Marine Jargon

Aboard	on base; on ship
alibi	round fired to compensate for stoppage or misfire
ALICE	standard field pack, acronym for All purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment
all hands	everybody
ashore	off the base
As you were!	Resume what you were doing!
Aye, aye, sir!	acknowledgement of a superior officer's command
barracks	communal living quarters
BCD	Bad Conduct Discharge (also known as "Big Chicken Dinner")
berm	earthen rampart protecting butts
BFA	Blank Firing Apparatus - small metal box screwed on a rifle flash suppressor to avoid accidental burns while shooting blanks
Big Dad	Senior Drill Instructor
bivouac	campground
black belt	Senior Drill Instructor
blanket party	admonitory punishment of misfit by shipmates, who beat victim wrapped in blanket so he can't identify them
blister bandits	recruits whose blisters exempt them from heavy duties
blouse	uniform jacket
blousing garters	elastic retaining bands for trouser cuffs
Blues	Dress Blue formal uniform
boot	recruit
brass	officers, as a class; brass fittings, such as belt buckles and door knobs
brig	jail
bug juice	government issue insecticide, notoriously ineffective
bulkhead	wall
butts	sheltered area behind and below Rifle Range targets
BZO	Battlesight Zero
cadence	rhythmic chant to keep unit in step
cami	camouflage; camis: short for camouflage utility uniform
carry on	continue as before
Casual Company	catchall company for men awaiting reassignment or discharge
chow	food
circuit course	series of timed exercises to promote development of specific muscle groups and endurance
CLP	Break-Free oil (cleans, lubricates, penetrates) used to clean rifles
cleaning rack	outside concrete washstand where recruits clean rifles after firing
CMC	Commandant, Marine Corps
CO	commanding officer
com rats	commuted rations: subsistence payment for those not eating in the chow hall
corpsman	Navy enlisted medic: those serving with Marines are considered Marines
cover	hat
cruise	enlistment period; shipboard deployment
dark-green	black
deck	floor
deuce gear	782 gear - ALICE pack, web belt, and other gear carried by Marines in the field
D.I.	drill instructor
ditty bag	issue zip bag for athletic gear
dope	adjustment of rifle sights for various ranges and wind conditions
double-time	run thirty-six-inch-steps at the rate of one hundred eighty a minute
down-range	between shooters and target
dry fire	rifle practice without ammunition
esprit de corps	along with rigorous training, the main distinguishing feature of Marines, SEALS, Rangers and other elite troops
eye relief	spatial relationship between shooter's eye and rear sight
fall in	assume military formation
field	training or battle area
field day	barracks clean-up
field fire	marksmanship practice in simulated battle environment
fleet	short for FMF
float	sea deployment by Marine unit
FMF	Fleet Marine Force, the basic infantry fighting force
galley	kitchen
gangway	gangplank
Gangway!	Make way!
gear locker	room for brooms, swabs and other cleaning gear
geedunk	Another term for food, usually a snack
go-fasters	running shoes
Grass Week	week devoted to dry fire, before firing for qualification
grinder	the parade deck
grunt	Marine infantryman
guide	bearer of guidon, usually best recruit
guidon	small rectangular flag with platoon number, borne on staff by guide at head of platoon
gung ho	Chinese for "work together"
hat	drill instructor
hatch	door
head	toilet or bathroom
head call	trip to the bathroom
high and tight	shaven head, except for about one quarter inch of hair on very top
hootch	two-man field tent
ILBE	Improved Load Bearing Equipment, New pack system
Irish pennant	dangling thread or strap
junk-on-the-bunk	equipment laid out on bed for inspection
klick	kilometer
knowledge	facts and principles recruits must master
ladder	stairway
leave	authorized extended absence from duty
liberty	absence from duty not exceeding seventy-two hours
light-green	white; Caucasian
LP	listening post
maggot	DI's affectionate name for a recruit
mainside	main base
moon beam	flashlight
MOS	Military Occupation Specialty
MRE	Meal-Ready-to-Eat
M16Al	standard infantry rifle since Vietnam days, replaced in 1985 by M16A2
NBC	Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
NCO	non-commissioned officer
NCOIC	non-commissioned officer-in-charge
parade deck	drill field, parade ground
peepsight	rifle's rear sight
PFT	Physical Fitness Test
piece	rifle
pits	dirt covered area between barracks where IPT is inflicted
pogey bait	candy
PX	Post Exchange, The base department store
quarterdeck	area outside D.I. shack. IPT is administered in this area
quarters	living space
QEP	Quality Enlistment Program
rack	bed
rappel	descend from helicopter or precipitous slope by rope
ready box	wooden ammunition box
reconn	reconnaissance
reefer	galley's walk in refrigerator
reps	repetitions, as in weight exercises
Reveille	wake-up time
road guards	Marines assigned to stop traffic while platoon crosses roadway
round	bullet or artillery shell
scuttlebutt	gossip; water fountain
scuz rag	rag for wiping floor and other chores
scribe	recruit detailed to assist D.I.s with paperwork
seabag	sausage-shaped canvas bag, big enough to contain recruit's gear
secure	stop; lock; put away
shelter half	half of two-man tent, carried by each Marine in the field
short	near an end, as in "getting short." Nearing the end of an enlistment
sick bay	base hospital
sick bay commando	recruit or Marine with a talent for falling sick upon the approach of work
sick call	formation for the sick and ailing
skivvies	underwear: skivvy shirts, skivvy shorts
slop chute	bar
snap in	to practice firing position and operation of rifle
sound off	shout; complain
square away	put in order
squared away	in order; near; savvy
782 gear	equipment carried by Marine in field
spit shine	mirror like sheen put on leather by means of spit, polish and infinite labor
Suzie	short for Suzie Robincrotch; generic term for the girl left behind
swab	floor mop
thunder	the crash of boot heel on pavement
Tiger Piss	coined in Vietnam, rotgut booze in a brand name container
topside	upstairs
Twelfth General Order	"Don't get caught"
UA	unauthorized absence, AWOL
unk	unqualified
unsat	unsatisfactory
wagon wheel	large cool-down circle in which recruits walk after PT
war belt	wide web belt on which Marines in field hang canteens, ammunition pouches, etc.
whitewall	standard Marine haircut

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