For Marines. "FULL METAL JACKET" and "THE SHORT TIMERS".?

Question

I've always been a Kubrick fan, so needless to say I've seen FULL METAL JACKET countless times. I finally got around to reading THE SHORT TIMERS, the book which the movie is based on. It was written by Gustav Hasford, who was a Marine war correspondent in Vietnam.

In both the book and the film, the Marines always go by their nicknames (Joker, Rafterman, Animal, 8-Ball, Cowboy, Crazy Earl, The Rock, Mr. Touchdown, Captain January). In the film, there is a scene where Modine's character, talking to a Lieutanant he's just met, addresses himself as "Sergeant Joker".

Was this common in the Marines, or was this just done for the sake of the film and the book?

For Marine Vietnam vets who saw Full Metal Jacket but not read THE SHORT TIMERS, here is a link to the whole text.

http://www.gustavhasford.com/ST2.htm

Like most book/movies, the book is more detailed and the story is somewhat different from the film. I think it's the "ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" of the Vietnam war.

Answer 1

Never read the book. I was a jarhead for 7 years. Everybody had nicknames and we went by them. I was introduced the CG FMFLANT as Sgt. Face (not my name). We gave the Corps nicnames like 'the suck' and 'the big green weinie'. Marines don't like real names very much we are silly that way. We call each other jarheads, devil dogs, and leathernecks, air force guys are flyboys, army guys are dogfaces, sailors are squids. My screen name still honors my MC nickname. Suzy Rottencrotch was the nickname of your girlfriend who was at home cockolding you with a guy named 'Jodie.' We also had a whole 'in-language' based on naval terms and curse words.

One time we were mainside after a change of command parade and one of the other squad leaders in my platoon invited me to his house to eat and then get sh*t faced (Marines like beer). He called his wife to tell her to cook enough food because 'faceman' was coming over. She didn't know who faceman was. He couldn't remember my real name so he had to ask. I had known this guy for at least 3 years and he only knew my nickname. That's how pervasive nicknames are in the suck.
Many nicknames are vulgar as Marines are not choir boys. Marines like to use the F word in their daily speach as well as their nicknames.
Semper Fi - Do or Die

Answer 2

I don't know about the Marines, but in the Army we mostly addressed each other by our last names and sometimes nicknames. Almost never used first names.

Answer 3

Sorry. I never was reading the book.

But I am a great fan of that movie.
And o/c all other Kubrick movies...


Aaron.

Answer 4

It is a common practice in the military to get a nick name. Mine was ANDY or STORES. One of my troops was ROOT BEER because that's all he'd drink. One was PINOCCHIO because of his last name SOUNDED like that. If your name was of Polish background you were SKI, we had a CHIEF because he was of Cherokee background, DOC was our medical types, guy in my band was FRENCHY (last name was Rodriquez..go figure), Burke became STONY BURKE (old time cowboy movie star), DIGGER O'DELL from the movie THE LIFE OF RILEY which had an undertaker named O'dell, HOOT GIBSON (last name Gibson...old time movie star), Smiths were SMITTY, one of my troops was PSYCHO SIMON for obvious reasons, one of t he ladies who I was stationed with was 4'10" and her nickname was STRETCH, SLICK, RED, STEW (cook), TEX (this guy was from ALABAMA!) and on and on.

Answer 5

that is common in all branches of military. we had a guy called "neck" because he had no neck then "bird" his last name cardinal. there are several more i cant think of now, and as far as messing with butter bars "Lt" that was all the time, manly because they were so young and naive.

Answer 6

It's common, in Vietnam My nickname was slim!!!!!!