Military Idioms - please list/please help

prairie full moon

prairie full moon

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Joined
Dec 17, 2020
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Good Morning,

After a couple letters from my new cadet at Beast, I am buried in a wave of language that is hard to distunguish even with context clues. These are my current confusions; please clarify, give a tiny amount of background if you know. Thank you!

On the wall - means "in trouble", but what kind?
smoked - means "extra PT", but in what way?

If you know more, I would certainly enjoy the education!
 
prairie full moon said:
Good Morning,

After a couple letters from my new cadet at Beast, I am buried in a wave of language that is hard to distunguish even with context clues. These are my current confusions; please clarify, give a tiny amount of background if you know. Thank you!

On the wall - means "in trouble", but what kind?
smoked - means "extra PT", but in what way?

If you know more, I would certainly enjoy the education!
Click to expand...
Smoked (aka "Flamed"):
  • To get yelled at vociferously by an upper-class Cadet. "I got smoked by Cadet Haze for being late to formation."
  • Could also refer to current colloquial expression meaning to do something extremely well, aka "Aced". "I smoked the 2 mile run."

On the Wall:
  • To stand at attention with back against the wall, which is a preferred position to get smoked. "On the wall bean head! Recite the Days!"
  • Could also refer to the requirement for plebes to walk briskly and at attention against the wall in the barracks. "On the wall in my hallway, Mister!"
 
Smoked
Generally means that you do "extra PT" but in my experience, it's a corrective action. You did something wrong so you are told to do a bunch of random exercises. For future reference, some military schools (such as air assault) will have an huge PT session the first morning and you might some people say it was a "smoke sesh" or a "smoke fest" (or any other phrase with "smoke")

On the Wall
Cadre will often yell to get on their wall. That means everyone in the squad rush to the wall and stand at attention with their backs against the wall. When I went through Beast, we also had to have our heals against the wall, which was pure torture because we also had to have our Camelbaks. Trying to stand flat against the wall while you you have this bulging pack behind you was a nightmare.

During the school year, upperclassmen will generally enforce standards and ensure that plebes are walking along the wall

Other slang/terms/jargon that I remember a lot of people using at school:

High Speed
Used to describe someone who is competent intellectually and physically. Pretty much the ideal soldier or someone who is good at military tasks and drills. Takes initiative or demonstrates competence.

Low Speed = opposite of High Speed

If you haven't already, this link will also explain some terms you'll become familiar with during the academic year:


Please bring up any other idioms if you are confused! It makes me nostalgic and miss the good old days, even though I'm a recent old grad lol
 
Our son almost burst my eardrums once demonstrating, without warning, his newfound cadre power in our kitchen:

NEW CADET!!!! GET ON MY WALL!!!

He was delighted both to finally be the one doing the yelling as well as watching his mom's eyes pop and hands jump to her ears. Boys.
 
Prairie Full Moon, it's just starting.........My DD is a 2022, and at this point, she basically speaks only in acronyms. It is maddening!!! And in reading the posts above, I had forgotten about Plebes walking on the walls. I remember visiting her during her Plebe year, maybe parents weekend (when we could go into the barracks) and seeing them walk around all the nooks in and out of the walls. Memories!!!
 
"already smoked twice" is what's on the first letter received. I was wondering...now I know. Thanks
 
@Devil Doc whatever happened to your, "I'll sleep a lot better at night knowing that, sir" quote?:(
 
prairie full moon said:
I have another one:

"dress right ready front" - I have no idea where to start with this one
Click to expand...
To keep the ranks straight and evenly aligned, the command "dress right" instructs to align with the person to your right. In a standard formation, each squad member will put their left hand on hip with elbow pointing out to the left (except the last person in the rank who has no one to their left) and look to their right.

The command "ready front" instructs them to return to attention looking forward.
 
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