0'dark hundred: Pronounced "oh dark". Referring to some point really early in the morning. This term is typically used in mockery of Hollywood actors who pronounce military time with an "oh" rather than a "zero"--for example "oh-nine-hundred" as opposed to the correct military time: zero-nine-hundred (usually shortened to "zero-nine").
0'dark thirty: one half hour after 0'dark hundred.
10K Evaporator: The best fresh water machine around. It turns salt water into 10,000 gallons of fresh water in a day.
180° Amnesia: Occurs when the sailor has been deployed and selective memory is desired to deal with questions asked by significant others.
1MC: One of many communication circuits aboard a ship, this is probably the most widely recognized. When used, it is heard on every external speaker by everyone aboard the ship.
1st Division: Division found in most aviation and afloat commands that is responsible for the material condition and cleanliness of the ship. On ships equipped with small boats the "1st" owns these boats and the sailors who maintain and run them. On small boats the "1st" is in charge of Boatswain mates and deck seaman. On larger ships the "1st" may be in charge of air crewmen. Work for 1st division varies among ships depending on size. Small ships only have one division while larger ships like carriers can have up to 5 or more.
2-10-2: Slang referring to a female aboard with a much higher percentage of males when out at sea or deployed who is not very attractive (a 2 on the scale of attractiveness) BUT when on the ship with relatively few females around, they are paid much more attention then they normally would. "she was a 2 before going to sea, a 10 out at sea, and back to a 2 when she returned"
21MC: Ships command intercom circuit, mainly used between the bridge, combat, and flight decks.
2-6-10: A term used to motivate someone that is not pulling their weight, as in: "It's gonna take 2 surgeons 6 hours to remove 10 inches of my boot from your ass."
2JV: Engineering sound-powered circuit.
2MC: Engineering loudspeaker circuit.
4 Acres of Sovereign U.S. Soil: Description of any aircraft carrier.
400 (or 60) Hz Shuffle: The frequency of your body after coming in contact with this electrical source.
4MC: Damage control amplified communication circuit, goes straight to the control room of a submarine, or bridge of a ship.
4MC: Emergency communications circuit that overrides sound powered phone communications to alert controlling stations to a casualty.
5MC: Similar to the 1MC, except that it is only heard on the flight deck of an air-capable ship.
90 Day Wonder: OCS graduate (as opposed to the four years for Naval Academy or ROTC). Also 90 Day Miracle
96er: Five nights and four days off of work due to special liberty or holiday. Also known as an urban legend. Very rarely occurs due to duty.
A School: First school out of Boot Camp. For a Nuke it will be one of the following: 1) MM (machinist mate) 2) EM (electricians mate) 3) ET (electronics technician).
A tool unauthorized in Reactor spaces that is universally carried by those who work in such spaces.
A.J. Squared Away: a term used to describe a sailor who is always "squared away," meaning always having a perfect shave, perfectly ironed uniform, spit-shined shoes, haircut with less than 1mm of hair, spotless uniform, etc. Anyone who has been designated with this nickname is most likely a lifer who has no life outside the navy. Compare to dirtbag below. The more derogatory "A.J. Squared the freak Away" is often used by those that can't attain high standards.
ABA: Answer By Accident. On most tests, one must show work so that the instructor/training god/ORSE Examiner/etc. can GFU (grade for understanding).
Abu Dhabi (adj.):(More Common: Hadji) Refers to any product labeled in Arabic aboard a ship, particularly soda cans. "We've been home from cruise for 8 months and we still have Abu Dhabi Cokes in the vending machines!"
Abused Equipment: (As per the Nicknamed: Red Devil Blower) Warranty Void if abused. When asked the company told the Navy that Abuse - The operation of our equipment by a sailor constitutes abuse. Great we now have a piece of equipment that was meant to go into explosive environments and evacuate that compartment and it has a VOID warranty to not explode. Great!
Acey-Deucey Club: Recreational facility serving alcohol for first and second class petty officers. Or a reference to any Enlisted Club that caters mostly to First and Second Class Petty Officers, but still allows all enlisted personel.
Admin Warfare Specialist: Joking, sometimes derisive term for Yeomen, Personnel men or other Navy administrative ratings. Used especially in cases when said sailor does not have a warfare pin.
Admin: Pre-arranged meeting point in-port for carrier pilots.
ADSEP: ADministrative SEParation - basically getting fired from the navy for misconduct.
AEA: Auxilary Electrician Aft (a Nuke EM). Stands watch in the engine room and roves around the engine room like he owns the place. Except on my watch station...oh sorry...he can bring you all kinds of goodies to you when you can't leave your watch-station.
A-Farts: slang for American Forces Radio & Television Service. A-Farts is received via satellite all over the world and offers a variety of shows. Some of the most entertaining offerings are the propaganda commercials it frequently airs since regular advertising is not permitted.
AFFF - Aqueous Film Forming Foam. A fire-fighting agent which is mixed with water and sprayed on flammable liquids fires. Pronounced "A triple-F". Aka 'Light Water' for the foam's ability to float on oil or gasoline. Replaced protein foam. Unlike blood-based protein foam, AFFF is self-healing, in that holes in the foam blanket will close by themselves, preventing reflash.
AFRATs: (pronounced A Farts) Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
Aft: The back of the boat.
A-Gang: The Auxiliaries Division of the Engineering Department. Members known as "A-Gangers." AKA "Fresh Air Snipe"
A-Ganger: Someone you don’t want to make mad at you. A NON-Nuclear Mechanic that owns the rest of the boat.
Ahead Flank Liberty: Fictitious speed after a mission or patrol is completed with high marks and ship is headed into very nice foreign ports that cater to visiting US Forces.
Air Boss: Air Officer. His assistant is the "Mini Boss".
Air Ejector: No moving parts. Uses motive flow to operate. Turns High Pressure (low volume) into Low Pressure (high volume). Many uses.
Air Force Gloves: A term describing when a sailor has his hands in his pockets
Air Force Salute: An "I don't know" shrug of the shoulders. Also called an Ensign Salute or Airman salute.
Airedale: A sailor who works on or around aircraft.
Airstart: Any attempt to restart an aircraft's engine(s) after in-flight failure. Also a blowjob.
Airwing: Aviation detachmant on board the ship.
All Ahead Bendix: Beyond maximum possible ship's speed, indicated by engine order telegraph maker "Bendix" label; the position past 'Flank'
Already Broke: USS Arliegh Burke
Aluminum Cloud: slang for the F-14 Tomcat
AMR: Auxiliary Machinery Room.
Anchors and Spurs: Famous dance club at NAVSTA San Diego where many-a lonely Navy wife has broken the seventh commandment. Many sailors find this amusing until it happens to them.
Angles and Dangles: (Submarine Service) Placing the boat in crazy angles and positions soon after leaving port, to see whether anything breaks loose. Similar consequence noises while on patrol are not desired.
Angles and Dangles: You'll love being a submariner just because of these maneuvers. Pitches and Rolls about the ship's axis's.
Another Fine Navy Day!: An expression voiced (in a very sarcastic cheery manner) on occasions when, in fact, it's not that much of a Fine Navy Day at all.
Anymouse: Slang for anonymous. Safety system where sailors can drop an anonymous recommendation into a locked box.
AOL: Absent Over Leave; Navyspeak for AWOL. See UA, the Sailors preferred usage.
AOM: All Officers Meeting, held for a variety of reasons like training, port calls, mess issues, etc...
Are you sure about that?: This is going to be asked at every check-out whether or not you got the question right. You ought to see the looks on the students face after this question is asked for the first time. And, even better is when they change the correct answer and replace it with an incorrect answer. Classic!
Armpit of the Med: Naples, Italy. Slang term used to describe Naples, Italy due to its unique smell, and the overall cleanliness of the city.
ASAP: As Soon As Possible. Usually spoken as a word, "A-sap," the first ‘a’ given the long sound.
ASH Receiver - aka, an "ash tray" also used as a joke to newbie sailors to send them out all over base to locate an ASH Receiver, done typically to those in I level AIMD Avionics.
ASMO: ASsignment Memorandum Orders. Mostly issued in boot camp to set a recruit back in training due to poor performance.
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test. aka Military aptitude test.
ASW: Anti-Submarine Warfare.
ASW: Auxilary Sea Water.
ATFQ: Answer the Freak'in Question. You'll see this on your tests when don't answer the question asked of you.
AWOL: Absent Without Official Leave
Aye, aye: Yes (I heard the order, I understand the order, and I intend to obey the order). "I understand and I will comply."
Aye: Yes (I understand)
B1RD: Bravo One Romeo Delta, AKA "bird".
Baboon Ass: Nickname for corned beef, based on color and flavor.
Baby Birdfarm: An Iwo Jima-Class helicopter carrier.
Back Alley: Card game of trump played by 2 to 4 players (mostly "snipes"). Players are first dealt 1 card each then 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13, 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Players bid on the number of tricks to be taken, trump is determined by draw. Score is kept by awarding 3 points for bids made and taken and 1 point for each additional trick. A player unable to make their bid goes set 3 X the bid. Game can be played by partners.
Bag Nasty: A pre-packaged bag lunch usually consisting of a cold cut sandwich, piece of fruit, and juice box or can of soda. Served at galleys in lieu of regular chow for sailors on the go.
Bag of Dicks: An unwanted or extremely tedious task, usually one that is given one hour before shift change and will require at least 3 hours to complete. Also called getting "bagged".
Bag: Flight suit. Also, to issue demerits at the naval academy.
Bagger: Sailor who is chronically late for watch relief. Also known as a shit bag.
Ball Button: A term used for the fourth button down on the new Service Uniforms, because it has a tendency to come undone.
Balls Thirty: A term used to indicate the time of the 0030 security sweep on some bases
Balls to Four: A four hour watch technically spanning from 0000-0400 though in practice begins at 2345 and ends at 0345. Most commonly seen on a "Dogged Watch" schedule.
Balls To The Wall: Expression originally referred to the balls on top of aircraft throttles. If one needed full throttle, the balls were, quite literally, pushed forward to the firewall - hence 'balls to the wall'.
Balls to Two: A short watch stood from 0000-0200. Not generally seen outside of Boot Camp.
Bandit: aircraft positively identified as hostile
Barney Clark: Slider topped with a fried egg. Also called a "One-Eyed Jack."
Barracks: Yes if you are single you'll be living in them. If you are in port you will be living in the Sub Barracks 3 to a room if you are less than a E-5. E-5's and above live 2 to a room. Don't know about CPO's.
Barricade: Also called the barrier, this is a huge nylon net strung across the landing area of a carrier to arrest the landing of an aircraft with damaged gear or a damaged tailhook.
Batphone: A dedicated outside telephone line (not for personal use) typically for shore power or security purposes.
Battle Group (BG): A group of warships and supply ships centered around a large deck aircraft carrier and its airwing. Usually consists of one cruiser, one supply ship, and one or two destroyers, frigates, and submarines. Has been sanitized and emasculated lately and is now referred to as the Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
Battle Racks: When mission-exhausted Aviators are allowed to sleep through General Quarters.
Battlewagon: Battleship
BCG's: Birth Control Glasses. Standard Navy-issue corrective eyewear. So named because they are so thick and hideous that you are guaranteed never to have sex while you are wearing them. Term has become obsolete due to more normal looking frame choices offered nowadays (outside of recruit training, at least). (Also known as CGL's - Can't Get Laids)
BDNWW.:Broke Dick No Worky-worky. See Broke Dick.
Beer Day: On many navy ships, even in the present day, all hands are given 2 beers if they are underway without a port call for a given period of time - generally 45 days. Both beers are opened when they are given to the crew member to prevent them from being hoarded.
Bells: Naval way of announcing the time of day aboard ship, usually over the 1MC. One bell corresponds to 30 minutes past the hour. Bells will only be rung as a single strike, or a closely spaced double strike, with a maximum of eight bells (4 sets of 2). Bells repeat themselves every 4 hours. For example 2 sets of 2 bells, followed by a single bell could be 0230, 0630, 1030, 1430, 1830, or 2230.
Benny Suggs: The Navy's Beneficial Suggestions program, a method where DON employees, and Navy and Marine personnel can make suggestions to improve various programs and operations.
Benny: A treat or reward, derived from "Benefit".
Bent Shitcan: Someone below Naval standards.
BHA: Base (or is it Basic) Housing Allowance. It is not enough mind you.
Big Chicken Dinner: slang for a Bad Conduct Discharge, a punishment awarded to a sailor who has committed a serious infraction of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Big E: Nickname for the USS Enterprise (CV-6), which won 24 battle stars during World War II, also known as the most decorated ship in the U.S. Navy. (Actually, the most decorated ship is the USS Parche (SSN-683), receiving a total of nine Presidential Unit Citations, ten Navy Unit Citations, and thirteen Navy Expeditionary Medal awards during its thirty years of service.)
Big Stick: Nickname for the USS Iowa (BB-61), crew's nickname for USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).
Bilge Diving: Working in the bilges of a ship, or cleaning. You'll get lots of practice if you're a MM.
Bilge Juice: Non-sanctioned alcoholic beverage created while on long deployments by mixing yeast, water and sugar.
Bilge Rat: Someone who works in the engineering spaces.
Bilge Troll: Engine room lower level watch stander; junior enlisted nuke machinist mate on sub.
Bilge Turd: Derogatory term for "Boiler Technician", typically from Machinist Mates who attend the identical A school
Bilge: The bottom of the submarine. Each bay has a unique signature in regards to what collects in the bilge. You can see ice in your bilges. You can see your bilges run up the side wall in rough sea's or during angle and dangle maneuvers.
BINGO: Minimum fuel needed to return to base (RTB).
Binnacle List: The daily list of ship's crew who are sick in quarters (see below). So called because in the old days of sailing, this list was posted on the binnacle, the casing that housed the ship's compass.
Birdfarm: Aircraft carrier.
Bitchbox: Intercom or amplified circuit used to communicate between spaces of a ship.
Bitching Betty: The computer generated female voice heard in an aviator's earpiece when something is not as it should be. Usually caused by unsafe flight conditions or an enemy threat.
Black Hole, The: Reference to the Navy's main base at Norfolk, Virginia, so called because "it's where sailor's careers go to die."
Black Pants: An enlisted sailor below the rank of E-7 (Chief Petty Officer) So named because of the black and khaki working uniform. See also BLUE SHIRT
Black Shoe: Term used to describe shipboard or 'surface' officers and senior enlisted members, due to the black footwear worn while in uniform. See also BROWN SHOE
Blonde and Bitter: Coffee with cream.
Blonde and Sweet: Coffee with cream and sugar. (aka Meg Ryan)
Blowing a Shitter: (Submarine Service) Inadvertently "flushing" a toilet (see "Shitter," below) while San Tanks are being vented overboard.
Blue on Blue: Fratricide or friendly fire. Named for the color associated with friendly forces during "workups" and exercises. The fictional enemy country is almost always Orange. In port the definition of blue on blue is much more enjoyable, as it refers to girl-on-girl stripper scenes, porn scenes, etc...
Blue Roper: Also called a blue rope. A sailor that is in training to be a Recruit Division Commander, so called because of the blue rope they wear on the right sleeve.
Blue Shirt: same as bluejacket, refering to the blue utility shirt worn by those personnel.
Blue Tile: An area of the carrier on the starboard main passageway, O-3 level, where the Battle Group (now called Carrier Strike Group) admiral and his staff live and work. As the name implies, the deck is indeed blue there. Passing through, especially by junior enlisted sailors, is highly discouraged. During wartime, armed guards may be posted on both sides of the blue tile. Pictures of bare-assed drunken aviators standing on the blue tile during port calls are highly prized keepsakes.
Blue Water: Deep water far from land. Only larger, self-sufficient ships can operate on these waters. Also called the "high seas." See "Brown Water."
Bluejacket: An enlisted sailor below the rank of E-7 (Chief Petty Officer).
Bluejacket's Manual: The handbook of seamanship issued to recruits.
Bluenose: An individual who has crossed the Arctic Circle.
BMOS: Big Man On Ship. Often refers to the ship’s Captain. Closest Civilian equivalent would be BMOC (Big Man On Campus).
BMS: Be more specific.
BMW: Big Maine Woman - Used to describe the large women in the Brunswick/Bath Maine area who like to pick up sailors in local bars.
Boat Goat: A female sailor onboard a ship. This term is typically used during the later parts of a long underway or deployment.
Boat: Water craft small enough to be carried on a ship, unless a submarine, which is ALWAYS called a boat. A ship may be called a boat but ONLY by members of its crew, and only those who have actually completed a deplyoment.
Boats: a sailor in the Boatswain's Mate rating, or the ship's Bosun, usually a CWO.
BOCOD: "Beat Off Cut Off Date" The date before returning home from a deployment to stop masturbating in order to save it up for your wife or girlfriend.
Bogey: unknown aircraft which could be friendly, hostile, or neutral
BOHICA: Bend Over Her It Comes Again.
Bolter: Failed attempt at an arrested landing on a carrier by a fixed-wing aircraft. Usually caused by a poor approach or a hook bounce on the deck, this embarrassing event leads to a go-around and another attempt to "board."
Bonnie Dick: The USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD 6)
Boomer: Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN)
Boondoggle: Any unorganized, inefficient evolution. Similar to a "goatrope."
Boopdiddley: All-purpose, virtually meaningless expression, used as an exclamation i.e. "Boopdiddley!" or " Aw, Boop!" (1974)
Boot Camp: Term used to refer to the eight week basic training course held at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Boot Topping: Black paint used to paint the water line on ships.
Booter: A term used, usually derisively, when referring to any Sailor who has very little time in or a lot less time than the speaker
BOSNIA: Big Ol' Standard Navy-Issue Ass (from the apparent widening of the hips due in part to the cut of the working uniforms)
Bosun's Punch - New sailors on ship are sometimes assigned to find this mythical tool in the office of one of the ship's Bosuns (Boatswain). The sailor is then typically punched very hard in the shoulder by the Bosun in question.
Bounce Pattern: When several aircraft are practicing touch and go landings at the same airfield.
Box of Rocks: Derogatory term for more than one sailor that has performed their work in an unsatisfactory manner.
Box: Refer to Maneuvering.
Brain Fart: a condition when, under stress, one cannot recall or perform something that would normally be easy or second nature.
Branch: lowest organizational level in most naval commands. Below department and division.
Bravo Zulu: BZ is a naval signal, conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio, meaning "Good Job" or "Well Done".
Bremerloes: Female of husky build. Term originated at Bremerton, Washington base where they are rather common.
Bremerton: It's how much a Bremerloe weighs.
Brig Chaser: A Sailor escorting a prisoner to the brig.
Brig: Jail.
Broke-dick: Technical term describing malfunctioning or inoperable equipment. Example: "The freakin' aux drain pump is freakin' broke-dick."
Brown bagger: Married sailor who brings his lunch from home in a paper bag.
Brown Nose: Sailor trying a "little too hard" to make rate by sucking up to superiors. Can also refer to those who wear khakis (Chiefs, Officers) since it is assumed that most have "brown-nosed" to obtain their present position. Mythical rate "Chief Brown nose" or "Brow nose First Class." Also known as a "Butt Shark."
Brown Shoe: Term used to describe aviation community officers and senior enlisted members, due to the dark brown footwear worn in uniform.
Brown Water: Shallow water close to land. Also called the littorals. Smaller ships can operate in these waters.
Bubble head: A Sailor in the Submarine service.
Bubblegummer: A newbie or young sailor just out of boot camp or school.
Bubble-Head: Not sure I like being called that. Slang for Submariner.
Bug Juice Sunrise: Orange with a splash of Red.
Bug Juice: Kool-Aid-like beverage in dispensers on the mess deck. Side-by-side - Orange or Red. Before the turn of the century bug juice was also used as a replacement for cleaning agents to clean decks with.
Building 36: USS BRYCE CANYON (AD-36) Home ported at Pearl Harbor Hawaii. Rarely left port (so they could collect sea pay) and when she did had to be towed back in.
Building 38: USS PUGET SOUND (AD-38). Same reasons as above, in the 70's and 80's.
Building 39: 1990's-era Naval Station Norfolk slang for the USS EMORY S. LAND (AS-39), which during that time period, rarely left port.
Bulkhead remover: an 'in-joke' shared by veteran sailors and often delegated as a task to new sailors, as in, "Go get me a can of bulkhead remover."
Bulkhead: Wall.
Bull Nuke: (Submarine Service) The senior most enlisted nuclear sailor, usually the Engineering Department Senior Enlisted Adviser. One of only two people the Eng (Engineering Department Head) listens too.
Bull, aka "Bull Ensign": the senior most Ensign on board a surface ship. In charge of various wardroom duties, often including mentoring the junior most Ensign (see "George") and setting up the wardroom's movie night. Originated during World War II from Admiral "Bull" Halsey's need to designate one officer to oversee wardroom functions.
Bullet Sponge: U.S. Marine.
Bully Big Dick: USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Corruption of "Bully Big Stick", shipboard news program.
Bun: A sexually active female sailor.
Bunk Pan: An even smaller space underneath your bunk. The only place to store your belongings. It has broken hands when it falls (if of course you had your hands in the way). This due to the 'kick stand' is flimsy and is in the center of the bunk so if you reach in toward the corners you will invariably cause the bunk to fall on you while still in the bunk pan. Comedy Central and MAD TV could do hours on the entertainment caused by the bunk/bunk pan.
Bunk: A very small living space with a curtain. This is your only personal space to get away from everyone on the boat.
Burn Run: An organized evolution to dispose of the material stored in burn bags.
Burn: To smoke (burn) a cigarette.
Burnbag: (1) A poor performing Cryptologic Technician or a "CT" Shitbag. (2) The red and white striped paper bags used to hold classified material meant for destruction.
Bust Me on The Surface (Submarine Service): An expression voiced when a subordinate strongly disagrees with a superior's order (who may be under heavy situational pressure), and the subordinate takes actions he knows to be the correct procedure, counter to the order. "Bust Me On The Surface" refers to disciplinary action that could result, which would take place in the fresh air of safety that would not be reached if the original order was carried out. Rarely invoked, and the subordinate better be god damned right. More often used as slang in less life-threatening situations.
Busted: Reduced in rank, as a result of Captain's Mast.
Buster: Proceed at max possible speed.
Butt Kit: Ash tray. Aboard ship it is a can with a hole in the lid, usually hung from the bulkhead near watch stations.
Butter Bar: Slang for an Ensign, or new officer fresh from OCS/Naval Academy or ROTC. The single gold bar on the khaki uniform of an Ensign, being the 'butter bar.'
CAG: Title used when addressing the airwing commander. It is a holdover from the days when airwings were called air groups, and stands for Commander Air Group. Can also refer to the airwing itself, as in CAG-14. See "airwing."
Cake Eater: A Sailor who reenlists. This is derived from the fact that upon reenlistment, most commands present you with a cake at your ceremony.
Cannon balls: Baked, candied apples served to midshipmen at the Naval Academy on special occasions. Twelve are served per table. If one person at the table is willing to eat all 12 apples and succeeds, then he is given the honor of "carry on" (lack of harassment by upper class-men) for the remainder of the semester.
Canoe Club: The U.S. Navy
Canoe U: United States Naval Academy
Captain: (A full Bird by rank or) The Commander of a US Naval Vessel.
Carl Prison: Endearing term for "America's Favorite Carrier," USS Carl Vinson, CVN70.
Carrier Strike Group (CSG): See "Battle Group"
Carrier: Refer to TARGET.
Carry on: An officers reply to a junior person's call to "attention on deck", meaning all present rise and come to attention as a sign of respect. "Carry on" allows personnel to continue whatever they were doing. Also see "cannon ball" above.
Carry-On Smartly: (Normally followed by the word Shipmate, if your not a NUB!) A navy tradition to be curt or kind in terms of sending someone away. Its all in the tone of voice and delivery.
CASREP: CASualty REPort. Inoperative, casualty reported; OOC (out of commission). Often jocularly applied to broken minor items not requiring any report, or to personnel on the binnacle list or killed.
Caution Tag: Yellow in color and has instructions on the other side. Do Not Operate EXCEPT(ions) for operation of this equipment. May Cause Harm to sailors and equipment if operated. Follow the exceptions very carefully. Refer to Tag-Outs.
CAVU: Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited - perfect flying weather.
CDR.: (Commander by rank) Normally the Skipper (ie Captain). He is the Boss and he should be treated as though he could end your world. Because he can.
CF: (pronounced Charlie Foxtrot) Cluster freak,
C-GU11: Seagull. Pronounced "See-Gee-Yuu-Eleven." Similar to "bulkhead remover," an inexpensive way to derive enjoyment from inexperienced personnel on watch. "Forward lookout, keep an eye out for signs of C-GU11s in the area, over." Also sometimes spelled C-6U11, Z-6UL1 or various 1337-like combination.
Channel Fever: Said if a sailor is anxious when approaching port to get leave. Sometimes cured by the "Channel Fever Shot", a slap or kick to the backside.
Chaps - Slang for Chaplain.
Check Valve – Used to describe a person, it refers to one who does for himself, but not others. None of the goodies get past him. Similar to a real check valve which only allows fluid to go one way.
Check-Out: Refers to a NUB trying to get a signature (to prove your knowledge) by a qualified operator/maintainer of that system. You'll do millions of these during your Nuke Life.
CHENG: Chief Engineer
Chicken Switches: Switches in the overhead above the Dive Officer's station that release 4500 lb air into the main ballast tank, initiating the Emergency Main Ballast Tank blow (EMBT blow) causing the tanks to fill with air and the submarine to rise to the surface in a real hurry. Sometimes, engineering drills may cause the sub to go near test depth (depth the submarine has been tested to) if there is a delay in recovering the reactor (or many other reasons). So if the Dive Officer blows the tanks (actually, whoever has the Con will issue the order) they were afraid of sinking. Hence, Chicken Switches.
Chief: Title given to enlisted personnel who have achieved the rank of E-7 and who have completed their transitional training and indoc.
Chit Chipper: Paper Shredder. So named because you can't do anything with a chit, especially one that is "lost in routing"
Chit: A request form (triplicate or was that quintuplicate) with carbon copy pages for use by your chain or command to approve or dis-approve your request.
Chop: Supply Officer. Taken from the Supply Corps' pork chop-shaped insignia.(Submarine)
CHOP: The Supply Department Head. He normally is an LDO or CWO. Be nice to this man. He also has the Cooks in his department. He can be very useful if you don't have the right parts on board too.
Chow Boss: Food Service Officer.
Chow: Food.
Chowdale: Airwing personnel that spend all their time in line for chow, holding up those that actually have things to do.
CHT Tank/Shit Tank/Chit Tank: Collection, Holding and Transfer system, which collects all ship's shower and toilet runoff/sewage until such time as it can be pumped or dumped.
Chub Club: Sailors assigned mandatory physical training due to being overweight.
Chuck Wagon: Yet another USS Carl Vinson moniker
Chuckie V: USS Carl Vinson moniker
CINCHOUSE: Commander-in-Chief of the House. Used to refer to a sailor's spouse. Also COMHOUSE, COMHOME, CINCHOME, etc.
Cinderella Liberty: Liberty that expires at a particular time (e.g., midnight).
Civie cut: Civilian haircut worn by males who live around military towns to distinguish themselves from military personnel. Usually just an inch or two longer than military allows, but enough to let the females know who's who.
CIWS: (Nicknamed R2D2) Close in Weapon System. (Pronounced: Christ, it Won't Shoot. Or, 'Sea-Wiz') Used to knock down approaching missiles, jets, unwary seagulls. (Demonstration video:
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Cleaning Stations: Hour-long field day evolution where everyone drops what they're doing and cleans their spaces. See "XO's Happy Hour"
Clear: Should be used/verbalized anytime some passes gas and it is silent and/or unheard. A warning if you will that something nasty is approaching fast.
Clobbered: When the landing pattern or the comms frequency at a field or ship is filled to capacity and you can't get an aircraft or a word in.
CO: Commanding Officer. Refer to CDR.
CO: Commanding Officer. The head of a ship, or shore command, usually no lower in rank than a Commander, the Commanding Officer is in charge of most of the everyday things that happen on board ship, from corporal punishment (Captain's Mast), to common everyday maintenance, and upkeep of the ship, or shore command. The Commanding Officer usually wears a special pin on his pocket designating him Command Afloat, or Command Ashore.
COB: Chief of the Boat. The most senior enlisted on the boat. Normally a Master CPO. He is the Captain of the enlisted so to speak. The COB's wife Normally runs an Ombudsmen program.
COD: Carrier On board Delivery - the mighty C-2 Greyhound, which ferries people and supplies to and from the carrier on a regular basis.
Coffin Locker: A personal storage area located underneath a sailor's rack (see below).
Cold Shot or Cold Cat: A catapult launch from a carrier in which insufficient speed is attained to generate lift. Often fatal for the aircrew if they do not eject in time.
Color Company: Term presented to the recruit company in boot camp that maintains the highest score through the entire eight week evolution, they are awarded the term of Color Company, and given three days special liberty unmonitored. Color Company is also given the honor of being the first company to Pass in Review, only if there is not a Hall of Fame Company that graduates Boot Camp at the same time.
COMMO: Communications Officer. Officer in Charge of the Communications Division. Usually, the most junior officer aboard ship.
Commodore: Back in the day, this was the designation given to a one-star admiral (presently called Rear Admiral Lower Half for some reason). Presently, it is the unofficial title of the captain (O-6) in charge of a squadron of ships or submarines or a wing of the same type of aircraft.
COMNAVSNACPAC(or LANT), A sailor who stores alot of junk food in their rack. PAC refers to the Pacific Fleet and LANT to the Atlantic.
Comp Time: Compensation Time, time/days off during week for shore-based sailors who had weekend assignments, above and beyond mere watch-standing.
Coner: Pronounced "Cone-er"(Submarine Service) A submarine crewman who is not part of the engineering department (see Nuke below), especially Torpedomen, because they are stationed in the forward cone of the Sub, and pretty much prohibited from wandering into the rear engineering spaces. Also known as "Forward Pukes" (as opposed to "freakin' Nukes") or MUFFs (My Up Forward Friends).
Controlled Leak: Water coming in is less than water going (pumped) out. No threat to life or ship.
Corpsman Candy: Sore-throat lozenges handed out at sick bay in lieu of any substantive treatment. Sometimes accompanied by two aspirin.
Corpsman: The only medical person on the boat. Basically a Registered Nurse. And, if you are counting on him to cut on you then you should do it yourself. (Example: Sailor: "Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this." Doc: "Don't do that then." Do you understand now?)
Countersunk Sailor: female sailor.
Cover: hat
CPO Spread: (Submarine Service) The worlds most useless and uncomfortable rack sheet. Once thought to be solely for the elite khaki club, it is in fact a very cleverly disguised spy tool for a chief or officer to see if you have been sleeping due to the large stitches that are etched into it. See "Rack Burn".
CPO: Chief Petty Officer. Often refers to all chiefs, E-7 through E-9.
Crack House: Designated smoking area aboard ship that is not a weather deck space. Quickly fills with a haze of smoke. Also called "Crack shack".
Cracker Jacks: Slang for the dress blue uniforms worn by sailors below the rank of E-7
Crank: Mess deck worker, typically a new transferee to a submarine assigned to mess deck duties while qualifying for a regular watch.
Crash & Smash: Permanently assigned flight deck firefighting personnel. Also, a game played by aviation personnel involving several long tables and a great deal of beer, wherein the aviators attempt to replicate with their bodies the arrested landings their aircraft make.
Crazy Ivan: (Submarine Service), demonstrated in the movie The Hunt for Red October. Russian submarines would quickly turn 180 degrees while underway to see whether any American submarines were following. Collisions occasionally resulted during the Cold War.
Creamed foreskins: creamed chipped beef. (see also "SOS" Shit on a Shingle)
Crow: Slang term for the eagle adorning the Petty Officer rank insignia.
CRUD: Apocryphally, "Chalk River Unidentified Deposits", corrosion products found in reactor coolant.
Cruise Boo: A Sailor's underway spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend. Usually, either one or both of the sailors is currently in a relationship/marriage with a person not stationed on the ship.
Cruise sock: A sock that is sacrificed early in a deployment and used to clean up after masturbating. It is usually kept under the mattress and can stand up on its own by the end of cruise.
Cruise: Ship deployment from its home port usually lasting between 5 and 8 months.
Cruiser: Refer to TARGET.
Crush Depth: You really don't want to go deeper than that...hint...hint. Only the Captain is privy to this information.
Cryppy/Cryppy Critter: Cryptographer, also seen on a highway near the Cryptography School in San Angelo, Texas without vowels, as CRYPPY CRTTR.
CSO: Combat Systems Officer, officer responsible for ship's combat system (gun, missile, radar, command control & communications systems) maintenance.
Cunt: Curently Unqualified Navel trainee
CVN 7 on 2: Play on words for CVN72, and for escapades that may have taken place by her crew.
CWO: Chief Warrant Officer (W2 - W5) - a highly qualified senior enlisted (E-7/E-8) person who has earned a commission through a competitive process and continues to work in their technical field. By definition, a technical specialist. Can also mean Communications Watch Officer.
CWO: Chief Warrant Officer. Never met one in the Navy.
Dain Bramaged: Uss Bainbridge.
Dammit: Proper way to read an exclamation point quietly. "You are a shitbag!" becomes "You are a shitbag, dammit."
Danger Nut: A "fun" game in which one or more sailors place a washer or nut around a rod or similar metal device and then hold it to a steam vent. The washer or nut spins wildly due to the high pressure of the steam. Once it reaches a high enough speed, the rod is turned so that the steam blows the object completely off the rod and (hopefully) at another sailor, who then has to dodge the "danger nut."
Danger Tag: Red in color and has Instructions on the other side. DO NOT Operate this Equipment. Loss of Life or Damage to Equipment will occur. Something like that anyway. Refer to Tag-Outs.
Dark Side: Referring to the second half of power school (wks 13-26). You go in when its dark and you come out when its dark.
DBF.: (Diesel Boats Forever) unauthorized pin showing a non-nuclear submarine
DD214 - Official government papers when separating.
Deadly Force: Yes there is a Qual Card for this too.
Dear John Letter: A letter (or nowadays, e-mail) that a sailor receives in which his significant other breaks up with/leaves him while he is underway.
Deck Ape: Non-designated enlisted person serving on the deck force, often as result of washing out of "A" school or being stripped of another rating.
Deck: Floor.
Deep Six: Obsolete term for throwing something overboard; refers to the "deep six", the lowest fathom (six feet) before the ocean floor. Has been mostly replaced by Float Checking (see below).
Delta Sierra: Originally "DS" was a signal meaning "Dumb Shit". It refers to a stupid mistake, or a poor performance. It is considered the opposite of "Bravo Zulu".
De-Nuked: It happens for a lot of reasons. Don't let it happen to you.
Department: Highest organizational level in most naval commands. Common departments are combat systems (combination of some operations/weapons department divisions) supply, admin, deck, engineering, operations, and maintenance. Broken up into divisions.
Dependopotamus: Term used for overweight dependents of Sailors.
Dick Skinners: hands i.e. "get your dick skinners off my white hat", also known as Peterclamps, Meathooks, and Dick Beaters.
Dickbag: Used in place of "Douche bag", but also can be used in place of "dirt bag"
Dicking the dog: putting "half-assed" effort into a task (refers to improperly securing the "dogs" on a watertight hatch when passing through. Such a lax procedure could spell doom for a sinking ship if hatches were not absolutely watertight). Also said as "poking the poodle". Not to be confused with "screwing the pooch" which refers to royally messing up a task.
Dicksmith: Yet another derogatory term for hospital corpsmen.
Dig'git: A sailor that is really just all about the Navy. Normally a young NUB. It wears off. (The term 'Eager Beaver' would be a good definition.)
Dilbert Dunker: Device used in water survival training ("swims") to teach aviators how to get out of the cockpit of a fixed-wing aircraft that has crashed or ditched at sea. Much easier than the dreaded "helo dunker."
Dilbert: Fictional and cluess cartoon character used in WWII era training material to demonstrate what NOT to do in naval aviation. Dilbert often paid dearly for his ignorance, lack of attention to detail, or carelessness.
DI-LDO: (Duty Instructor Limited Duty Officer) Term students use for a loathed LDO instructor.
DILLIGAF: (Do I Look Like I Give A freak?), A term indicating supreme indifference; "Gaffer". Can also have a second F added to the end, when used in this context it means "Do I Look Like I Give A Flying freak?"
Dimed/Diming out/Dropping dimes: Comes from the phrase 'nickel and dimed', or to get 'screwed over'. To throw someone 'under the bus', or to oust someone out as being the person who did something wrong or made a bad call. Usually done to avoid getting in trouble at the expense of someone else, even if you were a part of the party involved. Example: "Why did you do this? You know that is unauthorized." - Chief Coffedrinker "AM3 Schmuckatelli said to, Chief." - AMAN Nobody.
Dining-in/Dining-out: Social functions, usually for officers and chiefs, where dinner dress is worn and certain "rules of the mess" are followed. Generally presided over by the Executive Officer (XO) and run by a Chief of Junior Officer (JO) called "Mr. Vice," these events can become quite rowdy and raucous. The difference between the two is that significant others may attend dining-outs. Dining-ins are for the service members only.
Dink: Delinquent in Qualifications (behind in qualifications of your 'qual card'). Not a good place to ever find yourself. Its bad synonyms with un-good.
Dinner Rolls: Not bread at all. The term used when, invariably, the ship turns, thereby allowing the swells to hit broadside and severely rocking the ship during meal time. Because the friction coefficient between the chow tray and the table is negligible, many a meal will end up in your lap.
Dinq: Delinquent In Qualifications.
Dipper: An anti-submarine helo with a variable depth dipping SONAR. See "Dome."
Dirtbag: a term often used by an annoying lifer who has no life outside the navy to insult a sailor for having a few wrinkles in his uniform, having missed a spot while shaving, having a small spot on his uniform, having hair barely touching his ears, etc. compare to "A.J. squared away" above.
Dirty-shirt wardroom: (Aircraft Carrier): Forward wardroom immediately below the flight deck for pilots wearing (sweaty) flight gear and working ship's officers. As opposed to formal ship's wardroom.
DISBO: Disbursing officer on ship.
Discharge: Refers to a sailor’s happiest day of his life. Oh, a way to relieve pressure or contents of a tank/cavity to make space for more future discharges.
Ditch: To intentionally crash land an aircraft as "gently" as possible - usually into the water. This is generally done when fuel is almost all used up with no hope of making it to a safe landing area, or when a slowly developing but potentially fatal emergency is going on.
Ditty bag: Any mesh bag, but so named because usually used to contain soiled laundry.
Ditty-bop: A Radioman, from the sound of Morse code. Also "ditty chaser".
Division: Middle organizational level in most naval commands, below department and above branch. Usually headed by a junior officer (JO). Common divisions are power plants, airframes, 1st Lieutenant, etc... Divisions are sometimes divided into branches or work centers.
DIVO: Division Officer
DIW: Dead In the Water.
Dixie Cup: The canvas white hat Sailors wear with their dress uniforms.
Dock jumpers: The unfortunates who would have to leap ashore to tie up when no "line handlers" are available.
Dog watches: the 1600-2000 evening watch is customarily split into two two-hour "dog" watches, so that the watch sections rotate rather than being stuck with the same schedule every day. Also permit everyone to get evening chow at a reasonable hour (although First Dog watch standers usually find the better chow is all gone).
Dolphins: (Submarine Service) Submarine Qualification Device, called dolphins because of the dolphin fish used in the design.
Dolphins: aka 'Fish': Your Special Warfare pin. Look these over: 1)
https://www.csg9.navy.mil/html/dolphin.htm 2)
http://www.csp.navy.mil/sailors.htm 3)
http://www.csg2.navy.mil/Dolphins.htm 4)
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navyassign/a/silentservice.htm Also go to SS Owners Manual (under SS Owners Manual in Navy Terminology...hint...hint and Look around on that site).
Dome: A SONAR transmitter/receiver. It may be fixed, as in those mounted on the bow of a ship below the waterline, or mobile like those "dipped" by anti-submarine helos.
Donkey-Dick: Term used for many nozzle shaped fire fighting implements
Double Digit Midget: A short timer. Someone who is less than 100 days from retirement, EAOS or being discharged to civilian life.
Douche Kit: Container (usually zipper closed) for toilet articles such as shaving cream, deodorant, after shave lotion, etc.
Down: Not working, out of commission, broken, "broke-dick." In aviation, non-flyable, usually for maintenance reasons. When applied to an aviator, it means not allowed to fly. This can be for a variety of reasons: medical, personal, disciplinary, etc... In flight training, a down is a failed flight.
Drain Pump: Ahhh you MM's in ERLL will get to love this big momma.
DRB (Disciplinary Review Board): Step in the NJP process in which the accused attempts to prove his innocence by being screamed at for 2 hours.
Drift Count: Monitoring the movement of the ship while at anchor.
Drifter: Sailor who at all times lacks the ability to stay focused. Also called drift-pack, or in the very extreme case "COMNAVDRIFTLANT/PAC", a parody of COMNAVSURFLANT/PAC.
Drifty: Sailor lacking the ability to stay focused while attempting to perform a given task. (Petty Officer to Sailor, "is there something the matter with you? You are acting drifty today!")
Drop a Chit: The act of filling out a request chit.
Drop your cocks and grab your socks: A saying that the petty officer of the watch yells in the sleeping quarters when it's time for everyone to get up. Often done in boot camp.
Dry Stores: If you go to a submarine expect to be a ‘crank’. Galley/Cook food service attendant. You’ll spend a lot of time in there. Contains dry food stores.
Dryer: After the moisture separator’s on the HIPAC's. This is the last line of defense for moisture control in our stored High Pressure Air. Uses a chemical resign to do its job.
DSRV: Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle.
Ducks: (Sumarine Service) The time 2222. Refers to the resemblance of the numbers in a digital display resembling a line of ducks. At times, ducks will be marked by the ship control team (Diving officer of the watch, Helmsman, Planesman, and Chief of the Watch) "Stand by to mark ducks.....Mark. Quack Quack Quack Quack."
Durka: Anything related to the Middle East, often derogatory.
DV: Diver
Dynamited Chicken: Chicken a la King or Chicken Cacciatore.
EAB: Emergency Air Breathing. Uses a negative pressure regulator to get air to you. You therefore must draw a breath to get air. Can be a laborious task. And if you forget to breathe then you are going to die. The US Navy is the only Navy left in the world that still uses a negative pressure regulator on its EAB's. You’ll spend lots of time in one with sweat up to your eye balls.
Eagle Shits: Slang for military payday (e.g., "The eagle shits today.").
EAOS: End of Active Obligated Service. Normal will be associated with a date. A very accurate date.
EAWS: Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist; often pronounced "A-wis".
EB Green: Green duct tape acquired from Electric Boat in Groton, CT; can be used to fix almost anything, temporarily...
EB Red: The extreme, nuclear grade version of EB Green.
ECF: Error Carried Forward.
ED(C/L)PO: Engineering Department (Chief/Lead) Petty Officer. Senior Enlisted Nuke on the boat. Normal a Senior (or Master) CPO.
E-Div: Nuke EM division.
EDMC: Bull Nuke.
EDO: Engineering Duty Officer.
Ed's Motel: Navy filmmakers' acronym for Editorials, Motion Picture and Television Department.
EFPH: Effective Full Power Hours.
ELT Shack - Nucleonics. Home of RL-Division.
ELT: Engineering Laboratory Technician. A 'C' school after prototype for MM’s.
EM: Electricians Mate.
Emer Blow: Emergency Blow. A rapid ascent to the surface. We blow the water out of the ballast tanks and drive at a high rate of speed (shaft rpm) to the surface. Refer to Angles and Dangles.
Emerald Shellback. Crossed the Equator at the Greenwich Meridian.
Emergency Blow: When a sub rapidly blows all of the ballast out of its tanks, resulting in a rapid ascent and an impressive display as the sub breaks the surface.
Emergency Deep: What do you think? You're probably right. And, since I ain't saying. Your going to have to guess.
EMO: Electronic Materiel Officer, line officer or electronics CWO or LDO responsible for maintenance of the unit's radar, radio, and command and control equipment.
ENG: The Department Head for Engineering. The ENG only listens to two people, the CO and the Bull Nuke.
Engine Room Shutdown Roving Watch: A Nuke MM stands this watch. You own the engine room when shutdown. Refer to SRW.
EOOW: Engineering Officer Of the Watch.
EOS: Enclosed Operating Space. Nuclear surface ship equivalent of Maneuvering.
ERF: Engine Room Forward: The ELT station. The feed pump watch basically.
ERLL: Engine Room Lower Level: The most junior of Nuke MM watches. And the dirtiest.
ERS: Engine Room Supervisor.
ERUL: Engine Room Upper Level: A senior MM watch station. Also the cleanest.
Escape Trunk: (Get real. No one gets out alive. j/k) We have two of them. One up forward and one aft.
ESO: Educational Services Officer.
ESWS: Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist. Often pronounced "E-swas".
ET: Electronics Technician.
Eternal Patrol: The last and still on-going patrol of a submarine lost at sea. The subs and the sailors are on eternal patrol.
Evil Planet Notorg: Groton CT. Notorg is Groton spelled backwards.
EWO: Electronic Warfare Officer
EWS: Engineering Watch Supervisor.
FAG: Fighter Attack Guy - an F/A-18 Hornet/Super Hornet pilot or naval flight officer ("NFO").
Family Gram: Only 'Boomer Sailors' (SSBN's) get these.
Fan Room (see X-Ray fitting): A "closed" space which is often utilized for general mischief away from watchful eyes.
Fart sack: Canvas mattress cover. (In cold conditions sailors would sleep inside them for extra warmth.)
Fart Suit: Dry suit worn by aviators when flying over cold water. So called because of the rubber seals at the neck and wrists which keep water out in the event of water entry. These seals also keep all flatulence inside the suit, where it remains hot and mixes with ball sweat, pitstink, and various other foulness. This foul air is released by removing the suit, or more amusingly by pulling one of the wrist seals open while squatting and pointing at an unsuspecting individual, thus forcing all the stench in his direction.
Fashion Show: A series of individual personnel inspections conducted in each uniform the sailor owns. Usually this form of Extra Military Instruction is reserved for the most severe dirtbags who are either consistently failing uniform inspection or look like crap on a daily basis.
Fast Attack Tough: To those that understand NO explanation is necessary. To those that don't understand NO explanation will suffice.
Fathom: 1 Fathom is equal to 1.83 meters or 6 feet.
FAWCU (pronounced freak you) (Submarine Service): Focused After Watch Clean Up: usually between 1 to 2 hours of "Field Day" after every watch rotation.
Feed Pump(s): They return the condensate from the condenser to the S/G's.
FEP: Fitness Enhancement Program. Mandatory physical training regimen designed to return sailors to within physical readiness standards. Also refers to sailors who are enrolled in the program... Fat Enlisted People / Forced Exercise Program. See "Chub Club".
FFE: Fire Fighting Ensemble.
FFG: Forever freaking Gone. Acronym used for Guided Missile Frigates who spent more time underway than in port.
Field Day: All hands clean-up. Usually lasts on a good day about 3-4 hours. (30 min of cleaning and 2-4 hours of freaking off.)
Field Survey: To discard a worn-out item ("in the field," often off the end of the pier) instead of submitting for formal "survey" to determine redistribution or disposal. Sometimes items handed down to a needier local unit.
FIG: An FFG is called a FIG.
Fighting gear: eating utensils.
Fighting I: Nickname for the USS Intrepid (CV-11), now a museum ship in New York Harbor.
FIIGMO: (freak It, I Got My Orders); refusal of a long or tough assignment near the end of a duty rotation. Also seen as a name badge at this time, so officers/petty officers will forget your real name.
Fire: That will get your attention.
First Look Up: Normally preceded by the 'That Will Be Your' (First Look Up). The first time you don't know a question on a Check-Out. At this point you are required to return to this individual for the rest of your 'check-out'. If you don't come back with all the look ups from your check-out and you go to someone else for the check-out (without permission) you will probably become the next to not Qualify you boat/watch station.
Fish: (Submarine Service) See Dolphins, above. Also "torpedo".
Fit Boss: Officer designated by the Commanding Officer to be responsible for the command Physical Readiness Program. Can be a collateral duty for a commissioned officer or more frequently, a civilian contractor's primary duty.
Five and Dimes: A watch rotation where the sailor or watch team stand five hours of watch, then have ten hours off (to clean, perform maintenance, train, get qualified, conduct drills, take care of divisional business or their collateral duty, eat, shower, and occasionally sleep). This follows from a three-section watch rotation, and results in the sailor standing watch at a different time every day and night, repeating every three days.
Flag Deck: command level on large ships for Admirals (flag rank, because they are entitled to show a flag with appropriate number of stars on a car, ship, etc. if they are present)
Flank (speed): Its faster with a speed screw. The speed requested when you want to run the ship as fast as it will go.
Flattop: Aircraft carrier. Also the haircut worn by truly motivated sailors.
Flavor Extractor: standard equipment in all Navy galleys.
Fleet Up: When a second in command takes his senior's place upon that senior's transfer, retirement, or other re-assignment.
Flight Deck Buzzard: chicken (food).
Flight Line: The area on a ship or station where aircraft are made ready for flight. Also used as a prank on gullible new sailors, as in "Go get me 100 feet of flight line from the crash shack."
Float Check (also Flotation Testing): Throwing something overboard.
Floating Bellhop: Derisive Army term for sailor.
FLOB: Free Loading Air Breather. A Non-Qual submariner. (Normally has the term 'Puke' somewhere in the right before or right after to create a useful phrase.)
Flooding: More water coming in than going out. (Refer to Controlled Leak) Or, a threat of life or ship is a concern.
Flux capacitor: new members of a CVN's MMR will be sent to retrieve the "flux capacitor" from the OOW in the reactor control room. flux capacitor ran the car in back to the future....
Flying Bravo: Menstruating; from the signal flag.
FNG: freakin' New Guy - self-explanatory
FOAD: Acronym, freak Off And Die, traditional response to MARF see below.
Foc's'le Follies: A gathering of all the aviators in the airwing in the carrier's foc's'le (forecastle). The CAG, ship's CO, and battle group admiral are also usually invited and present. The "official" reason for this event is to hand out awards to the top aviators. The most enjoyable parts are the "roll calls" from each squadron, and the skits that two or three of the squadrons perform. If the roll call or the skit fails to amuse the rest of the airwing, the offending squadron is booed and belittled mercilessly. Follies are held about every 6 to 8 weeks while on deployment.
FOD Walk Down: A periodic, organized search on an aircraft carrier flight deck or hangar deck looking for debris that a jet engine might ingest.
FOD: Foreign Object Damage. Caused by Foreign Object Debris, such as nuts, bolts, or anything that could be sucked into a jet engine, damaging it. At aviation commands, FOD can also describe a worthless individual, i.e. "If Airman Smith isn't in this shop in 5 minutes, write that piece of FOD up."
Forward: The point’ie end: uh I mean the front end of the boat.
Four by Eight Watch: The worst watch section to be in because your first watch is 0400 to 0800, then you work your duty station until 1600, followed by your second watch 1600 to 2000, every day.
Fourballs: Midnight, entered as 0000 when writing logs; The "Fourballs watch" is midnight to 0600 when underway on a submarine, using a 3 person x 6 hour shift, 18 hour rotation "day" for each watch station. Most engineering daily chores are performed on the 0000 watch, you'll be relieved at 0530 for chow, followed by drills at 0700, chow at 1200, followed by drill review at 1300, collateral duties at 1500, chow at 1700, followed by your 1800 watch; a very long "day" underwater, 24+ hours. The Sub equivalent to the Four by Eight watch mentioned above. Fortunately, you'll only get it every 4th calender day when underwater.
Fourteen Man Small Boat Party: The fittest and most athletic sailors sent top side for evaluations requiring a boarding party or help with items topside underway. I loved the fact I could go topside and get some fresh air. But, due to the Needs Of the Navy...we never did these evolutions during the day. Lucky Me!
FPU (Field Pleasure Unit): Female Marine in the field, used for various pleasure.
Freak'in: A substitute for a word often used in the U.S. Navy.
FRED: freaked Up Ridiculous Educational Device. Used by those going through Radioman "A" School, referred to the computer that graded teletype capabilities, so-called, because it used to grade based on keystrokes, rather than words per minute.
Freeboard: On a ship or boat, this is the vertical distance between the waterline and the "gunwale" (see below).
Fresh Produce: On a submarine …. Are you serious? We ran out of that stuff the first week or two underway.
Fried Calimari: Often used to describe a sailor that has been electrocuted. Derived from a sailor's nickname: Squid.
Fried Horsecock: Fried baloney
FTN Striker: Sailor whose stated goal/desire is to get discharged
FTN: freak the Navy (common epithet used when complaining about naval policies or regulations). Often scrawled on the walls of toilet stalls by sailors who have been assigned to clean it for a reason. Also can refer to "Free The Nukes," referring to sailors in the nuclear power field. Also refers to a mythical rate or ship type an "FTN Striker" says he/she is trying to get in (i.e. Fleet Tug-Nuclear, Fire Technician-Nuclear). Also stands for "Fun Time Navy" around higher chain of command to save face in front of said chain of command, yet "secretly" means "freak the Navy". In nuclear commands, can sometimes be seen as KEY when over-nuked the last letters of the same three words are used.
FUBAR: Fouled up beyond all repair, freaked up beyond all recognition. (Foobar)
FUBIJAR: freak You Buddy, I'm Just A Reservist
Fuhgowee's: Code word for ditching work and going home at lunch time, so as not to be suspected by PO1, Chiefs, etc (used in Newport News Drydock). Sailor 1: Where are you having for chow? Sailor 2: Fuhgowee burger sandwiches.
Fulmer: A sailor that desperately tries to win various games (ping pong, pool, etc.), but does not have the skills to compete successfully.
Fun Boss: Morale, Welfare and Recreation Officer
FUNGUS: freak You, New Guy, You Suck.
FUPA: Fat Upper P.ssy Area, pronounced foopa. A pejorative term referring to an overweight female sailor and the bulge that protrudes from ill fitting pants. In the case of obese male sailors, it means "Fat Upper Penis Area"
FUR: freaked Up Recruit. Refers to a boot camp recruit that constantly makes mistakes, mostly used by his fellow recruits, and never used as an endearment.