‘It doesn’t mean what you think’ USMC Edition

The Marines place great emphasis on the history, tradition and culture of the corps. Amongst the salty Naval slang and unique phrases found in the ranks, there are common military slang that hold a completely different meaning for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children.

One may think the word boot refers to the rugged footwear worn by members of the military. In some contexts, that will be the case. Boot primarily refers to an inexperienced Marine, what other professions refer to as a rookie. Calling someone a boot highlights the fact that they have not been out of boot camp very long. You may be called a boot anytime you make a mistake, too, as though experience would have prevented you from making the blunder. One thing is for sure: there will always be someone who has been around longer than you. No matter how salty you get, you are perpetually boot to someone.

The PX and commissary on most bases have designated parking for the most senior ranks. They will be labeled “SGTMAJ” or “O-6 and Above”. There will even be a few that are for “General Officer.” To be clear, these spots are for officers holding the rank of General. Every few years, a young lieutenant’s wife will park in one, thinking it is something like general admission, as though any officer can park there. It is an honest mistake for the uninitiated, considering some parking spots are for specific commanders, not just a rank. The embarrassed lieutenant quickly educates his beloved spouse on military protocol.

As a student before entering the service, field day was a fun-filled day of games and competition outdoors. There were potato sack races, wheelbarrow races and a tug-of-war. Field day in the Marine Corps is a serious spring cleaning of the barracks and office that takes place once a week. Traditionally, this occurred on Thursdays and lasted well into the late hours. A field day inspection was conducted Friday morning and was a significant hurdle to be cleared before liberty commenced. Legions of Marine veterans tell of failing field day inspection only to be re-inspected on Saturday morning. One quickly learns to meet the Company Gunny’s standards, which may include dragging all your furniture out of the room and onto the catwalk…every week!

In popular culture, a silver bullet is something that provides an immediate and extremely effective solution to a given problem, especially one that is very complex or hard to resolve. In other words, it is a fail-safe solution to a problem. Its historic roots are derived from the notion that a bullet made of silver is required to shoot a werewolf. In the Marine Corps, the silver bullet means something altogether different. Occasionally it refers to a large, silver coffee percolator found in close proximity to the Combat Operations Center. Most of the time, however, it refers to the rectal thermometer the Corpsman will use if a Marine goes down as a heat case. It is used to determine a person’s core temperature, which affects what type of treatment is required. Getting the silver bullet is quite an embarrassing ordeal conducted in full view of the unit that continues to hike by the prostrate leatherneck.

A PFC living in the barracks may overhear a Lance Corporal say something that sounds like, “Man I really want a car.” He thinks to himself, “Me too, walking everywhere sucks.” However, what the Lance Corporal is referring to is a CAR, a Combat Action Ribbon. A CAR is a personal decoration awarded for…you guessed it, combat. Amongst Marines it is the most coveted award and respected by all. Combat vets will tell you it is often akin to a mere attendance award, but it still retains a certain mystique. Some see it as a validation of their status as a warrior. At any rate, an overwhelming majority of Marines want one.

It doesn’t take very long to navigate the social construct of the Marine Corps, but there can be some misunderstandings and embarrassing moments along the way. The 5 military slang terms listed above don’t mean what you think when first encountered. Learning them now will help you save face with your fellow Marines.