My best friend fought in Iraq. His nickname among his fellow grunts was Rocket or El Rocket. He's told me other nicknames they had. I have friends the Navy, Army and Air Force and they've never had or told me others' nick names...just wondering.
2006-12-15 05:15:19 · 19 answers · asked by NICK V 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
When I was in an Air Force Combat Unit, we used nicknames to disguise our name, rank, and position. I remember my boss had a degree in aerospace engineering, IE. a rocket scientist and we called him Piro. We called our head power generator guy Diesel Breath. I think the radio guy was Long Shot.
Possibly because a higher percentage of Marines are in combat positions, they have more of a need to do this. It also has to do with troops living closer together and knowing more personal things about each other than they would normally.
Interesting question. Merry Christmas
2006-12-18 17:09:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, being AF, we go by call-signs as well. Let's see, I'm not a pilot, and I've already gone through:
clean 'n proper
apostle
the wall
and a couple other less sundry names. Generally a handle doesnt stay with you between units in the AF unless you're a pilot and have an official call sign.
As to the marines, I would guess that they use nicknames so they don't have a hard time remembering real names. It's not too hard to remember everyone's nick if they all go by "ugh."
2006-12-15 08:32:25 · answer #2 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, the Navy and Marine Corps would stomp on them. Especially if they had to hold this fight anywhere besides the Continential US. The only way to move masses of tanks and other vehicles is by ship. We'd wipe out the airborne guys before the Air Force managed to move 1 army armored battalion.
2016-05-24 21:24:27 · answer #3 · answered by Emily 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We did that in the Navy, too. Everybody had a nickname. It's just something that guys do, I guess.
As for the guys who are insinuating something or other, if you want to go up to a devil dog and repeat what you wrote here, by all means do so. If not, don't use this as a forum to air what you are too gutless to say. It's easy to bash the military when you're sitting on your butt eating cheetos at home.
2006-12-15 05:20:28 · answer #4 · answered by Schmorgen 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
From what I've noticed in the Army is that army nick names are just short versions of the persons last name. ie; fisher is fish, rockafellow is rock, skilougisc is ski and most of this is done with the lower enlisted. He never had a rocket or turbo
2006-12-15 05:23:27 · answer #5 · answered by Comnec1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have nicknames in the army, too. It's different because in the marines you get a nickname in bot, and it stays with you. I've had three nicknames in the last four years.
2006-12-15 05:37:17 · answer #6 · answered by DOOM 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm former Air Force, Vietnam veteran. My nickname was Arvn of the VNAF.
2006-12-15 07:16:03 · answer #7 · answered by bonobo 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Allot of my friends in the Navy had nicknames. Allot of it has to do with how they are trained. Army soldiers are trained with idea of strength in numbers where Marines are trained as individual fighting machines.
2006-12-15 05:20:35 · answer #8 · answered by RayCATNG 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how long individuals have known each other. When I was in the Army, we called each other by our last names, because we all had name tags on our uniforms that had our last names printed on them. Later, after we got to know each other, we discovered that we also had first names, then, for our closest buddies, we used first names.
2006-12-15 07:05:23 · answer #9 · answered by TRAF 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know the marines use them as call signs for security purposes in Iraq.I only know my hubby's coworkers as their nicknames.
2006-12-15 11:56:55 · answer #10 · answered by Stephanie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋