for the in-service underslung grenade launcher (officially called a GLA).Gammas - Go get some sunlight on the upper decks.G.A.F. - Give A Fuck.G'arn garn (go and) get fucked, also see ArgitGash - Naval term for rubbish; also RAAF term for spare nuts & bolts kept usually in your hearing protection, or part of your Gash KitGat - Refers to a firearm e.g. 'Pass me that gat'. Apparently a shortening of Gatling Gun.Gaz - Used to describe someone of unparalleled skill. Also used to describe SAS troops.Gazontopede - An archaic term commonly used by the Army in the '70s and '80s used to describe somebody who was hopelessly uncoordinated in drill.Gedunk Machine - refers to a soft drink/candy bar dispensing machine.Get Your Shit In One Sock - Used to tell a soldier who is typically a shit fight to get orginised.Getters - Sandals issued to sailors of the RAN. Modern use extends to personal thongs. Traditionally worn with long socks as part of the uniform, in the showers, or when catching gamma's on the uppers with some oppo's.Get This - Used to indicate thugs from the scallop industry. "Get this! Damn those thugs from the scallop industry!"Ghan, the - Afghanistan.Giggle-hat - Bush head dress; '80s term that is fading from use.Giggle-suit - Bush clothes.Gin Jockey - Term used to describe a member of the RAAF who had sexual affairs with an Indiginous woman, usually on exercise at Tindal.Ginger Beers - Term used to describe a member of the Royal Australian Engineers Corps or RAAF flight engineers.Glenn Munsie - Glenn is a Sportsbet Market Adviser, his name rhymes with onesies (one-ers), to get a brew for oneself only. "Old Glenn Munsie, got himself a brew again".Glocksuckers - refers to RAAF aircrew, who carry the 9mm Glock 19 pistol, as opposed to the Browning pistol carried by everyone else in the ADFGo fast - Unit or other baseball cap worn by RAAF membersGob - To talk incessantly or in a manner which others find annoying or disrespectful. To Gob Offto a superior is to contradict or challenge them directly in a discourteous way. The term is derogative and usually implies that the soldier being Gobby is in the wrong.God Botherer - The Padre or anybody remotely religious. (sometimes called "sky pilots" or "devil dodgers").Goffa - Term used by the Royal Australian Navy to describe a salute.Goffer - Soft drink.Going commando - See "Free Snaking".Goinker - Somebody who sucks up to people of superior rank. Also known as a rank watcher.Golf bag - Accessory pouch for the obsolescent AN/PRC-77 manpack radio or the accessories bag used to carry spare barrels cleaning kit and other equipment for a machine gun.Gold Tops - High Explosive Dual Purpose ammunition for the 40mm Grenade launcher.Gomper/Gumpy Bar - A chocolate bar like a Mars bar or Picnic. "Have a goffer and a gomper mate."Gong - Medal.Gonk - To sleep. Also Gonking, the act of having a sleep.Government Fat - Description of military (tax payer funded) exercise or activity which results in a high level of excitement for an individual - ie, "During tonight's attack, be sure to use all remaining blank rounds before the exercise ends and get your Government Fat on!"Grabbing Your Ankles - To prepare for an unpleasant or inconvenient short-notice task. See also, Pineapple.Green Slime - Nickname for personnel of the Australian Intelligence Corps, in reference to their green lanyards.Greenie - Nickname for Electronics Technicians and WEEOs in the RAN. Originates from the green band that WEEOs had between the gold bands on their SRI/HRIs.Grey Green Brown and Oakover - The names used whenever diggers get in trouble with police or the MPs. Made famous by Gra Gra Kennedy in the movie Odd Angry Shot.Grey Kingswood - Term of endearment used exclusively by crews of the RAAF AP-3C Orionmaritime patrol aircraft; a comfortable and reliable means of transport. Previously "grey and white Kingswood" till someone discovered how visible they were through a submarine's periscope.Grey-Man - A term used to describe a soldier within his unit who is barely noticed by either his peers or his superiors. This is either the result of him having no personality recognizable by human perception or because he is extremely skilled in the art of being ignored for a work party. Can be used either in a derogatory fashion (Oi cunt, have you been there the whole fucking time? You're such a fucking grey-man!), a respectful fashion (Oi cunt, have you been there the whole fucking time? You're such a fucking grey-man!), or a combination of both (Oi cunt, have you been there the whole fucking time? You're such a fucking grey-man!). Very useful skill when not out in the field. Often the person you least suspect who wins the Soldier of Merit Award on a course.Groundsheet - Derogatory slang for a female soldier. I.e., something you lay on the ground.Greaser - A vehicle mechanic. AKA VMGrumpy Old Cunt - Ralph BlewittGRUNT - An acronym meaning the same in Australia as it does everywhere else, a negative name for an infantry soldier. Often adopted with pride by the Grunts themselves. (Government Reject Unfit for Normal Training).Gruntapede - The term Tank drivers use for Dismounted Infantry.Gucci - A piece of kit that is really good or expensive.Gumpy Bar - Any form of chocolate bar that has not come from a ration pack. Highly sought after towards the middle of any exercise. Value has been known to exceed weight in Gold, Mir and Incense during Kangaroo exercises....especially K92 and K95.Gun Bunny - An artillery soldier.Gunny/Gunnie - Air Force term for an armaments fitter. No relation to the US Marine Corps rank of Gunnery Sergeant.Gun Plumber - A fitter/armourer, usually those attached to armoured units.AKA Tiffie, See Tiffie and Artificer, fitter.HEditHalf Screw/Half Track - Term used in place of the rank Lance Corporal. Also see Full Track.Handbag – A signals operator (archaic usage). The term is derived from the satchel used carry a VHF dipole antenna known as an Antenna Lightweight for either a 'Seventy Seven Set' or its modern equivalents. Particularly applicable to Royal Australian Signals Corps personnel as their corps badge resembles the Interflora symbol. Also used to be used to describe medics whose medical kits looked like handbags and were often carried like a lady carries a handbag.Handbaggers – Operator Movements, part of the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. RACT soldier, who plans, coordinates, executes, controls and monitors the operational and strategic movement of personnel and equipment of the ADF.Hard Corp - RAInf, the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. The final activity School of Infantry before passing out parade. A test of all skill learnt to date.Harden up - A standard response to whinging or complaining, telling a person to shut up and get on with the job. Often provided in imaginary consumable form; e.g., here's a harden-up pill, have a can of harden-up or "drink some concrete and harden the f..k up!".Hash House HarriersHat, Fur Fishing - RAAF term for the blue "Slouch" style Fur Felt Hat that was issued in tropical zones in the 80s.Healed By Jesus - the miraculous cure of the company linger, just in time for an overseas trip.Head shed - Headquarters at any unit level.Healthkeys - Medical data base system that in theory is supposed to make life better for medics but in reality is a tool for blood sucking bean counters and auditors that load up the medical system with even more work.Heartilage - contraction of 'heart' and 'cartilage' - derogatory term used to describe an imaginary injury associated with a lack of Heart, Will and or any sign of weakness during moments of mental and or physical discomfort. Eg: "What Happened to Pte ****? Why did he not finish the 30 K stomp? Is he injured?" "Nah the weak linging cunt just pulled a heartilage!"Heat seeker - A soldier who routinely draws unwanted attention upon himself and those around him from superiors, usually as a result of misconduct.Helicopter pad - A badly bashed (q.v.) beret.Helo – Army/Navy term for helicopter (pronounced HEE-Lo).Helicopter piquet - Usually used when in the field, it refers to soldiers shirking away from work by lying down somewhere. From the idea of looking up for approaching helicopters. Similar to Cyclone Training.Hilton Hotelers - Term used by the RAR to describe RAAF personnel at RAAF Tindal during exercise Pitch Black 90 and Kangaroo 89 on learning most RAAFies slept in their quarters after their shiftHo Chi Min Shuffle - a slow run designed to conserve energy over long distances. The feet are not lifted very high.(To get) Holes In Your T Shirt - To get shot, usually on a "Two Way Rifle Range".Honey pot _ A cylindrical galvanized steel receptacle used for defecation out in the field. Usually emptied or replaced by soldiers lance corporal and below.Hoochie/Hutchie - Individual shelter sheet used in the field. Presumably derived from hooch, a term for a Vietnamese rural dwelling.Hook in - To perform a task aggressively or with gusto. "Hook in, get your work done and we'll have an early knock off". Army slang from the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s.House on back – To put on ones pack; because soldiers in the field are required to live out of their pack.Hot box - The large plastic containers which bring fresh rations to Diggers in a field environment, which contains inadequately small portions of cooked vegetables and a small helping of whatever yesterdays leftovers were from the base mess packed into tinfoil trays.Hungry Wagon, The - RAAF term for the mobile AAFCANS (later Frontline) canteen truck. See Roach CoachHurry up and Wait - The repurcussions of letting an officer organise an activity. Diggers are normally harassed to get their shit in one sock, only to wait as the PL COMD, OC, CO, and BDE Commander have all added a fudge factor into their planning numbers. Normally results in arriving at a rugby match at 0700 for a 1430 kick off.Hurry up and Waiters - RAAF term for the RAAF Air Movements staff who demand that all personnel regardless of rank who are scheduled for a flight must arrive 90 minutes before boarding time.Howard Green - An issued Khaki green Wooolen Jumper with material sewn on the elbows Pre - 1992 (DPCU Version issued post 1992). Also a Common name used by soldiers when introduced to a female they just met at a nightclub, knowing they would never see her again (Refer to AJ Fade Away)and (Sam Brown).IEditIFIIK - I'm Fucked If I Know.Ink Stick - A pen.Iron Lung - RAAF term for an airman who does little productive work, or shirksInt Pest - Term given to members Intelligence CorpsIFAK - Individual First Aid KitJEditJack – To be selfish or to go it alone, for example Don't jack on your mates!, Going Jack, or Stop being jack and give us a hand. The term comes from the phrase "Fuck you Jack, I'm all right". It is a serious insult. Alternate, "David"Jack-up - going on strike (akin to a mutiny but unable to identify ring leaders - comes from the industrial background of the mass armies of the world wars)(potentially archaic)Jack – A sailor, from the term Jack Tar.Jackhammers – An elite section of technicians who not only strive to produce airpower but in fact succeed and excel.Jack Rations - civilian food taken to the field to liven up the issue rations. As in "I'm all right Jack Fuck you" or "don't be jack, let me have one of your goffas".JAFA - Just Another Fucking Admino (Administration Officer is a RAAF Officer Category).Jam Shrewsbury - a magical mystical morale biscuit found in ration packs. Often discovered heartbrokenly crushed. Can be used as currency out bush. Golden Rule - Never ever fuck with a man's Jam Shrewsbury.Jedi – An adjective or noun indicating respect for a colleague's military professionalism. Nick gave us a totally Jedi briefing on the Musorian ORBAT - he's an INT Jedi. A reference to the supernatural warrior caste depicted in a well-known film series.Jellybean-dispenser – F1 sub-machine gun. Derived from the jelly-bean like appearance of low velocity bullets that may be observed leaving the barrel.Jellybean-suit - Offensive term for army camouflage used by RAN or RAAF. No longer offensive, now used by Army just to describe their cams.Jet - A soldier who consistently performs well in one or all aspects of training. If you're struggling with nav, talk to Johnno, he's a jet at it.Jet Pack - Refers to the small shitty day packs issued at 1RTB Kapooka, as they resemble gay little cartoon jetpacks.Jockstrap or Jock - A digger who is renouned for sporting prowess and his inability to go bush, or do his job with his mates.Jube - A new or inexperienced soldier, thought to be because they are soft and sugarcoated. Phonetically: Jewb, Joob, or Just Out Of BasicJubie juice - Fruit flavoured cordial, for example, Have a drink of jubie.Jundie - Arabic word for soldier. E.g. 'That Jundie had a set of balls on him.' The term originally came into usage during the Iraq War and eventually evolved in meaning to refer to anything foreign. E.g. 'Have you tried these Jundie durries? They're fucking rough.'Jungle - Green, Thick and DenseJundie-Off - Hand sanitiser.KEditKelloggs Corporal - RAAF derogatory term for an airman who received the rank of CPL "on time" after the introduction of "on time promotion" rather than "promotion on merit", ie he got his stripes out of a cornflakes box. See PlasticsKepi - Refers to a small peaked cap worn by some members of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps often closely resemble those worn by the German Afrika Corps.KFF - Khaki Fur Felt (Hat). More official term for the Slouch Hat.KFS - Knife, Fork, and Spoon. A piece of equipment which hosts all three cutlery items.KFS Course - A six week induction course undertaken by specialist officers who are not required to undertake 18 months training at Duntroon. Named so because pretty much all that can be taught in six weeks is how to use a knife fork and spoon.Killick - Pronounced Kelleck. Informally denotes the rank of Leading Seaman in the RAN, the word itself describes a type of anchor made from wood and stone and is applied as a result of the rank insignia of a Leading Seaman being a fouled anchor. A Killick is also know as a Leading Hand, or Leader. [Also known as the worst fucking rank in the Navy]King-of-the-Shits - a WO1, usually the RSM [See also Shit-of-the-Kings].King Shitter - A recruit at ARTC Kapooka who is charged with overseeing the cleaning of the lines during morning routine (specifically the SALs, or shitters).Kip - A short sleep or nap.Koala Bear - Refers to somebody who is generally considered a protected species and useless in the greater scheme of things. Usually accompanied by the phrase "Not to be exported or shot at" was used to refer to 1st Armoured Regt.Knob Tickler - Anyone who puts shit on 1RAR .Knob Gobbler - Anyone posted to 1RAR.Knock-off Bird - an action where soldiers within a group call "Knock-off!" in a high-pitched voice like a cuckoo clock, usually suggesting that they knock off for the day whilst remaining anonymous.Knuck - A fighter pilot; short for 'knucklehead'. Also used in US military slang. Also used to denote fighting, ie "going the knuck on that guy".Klingon - Term used to describe a waring race of aliens in the science fiction series Star Trek, and used to describe a RAAF member attached to a Squadron/formation/unit for a period of time. "Corporal, who are those numpties? Klingons Sir, from 10 SQN.LEditLance Jack – Term used in place of the rank Lance Corporal. E.g., We have 3 Corporals and 2 Lance Jacks in this unit. The term comes from a VC winner. Also used in the British Armed Forces.Lance Propeller – Derogatory Term used in place of the rank Lance Corporal for RAAF personnel.Legend - A Legend of the regiment - generally over used, but traditionally used to describe characters like Warry George, Richo Richardson and Blue Telford at the Battle School.Legendary Battalion - They believe they are legends when essentially they're reserve infantry. Leave it to the big boys.Legend in their own Lunchbox - A person who beats their own drum or has an over inflated opinion of their own abilities. See Squeezers, Fucktards, Legendary BattalionLeave App Loser - Term used to describe a Clerk in the Royal Australian Air Force.Leslie - Term to describe an insufferable ginger snake.LBPAG - Little Black Plastic Army Gun - refers to the M16 when the SLR and M16 were the common service rifles.(in contrast to the BBPAG (M60) and LGPAG (F88))LGPAG - Little Green Plastic Army Gun - refers to the F88 Austyer when the SLR and M16 were the common service rifles.(in contrast to the BBPAG (M60) and LBPAG (M16))Lid - Live-In Divorced and Single. Comes from Soldiers post-Vietnam. Also used to denote a new/ the most junior member of a section, ie 'Limited Intelligence Drone.Or Rhyming slang(for Kid) "Billy Lid" or shortened to Lid, eg "I'm not cleaning the shitters, let the Lids do it".Lifer - RAAF term for a member who loves everything Military about his/her job in the RAAF and is "in for life" ie serves until forced age retirementLinger - Abbreviation of w:Malingering. Also pronounced as Lingering or Lingin. Refers to soldiers faking an injury to get our of certain activities. He's a linger or he's Lingin again (See Kav)Light Colonel, Half Colonel - Lieutenant ColonelLimers - Navy term for cordial fruit drink.Living the Dream - Sarcastic catchphrase used to express dissatisfaction with unpleasant duties.Lobster - Refers to a Physical Training Instructor, usually meaning "Hard on the outside and head full of sh-t" or "Great body, sh-t for brains". Also refers to their bright red training uniform.Love Hearts and Bunny Rabbits - Term used to describe DPCU's due to its camouflage pattern resembling that of love hearts and bunny rabbits.Luncheon Meat Type 2 - An inedible can of pink stuff issued in some Ratpaks. Do not attempt to eat. Do not attempt to feed it to a dog - dogs won't eat it.MEditMaccas - Chips, crisps, chocolate bars and other food sold in canteens or messesMaggot - A 2 RAR mortarman. Thought to come from Vietnam when after a contact they were found by the CO blind drunk who labled them maggots. Also, a term used for an Army Cook, due to the white working dress uniform they wear.Maggoty - Short for "maggot bag", meaning a meat pie.Makan - Pronounced Muc-Karn. From Bahasa Malaysia for meaning "eat."Makers - Naval euphemism for an early stand-down from work. Derived from the naval custom of 'make and mend', whereby sailors were allocated 'free' time to repair personal clothing and equipment.Mango - Term for Army Reservist. Green on the outside, yellow on the inside and too many of them give you the shits.Manky - Term for something/someone vile and disgusting with bad personal hygiene. For example, "Mate he's manky as!" or "Mate, that's manky as!Mask Test Facility - the politically correct named for a gas chamber where soldiers practice being gassed.Mattel Toy - Term for the M16 and later the Steyr F88 when the SLR was in service, due to the use of plastic partsMcShit - Modular Combat Body Armour System (MCBAS). Generally regarded as protective apparel inferior to any other ever devised in the history of mankind. Precursor to the superior Tiered Body Armour System (TBAS).Mas - Indonesian word for "brother" used by elderly to describe males of younger age or lower status, or by younger men to each other. A term of endearment used by Indonesian linguists as a substitute for "mate".Meat Bomb - See "Dirt Dart".Meat Heads - Derogatory term referring to Military Police (well in use before their red berets). Also known to refer to Army Physical Training Instructors (PTIs).Mike-Mike millimetre; often used to describe 9 mm ammo.MIMMS - A convoluted computerised materiel management system (Mount Isa Mines). The bane of the existence of RAEME and RASIGS trade personnel.MILIS - A 400 million dollar system that replaced MIMS and SDSS (Standard Defence Supply System), created to stop the Supply system. Very successful (see sarcasm).Mog - Referring to an ADF medium transport truck the Mercedes Unimog.Morale Sponge - Usually refers to any individual who complains excessively, attriting the morale or happiness of anyone nearby.Mordor - Canberra, the Australian National Capital and location of Army Headquarters.Moth - Young and easily influenced member of ADF, often attracted to bright lights, shiny objects and blatantly stupid acts, including other members "Career Dissipation Light".Motion thickness - Involuntary erection experienced by male personnel when sitting over the wildly vibrating wheel arch of a Unimog truck. A traveller (q.v.) or travel fat . The sort of pun you find really funny when you're 18 years old.Motorbike licence - A ruse to get diggers to volunteer for something. Sgt: Has anybody here got a motorbike licence? (Two or three new diggers jump to their feet) "I have Sergeant!" Sgt: Good. Grab these shovels and go dig a latrine. Diggers: What about the motorbike? Sgt: GRAB THOSE SHOVELS AND START DIGGING!Muppet - an un-coordinated or unintelligent individual. Usually used in terms of "fucking muppet" or "Bloody Muppet". Also an old apprentice Neumonic - "Most Useless Person Pussers Ever Trained"Muppet-Arms - someone who is either woefully inaccurate or incapable of throwing or carrying objects. Most often heard in grenade throwing when someone doesn't throw the grenade far enough from the bunker.M&M's - (Medals and Money) A term used to denote those in the RAAF who got a three month non-formation rotation to East Timor, and later other areas of operation (ie, a Flight Sergeant from Defence Personnel Canberra sent to East Timor in 2000 for guard duty) to get their M&Ms.NEditNarb - Not a real boss. Term used to refer to an officer, commissioned or otherwise. Usually promoted to a higher rank in order to get them transferred. Extremely incompetent with non-existent leadership qualities.Nard or Ratpack Nard - A turd, particularly one that is layed after subsisting for days or weeks on Ratpacks,usually resembles a log, extremely dense, hard and painful to excrete.Nard Roll - Toilet Paper.NATO - White with two sugars (Coffee or Tea) as in Standard NATO - The 'normal'.Navigation Aid - bright blue or yellow potaloos placed in the field, usually located at checkpoints during a nav ex ensuring no one gets lost.Nav Ex - RAAF term for a "Navigation Exercise" usually an excuse for the aircrew to fly somewhere and overnight at the casino at public expense...NFI - No fucken' idea. Or No Fucken' Interest. Can be both. You choose.Nigel - Inhabitant of the area immediately surrounding Butter worth Air Base, Malaysia. Also use to describe Vietnamese during Vietnam conflict; i.e., "Nigel Nog", possibly from the very common Vietnamese family name Ngyuen. Also used by the RAAF to describe an airman with no friends, "Nigel No Mates".Nine Mile Snipers - ArtilleryNuk - A RAAF Airman's Club Disco Night. "Are you going to the Nuk tonight mate, the topless barmaids are on for the raffles again?" Derived from Knuckles, ie an airman either gets into a Knuck or gets a Fuck. See KnuckNog - Vietnamese person (not necessarily enemy). Used during the Vietname conflict. See also 'Nigel'.Noggers - Nickname for Gallipoli Barracks, EnoggeraNumpty – An individual who just doesn't get it, for example This numpty recruit forgot his boots. Also used in the British Armed Forces. From the Scots, as in, "He's a numpty heid" normally used in reference to the English.Nungas – Term for Canungra.OEditOff Cut - Nickname for an Officer Cadet, derived from the abbreviation OFFCDT.O.F.W. - See Other FEG WangOther FEG Wang - Nikname used by Air Force Maintainers to describe a person posted in from another Squadron or Force Element Group who endevours to change the way the gaining squadron conduct maintenance to suit the way they are accustomed to doing things. Usually to the detriment of the gaining Squadron. Often heard saying "When I worked on fighters we did it this way." Response... "Fucking OFW!"Oci Dot - Nickname for an Officer Cadet, derived from the abbreviation OCDT.O Group - A meeting conducted by a commander where orders are distributed. The shortened form is an 'Owey'.Old Mate - Any person about whom you speak, for example "Old mate over there isn't working that much" or "Old mate came up and tried to bum a few ciggies off me."Oncers - RAN slang for tomato sauce - from something that happens to women "once a month".OMO-relates to an omo laundry detergent box being placed in a window in a married patch to indicate "Old Man Out" See AJAX & FABOP - Shorthand for an "Operation".On the pill - to get with with, smarten up (used in the 1960s and 70s)On the peg - to suck up to or otherwise ingratiate oneself with superiors in order to seek better treatment or reward. Refers to the act of fellatio. See Peg Pirate.One-ers - Naval term for making tea or coffee solely for oneself, without offering to make a cuppa for your mates. A jack (q.v.) practice.Onesies - Army term for making tea or coffee solely for oneself, without offering to make a brew for your mates. A jack (q.v.) practice. Also referred to as a Glenn Munsie. Also beers for RAAF SNCOs, from the time in the 80s the SGT Mess Bar opened, with SGTS often staying after lunch until knock off timeOnion - Air force nickname for a P-3 Orion.Oppo - A friend or comrade, usually also in the military.Orangutans – Uniformed pay staff (RAAPC). From the replacement of pay books with computerised pay system, when the then head of pay corps told programmers that he needed a “soldier proof” system. They assured him they would give him “a system that an orangutan couldn’t stuff up”. They lied.Orphans – Living In members of an Army Sergeants Mess. By the time they get promoted to Sergeant they should be married. If they are living in, they must be bloody orphans.Oska - The name of an infamous baitlayer in the Big Blue One who was alleged to have organised a long remembered function at the Copper Refinery in Townsville which led to financial and professional losses.Other enemy - Archaic term for Military Police or Provost, now little used.Out the wire - Refers to the area on the outside of the protective boundary of a Forward Operating Base.Oxygen thief - A person who is so useless that his/her existence deprives the rest of the human race of oxygen.Operator - Refers to special forces members.PEditPacked lunch commando - a member of the CMF or Army Reserve.Pam - Military doctrine manual (from "pamphlet")Pams, excitable - Pornographic material. Derived from the army use of the term pamphlet to refer to a training manual.Pam 19 - War comic. Usually the quarto sized 'Battler Britton' style. So called as there was no Pamphlet numbered 19.Pansies – Australian Intelligence Corps (AUSTINT) personnel. From their hat badge, “A rampant pansy, resting on its’ laurels”. Also, a reflection on their sexuality.Paper, scissors, rank - Similar to paper, scissors, rock, however rank always wins.Parramatta Medal - Older medal given for Long Service or Long Service/Good Conduct. Named for its stripe colours being similar to that of the Parramatta Rugby League team's colours.Passion fingers - A clumsy/incompetent soldier, sailor or airman, i.e. 'everything they touch, they fuck.'Peanut Gallery - Used when referring to a group of soldiers in a classroom environment.Peg Pirate - A soldier who routinely sucks up to or ingratiated himself with superiors in the hopes of receiving reward.Penguin Swarm - Where soldiers huddle closer together when standing outside in the cold. Often occurs when soldiers return from operations in tropical or desert areas to southern Australia during winter.Pies and Beers – A play on the term Ginger Beers. Refers to Pioneer specialists from the Royal Australian Infantry Corps who carry out less technically demanding engineering tasks than Royal Australian Engineers Corps personnel.Pig Battalion - The Seventh Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (because the first words spoken to it on parade by its first CO Lt Col. Eric Smith in 1966 at Puckapunyal Barracks was " you're nothing but a bunch of pigs" after a bad weekend by most ranks on the turps. As a result, their mascot is now a pig and adorns thier APCs. They used to own a pig as a mascot but it died after spending years drinking beer and eating bacon, cigarette butts and hotboxes (including the tinfoil container). Much like 7RAR soldiers.Pig - A less than affectionate term for the belt fed M60 GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun). Although generally well thought of by vets who used it in action, they had their issues hence the name.Pig - An officer (within the RAAF, Snorker has become a popular alternative, to avoid confusion with the aircraft).Pig - An F-111 aircraft. Also an Australian RAAF nickname given to SAAF's Piaggio "Albatross"aircraft.Pig pen - The officer's mess, Or a F-111 Hanger.Pineapple - A term used to describe an odious task or command, delivered by a Sergeant or above. Akin to having a pineapple jammed up one's arse. To get 'pineappled' or receive a pineapple.pissaphone - A conical metal funnel partially stuck into the ground for soldiers to urinate into. It looks a bit like a five foot long loud hailer, but those who use it for that purpose usually regret doing so.Pit - One's bedding.Pixie shirt/greens - 'Old school' name for the 'tropical' jungle green field uniform, distinguished by pockets on the shirt sleeves and slanted chest pockets. Refers to its tight-fitting cut compared to earlier versions; i.e., only a pixie could fit into it comfortably. Replaced by DPCU (q.v.) from the late 1980s onwards.Plastics - RAAF derogatory term for an airman who received the rank of CPL "on time" after the introduction of "on time promotion" rather than "promotion on merit". See Kelloggs CorporalPlastic fantastic - Steyr F88 rifle, standard assault rifle for Australian infantry. Not used as often now, but was once popular when the rifle was first introduced due to the (for the time) revolutionary use of plastics in construction.Pleasure fingers - A technical or mechanical challenged RAAFie who "fucks whatever he/she touches."Pleb - A derogatory term for somone who may be a good bloke, but is challenged for life experience, generally a recruit or junior rank. If a member who has been in for more than four years is called a pleb, its particularly derogratory, and implies the member shoukd sort their life out.PMKeyS - The succubus Defence computer database that consumes 60% of all human endeavour. A staff officer's wet dream, it is particularly useful for creating nice pie charts to impress the CO (see also: dog and pony show).Pollard - Term of endearment for a retired Grunt who has lost most of their hair and has trouble drinking Shirley Temples.Pollies – The polyester dress, for example Iron your pollies, dig!. The term comes from the material they are made from (polyester). Also known as polys.POETS Day - Friday - Piss Off Early Tomorrows SaturdayPOM - 80s RAAF sarcastic term for a member who is suspected to have gained rank by dubious means rather than being "Promoted On Merit", ie "that bitch knob gobbled the WOFF to get a good 207, bloody POM my arse!".Pongo - A derogatory name for a soldier. "Where the army goes, the pong goes."PONTI - "Person Of No Tactical Importance" A derogatory term used to describe rear echelon staffPogo, Pogue or Poag – A soldier not involved in combat. Usually in protected areas well behind the front lines. Comes from POAG (Posted On A Garrison) or POGO (Posted on garrison operations). Also the term was used in the Vietnam era as rhyming slang for 'Pogo Stick' (rhyming with 'Prick'). This term is often used by any soldier against any other soldier or group who he/she perceives as living an easier life than their own. Can also take the form "pogue" (Person Of Greater Use Elsewhere), same spelling as used for "Person Other than Grunt".Poo tickets - Toilet paper.Poof Mat - Insulating sleeping mat used out field.POR - Privilege of RankPOS - "Piece Of Shit" Originally conceived for a particular cadet whilst he was undergoing training, now commonly used to describe someone who is a social retard who makes everyone cringe when they open their mouth. Also used when someone does something stupid, annoying or Jack "You are such a POS". POS acronym can be extended if need be (i.e. Friend of POS = FPOS).Prayers - Orders group for example The Boss has called us in for prayers. - See also O GroupProve - Raising your hand on command - e.g. "All those with a Mog driver's licence - prove!".Pop smoke - To leave an area or an activity. Refers to the conduct of a withdrawal, using a smoke grenade for obscuration.Popey - Term used by clerks when problems occur with simple filing or lost documents. Named after a grossly incompetent Lance Corpral clerk.PTE FRY - Soldier with no concern for his mates welfare, especially on ops".Pucka Tucka F-cka - The Army Cooks at Puckapunyal.Pusser - A sailor, also used in the Royal Navy; derivative of 'purser'. Originally used to describe just the supply branch. ( Pussers rum was issued to the British Navy )Put’nTake – A hot water system made from a 200 litre drum on a frame over a fire for bush showers. You put a bucket of cold water in to take a bucket of hot water out.QEditQ - Quartermaster - An officer who has the enviable job of making sure that the Q-store is always full of every kind of stuff ever invented, and making sure that those dirty diggers don't get any of if because they will break it for sure. Delegates these tasks to ordinary Q-blokes.Q-blokes / Q-wallah / Quey - People who work in the Q-store.Q-store - Quartermaster's Store - A large building full of stacks of every kind of stuff you could ever want or need. If you ask for any of it, you will be told: "Sorry mate, I've only got one left and somebody else might want it." You may be offered a few consolation tins of Luncheon Meat Type 2, or if you're really lucky, Ham And Egg In A Can.Quarmbie - Used by the Army, it refers to a highly uncoordinated person lacking in motor skills. Usually in relation to drill or weapon handling. E.g., A Drill QuarmbieQueer Trader - An Avionics Technician. Boffin on aircraft(generally Army) Smart enough to stay clean whilst working. (Cf: "Blackhander")REditRAAF Cock - An RAAF member who displays a lack of healthy disdain for RAAF values. also shows a disgusting level of enthusiasm in regards to his employment and RAAF assets. Example: Bubba: "gee! did you see that hornet doing a full AB takeoff!? how cool was that?!" Ryan: "Pfft Hornets are gay! your such a RAAF Cock!" See LiferRAEME Officially stands for Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, although members of the infantry claim it stands for Regularly at the Arse End of Military Engagements, referring to their success in avoiding any combat situations. Similarly, Royal Arse End of the Military Establishment. More commonly referred to as the Royal Australian Easy Money Earners for similar reasons but mainly due to their high pay scales based on their significant engineering and technical skill level.Rabbit - RAN term for a job done for a mate as a favour or himself, by a trade specialist in that area such as a technician fixing a mate's stereo or repairing a car. Usually in work time using RAN facilities and tools. "Hey Dave, could you do a rabbit on my car tomorrow?" See also ForeignerRacing spoon - A large spoon carried by most front line soldiers for use in a group meal or "train smash". The bigger the spoon the more you can get in one go. Usually carried for weeks at a time, and cleaned by wiping it on your cams.Rack - Term used to describe a sailor's bed onboard a ship. Also as a verb - "to get some rack time", get some sleep. See also 'Farter' and 'Poof Mat'.Raffie - Used by the Army and RAN to identify Royal Australian Air Force personnel ..."He's a Raffie."RAAF issued - Used by men in the military when describing a female military member with a large behind .... "she is huge, def has a raaf issued" meaning her behind was issued with her kitRAAF-nob/Ronnie RAAF - Used to describe those RAAF personnel who take their job too seriously, examples include: MSIs (Military Skills Instructors, formally known as GSIs, General Skills Instructors) and WODs (Warrant Officer Discipline).Raise a signal -To signal an interest in something or intention to do something, particularly something that requires an administrative action.Rank Skank - A female soldier who sleeps her way through the Chain of Command.Ration Assassin - An Army cook.Rat-catcher - Common and affectionate term for Royal Australian Air Force's Environmental Health members or hygienists.Ratpak - Refering to an ADF ration pack.Recce - Slang for Reconnaissance or Intel gathering missions.Redders - Tomato sauce. A tomato sauce stain on one's uniform is a redders medal.Red Roosters Members of 21 Construction Squadron. Their mascot is a red rooster. The duty NCO is responsible for ensuring that the chooks are fed and that they don't get kidnapped by some smart arse bastards from other units. But sometimes you find a fresh egg.Red Roper - A leading recruit at the RAN Recruit school. Distinguished by a red lanyard worn around the neck and an overinflated ego.Red Tabs - Referring to Senior Officers in the Army: Colonel and above. They are distinguished by the red tabs worn on their collars.Resup - a resupply, usually in the field of water, food and ammunition. AKA Replen.Retread - A soldier that is changing trades. Used while they on course to distinguish them from Initial Employment Trainees. Also refers to Officers who commission from the ranks.Reg - (rhymes with "egg") A regular (full-time) soldier.Regi - To be extremely regimental. E.g. Someone/something who is very down the line and extremely strict, ie '4 field is the regiest unit ever.' or ' Fuck I cant stand the RSM, he is so regi.'Rick O'Shay - (A.K.A) The Mad Irishman - slang for ricochete.RIP - Relief In Place. The handover/takeover process which occurs when a deployed formation is rotated back to Australia and replaced by the next formation.Roach Coach, The - RAAF term for the mobile AAFCANS (later Frontline) canteen truck. See Hungry WagonRoach, or sometimes Cock Roach Ordnance Corps soldier, from RAAOC.Rock, The - Common name for Penang used by personnel at Butterworth Air Base, MalaysiaRock show - Used to describe a poorly planned or managed activity..."That exercise was a complete Rock show" or "This is fast turning into a Rock show"Rocking horse shit - Term to describe something that is rare.Rocket Pod - The two rear gun hatches on a Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle. Refers to the tendancy of the occupants to be forcibly ejected from the hatch recess in the event of a rear-wheel IED strike.Rockers - Wolloomooloo bay hotel, Wolloomooloo.ROCL and ROCTFA - Relief Out of Country Leave and Relief Out of Country Travel Fares Assistance. Refers to the leave taken by Defence members part-way through an operational deployment.ROCL Trip - An operational deployment, usually of shorter duration than normal, where the member is assigned to relieve other troops departing on mid-tour leave.Rodeney - A bloke who spells with a stutter, once again, more than likely associated with 2/4 RAR"Rong Hill - The name used to describe officers who cannot navigate.Roofing Nail - The modern, wide-brimmed hat for wearing out bush. Also used to describe such hats when still new- ie the brim is still straight.Rooted - To be very very tired or when someting is broken. "God Im rooted after that pack march" and or "That Land Rover is rooted after Johno drove it"Roppers - Also known as ROPs. Refers to Restriction of Privileges. A common punishment awarded for minor infractions.RQMS - Old warrant officer storeman who is convinced he is smarter than everyone and has all the answers to questions you didn't even ask.ROP - Restriction Of Privileges. A type of punishment handed to a person who has been found guilty of a military offence (a defaulter).ROs Part 2 – ARMY Newspaper. E.g. “If your name is in ROs (Routine Orders) you are on duty. If your name is in ROs Part 2 you owe anyone who spots it a beer.”RP - A Regimental Policeman. The sycophantic arse-lickers who follow the RSM around and lap up tasks like drilling defaulters and nailing parade ground markers into the ground. Out of the same stable as a "Meat Head".R.H.I.P - Stands for "Rank Has Its Privileges", sometimes quoted as "Rank Hath Its Privileges".Rupert - An Army Officer (from British Army - newly commissioned officer and therefore very inexperienced).Rum Ration - Term for the daily issue of Grog or Rum the used to be given to sailors, unfortunatly they no longer issue rum and it doesn't come daily. See "Beer Issue"SEditSack - Sack of shit. All units have a fewSad-on - To be unhappy. What's up mate? You've had a sad-on all day.Sads - To whinge, as in Crack the sads.S.A.L- Shit At Life- A nickname refering to a solider whom fails at everything: "Oi Sal, get over here". Also "showers and latrines" - old skool way of saying bathroom.Sally Man - A Salvation Army Officer. A term of endearment.Sam Brown - Leather Belt and shoulder strap worn by Army Officers when wearing polys and their ceremonial swords. Also a Common name used by soldiers when introduced to a female they just met at a nightclub, knowing they would never see her again (Refer to AJ Fade Away)and (Howard Green).SAS - Special Air Service or when used to describe Army Reservists means 'Saturdays and Sundays'.Scablifter - A medic.Scarface - the unpaved reverse slope of Enoggera Hill.Scope Dope - RAAF term for Airborne Electronics Analyst crew members on AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.Scungies- Number 4 Cams, or just the shittest worn out crap looking DPCU you have, normally given to recruits for 'Shits & Giggles (see below)'SCRAN - Term used to refer to food - "Sultanas, Currants, Raisins and Nuts" and "Shit Cooked by the Royal Australian Navy".Scran-bag - Lost clothing bag. Also used metaphorically to describe a slovenly, disorganised or incompetent sailor: I don't want 'X' on my watch, he/she's a complete scranbag.Screw - Military Police soldier supervising prisonersScrews - Another derisive term for RAAF security police. Quick, the screws are coming!Sea Squarie - Navy term for the cloth needed as a result of indulging in self satisfaction, typically used when in ones rack (bed).Secco - Section Commander.Second Class Ride - what armoured corps soldiers get. Better than a first class walk, which is what crunchies do ('Crunchies' refers to anyone on foot near a moving armoured vehicle, as they make a crunching noise when they get run over).Second To None - The motto of The Second Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR). Frequently vandalised by 1RAR diggers to read “Second To One”.Seppie - 1st Battalion RAR Mascot (Shetland Pony)Sergeants Mess - Where sergeants go to aviod work, talk smack about their troops or sometimes eat... Also a place where RAAF Cocks are in high abundance. - See 'RAAF Cock'.Seventy-Seven Set - AN/PRC-77 manpack radio.Sharpies - Full Metal Jacket ammunition for any weapon system. Used to distinguish from blank ammunition.Shit fight Used to comment on the way a soldier looks, how his/her room looks or how something is turning out; e.g., 'You're a shit fight Gunner Dickson, sort your shit out' or ' This is turning into a shit fight'. Can be upgraded to fuck fight as necessary. Also known as SIG Robertson's room. Also an apt description of a Dog and Pony Show that has gone rapidly south due to the presence of members with an active Career Dissipation Light, can be further amplified by the presence of Moths.Shit-locker Used to describe a large stomach of a service person; e.g., "Get that dog's eye into your shit locker".Shit-of-the-Kings - a 2nd Lieutenant. [See also King-of-the-Shits]Shit pit - A latrine. You'll be digging lots of these if you admit to having a motorbike licence.Shits & Giggles- Anything done for the sheer fuck of itShit tickets- Toilet paperShit Job - RAAF term for a task not popular, usually having been "volunteered by a senior rank" ie Guard Duty, Funeral Guard for a crusty old Senior Officer, Parking Attendant for Air Displays...Shmooey-Tue - A Vue-Tue filled with pornography.Short arm parade - Inspection of soldiers' genitals to discover any VD infection.Show Bags - Someone who is full of shit. Derived from the easter show gimmick bags full of usless crap.Sig - A private in the Royal Australian Signals corps, for example Sig Smith go to the Q-Store to collect our equipment for the EX. Abbreviation for Signalman.Singo- Location of the School Of Infantry,Singleton NSW home of the Australian Infantry. So when did you go through Singo mate?SLATTERY - refers to an individual weak in nature and non productive, also a dick (see woftam).SL(u)R - A name for the L1A1 rifle. It was a Real Man's Weapon... but then again our ancestors lamented the passing of the boomerang & spear.Skippy Badge - Hat or beret badge insignia for the Royal Australian Regiment (Regular Army Infantry organisation) Skippy for the kangaroo in the centreSleeve Trash - Enlisted ranks. Prior to new DPCU's issued circa 2005, enlisted personnel wore rank on their sleeves, opposed to Officers wearing on shoulders.Slouchie or Slouch Hat - Unique form of wide brimmed khaki/light brown coloured fur-felt hat worn by Australian Soldiers with the left brim turned up for ceremonial occasions. A KFF.S.L.U.G. - slow, lethargic, unco-ordinated, grot. Often used for those who are physically challenged or endemically hopeless.Smellie - A Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle .303 (in Australian Service No1 MkIII or its varients in the main) (archaic).Smock, psychological- a camouflaged nylon rain garment intended for field use, issued from the 60s-early 90s. Provided only psychological protection from the rain.Smoko - RAAF term for officially sanctioned short breaks from work for a cuppa and a smoke if so inclined.Smurf Cams -Refers to RAAF GPU, a replacement for c-dubs. Origins of the term refer to there blue appearance or the ability to "not even cam a smurf -movie character"S.N.A.F.U. - Situation Normal All Fucked Up.Snake - Term used to refer to Sergeants. Also refers to Naval Police Coxwains in the RAN.Snake Pit - Term used to refer to the Sergeants Mess. Also shortened to "the pit". E.g., "See you down the pit."Social Climber - Derogative, used to describe a person who tries to mix and socialise in with higher ranking persons and groups.Son - A derogative term used in conversation to describe a disliked and incompetent subordinate. "That bag of shit there - that's your Son mate - sort him out" (See 'Dad')Soggy Sao - Equivalent to the British "biscuit race". "SAO" is a brand of cracker biscuit made by Arnotts.Soldier's Five - Euphemism meaning ‘a quick brief on a subject.’ It probably stems from ‘A soldier’s five minute instruction or lesson’. It can be used like “Corporal, can you give me a quick ‘soldier’s five’ on how this weapon works?”Sombrero - Refers to the new bush hats which have extremely wide brims. "look at that jube with a sombrero. Get some time up."Space Cadet - 1). Name for a Staff Cadet(Officer in training) with rank abbreviated as SCDT. 2). An individual who has no idea, 'is off with the stars'. Nickname of SIG Zunker.Spanner - A member of the corps of Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME).Spam in a Can - Occupants and crew of an APC or tank. The after effects of being hit by anti-tank weapons.Sparky - An electrician or electronics tech of the RAEME. Also an "Electrical Fitter, Electrical Systems Specialist in the RAAFSplat-cat - See 'Dirt Dart'.Splat-cats - 3 RARSplice The Main Brace - Order given by the Queen for the 'Rum Ration' to be doubled, this is only done only rarely done to celebrate occasions such as the birth or marriage of a member of the Royal Family.Sponge - Term of endearment for Russell Offices, Canberra. Also "The Grey Sponge", "Big Grey Sponge" or "Sponge Factory"Spook - A name used generally for personnel involved in an intelligence role. E.g. "Yeah, that FLTLT's a spook."Sporty - RAAF term for officially sanctioned down time for Sporting Activities, in the 70s and 80s usually just an excuse to have a BBQ and several beers and socialize with workmates, occasionally a tennis ball may have been hit by a cricket bat to please the boss.Spring-Butt - Derogatory term for a student, usually staff college, who loves to show the world how much he knows by asking interminable questions of guest lectures at every opportunity, usually preceded by a preamble demonstrating their own exemplory level of knowledge of the subject in question.Sprog - 1st year Army Apprentice. Used by "Senior" RAAF Apprentices to describe first year RAAF apprentices at Wagga, also used by civilians of Wagga Wagga to describe RAAF ApprenticesSpud - "Spud and Spud App" Derogatory Term used by RAAF Engineering/Trade Apprentices at Wagga to describe RAAF Technology Apprentices, unknown origin. See COT DeathSquare Peg - Short for "Square Peg Round Hole", See F.O.N.C.Squashed Moth The aircrew brevet - the 'wings' badge worn on a pilot's uniform. By extension, derogatory slang for aircrew.Squeezer - A jocular term of derision used to describe another soldier or person who is suspected of malingering (e.g., Old mate is a f#cking squeezer)SSM - Senior Sandwhich Maker the same as CSM but 2nd in charge of a SQNStabbed - To be assigned a task by a superior, it usually not being a task an individual would volunteer to complete. E.g., I've been stabbed by the boss to sell Unit T-shirts at our function.Standard NATO - Milk and two sugars.Stars - Infantry sleep under them, RAAF select their accommodation by the rating, Navy claim to navigate using them.Steamer - A crap.Steppers - Clothes worn while on shore leave by sailors of the RAN. (e.g. Bomber got filled in last night, we found him in the gutter outside rockers bleeding on his steppers!)Sticky Bun - Refers to sweet cakes and buns with icing on top, usually consumed at 'Smoko'Stinger - RAAC member with initial posting to B sqn 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment.Stomp - A pack march and or a patrol.Strangies - Spotless Range Safety Officers. Ex military types that run the training areas. From "Rangies"Subbie - An officer of subaltern rank; i.e., Army Lieutenants, Air Force Pilot/Flying Officers, and Navy Sub-Lieutenants.Subbie-wings - An honorific title conferred upon enlisted soldiers who manage the significant achievement of convincing a commissioned officer to sleep with him/her. Guess what. I got my subbie-wings on the weekend.Sumpie - A RAAF Engine FitterSuper-grunt a member of the Special Air Service.Super-Sub-Lieutenant or Super-Sub-Lewie - RAN term used to describe a RAN Commodore as their rank (now sleeve rank) resembles that of a super large Sub-Lieutenant's rank.S.W.A.T - refers to the reserves. Some Weekends And TuesdaysSWAT - Students Wanting A Taste refers to gap year membersSweating like an ADG in a spelling test or Sweating like a whore in church - To perspire excessively.Swimming Pool - The US Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. Awarded to some Australian Army units for actions during the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. See Blood Bath.TEditTail-end Charlie a soldier who is bring-up or protecting the rear of a platoon, or formation (same as "Arse-end Arnold").Tailor mades - Mass-produced cigarettes; i.e., bought as is, as opposed to rolling your own ('rollies').Tally - RAAF term; originally denoted visual acquisition of an airborne target, but has become frequently used in a bar/nightclub scenario. 'Ya see that brunette in the red dress?' 'Tally.'Tanker/Tanky - Member of the Armoured Corps.Tankwit - RAAC member with initial posting to 1st Armoured Regiment. Comes from the term "Dimwit" meaning that a crew is locked up inside their Tank and has no idea whats going on around them. "Oh he's a Tankwit"Target - Naval surface vessel according to submariners and aircrew.TASMIS - Training area and range booking system so complicated, it makes running up Castle Hill look easy in comparison.Tazzed - (aka Getting Tazzed) - RAAF officer term for drinking alcohol to excess and throwing up after a big night "you were really Tazzed last night"Tea and medals - A successful conclusion to an operation. From the British TV series 'Blackadder Goes Forth'.Tea and Sticky Buns - A one-way conversation during which a wayward member (usually an officer) is reminded of his or her short comings by a senior commander.Ten That Cunt - a card game played by members of 11PL "ZULUs" of Delta Coy 2RARTer - An Indonesian prefix generally meaning something is the "most" eg. "Terbesar", Besar = big, terbesar = biggest. Ter is used by Indonesian linguists in everyday English to add emphasis to something. eg. "I'm terhungry" or "that chick is terhot."T.H.E.M. - SASThe Train - Often a Domestic operation served by at least 3 diggers but usually as many as a young lass can handle in quick succession, i.e., "Did you end up picking that bird up last night?" "Yep, me and the boys ran a train on her, she just couldn't get enough."The Ville - Nickname for Lavarack Barracks, Townsville QLDThrow Smoke - To throw smoke is to cover a tactical withdrawal from a sticky situation, also to make a strategic withdrawal during a civilian outing with AJs (see also AJ Fadeaway)(A) Thick - An army tradesman who did not serve an army apprenticeship (generally in the days when Army Apprentices School existed)Three-oh - A Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle .303 (in Australian Service No1 MkIII or its varients in the main) (1950's RAAF term) (see: Smelly)Throw Down - a enemy weapon held by a section for emergency legal reasons.TIC - Troops In Contact.Tiffy - Artificer, a member of the RAEME who works on and repairs Artillery and Tank guns. "My gun is rooted, took it down to the tiffies and they said it will be fixed in 3 to 5 hours"Tillie - An M548A1 Tracked Load carrier - member of the M113 family used for cargo/resupply duties.Tink Tink - A member of the army who wears glasses. 'Tink Tink' is the sound of the rounds from the sniper rifle finding their mark, as the the glasses reflect light and draw attention to the wearers location.TK - Tarin Kowt. The capital of Uruzgan Province, in southern Afghanistan.TOADs - Army Reserve. Tuesdays Only After Dark.TOC - Tea or Coffee, refers to self funded canteen of a unit.Tooth Fairy - A member of the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps.Train Smash - A meal made by combining any ingredients from one or more rat packs into a pot and heating. Usually eaten by a group.Training Pam or Training Manual - hard core pornography.Traveller or travel fat - Used to describe an erection caused by vehicle motion / vibration. Also known as 'motion thickness'.Trail Ape - A gun line member of Royal Australian Artillery.Trip - An operational deployment.Trooper Seiko - When you use a watch to do your picquet (preferably not on Ops).Tubbin - Thumb Up Bum Brain In Neutral.Trash haulers - Transport aircrew. Often shortened to 'trashies'.Trashies - Slang for AAFCANS, a RAAF canteen. (Trashies referring to the low quality fried food served there).Triple Points - An attractive female officer. Derived from the HMAS Success event in 2009.Trucky - A slang term used for soldiers of The Royal Australian Corps Of Transport.Truckwit - Used as a derisive term to describe a Transport Corps soldier (by other corps to describe an inept Transport Corp member).Tubs - A shower.Tucker fucker - An Army cook. 'Tucker' is an Australian word for food.Tully - Tully, home of the Field Force Battle School, with the highest rainfall in Australia. Run in the early 80s by a true legend - Warry George Mansford, and with great staff like Blue Telford, Blue Gleeson and some other ring ins. Renouned for the toilet humour, mostly left by depressed poges on their first visit away from their base, e.g. TULLY - Totally Unbelievable Lets Leave Yesterday.Tupperware - Steyr F88 rifle see Plastic fantastic. Derived from the name of a plastic kitchenware manufacturer ( Tupperware is the name of the plastic kitchenware company which also makes the butt group and trigger mech of the rifle).Turd Burglar - A soldier from 2/4 RAR same as a Poo Pirate , Shirt Lifter or Nugget Puncher.Turd toucher - A plumber/gasfitter tradesman from the RAE.Turps - Any form of alcoholic beverage drank to excess.Turret-head - Member of the Armoured Corps.Two-way rifle range - The battlefield.Two-dads - A generic name for someone with a hyphenated surname. I.e., two surnames, therefore two fathers.Tyre Biter - A term used to describe a driver within the Tranposrt Corps.UEditUckers - A board game from the Royal Navy, similar to Ludo and thought to have originated in India. [1]Underwater Panel Beating - See 'Dixie Bashing'.UNSWR'd - To get completely screwed over regardless of actual successes. The obscuring of results in order to make someone feel spesschal. that result last Saturday got completely UNSWR'dAlso to get posted to UNSWR - University of NSW Regiment [2]VEditVege bin - An armoured personnel carrier. Implies that the troops carried in the vehicle are 'vegetables'.Veggies - Royal Australian Armoured Corps Assault Troopers. Depending on the context the term can be one of endearment or derision.Veggie Patch - 2/4 RAR at Lavarack Barracks.Vue Tue - Pronounced 'viewee toowee'. Refers to a small green plastic folder with clear plastic sleeves for inserting notes and cribs commonly used by the Army. Aussie equivalent of a 'Nirex' (UK) or 'dope book' (USA).WEditWAG - 'Wild Arse Guess'. Usually made by an Officer when "navigating".Wagtail - Sometimes affectionate term for the "Wagtail" radio due to its long antenna.Wank booth - A soldier's room on base.Wanking chariot - A single bed on base.Wanking spanner - Your prominent hand. E.g., "Stick your wanking spanner in the air if you ....". (Also known as (c__t scratcher").Warned Out - to be notified of an impending task.Warry/warrie - A colourful (if somewhat embellished) anecdote about military service 'back in the day'. Usually recited by a senior NCOafter a surfeit of alcohol. The best warries eventually transmute into urban legends. Australian equivalent of the USN/USMC term 'sea story'.waste of space - A member of the ADF that fulfills a posting that could be better done by a blind and mute primate. Usually fails the basics regarding ADF life, BFAs etc. Commonly throws junk food down their gullet and is a chain smoker yet talks about selection plans.Wheelbarrow with a... - Used by Army personnel when confronted with a long and/or difficult to pronounce name. E.g. a Corporal at 1 RTB might be calling out the roll and be confronted with the name 'Tsimbouklis', which he would then call out as "wheelbarrow with a 'T'". Commonly used when refering to soldiers from the Western Suburbs of Eastern Australian cities.Whiskey Tango - A term that refers to a female from another country. White Trash.White Handers - Air Force term for maintenance personnel working on electrical systems; i.e., those who don't get their hands dirty.Whore's bath - A quick wash taken in the field with little water- i.e. armpits and crotch.Willy Foxtrot - The Whimp Factor, Willy Foxtrot. Usually used when someone dogs it from a hard activity - he got a dose of the Willy Foxtrots.Willy Pete - White Phosphorus (WP).WOFTAM - 'Waste Of Fucking Time And Money'. Once used by Regulars to describe Reservists, but you don't hear it so much these days.WOMBAT - As a nickname, Waste of military budget and time. Also an insensitive male, "he eats, roots, and leaves."Wombat gun - M79 grenade launcher. Because of the large bore, like looking down a wombat hole. More common now is the GLA (Grenade Launcher Attachment) for the in service F88 AUSTEYR.(W)RANS - A derogatory term for female sailors. Prior to 1985 women could only serve in the Women's Royal Australian Navy Service e.g. WRANS. Referring to a group of female sailors as (W)RANS or a single female sailor as a (W)RAN(S) singles out their service as being different than that rendered by male members, as it was done prior to 1985.Wreckie mech - An RAEME soldier who operates motor recovery equipment; i.e., a wrecker. Generally NOT very bright. Known as the LEGENDs of DRONG in RAEME. Also known as Bogoligists or Tow-rags.XEditXongabong - refers to the act of using marijuana while on active duty. ie- John got discharged because he was xongabongYEditYowie suit - Heavily camouflaged garments worn by snipers, resembling a mythical creature of the bush. Australian term for a Ghillie suit.Yardie - Glorified blanket stacker, also able to stack items on lage wooden pallets.Yarma - Bloody big hill, as in we just patrolled up that f%^&ing big yarma! The use of Yarma is usually an indicator that a "Warry" is about to be told. When a "Yarma" is described in a "Warry" they have on occassion, been given moderatly inaccurate heights and difficulty, just above the climbing ability of Sir Edmund Hillary.ZEditZeds or Zees to sleep is to "punch out zeds".Zoom bag - A flying suit.

My first combat was the invasion of Grenada in 1983. I had gotten off late on the evening of October 24, 1983 - it was my wife’s birthday. We were having a small group of friends over for her birthday and had just finished dinner and were eating cake when the phone rang.My unit, Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion (Airborne) 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division was the supporting artillery for the 2nd Battalion (Airborne) 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. We were the Division Ready Force (DRF) that week, called DRF1. That meant we were on 24-hour a day stand-by for a no-notice callout. We had to be ready to be back at post within two hours of notification and be ready to be “Wheels Up” in the air to go anywhere on Earth within 18-hour of that callout.A phone call during DRF1 was never a good thing. I don’t know whethere I was really expecting a call from the unit though. We had been called out the week before on a practice alert - usually we only had one practice alert or EDRE (Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise) per DRF1 cycle. Could this be real?So I answered the phone and it was my unit. I recognized the voice on the other end of the phone as a good friend (who I’ll call “SGT Jones”) who was pulling duty that night. “Sergeant Wood?” the voice said. “You need to come in and bring everything you got - including a POW (Privately Owned Weapon) if you have one.”My stomach dropped - he was telling me, without telling me - that this was real world. Now I looked at my wife and two small sons and guests and had to figure out how to get out of the house without alerting them this wasn’t a drill.I stormed around the house grousing about the blankety-blank “Division” and its stupid games - after all, we’d already been called out once just the last week. I was trying to put together a Warrant Officer Candidate packet and with all these callouts I’d miss the deadline. There were things I wanted to take but with my wife dogging my heels I knew if I took them she’d know this was “real world.” Since I’d been nearly killed (actually heard the medics declare me dead on the Drop Zone) in Gallant Eagle 82 the year before things had been tough, but she had agreed to “tough things out.” I really didn’t know how she’d handle this callout but there wasn’t much choice in the matter.So I got out of the house and drove in to Post. We had a system down. If I didn’t call or come home by the next evening a neighbor (another soldier’s wife) would take her into Post to get the car. I’d call her when I could.All the way in to post (Ft Bragg) I tried to figure out where we were going. I figured we were going to Beirut. The weekend before a truck bomber had plowed into the Marine barracks there and killed some 242 Marines. There was trouble elsewhere - Grenada, a small island off the coast of South America was in a turmoil, but the Marines assigned to relieve the Marines in Beirut had been diverted to evacuate the several hundred US medical students there. I figured Grenada was covered. We were probably going to Beirut. After all, we were just a several hour air trip away.So I was surprised when I arrived at the barracks to find out we were going to Grenada. My buddy at the desk asked me, “Woody, where in the hell is Grenada?”“It’s a small island off the coast of South America,” I replied. “The produce spices and postage stamps. I used to collect stamps when I was a kid and they produced some really beautiful stamps for collectors. “I remember going up the stairs to repack my rucksack and “A” bag for the tropics and hearing him mutter “Stamps…” under his breath.I won’t go into the details of the next twenty-four hours if you’re really interested you can read my book (available on Amazon - shameless plug). I will say it was a rollercoaster ride. First the infantry didn’t want to take us - the commander didn’t think he’d need us; then, when finally decided he’d only take half our battery (3 howtizer sections with the HQs) my half was left behind. It was a mix of a relief and a letdown.At dawn we were told we were going. We were told we were going to jump in. We were issued ammo (I got all I could as I didn’t know what were were getting into). We got to “Green Ramp” where we loaded our birds and were issued parachutes. Some of us had gotten our chutes on and others were still rigging when we were told to “stand down” and turn our chutes in. Again - relief and let down. In the meantime, the day gave way to darkness and the NCOs (sergeants) were gathered and told we going to Barbados where the rest of our battery was waiting. There we would organize and either jump or rig for an airmobile movement to the island on some UH-60 “Blackhawk” helicopters waiting there.Shortly after that, we began loading on our aircraft, five or six men at a time, riding with our guns and trucks. The last word I got before boarding the aircraft was we were going to Barbados before we did whatever it was we were going to do. I remember thinking about all the things I wished I could do better. As one of our Division Commander, MG James Lindsay used to say, “Eighteen hours isn’t much - you have no time to get any better, faster, or smarter. You go with what you’ve got.” Those words hit home with me that night on that bird flying to who-knows-what.The bird I got on was carrying my section's truck and gun. On board with me were five or six young privates, none of them in the Army a year yet, and another E-5, SGT “Frank” Rousseau, chief of 5th Howitzer Section. I liked SGT Rousseau from what I knew of him around the battery. He was a personable guy with a great sense of humor and one of the most knowledgeable field artillerymen I knew.The plane was extremely cold from the air-conditioning so I dragged out my poncho liner, a light nylon blanket-like sheet used in tropical regions I had been issued at Green Ramp (I understand they call them “woobies” now). Rousseau and I curled up in the poncho liner and went to sleep on the outboard personnel seats of the aircraft.When I woke, it was just daylight outside. The aircraft seemed to be circling. I looked outside the window and could see the ocean below. The aircraft banked and I got a glimpse of dozens of warships of all types and sizes in the water below. I looked over at SGT Rousseau, who was also up, "Man, it looks like D-Day!"Rousseau was looking out his window and shaking his head in disbelief.The aircrew was shuffling around the aircraft. They seemed nervous. A female crew chief came over to me, "We'll be landing in a few minutes, Sergeant, we can't stay long, the runway's busy, so if you can get your men hot unlashing the tie downs it'll help.""Sure." Frank and I looked at each other. What was she so nervous about? I didn't like the answer to that question which came to mind. We began waking up the troopers who were still asleep, getting them ready for what had to be done.The plane made the final approach and we touched the ground. As the plane taxied in we heard this "pinging" off the skin of the aircraft. We looked at each other in consternation. The bird hadn't even stopped yet and the crew was already undoing lashings and tie downs. Then the Plane reached the end of the runway and swung around. The tailgate was lowered. Frank and I were at the rear of the aircraft. When the tailgate lowered we were hit by a blast of humid tropical air and the sound of gunfire. The temperature had been 45 degrees F when we left Bragg.At that point it was like I was stepping outside of myself and watching an interesting movie. It was weird, surreal. I was aware of the danger and responding to it - but I was emotionally detached.We put the troops to work undoing the guns and stood there for a moment on the tailgate, trying to figure out what on earth was going on. We could see soldiers running to and fro in combat crouches. Off in the distance, we could hear the sounds of small arms fire, followed by an occasional burst from a heavy machine gun. Clouds of dust kicked up not fifty feet from where we were standing.* Someone was shooting in our direction with automatic small arms fire. Then, there was a ripping sound which shook the island and sent chills down my spine. I later learned the sound was the Gatling guns of the AC-l30 gunship, known as SPECTRE.Frank and I looked at each other again. As I said, everything we had been told back at Bragg said we were to land in Barbados. I know this seems dumb, but remember, we had been briefed. We trusted our briefing, if they had changed plans, you'd think they'd have notified us."Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Frank?""What are you thinking, Woody?""I don't think this is Barbados, I mean, from everything I've heard, Barbados is supposed to be a tourist paradise.""Do you think the war could have spread?""Maybe..." I looked over to the left of the aircraft and saw one our battalion First Sergeants standing on the edge of the airstrip, feet spread about shoulder length apart, his M-l6Al slung over his shoulder, thumbs hooked in his pistol belt, looking for all intents and purposes as if he was having the time of his life while all mayhem was breaking loose around him. But Top had several tours in Nam under his belt; the running story was you could tell when he changed his shirt by the combat patch he wore. He had served in about every Airborne outfit that fought in Vietnam.He was the only guy standing up straight on this section of the airstrip. He looked like the war god or something without a care in the world. Later on, I realized he had figured out something that would eventually dawn on me - the snipers were lousy shots. It didn't do any good to try and dodge and duck their fire, you might actually run into a stray round. And a stray round was just as likely to kill you if it hit you as one right on target. The best thing to do was to go about your business.What on earth was he doing here? His battery hadn’t been deployed. I would learn later he was substituted for another First Sergeant who had come down with shin splints running a marathon the weekend before. At the time though, the whole situation didn't make any sense. "There's Top Moore," I said, "Let me go over and ask him what's going on, 'you want to help the troops?""Sure." Frank said.Let me repeat there was a surreal aspect to everything. Again t seemed to me as if I had almost stepped out of my body and become an observer of everything happening all around me. I was aware of the danger, but it seemed like I was watching myself in a dream.At the same time, I knew that I had to at least put on the appearance of confidence for the sake of the young soldiers for whose lives I was responsible. I don't claim to be a hero or anything like that; it was just a matter of doing what needed to be done. If I panicked or showed fear… I almost envied the privates who were only responsible for themselves. Again, all I could think of was all the things I wished I could do better.I walked over to where Top was standing. I was trying to be casual. He was briefing the XO of our Charlie Battery, who apparently had also just landed and was glancing nervously at his surroundings. I waited for him to finish. He turned his attention to me."Good morning, First Sergeant." I said. I was reminded of an Army recruiting commercial out at that time. It was all I could do to keep from snickering."Good morning, Sergeant Wood." he said with a little twinkle in his eye. I wondered if he was thinking of the commercial, too."This may seem like a stupid question, but am I correct in assuming that this is not Barbados?"He looked meaningfully up at a little house situated about halfway up the mountain, which had just been hit by three explosions and was now billowing with thick black smoke. The Grenadian PRA (People's Republican Army) had been using it as a sniper's nest since the landing. They had been having a great time harassing our troops on the airstrip below. I always thought that’s where the fire might have been coming from."Thanks Top," I said, reaching for a thirty round magazine and loading it in my M16A1, "It's nice to know these things.""It sure is.""I think I ought to tell my troops.""They'd probably appreciate it. When you're ready I'll show you where the batteries are.""Thanks, Top.”I walked as nonchalantly as I could back to where the truck and others. I could see the apprehension on the young troopers faces. It was important to appear calm, "Gentlemen, you're in a combat zone, act accordingly."And THAT was my introduction to combat. I’d been in some hairy situations in my time in service but that was my first actual combat. BTW: I walked around in that emotionally detached state for about two weeks after our return. Then one night I “came back” while sitting in the living room watching TV. I learned to find a quiet place away from the family if it ever happened again.*Here I’m going off my impressions at the time and memory. In recent years, thanks to veterans forums and a Facebook Group I’ve been able to contact other veterans and a historian who is hopefully going to do the definitive book on the battle. We have yet to be able to figure out where the small arms fire was coming from. But I distinctly remember the guys dodging and dust kicking up. And one of the troops on the bird with me has confirmed he remembers it too. The house on the hill was a ways off, but it was downhill so…