This is a list of acronyms, expressions, euphemisms, jargon, military slang, and sayings in common or formerly common use in the United States Marine Corps. Many of the words or phrases have varying levels of acceptance among different units or communities, and some also have varying levels of appropriateness (usually dependent on how senior the user is in rank). Many terms also have equivalents among other service branches that are not acceptable amongst Marines, but are comparable in meaning. Many acronyms and terms have come into common use from voice procedure use over communication channels, translated into the NATO phonetic alphabet, or both. Most vehicles and aircraft have a formal acronym and/or an informal nickname, those are detailed in their own articles.

The scope of this list is to include words and phrases that are unique to or predominantly used by the Marine Corps or the United States Naval Service. For other military slang lists, see the "See also" section. Items on this list must be notable, and not terms that you made up or are known to only a small group.

Contents: Top  0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z   See also  References 

0–9

Marine wearing 782 gear
  • 180 — one-hundred-eighty degrees on a compass (180°); to change to the opposite one's point of view (physical or mental).
  • 360 — complete circle on a compass (360°); to put protection all around.
  • 48, 72, & 96 — standard holiday periods of 2, 3, or four days of liberty.
  • 6-by — rugged truck equipped with six-wheel drive.
  • 782 gear or deuce gear — standard issue web gear, combat gear, or field equipment, such as ALICE, MOLLE, or ILBE. Named after standard Marine Corps Form 782, which Marines formerly signed when they took custody of and responsibility for their equipment.[3]
  • 8 bells — signal for the end of a four-hour watch, so named for the incrementally increasing number of bells at half-hours.

A

  • about face — drill movement where a person or group turns and faces the opposite direction in a precise manner.[4]
  • above my/your pay grade — expression denying responsibility or authority (indicating that the issue should be brought to higher-ranking officials).[5][6]
  • acquire — euphemism denoting theft, sometimes jokingly referred to as "tactical".
ALICE equipment
  • AHA — Ammunition Holding Area, where ammo is stored and issued.[7][8] See also ASP.
  • ahoy — traditional nautical greeting, used for hailing other boats.
  • all hands — entire ship's company or unit personnel, including all officers and enlisted personnel; also, the official Navy magazine.
  • ant hill — combat outpost with a large number of radio antennae visible.
  • AO — Area of Operations, or the geographical region that falls under the responsibility of a unit to control and carry out a mission.
  • APC — large, white tablet formerly issued for minor discomfort, that was commonly (albeit mistakenly) called an "all-purpose capsule," in reality named after its ingredients: aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine; replaced by 800mg ibuprofen today; less commonly refers to an armored personnel carrier, primarily an Army term.
  • ARMY — Aren't Ready for Marine's Yet/Aren't Really Men Yet, pejorative backronym used by other branches.
  • ashore — on the shore, as opposed to aboard ship; any place off a Marine Corps or government reservation.
  • Asiatic — mildly deranged or eccentric as a result of too much foreign duty, or one who has missed too many boats.[6]
  • ASP — Ammunition Supply Point, where ammo is stored and issued. See also AHA.
  • ass pack — small pack worn around the belt above the buttocks, similar to Fanny pack. See also butt pack.
  • as you were — order to disregard the immediately preceding order, often in response to a call to "attention on deck" or when the orders issued were mistaken.[9][10]
  • ate up — person unaware of what's going on; one who is always lazy, in disarray, and unsatisfactory.[11][6]
  • aviation units — See also active squadrons, inactive squadrons, & aviation support units
    • HMX - Marine Helicopter Squadron
    • HMH - Marine Heavy Helicoper Squadron
    • HML - Marine Light Helicopter Squadrons
    • HMLA - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron
    • HMLAT - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron
    • HMM - Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron
    • HMT - Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron
    • HMMT - Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron
    • LAAD Bn - Low-altitude Air Defense Battalion
    • MACS - Marine Air Control Squadron
    • MASS - Marine Air support squadron
    • MALS - Marine Aviation Logisitics Squadron
    • MOTS - Marine Operational Training Squadrons
    • MTACS - Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron
    • MWSS - Marine Wing Support Squadron
    • MWCS - Marine Wing Communications Squadron
    • MWHS - Marine Wing Headquarters squadron
    • VMAQ - Marine Electronic Warfare Squadron
    • VMA - Marine Attack Squadron
    • VMAT - Marine Attack Training Squadron
    • VMB - Marine Bombing Squadrons
    • VMC - Marine Composite Squadrons
    • VMCJ - Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadrons
    • VMD - Marine Photographic Squadrons
    • VMF - Marine Fighter Squadron
    • VMF(N) - Marine Night Fighter Squadrons
    • VMFA - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron
    • VMFA(AW) - Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron
    • VMFAT - Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron
    • VMFP - Marine Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
    • VMGR - Marine Aerial Refueler/Transport Squadron
    • VMGRT - Marine Aerial Refueler/Transport Training Squadron
    • VMJ - Marine Reconnaissance Squadron / Marine Target Towing Detachments
    • VML - Marine Glider Squadron
    • VMM - Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron
    • VMMT - Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron
    • VMO - Marine Observation Squadron
    • VMP - Marine Patrol Squadron
    • VMR - Marine Transport Squadrons
    • VMS - Marine Scouting Squadrons
    • VMSB - Marine Scout Bombing Squadrons
    • VMTB - Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadrons
    • VMTD - Marine Target Towing Detachments
    • VMU - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron
    • VMX - Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron
    • ZMQ - Marine Barrage Balloon Squadrons
  • aye-aye or aye — nautical term used as a response to orders meaning "I understand the orders I have received and will carry them out"; supposedly a corruption of the words "yea, yea," a claim advanced that Cockney accents changed the "yea" to "yi", and from there to "aye".

B

bag nasty, breakfast version
  • bag nasty — A-ration bagged meal issued to Marines (usually recruits or in the field) that usually contains: a sandwich (ham, turkey, and bologna are common), a hard boiled egg, fruit, and a small bag of potato chips; often served with a beverage such as juice or milk.[12]
  • BAH — Basic Allowance for Housing, a pay addendum that allows a servicemember to maintain housing appropriate for his or her dependents when not living in government quarters.
  • BAMCIS — mnemonic for the troop leading steps, a tactical decision making process; denotes: Begin the planning, Arrange reconnaissance, Make recon, Complete the planning, Issue order, Supervise.[13]
  • barracks — permanent living quarters, refers to dorm-like structures with individual rooms in modern times rather than the open communal squad bays of the past.
  • barracks queen — woman (servicewoman or civilian) who has had sexual relations with a large number of servicemen in a unit.
  • barracks rat — servicemember who rarely voluntarily leaves his or her living quarters.[14]
  • BAS — Basic Allowance for Subsistance, a pay addendum that allows a servicemember to feed his or her family in lieu of government dining facilities; Battalion Aid Station, a unit's medical post ashore for routine illnesses and injuries. See also sick bay.
  • Battalion Lance Corporal — most senior non-NCO in the unit; the Lance Corporal who, while having a lot of time in grade, is the least likely to be promoted to the rank of Corporal.
  • battle buddy — sarcastic euphemism deriving from orders for Marines to not go on liberty alone when stationed overseas.[15]
  • battle pin — tie clasp or tie tack, originally a metal collar bar worn on the shirt collar until the beginning of World War II.
  • battle zero or BZO — settings on the sights of a rifle that allow the shooter to overcome various factors and hit accurately at a given range, used as a default before adjusting for wind or distance; also used as a verb when firing to obtain a BZO by trial and error.
BCGs
  • BB counter or BB stacker — servicemember whose duties relate to the storage and issue of ordnance.
  • bean counter — servicemember more concerned with fiscal policy and accountability than operations; also as a pejorative for any person whose primary duties deal in money and budgeting.
  • beans, bullets and bandages — expression used to refer to those things a logistician must provide his or her unit: rations, ammunition, and medical care.
  • beer garden — area near a barracks set aside for the social consumption of alcohol and smoking of tobacco; may contain barbecue or picnic facilities.
  • beer-thirty — time of dismissal from the day's duties (and thus allowed to drink alcohol). See also COB.
  • belay — to cancel an order; to stop; to firmly secure a line.
  • below — down the ladder well; below decks.
  • BEQ — Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, living spaces for single enlisted Marine, usually a barracks.[16]
  • big green weenie — an expression denoting that a Marine has been "fucked over" or cheated by the Marine Corps, usually in relation to an inconvenience or unfair treatment.
  • billet — specific role or job within the unit (for example, the billet of Company First Sergeant is held by the senior enlisted man of the company and acts as the commander's advisor, usually a First Sergeant, but could be a Master Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant); not to be confused with rank, though some billets have a traditionally-held rank associated.
  • binnacle list — sick list, a list of men excused from duty; traditionally, it was posted on or near the binnacle, a large stand used to house a magnetic compass and fitting.
  • bird — unspecified aircraft.
  • blanket party — group assault on a service member, repeatedly striking him or her, preceeded by covering the victim's head by a blanket so he or she cannot identify the perpetrators.
  • blouse — military dress coat or jacket; or as a verb to tuck one's trousers into boots or otherwise secure excess pants legging.
  • boondocks or boonies — woods or wilds, far-away spaces, or that portion of the country which is inhospitable and fit only for military exercises; derived from the Tagalog "bundok" or mountain jungles of the Philippines.[6]
  • boondoggle — trip on government time and/or expense that serves no purpose other than to entertain the person making it.
  • boot — recruit, or derisive term for a Marine just out of training.[6]
The first thing a recruit sees at boot camp
  • boots and utes or boots'n'utes — boots and utility uniform, minus the blouse; sometimes used for physical training or working in hot environments.
  • boot bands or blousing bands — elastic straps or coiled springs used to roll trouser legging under at the boot and simulate tucking into the boot itself; used in blousing boots.
  • boot camp — recruit training for enlisted Marines at Parris Island, SC and San Diego, CA; while there are several explanations for it being so named, many refer to the fact that recruits wear boots nearly every day of their training.[6]
  • BOQ — Bachelor Officer Quarters, housing for single Marine officers.[17][18]
  • box-kicker — pejorative for servicemember who works in supply, specifically, a warehouse clerk.[19]
  • brain-housing group — thought processing, used as a parallel to a rifle's trigger housing group.[21]
  • brass — brass uniform items; expended casings from weapons; term for senior officers from the metal of their rank insignia.
  • brat — longtime dependent children.
  • brig — prison or place of confinement aboard ship or ashore at a Marine Corps or naval station.
  • brig rat — person who has served much brig time, a habitual offender.[22]
  • brightwork — brass or shiny metal, which Marines must polish.[23]
  • broke-dick — servicemember on light, limited, or no duty status for medical reasons.[24]
  • brown-bagger — a servicemember (usually married) who lives off base with his family, termed because he or she does not eat at the mess hall and must bring his/her meals with him.[25]
  • buddy-fucker or blue falcon — negligent or malicious disregard for another servicemember's career, comfort, or time; often for personal gain.[26]
  • bum scoop — bad information.[28]
  • bus driver — Air Force pilot, so termed for the appearance of early USAF uniforms and the function they serve.
  • busted or busted down — reduced in rank, from the term meaning "caught in the act".[6]
  • butt pack — small waist pack worn around the belt above the buttocks, similar to Fanny pack.[29] See also ass pack.
  • by the numbers or Barney-style — to perform an action in sequence and strictly according to regulations; dummy-proof, oversimplified for the benefit of lower-intelligence people.[31]
  • "by your leave, sir/ma'am." — expression used to render respect when overtaking a senior proceeding in the same direction, in conjunction with a salute; traditionally, the senior must offer permission before the junior passes him or her.[32]

C

CAC
  • C & S — "Clean & Sober" notation formerly entered on the liberty list beside the names of Marines returning from liberty in that condition.
  • CACO — Casualty Assistance Calls/Counseling Officer, a Marine detailed to help the family of a Marine killed, wounded, or captured in the line of duty.[35][36]
  • call out — to challenge, often by announcing incriminating information about a person. See also drop a dime.[37]
  • Captain's Mast — office hours afloat. The term "Captain's Mast" is almost universally negative, implying nonjudicial punishment. The modern Navy and Marine Corps use the term "Meritorious Mast" to announce any ceremony involving the meritorious award of a higher rank or of a particular recognition or honor.[42]
  • carry on — order to continue after being interrupted.
  • CAS — Close Air Support, aircraft fire on ground troops in support of nearby friendly troops.
  • CASEVAC — CASualty EVACuation, emergency evacuation of injured personnel from combat zone by any modes of transport available, as opposed to a MEDEVAC carried out by ambulance equipment designed solely for the purpose. See also MEDEVAC.[43]
  • Casual Company or CasCo — a holding unit/formation of Marines awaiting one of the following: discharge from the Corps, training (usually at a formal school), or deployment to a unit.[44]
  • catwalk — walkway constructed over or around obstructions on a ship or building.
  • CCU — Correctional Custody Unit, a hard-labor and heavy discipline unit overseen by MPs or Navy Masters-at-Arms to which Marines and Sailors found guilty of minor UCMJ offenses through NJP are sent for up to 30 days in lieu of confinement in the brig.[46][47]
  • chairborne or chairborne ranger — someone who works in an office environment, a play on airborne.[50]
A single chevron
  • charlies or chucks — The service "C" uniform, consisting of the short-sleeve khaki shirt and green trousers.
  • chaser — shortened form of prisoner-chaser or brig chaser, an escort for a prisoner or detail of prisoners.[51]
  • check fire — order to stop firing due to a safety condition, possible error or mistarget.
  • chevron — symbols of enlisted ranks above private, usually not acceptably called "stripes" unless describing the rank insignia itself.
  • Chinese field day — a form of field day where every item from a room is removed for cleaning; when tending to last much longer than necessary, it is used as a punishment, typically for unsatisfactory performance in routine field day.[52]
  • chit — voucher, receipt, letter, or note, entitling the bearer to special treatment, such as medical restrictions from duty; derived from Hindi word for "letter", "chitti".[53]
  • chow — food.
  • chow down — to eat.
  • chowhound — person who eats a great deal, or expends much effort and anticipation in daily meals.[55]
  • CIF — Consolidated Issue Facility, a place on a station where all personal equipment is stored and issued, often contracted to civilians.[56]
  • civvies — civilian clothing or mufti.
  • CNN effect — fascination or disruption created by extensive, live television presence in a combat zone. [6]
  • COB — Close Of Business, the end of working hours; or Close Order Battle, a synonym for CQB. See also beer-thirty.[6]
  • CommO — Communications Officer (S-6).
  • comrats or comm-rats — COMmuted RATions, an extra pay for married personnel to replace the loss of mess hall privileges.
  • corpsman — Navy hospital corpsman attached to a Marine unit; also known as "doc"; inappropriate to address as "medic" or "aid man".
  • cover — headgear; to align to the person in front of you in formation (regarding close order drill).
  • cover and alignment — when in a formation, this refers to the proper distance between those next to, in front of, and behind a person; to seek the proper interval.
  • covered and uncovered — when wearing and not wearing covers.
  • CPX — Command Post eXercise, or a test of command and control capabilities.
  • crew-served — short for crew-served weapon; also large and very powerful, based on a crew-served weapon being such.[6]
  • cruise — deployment aboard ship; or enlistment period, inappropriately called a stint.
  • crunchy — armored term for unmounted infantry.
  • CS — tear gas or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, a white solid powder commonly used for NBC training.
  • cumshaw — something extra or free; Pidgin English expression using the Chinese word for "grateful", "kamsia" and "thanks" "sia" (meaning thanks).

D

  • D & D — Drunk and Disorderly, an entry formerly made on the liberty list beside the name of any Marine returning from liberty in that condition.
  • DD-214 — discharge papers, from the form number.
  • dead horse — to draw advance pay out of the normal pay cycle, the Marine is then obligated to repay the debt at the government's convenience.
  • death by PowerPoint — overly long and boring brief, from the tendency of briefers to over-use the presentation software.
  • deck — floor or surface of the earth; to punch or knock down with one blow.
  • deep six — to dispose of by throwing overboard ship.
  • defecation hits the oscillation — polite version of the expression "shit hits the fan", meaning a deranged or impossible situation; so named because feces striking a spinning fan would create a large mess.
  • detachment — a portion of a unit sent independantly of its parent organization, usually in support of a larger headquarters; or a small stand alone unit isolated geographically from its parent command.
  • deuce — reference to the number two in various unit or equipment names.
  • deuce gear — see 782 gear, from the last digit in that term.
DI
  • devil dogging — correcting another Marine's minor deficiency, often in public with implied humiliation.
  • devil pup — nickname for a Marine's child(ren); or a patronizing nickname for a junior Marine
  • DI hut or duty hut — office for drill instructors in a platoon's squad bay, doubles as sleeping quarters for the drill instructor on duty. See also house mouse.
  • dickskinner or dickbeater — human hand.
  • diddy bop — poor performance in close order drill, or marching in a manner that does not present a crisp military appearance.
  • DIET — Deep Infiltration and Extraction Team, to "leap frog" across great distances by utilizing helicopters as ground refueling points to perform special missions; later known as FARP.
  • digis or diggis — digital camouflage such as MARPAT; also refers to the digital-patterned MCCUU.
  • dog — small metal fitting used to secure watertight doors, hatches, covers, scuttles, etc; also, to close/secure such door/hatch; also, slang for Marine, from the term Devil Dog.
  • dog and pony show — any display, demonstration, or appearance by Marines at the request of seniors for the pleasure of someone else, such as a ceremony or parade; also, pejorative for the requirement for over-perfection of such a venue.
  • donkey dick — slang for a virtually any piece of equipment which has a generally cylindrical shape, roughly one foot in length, with no or an unknown official name.
  • dope — information, or sight settings and/or wind corrections for a rifle under given conditions.
  • down-range — dangerous area, from the portion of a shooting range that receives impacts; also the execution of a plan.
  • drill — close order drill, the procedures and methodology of handling weapons and moving troops about in an orderly fasion, used to indoctrinate recruits in obedience to commands and military appearance.[58][59]
  • drop a dime — to reveal incriminating information about a person. See also call out.
  • dry fire — practice firing of a weapon without using ammunition in order to refine body position and other shooting fundamentals.
  • DTG — Date-Time Group, a numeric code denoting the time and date of a message.
  • dummy cord — lanyard or tether used to secure a piece of equipment to an anchor to prevent losing it.
  • duty or duty NCO — sentry responsible for patrol and security of a specific area (usually a barracks and/or working space in garrison). See also fire watch & OOD

E

EGA
  • EAS — End of Active Service, the date of discharge from active duty.
  • eightball — worthless, troublesome individual.
  • EM — Enlisted Marine/Man, very inappropriate to use today.
  • elephant hat — pith helmet issued in 1940 and worn by rifle range coaches today
  • EOD — Explosive Ordnance Disposal, responsible for the safe handling, deactivation, and removal of unexploded ordnance, the military version of a bomb squad.
  • EPD — Extra Punitive Duties, punishment assigned where the individual is required to perform cleaning duties after working hours (on his or her liberty time).

F

  • FAP — Fleet Assistance Program, a program designed to assign Marines to extra duties outside of his or her normal chain of command.
  • FARP — Forward Area Refueling/Rearming Point or Forward Arming Refueling Point, a space on the battlefield designated for the re-arming and re-fueling of aircraft.
  • fart sack — sleeping bag; linen a mattress is inserted into.
  • fat-body — overweight recruit or servicemember.
  • feather merchant — Marine of slight build, lightweight.
  • FEBA — Forward Edge of the Battle Area, the line of departure where a unit enters enemy territory.
  • field day — day or portion of day set aside for general cleanup or police of an organization's area or barracks rooms; also as a verb for the act of conducting a field day.
  • field expediency — improvisation, to make due to with what's is available.[6]
  • field hat — campaign cover, a broad-brimmed felt hat, originally with one straight crease down the middle, then with a Montana peak, worn on expeditionary missions from 1912 to 1942, and then again authorized in 1961 for wear at recruit depots by drill instructors and rifle ranges by marksmanship instructors. See also campaign cover, hat, & smokey bear/brown.
  • field meet — organized sporting competition, often involving athletics and/or soldierly skills.
  • field music — drummer, trumpeter, bugler, fifer; mostly an antiquated term.
  • field scarf — khaki uniform necktie.
  • field-strip — to disassemble a piece of ordnance or weapon to the major part groups for routine cleaning or lubricating; to strip cigarette butts to their filters before throwing away.
fifty-cal
  • fighting hole — a defensive position dug into the ground; can be dug for one Marine, a pair, or a weapon crew; once known as a "foxhole".
  • file 13 — paper shredder.
  • final protective line — the perimeter at which the enemy has begun to overrun friendly troops, signals the commencement of final protective fire in desperate self-defense.
  • finding — significant discrepancy found during an inspection.
  • fire for effect — indicates that the adjustment/ranging of indirect fire is satisfactory and the actual effecting rounds should be fired; also a euphemism for the execution of a plan.
  • fire watch — sentry on duty specifically guarding a person, place, object, or area in a non-combat area (such as a barracks); considered under arms but usually unarmed. See also duty & OOD.
  • fire watch medal — pejorative for National Defense Service Medal, so named because even recruits rate it despite firewatch being their most important duty.
  • fitness report or fitrep — report written on Marines (sergeant and above) detailing proficiency and conduct and fitness for command, reviewed for promotion.
  • float — deployment aboard ship.
  • FMF or fleet — Fleet Marine Force, the operational forces of the Corps, as opposed to reserve or supporting establishment.
  • FNG — Fucking New Guy, derogatory term for a Marine recently graduated recruit training and new to a unit.
  • FOD walk — organized effort to find and remove potentially damaging objects from a flight area.
  • form ID-10T or ID-ten-tango form — prank fool's errand where an unsuspecting Marine is asked to find the fake form, not knowing it is an orthograph for "idiot".
  • Fortitudine — former motto of the Corps in the 19th century (replaced by Semper Fidelis), from the Latin word for "fortitude".
  • four-deuce — 4.2 in. (107-mm) mortar.
  • foxhole — fighting hole as termed by the Army and Marines of the past, no longer appropriate for Marine use.
  • FRAGO — FRAGmentary Order, an addendum to published operational orders.
  • frock — to be authorized to wear the next higher grade before promotion, confers authority but not pay grade.
  • FUBAR — Fucked/Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition/Repair. See also SNAFU.[6]
  • FUBIJAR — Fuck yoU Buddy, I'm Just A Reservist.[60][61]

G

  • gagglefuck — group of Marines grouped too closely or in an unorganized fashion; from gaggle, the term for a flock of grounded geese, and clusterfuck, a term for a messy situation.
  • galley — kitchen aboard ship.
  • gangway — ship's passageway; also used to order juniors to give way to seniors in passageways, and particularly when going up and down ladders.
  • garrison — in addition to the traditional meaning, an adjective referring to not being deployed or deployable, such as buildings at a unit's home base.
  • gear — property or equipment; usually referring to an individual's combat equipment.
  • gear adrift — gear found left lying around, from the saying "gear adrift, must be a gift!".
  • geedunk — candy and other sweets. See also pogey bait.
  • general mess — enlisted mess.
  • get some — spirited cry expressing approval and the desire for more or to continue, traditionally associated in the Vietnam War to killing or sex.
  • GI — Government Issue; formerly a term for a servicemember, but now describes being squared-away or the government's idea of an ideal servicemember.
  • GI house — place where garbage is stored until it is hauled away.
  • GI shower — bathing with limited water (often with the use of baby wipes; forcibly bathing an individual who refuses to meet minimum hygiene standards.[6][62]
  • gizmo — miscellaneous, nondescript, unidentified gadget or tool.
  • go-fasters — running shoes or sneakers, named so because they help a person run faster than boots.[63]
  • good to go — expression denoting that difficulties will be overcome; ready; well done or satisfactory.[6][66][67]
  • gouge — information or news. See also word.
  • gourd or grape — pejorative for human head.
  • GOV or govvie — Government Owned Vehicle, as opposed to POV.[69][70]
  • grab-ass — horseplay, loafing, lounging.[71]
Gunny
  • grid squares — marked reference lines on a map; often used as a prank fool's errand where an unsuspecting Marine is asked to find a box of them when they don't physically exist.
  • ground guide — person who walks in front of a vehicle in order to detect and avoid obstacles and guide the driver to the proper spot.[73]
  • grunt or ground pounder — infantryman, formerly a pejorative that has taken more neutral tones.[6]
  • guide — unit guidon-bearer; in recruit training, also the senior recruit and responsible for the actions of all recruits in a platoon.[75]
  • gunner — abbreviation of Marine Gunner, the title for line warrant officers, designated as experts in various combat arms and tactics, signified by a bursting bomb designation; used informally to refer to the Officer In Charge if he or she is of warrant officer rank.
  • Gunny rolls — poorly-rolled sleeves on the MCCUU, so named from the tendency for some older Marines to take a sloppier approach to uniforms.[79]
  • gyrene — Vietnam War-era nickname for Marine, often thought an insult; combination of the words "GI" and "Marine".[80][81]

H

half-mast
  • half-mast — position of the ensign when hoisted halfway, usually done in respect to a deceased person; also called "half-staff" amongst non-naval forces.
  • hard charger — term of endearment from a senior to a junior Marine when he or she completes a difficult task, so named for charging through the assignment.
  • hashmark — service stripe worn on the uniform sleeve by enlisted men and women for completion of four years of honorable service in any of the U.S. Armed Services and Reserves.
  • hatch — door; more specifically, the watertight cover over an opening between compartments or that leads to the ladder wells between decks of a ship.
  • HBT — HerringBone Twill; the cotton material of Marine utilities from 1941 to the late 1950s.
  • HDR — Humanitarian Daily Ration, a variation of the MRE used to feed a single malnourished person for one day with 2,300 calories.
cargo being lifted via the hell hole
  • head — bathroom or latrine, a nautical term from the days of sailing ships when the designated place to defecate and urinate was forward, at the bow or "head" of the ship.
  • head shed — command post or other headquarters area where senior Marines gather.
  • headgear — hats, helmets, caps, etc.
  • heavy hat — junior drill instructor who performs more discipline and punishment tasks than his peers.
  • HEDP — High-Explosive Dual Purpose, type of armor piercing ammunition.
  • high and right — losing one's temper or rationality; from the common error of a poor shooter to jerk the trigger and impact the upper right side of a target.
  • high-speed — new, interesting, or cool; often used to sarcastically denote that the subject looks good, but performance is dubious.
  • homeslice — person, often a sarcastic overture to civilians from a drill instructor; from the terms homie and homeboy.
  • homesteading — remaining at one duty station for an extended tour or consecutive tours.[6]
  • hooch or hootch — tent, hut, or otherwise temporary or ramshackle dwelling.
  • house mouse — recruit tasked with cleaning and performing domestic chores for Drill Instructor-only areas. See also DI hut.
  • hump — carry or lift a load, originally an Australian term meaning "to carry one's swag,"; also a forced march carrying full equipment loads.
  • hurry up and wait — expression denoting inefficient time management or planning, often when a senior rushes a unit into a situation too fast that subsequently makes them wait.
  • huss — to give a helping hand, so named because the H-34 Choctaw helicopter's utility configuration was designated as the "HUS-1 Seahorse," leading to Vietnam-era Marines that needed a medical evacuation helicopter to ask for or to be "cut a huss".

I

IED
  • I & I — Inspector-Instructor, an active duty Marine assigned to supervise the training of a reserve unit.
  • IAW — In Accordance With, term often used to denote compliance with published orders or procedures.
  • IED — Improvised Explosive Device, bomb constructed, set, and detonated in unconventional warfare; the acronym can be modified to denote a specific type of IED (such as VBIED, a Vehicle Borne IED).
  • IG Inspection — official inspection of a command or unit by the IG or his representatives.
  • in country — phrase referring to being within a war zone.
  • incentive training or IT — physical training used as a punishment, especially in recruit training. See also quarterdecking.
  • inkstick — pen
  • Irish pennant or IP — loose thread, string, or strap on a uniform or equipment that detracts from a perfect appearance.
  • IRR — Individual Ready Reserve, branch of the reserve that most former servicemembers fall under upon the end of active service, may be called to involuntarily return to active status.

J

  • jarhead — pejorative term for a Marine. Jarhead has several supposed origins: the regulation "High and Tight" haircut resembles a mason jar (to add insult, some note that the jar is an empty vessel, also therefore a Marine's head an empty vessel); the Mason Jar Company stopped making jars and made the helmets for Marines during World War II.
  • Jesus slippers or Jesus boots — government-issue sandals or flip-flops for sanitation in showers. See also shower shoes.
John Wayne
  • JTF — Joint Task Force, a provisional unit or formation from more than one branch of service.
  • junk on bunk — inspection where all uniforms and equipment to be displayed is laid on the Marine's rack.

K

KA-BAR
  • kelly helmet or K-pot — 1917-model basin helmet worn during World War I until 1942.
  • keyboard jockey — person whose job causes him or her use a computer for a length of time.[6]

L

  • ladder well — stairway or ladder connecting different decks of a ship, so named because naval stairs tend to be so steep as to almost be vertical.
  • laminated — perceived semi-permanent state of issue for a normally temporary status.
  • lance coolie or lance criminal — derogatory terms for Lance Corporal.
  • LBV — Load Bearing Vest, personal equipment used to keep the most commonly used items within easy reach utilizing the PALS, usually a component of MOLLE or ILBE.
  • leatherneck — antiquated nickname for Marine, so named for legends stating that stiff leather collars were once worn to protect the throat from sword-blows (also thought that high stocks were worn for discipline, to keep Marines' heads high and straight). The dress blue uniform still bears a high stock collar today. Also, Leatherneck Magazine.
  • leggings — leg coverings made of canvas with eyelets and laces or buckles to secure the trouser legs over shoes.
  • liberty — authorized free time ashore or off station, not counted as leave, known in the Army as a "pass".
  • liberty list — list containing the names of Marines entitled to liberty and those employed by the guard during the liberty period (and thus not entitled to leave post).
  • liberty risk — a Marine with a high risk of getting into trouble on liberty.
  • lifer — career servicemember, as opposed to one who serves for a single enlistment.
  • lifertool — multi-tool, so named because a lifer would inevitably need a tool of such utility.
  • Lima Charlie or lickin' chicken — Loud and Clear, an expression meaning that the communication has been received and understood; originally exclusive to radio traffic.[6]
  • line company — lettered Marine companies or the aviation term for ground units, originally, an infantry company.
  • lollygag — dawdle or fool about.
  • long handles — long sleeved/legged undershirt/shorts.
  • lost lieutenant finder — hand-held GPS unit, a joke term on the reputation for new lieutenants to be incompetent in land navigation.[6]
  • LT — abbreviation for lieutenant, inappropriate to address as such verbally.

M

  • M — a prefix to the model number of a specific nomenclature of equipment, generally considered to denote "model" or "mark".