Thursday, October 22, 2020

Military Lingo 101

It was the summer of 1986 when I first met my wounded warrior (WW), Curtis. He was a senior while I was a sophomore. We met in front of the administration building of a private Christian boarding school. Established students formed a line to welcome new students. It was in this line where I first met one of the best friends I would ever make and future husband. I'm sharing this snippet of history because Curtis and I were both taught how to speak relatively proper English. Growing up in California meant that we didn't speak with a twang, drawl, or use what I thought were funny terms like 'all y'all.' I had certainly never been exposed to military lingo.

Curtis joined the Army right after graduation. I did not hear his voice again until nearly 27 years later. When we first talked, I did not think it was the same person. He had this sexy southern accent. Where did his California diction go? How could someone suddenly start speaking and sounding like someone else? It turns out that he spent a lot of his military career in the southern states. His experiences in the South took the country boy persona to a whole new level. Added to his new accent were terms I had never heard before. I'd hear him tell his boys when complaining of aches and pains, 'embrace the suck.' How does a person physically embrace a metaphor? While out shopping, I got a text asking, 'what's your grid'? My response was something to the effect of him needing to check for typos. Then there was the time I was struggling with making a career decision, and I was told 'time to cut sling load.' I remember looking at him with a very confused expression on my face. In the beginning of our relationship, I felt like I needed a Dummy's Guide to Military Lingo. At the very least, I needed one of those translation apps for my phone. I was completely out of my depth both as a caregiver and sweetheart. I wasn't a military wife who had learned the verbiage alongside their soldier. I was a middle-aged woman forced to learn a foreign language from a seasoned combat veteran.


Communicating with me was a struggle for Curtis as well. I had worked in church ministries for decades to include living overseas as a civilian. He liked to tease me for speaking the Queen's English. I tried to explain that using words that were more than three syllables was in no way similar to speaking like a Royal. He, however, used a lot of four-letter words that I found to be highly offensive. It took many months until he was able to explain that he was simply enunciating his feelings or ideas. I soon realized that there was a lot of "enunciating" in the military and not to take it personally.


It has taken several years, but I think we have sorted through our language barrier. I find myself telling people that Curtis low crawled through my defenses in regard to our courtship. The other day he told a cashier their "attitude was completely inappropriate." My heart nearly exploded with elation. He had used a five-syllable word and expressed himself properly rather than enunciating with a four-letter word. Recently, during a discussion about how life hasn't turned out like we wanted it to this year, I said, "Well, sweetheart, I guess it's time to adjust fire and move on." Every now and again, I need help translating a term when we are at a military event. I have learned a lot but have a long way still to go. It is an adjustment on both sides to learn another's language. It is even harder for the person who has chosen to leave their world behind to join that of someone in the military community. The military community is a close-knit family with its own rules, language, and traditions that can be somewhat daunting to learn. My veteran may think that the Infantry is the Queen of battle, but I think those of us who are new to the whole military life could make a good argument that we come close.


Written by Justina Lyn, Veteran Caregiver & Heroes Thanking Heroes Representative

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