American Military Language: Sometimes a Shower Shoe isn't a Shower Shoe

"list of military terms, acronyms and expressions"
Marines staff, MRE Soup (October 7, 2009)

"Sea dust: Naval term used for table salt.

"SLRP: Acronym used for Survey, Liaison & Reconnaissance Party – an organization formed from a Marine air-ground task force and Navy support element, which is introduced into an objective area prior to arrival of the fly-in echelon.

"And a wake-up: Expression used when counting down the days before leaving an assignment or duty station.

"Shower shoe: A nickname of endearment given to junior Marines fresh from boot camp… before they reach the nickname of 'boot.'

"FEBA: Acronym used for the Forward Edge of the Battle Area, the line of departure where a unit enters enemy territory...."

It's not a complete list - by far - of "military terms, acronyms and expressions." This short post does, though, go beyond the official terminology, with terms from Marines culture, like "shower shoe."

I'm fascinated by language - the way people express ideas, feelings, relationships and more. And, by the way language reflects the culture that is using it.

For a more buttoned-down look at American military terminology, check out:

• "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms"
  DTIC Online (2001, amended April, 2010)
  • pdf version of JP 1-02, "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms"

Then, there's the slightly less official - but apparently well-documented:

• "U.S. Military Abbreviation and Acronym List"
  George Edw. Seymour, George Edw. Seymour, Ph.D., Systems Information Resources (SIR)

Posts about words, what they mean and how they're used:

• "How do You Pronounce "Eyjafjallajökull," or "Eyjafjallajokull:" You Know, Iceland's Volcano?"
  (April 24, 2010)
• "Sesquipedalian!"
  (April 3, 2010)
• "What's a Vook about Hopping Rotochutes with Gigavision, Spying on a Shootout?"
  (January 14, 2010)
• "Squab! Who Would Want to Eat a Soft Padded Sofa?!"
  (January 14, 2010)
• "At Last: Mother Carey's Chickens, Explained"
  (December 15, 2009)

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A tip of the hat to USMC, on Twitter, for the heads-up on the MRE Soup post.