How the Army changed my language!

[Ranger]

Just a random thought, but today I had to call into my insurance agent to add a new truck and I, of course, read my vin to him as 1-Foxtrot-Tango-Sierra-Whiskey... and it actually annoyed me that he read it back like 1-Frank-Tom-Sam-Water... I couldn't help but think "learn phonetics dummy".

I understand that civilians think it's 9:30 and I think it is 0930, or how civilians think it's June 5 and not 5 JUN, but phonetics people, aren't that hard to remember!

I have been out of the military a while now, but these things were pounded so hard into my brain that it seems like Chinese when other people say it differently - and don't even get me started on acronyms :).

[alxone]

the military just like most jobs has its own language

[OneGuy67]

Law enforcement uses a different set of phonetics and I have a very difficult time switching from military to LEO and vice versa, depending on which hat I'm wearing at the moment.

[rondog]

Acronyms are from the Debbil himself.....

[StagLefty]

Acronyms make life too short [Coffee]

[zteknik]

I still do it to this day and people look at me funny when I do :)
H_aiDDU5z18

[patrick0685]

yea i think the police should be the same as the .gov we use the same in ATC

[10mm-man]

I been out of the Corps for about 20 years and still to this day it pisses me off when people read it back - Henry, Elaborate, Lucy, Paul instead of Helo, Echo, Lima, Papa...... Drives me nuts![Rant1]

I feel your pain!

[Ronin13]

What really cracks me up is there is a band my friends listen to named "Whiskey Tango"... I always laugh because of what Whiskey Tango stands for (if you know you'd find it funny too).

[SA Friday]

phonics even change within the military. certain jobs use special phonics for reasons I won't get into.

[DD977GM2]

Im so glad I am not the only one who can not stand when folks who are in
the line of work where phonetic alphabet is a necessity and they are unable to
say it properly. Drives me up the wall almost as bad as fingernails on the chalkboard. [Bang][Bang]

[mcantar18c]

I said "Roger that" to the drive through lady when she told me to go to the next window last time I was in Atlanta. She gave me a funny look and probably figured I had Tourette's.

[Irving]

In insurance you need to verify all kinds of things. I was tired of hearing people say, taco, susie, etc. At the same time, I was also tired of having brain farts and not being able to think of anything, so I just looked it up and learned it.

My favorite is whiskey, because sometimes people laugh. One time a lady told me my mind was in the gutter. Another time, and I didn't even sau whiskey, some liberal, pompus, Prius driving, dick bag goes, "Well...that's certainly not the way I would have said it, but whatever." After that douche, when people say things like, "Where did yoi come up with those words?" I tell them it is only the internationally recognized phonetic alphabet.

[Great-Kazoo]

No Sierra Hotel India Tango

[Not_A_Llama]

phonics even change within the military. certain jobs use special phonics for reasons I won't get into.

Cool story, bro.

[lpgasman]

Here is the way it should be done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KXqKHSKDfQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[pepito]

In insurance you need to verify all kinds of things. I was tired of hearing people say, taco, susie, etc. At the same time, I was also tired of having brain farts and not being able to think of anything, so I just looked it up and learned it.

My favorite is whiskey, because sometimes people laugh. One time a lady told me my mind was in the gutter. Another time, and I didn't even sau whiskey, some liberal, pompus, Prius driving, dick bag goes, "Well...that's certainly not the way I would have said it, but whatever." After that douche, when people say things like, "Where did yoi come up with those words?" I tell them it is only the internationally recognized phonetic alphabet.



LOL Taco Suzie?!

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Cool story, bro.

Face! [ROFL1]

[SideShow Bob]

As mentioned, this will be with you for the rest of your life. I interact with the State Patrol on a daily basis, and find it irritating listening to their phonic alphabet .
And after the first few years after getting out, I remember walking into a restaurant, and asking a waitress which way was the latrine, and all I got on return was a funny stare.

Whiskey Tango Alpha......

[Irving]

Here is what I learned from looking it up. Is this what the military uses? The other day a guy said "K as in knot." We laughed after we figured out what he meant.

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliette
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

[zteknik]

Here is what I learned from looking it up. Is this what the military uses? The other day a guy said "K as in knot." We laughed after we figured out what he meant.

Alpha
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliette
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu
Thats how I learned it in basic in 85 and in commo school as well.
Amateur radio also uses the same phonetics as well-some are a little different,which throws me off a bit.
The millitary based there phonetics off of amateur radio.

[stevelkinevil]

Funny you say that ranger, I was an 11b, but was in the LE field for longer and so I generally default to Police phonics and occasionally mix in some mil spec phonics without thinking.

[mcantar18c]

Irving, that's the same alphabet we use today. Foxtrot is usually said as just fox, though.

[Half Live]

I use phonetics all the time in my job. When you are on the phone a lot outside on the side of the road with cars and other noises you just have to.

[Irving]

Irving, that's the same alphabet we use today. Foxtrot is usually said as just fox, though.

You're allowed to cut corners in the military? ;)

[tmleadr03]

One of the things I like about USAA is they train their people to address you by rank and to use the phonetic alphabet.

[TEAMRICO]

One of the things I like about USAA is they train their people to address you by rank and to use the phonetic alphabet.

Roger that, Break.......

I have a bad habit of saying Send It when we use the hand helds at work.
Even set my work phone to 24hrs!!!
Hard habit to break.

[Pacman89]

You're allowed to cut corners in the military? ;)

You have no idea [NoEvil] [LOL]

[BigNick73]

I wasn't even in the military and it pisses me off. Would rather they just say a b c d than try and make up a word on the spot.

[TheBelly]

phonics even change within the military. certain jobs use special phonics for reasons I won't get into.

I was hooked on phonics once.

[Pacman89]

I was hooked on phonics once.

Did it work for you? it didnt for me[Smart][ROFL1]

[TheBelly]

Did it work for you? it didnt for me[Smart][ROFL1]

I can communicate with the folks that need to communicate with me.

I'm a bit of a nerd, so my current job suits me just fine.

[Ranger]

Hua! :)

[Ronin13]

One of the bits about the phonetic alphabet that did kinda annoy me after a while (a very short while) was when young soldiers would always grumble "Whiskey tango foxtrot!" Oooh, real original there, private!

[ScooterCO]

Here are some US military versions. The british version will really make your head spin.
When dealing with the public you need to make consessions on what people will relate to. I am in insurance as well.



Military Phonetic Alphabet

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q115/swr540/PhoneticAlphabet-1.jpg

[Sharpienads]

Here are some US military versions. The british version will really make your head spin.
When dealing with the public you need to make consessions on what people will relate to. I am in insurance as well.



Military Phonetic Alphabet

Letter1957-PresentMorse Code191319271938World War IIAAlfa (or Alpha). _AbleAffirmativeAfirmAfirm (Able)BBravo_ . . .BoyBakerBakerBakerCCharlie_ . _ .CastCastCastCharlieDDelta_ . .DogDogDogDogEEcho.EasyEasyEasyEasyFFoxtrot. . _ .FoxFoxFoxFoxGGolf_ _ .GeorgeGeorgeGeorgeGeorgeHHotel. . . .HaveHypoHypoHowIIndia. .ItemInterrogatoryIntInt (Item)JJuliett. _ _ _JigJigJigJigKKilo_ . _KingKingKingKingLLima. _ . .LoveLoveLoveLoveMMike_ _MikeMikeMikeMikeNNovember_ .NanNegativeNegatNegat (Nan)OOscar_ _ _OboeOptionOptionOption (Oboe)PPapa. _ _ .PupPreparatoryPrepPrep (Peter)QQuebec_ _ . _QuackQuackQueenQueenRRomeo. _ .RushRogerRogerRogerSSierra. . .SailSailSailSugarTTango_TareTareTareTareUUniform. . _UnitUnitUnitUncleVVictor. . . _ViceViceVictorVictorWWhiskey. _ _WatchWilliamWilliamWilliamXX-ray_ . . _X-rayX-rayX-rayX-rayYYankee_ . _ _YokeYokeYokeYokeZZulu_ _ . .ZedZedZedZebra

Well that chart didn't work well...

Lol. Thanks for the effort, though.

But I thought "E" was "Eunuch"?


Yeah, Farva, I got a Porsche, brown, Washington plates. Eight - Donna - Peanut - Eunuch


Roger, Checking.

[losttrail]

Just a random thought, but today I had to call into my insurance agent to add a new truck and I, of course, read my vin to him as 1-Foxtrot-Tango-Sierra-Whiskey... and it actually annoyed me that he read it back like 1-Frank-Tom-Sam-Water... I couldn't help but think "learn phonetics dummy".

I understand that civilians think it's 9:30 and I think it is 0930, or how civilians think it's June 5 and not 5 JUN, but phonetics people, aren't that hard to remember!

I have been out of the military a while now, but these things were pounded so hard into my brain that it seems like Chinese when other people say it differently - and don't even get me started on acronyms :).

I'm with you, brother.

Very often when I write a date someone says, "Former military?"

Sierra November Alpha Foxtrot Uniform

[Ranger]

I'm with you, brother.

Very often when I write a date someone says, "Former military?"

Sierra November Alpha Foxtrot Uniform

Yea, I get that a lot when I write out dates or do phonetics. As for FORMER military, my new take on an old saying: "old rangers never retire, they wait til they are in hell to regroup". [UZI]

[Irving]

So this happened just today.

Lady says her plate number is "BDT"

I repeat back, "I've got Bravo, Delta, Tango?"

She says, "No it's Bravo, ....COBRA,Tango."

I laugh, then laugh some more and say, "NICE, Bravo, Charlie, Tango."

She says, "Charlie, okay. I was trying to think of something military sounding."

I laugh for 6 minutes straight and tell her she did a great job.

[Sharpienads]

That made me laugh out loud.

[RobertB]

I was hooked on phonics once.

[Danny Vermin]...once.[/Danny Vermin]

[Irving]

One time, when my fiance was talking to a guy, and he heard that her last name sounded Hispanic, his phonetic alphabet all the sudden included "T as in taco, N as in nacho, S as in salsa, ect."


Sometimes I'm feeling froggy and have to fight the urge to use inappropriate phonetics on purpose.

"Yes ma'am, that is 186 Foreskin Jihad 323 Rape Holocaust."

[Ranger]

"Yes ma'am, that is 186 Foreskin Jihad 323 Rape Holocaust."

That is actually a little disturbing :)