Being part of the military is a challenge on its own with its demanding and rigorous trainings, rules, standards and guidelines making it unique as a profession. With it also comes an array of unique and imperceptible colloquial terms and jargon exclusively used by military officers.

These military terms all but originated from the armed forces derived from the NATO phonetic alphabet in an attempt to reflect and express military life in a humorous and friendly manner.

The Sixties Project webpage (www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties) lists a number of interesting military slang terms and their definitions. Examples include:

201 file: a US army personnel
AR: army regulation
APL: barracks ship
AO: area of operations
ballgame: an operation or a contact
big boys: artillery; slang for tanks
bird: any aircraft, usually referring to helicopters
boom-boom: sex
bowl: pipe used for smoking dope
CC: company commander
chop chop: slang for food
Co: unmarried woman
CO: commanding officer
crispy critters: burned victims
dink: derogatory term for Asian
dust-off: medical evacuation by helicopter

Different groups from various countries have their own slang i.e. British army slang is different from that of the U.S. Army and the Australian Army. Wars from different times and eras also have their own slang and jargons.

The Sixties Project on a different page (http://www.iath.virginia.edu/sixties) gives a list of military slang from the Vietnam War. Some examples are:

AGL: above ground level
Bac bac: bastardized Vietnamese term that means “to shoot”
Chuck: the Vietnamese enemy
Dac Cong: Viet Kong special forces
Dai Uy: captain
In-country: Vietnam
Kool-aid: killed in action

The military has slang terms for such activities as rape, killing or shooting. Thus, military slang terms show the lifestyle of the people using it. The language of the country where military operations take place influences it. The slang adapts the native language terms. It also has terms for the activities that the soldiers engage in.

Question: Can someone get advanced enlisted rank for college credits or JROTC?

Read the answer after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Joining the military and/or graduating from military basic training is no longer a simple matter. A smart candidate will prepare him/herself not only to see a recruiter, but before leaving for boot camp. In addition to the information you can find right here in our About.com U.S. Military pages, we recommend the following books:

1. Arco’s Guide to Joining the Military
An insider’s guide to the recruiting process from the Chief of Air Force Reserve’s Recruiter Training, Lt Col Scott Ostrow. If you want a real “tell it like it is” book about the military recruiting process, this is it.

2. Honor, Courage, Commitment: Navy Boot Camp
The story of 81 men and women, from the time they arrive at the Chicago Airport, to the time they graduate (and in some cases not graduate) from Naval Boot Camp at Great Lakes, Il.

3. Barron’s Guide to Military Careers
From the publisher who brings the renowned ASVAB study guides, a general guide to military enlisted and officer jobs, in simple, civilian (not military “gobbly-gook”) language. A great book when trying to determine which job you want to try for in the military.

 4. Army Basic Training: Be Smart, Be Ready
An “insider’s guide” to Army basic training, written by the former commander of an Army Basic Training Company at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. As a basic training commander, the author was in the unique position to see what goes on “behind the scenes.”

5. Into the Crucible
Want to know what it takes to become a Marine? This book chronicles the events of the 54-hour graduating event, the “Crucible.”

 6. Bogeys and Bandits: The Making of a Fighter Pilot
The true, detailed six men and two women undergoing the testing process for becoming carrier-qualified pilots of the navy’s FA-18 Hornet. If you want to see what it takes to qualify as a Naval Aviator, this book is a good start.

 7. Airman’s Guide
The complete reference on what it takes for a sucessful career as an Air Force airman and NCO. Includes detailed information on dress & appearance, decorations, promotions, career planning, duties & responsibilities, assignments, and more.

 8. Life in Army Basic Training: On Duty
An accurate and detailed description of the 9-week Army Basic Combat Training program (basic training) by one who has “been there.”

 9. Enlisted Soldier’s Guide
The essential guide for the first-term soldier. Includes detailed information on dress & appearance, decorations, promotions, career planning, duties & responsibilities, assignments, and more.

 10. The Real Insider’s Guide to Basic Training
Advice and hints about how to make it through the basic training programs of all of the military services. New edition, published in Feb 2003. Much more extensive than the previous edition.

This article is written by Rod Powers for About.com.
To read about the full article, please click here.

What is defensive driving?
It is a training, a practice, and most of all, a mindset for motor vehicle drivers. The bottom line is that it seeks to guarantee at all possible costs safety in traveling.

Defensive driving may be achieved through proper adherence to a variety of general rules of the road as well as practicing driving techniques. Most states in America actually require drivers, particularly those who have committed offenses, to take defensive driving courses.

A driver who understands defensive driving is one who possesses the knowledge, skills and the right attitude while driving. He knows the traffic rules, is highly skilled when it comes to driving but not lax or overconfident, and has a right attitude towards driving and others on the road.

A regular day in a military school starts with a wake up call at exactly 6:00 A.M. The cadets will then have a series of physical fitness activities. The breakfast or the “first mess” is often delicious and nutritious. Morning classes, usually around six periods, follow that is 45 minutes each. But before that, they are called for the morning military formation, inspection colors ceremony and announcements. Lunch is the second mess around noontime. Two classes in the afternoon are more of tutorials. These classes are mandatory especially for those cadets whose been falling back, or those who got below 70% in any subject. Every cadet is expected to participate in sports and other activities until dinner is served around 6:00 P.M. They then study from 7:00 P.M. until approximately or exactly 9:30 P.M. By 10:00 P.M., all lights are out.