My first week on the job in the civilian world I sent out an emailed with "ALCON" in the header. I got more replies about what that meant than I did about the email itself.
Military phrases and acronyms you let slip in the civilian workplace
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Last: 11 yr ago by Aggie1
After my retirement from the AF I had the good fortune to have a job in a civilian environment that also had a good number of active duty, retired and former military. Among the military crowd, the terms "mission oriented" and "sense of urgency" (and yes we had many situations that called for both) were well known and used often. Sadly, our civilian counterparts were, for the most part, were unable to grasp those concepts.
Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot
Tango
Foxtrot
"Enroute", "Say Again", "As Per", "Chow", writing dates like 13Oct14 instead of October 13, 2014. These are some of the Armyisms that have stayed with me over the years. 
FUBAR and one we (military folk) used between ourselves - MFWIC.
Another common military phrase we sometimes used was something was so old it went back to when "Christ was a corporal".
There were times when a civilian coworker was giving me grief and I would answer with "Noted". Oftentimes there was a military buddy or two around and they would LOL. The civilian would just give me puzzled look.
When a piece of hardware would fail my military buds would sometimes use the phrase "It just went t's up" (add two other letters between the t and the s).
Another common military phrase we sometimes used was something was so old it went back to when "Christ was a corporal".
There were times when a civilian coworker was giving me grief and I would answer with "Noted". Oftentimes there was a military buddy or two around and they would LOL. The civilian would just give me puzzled look.
When a piece of hardware would fail my military buds would sometimes use the phrase "It just went t's up" (add two other letters between the t and the s).
I told a coworker to "pound sand" once.
Yeah, the date thing can really screw you up in civilian life until you get used to the civilian style.
I feel like I used the term "hotwash" not that long ago and had to explain what I was talking about. I have clearly spent too much time around/working with military people.
O Dark Thirty. Used that a lot when I was a team leader on TDYs and we needed to start our task early in the morning.
Still occasionally ask our married daughter for a sitrep!
SNAFU
FUBAR
Charlie Foxtrot
OpSec
High speed
ID10T
Suck it up
FUBAR
Charlie Foxtrot
OpSec
High speed
ID10T
Suck it up
Didn't realize that rackops was an abbrevaiation/mil speak for the longest time because dad had used it for as long as I could remember.
Mr. Thunderclap McGirthy
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AG
It's sad that in the civilian world you can't call people F-tards or window lickers.
quote:
It's sad that in the civilian world you can't call people F-tards or window lickers.
I do it all the time.
"Hooah" a bunch of civilian USACE employees/engineers use it.... I too am a USACE civilian that spent several years with soldiers at COPS/FOBS in the Kunar and Iraq. I rarely ever heard them use it.
"roger that"
I use "say again?" all the time. Most people seem to innately get that one.
"Noted" is my favorite, and I will never stop using it, military or civilian.
One that I am trying desperately to get rid of is "trackin?" because I'm currently on a joint tour and the army uses that one so much it's driving me crazy
And while I'm ranting about the army, I've discovered that they use "roger" as a replacement for "yes", whereas we Marines use it as a replacement for "understood". Separated by a common language, as they say.
One that I am trying desperately to get rid of is "trackin?" because I'm currently on a joint tour and the army uses that one so much it's driving me crazy
And while I'm ranting about the army, I've discovered that they use "roger" as a replacement for "yes", whereas we Marines use it as a replacement for "understood". Separated by a common language, as they say.
"Disregard" is another good one.
this is great. I didn't even realize some of these that I use all the time are more "military"
Say again
Noted
Understood
Disregard
I used all of these a lot
Say again
Noted
Understood
Disregard
I used all of these a lot
Mr. Thunderclap McGirthy
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AG
Signing all my emails "Very Respectfully" or "v/r" for short.
Mr. Thunderclap McGirthy
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AG
At least we don't have people adding the "(P)" next to their title. It's not a RANK!!!!
Horseholder. I loved using that one in my civilian job and would gladly explain the term to anyone who asked.
On the subject of "noted", I was assigned to a MAJCOM HQ for 4 years and was often tasked to be a "horseholder" at high level (4 star) staff meetings/briefings for the BG I worked for. There is absolutely no putdown worse than a 4 star using the term "noted" after an briefer makes a comment they don't approve of.
On the subject of "noted", I was assigned to a MAJCOM HQ for 4 years and was often tasked to be a "horseholder" at high level (4 star) staff meetings/briefings for the BG I worked for. There is absolutely no putdown worse than a 4 star using the term "noted" after an briefer makes a comment they don't approve of.
"Very Respectfully" always cracks me up. You aren't just respectful (which seems like a reasonable close)....NO, you are VERY respectful, lol. And putting v/r instead? How "respectful" is it when you can't even be bothered to spell out the words.
Glad this one came in after I left active duty.
Glad this one came in after I left active duty.
oh, I used another one this morning that I didn't realize but I use a LOT.
"Standby"
"Standby"
I use "stand by" and " say again" all the time, even in emails!
quote:Well, you CAN, but ...
It's sad that in the civilian world you can't call people F-tards or window lickers.
I still use "AAR"....
Along with many of the above.
Along with many of the above.
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
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AG
machs nix - German for doesnt matter, who cares.
quote:i never thought of this as a military thing, I grew up with my mom saying it all the time. She was born on a USAF base in Germany though, and my grandfather was stationed in Germany for almost all of the 50s, so it makes sense that that might be where she got it.
machs nix - German for doesnt matter, who cares.
Just heard Pat Caddell use the term FUBAR to describe Obama's response to Ebola in the US on Fox News.
quote:LOL. IDK why but that phrase always gets me.
I told a coworker to "pound sand" once.
He's a dot.
Let's book.
Let's book.
Plan of the day
gaggle ****
disregard
as you were
stand by
hump (I walk a lot at work)
O dark thirty
boot (new guys)
03 shuffle(when running up a hill)
Lo righta lay-o (again with the running)
Sh.it bird
blue falcon
Wookie (female)
And a few others I can't think at the moment. Should also be able to take a guess at which serivservice too
gaggle ****
disregard
as you were
stand by
hump (I walk a lot at work)
O dark thirty
boot (new guys)
03 shuffle(when running up a hill)
Lo righta lay-o (again with the running)
Sh.it bird
blue falcon
Wookie (female)
And a few others I can't think at the moment. Should also be able to take a guess at which serivservice too
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