Australia Military Jargon

I believe this terminology is very useful for military members and particularly to whom concern with Australia.

TRI-SERVICE JARGON

Operational Zone - Sharp End

Support Zone - Blunt end

Recreation/Sport - Sportie (and Sporty)

To leave the Service - Pull the Pin

Morning Tea - Smoko/Stand Easy/Mornos

Dress / Clothing - Clobber / Rig / Civvies

Prepare barracks for an inspection - Panic

Corrective Training - CT / Additional Training

Parade Drill - Square Bashing

Confined to Barracks - Restriction of Privileges

Rumour -Furphy / Buzz

Trip or pleasant easy duty - Jolly / Swan

TRI-SERVICE PHRASES / IDIOMS

To become very angry - Spit the Dummy

To be charged with a legal offence - To be put on a fizzer /charged

To be paraded to the CO for misbehaviour - To be fronted/To be on the Mat

In Cells(Jail) - In the Clanger / Slotted/Boobed

Make a mistake - make a clanger

NAVAL JARGON AND ABBREVIATIONS

RANKS

Able Seaman - Able/AB

Leading Seaman - Leading hand/Kellick/Leader

Petty Officer - PO

Chief Petty Officer - Chief

Midshipman - Mid, Middy

Sub Lieutenant - Subbie

Lieutenant - Two-ringer

Lieutenant Commander - Two and a half

Commander and above - Brass Hat

POSITIONS

Captain - Skipper

Executive Officer - XO, Number One

First Lieutenant - Jimmy

Supply Officer - Pusser

Gunnery Officer - Guns

Engineering Officer - MEO / WEO

Seaman Officer or Seaman - Fish head

Navigator(Ships) - Pilot

Chief Coxswain - Swan

Doctor - Quack

Education Officer - Schoolie

Musician - Bandie

Naval Aviator - Birdie

Diver - Bublie

Sailor in the engineering trades - Stoker

Writer or clerk - Scribe

Electrical Sailor - Greenie

Army (Officers) - Pongos

(Soldiers) - Grunts

Reservists - Rockies

THE SHIP :

Floor - Deck

Officers’ Mess - Wardroom

Junior Sailor’s club - Wets

Entrance or “Bridge” from ship to wharf - Gangway or brow

Ceiling - Deckhead

Wall - Bulkhead

Room - Cabin

Bed - Bunk / Pit / Rack

Toilet - Heads

Kitchen - Galley

Hospital / First Aid - Sick Bay

Leaving Ship - Going ashore/Stepping

Returning to ship - Coming onboard

Go ashore without leave or desert - Jump Ship

Sailors for trial for legal crimes - Defaulters

National Flag - ANF / Jack

RAN Flag - White Ensign

0800hrs - Colours

Star work - Turn to

Meal -Scran

Cigarettes - Durries

Take afternoon off for personal care of

Clothing and kit - Make ‘n’ mend/makers

Washing clothes - Dhobying

Mate - Oppo

To be discharged from a ship or from Navy - Pay Off

ARMY JARGON AND ABBREVIATIONS

FORCES

Navy - Pussers

Army - Green Machine / Grunts

Air Force - Raafies

CORPS

Infantry - Grunts

Armour - Tankies / Turret Heads

Psychologists - Shrinks

Dentists - Fang Farriers

Medical - Medics

Chaplains - God Botherers

Transport - Truckies

Artillery - Drop Shorts / Gunners

Signals -Sparks / Sigs

Education - Chalkies

RAEME - Spanners

Legal - Legal Eagles / Legal Beagles

Military Police - Cherry Berets/ Meatheads

Engineers - Ginger Beers / Sappers

Intelligence - Spooks / Int

Rank:

Private - PTE/Dogger /Dig

Lance Corporal - LCPL / Lance Jack

Corporal - Corp / Bomber

Sergeant - SGT / Sarge

Staff Sergeant - SSGT/Staff

Warrant Officer/Class Two - WO2/SSM/CSM( Sar Major)

Second Lieutenant - 2 LT / Subby

Lieutenant - 2 LT/Subby

Captain - CPT

Major - MAJ

Lieutenat Colonel - LTCOL

Colonel -COL.Red Tab

Brigadier - BRIG / The Brig

Major General - MAJGEN / the General

Lieutenant General - LT GEN / The General

SPECIALIST TERMS

Helicopter - Chopper

Bush Hat - Giggle Hat

Green Woollen Jumper - Howard Green

Disrupted Patterned Camouflaged Uniforms -Cams /DPCU

Mess Dress - Mess Kit

Chevron -Hook (on NCO’s arm)

Absent Without Leave - AWOL

Hospital / Outpatients - RAP

Discharge - Pull the Pin

OR’s Club - Sportsmans Bar / Boozer

GENERAL ITEMS

Cigarette - Durrie

Cup of Tea / Coffee - Brew cuppa

Support units who seldom go bush - Pogoes Pogues

Bar Credit - Chit

Morning Tea - Mornos

½ price drinks - Happy Hour

Sport / Recreation - Sportie

Trip or easy task - Swan

Food - Tucker

RAAF JARGON and ABBREVIATIONS

RANK

Aircraftsman - AC

Aircraftswoman - ACW

Leading Aircraftsman - LAC

Leading Aircraftswoman - LACW

Corporal - CPL

Sergeant - SGT / Snake

Flight Sergeant - FSGT / Flight

Warrant Officer - WO / WOFF

Warrant Officer Disciplinary - WOD

Warrant Officer Engineer - WO Eng (ENG)]

Flying Officer - FLGOFF

Flight Lieutenant - FLTLT

Squadron Leader - SQNLD

Wing Commander - WGCDR / Wingco

Group Captain - GPCAPT

General Expressions

Ground Defence personnel - Ground defender / ADG

Fitters - Blackhand gang

Equipment / Supply - Box Packers

Carpenter - Chippy / Wood Butcher

Education - Edo

Transport - Truckies

Chaplain - Padre

RAAF Security Police - SECPOL /Spits/Screws

Electricians - Sparkies

Fighter pilots - knuckleheads / Knucks

Ground Crew - Erls

Air Crew - Fly boys

Transport pilot / Squadron - Trash Hauler

Very young officers of lowest rank - Bog Rats / Boggies

Mysterious problems in equipment - Gremlins

Hercules Aircraft - Herc


(adapted from http://erkoritsumeikan.wordpress.com)