What is your favorite unit motto?

2023-12-05T07:39:16-05:00

What have been some of your favorite mottos that you threw around the unit in your day? Just for fun, have you ever wondered what kind of mottos Army cooks like to use?

I hosted a survey through the ranks in one of my old units and the winning result was "Burn it Down." Tongue-in-cheek humor was intended. The change became very popular. Some of my NCOs and I both hated and loved the unit. It was satisfying to respond to every mission tasked to us, or every ridiculous meeting that ran well over an hour, with "Burn it down..."

Other contenders for the company motto:

- Forged in flames.
- From the ashes.
- Recipe for death.
- Shake and bake.
- Grilled to perfection.
- Just add water.
- Heat and serve.
- Chow's on the way.
- We don't play, we sauté.
- Kill 'em and grill 'em.
- Always hungry.
- Show me the bacon.
- All day action.
- Service with a smile.

Which one would you have voted for?

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Dec 5 at 2023 7:41 AM

2023-12-05T07:41:07-05:00

We were a transportation unit and our motto was "We move the world"

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Dec 5 at 2023 8:22 AM

2023-12-05T08:22:13-05:00

2-5 CAV Black Knights
" Shoot em in the face "

Response by MSgt Steve Sweeney made Dec 5 at 2023 8:23 AM

2023-12-05T08:23:02-05:00

Not an official motto, but I was with 1st MARDIV headquarters (early 90s) during a CAX exercise and the Battle Damage Estimates (BDE) kept coming back with far more dead than wounded (these were made up numbers for exercise purposes). General Wilhelm and the ADC General Bedard posited (jokingly) that we were up against a division of snipers all taking head shots and the 1st MARDIV "unofficial motto", at least for the duration of the CAX, was "We need to bleed".

As for your company motto, I would go with "Show me the bacon!" Can't go wrong with bacon.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Dec 5 at 2023 9:14 AM

2023-12-05T09:14:50-05:00

Always been fond of the Chaplain Corps motto: Pro Deo et Patria; For God and Country.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 5 at 2023 9:46 AM

2023-12-05T09:46:40-05:00

I would have voted for all of those.

Response by Maj John Bell made Dec 5 at 2023 10:53 AM

2023-12-05T10:53:41-05:00

Unofficial "If you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin." Charlie Company Marine Barracks Bangor 1985-1988.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 5 at 2023 11:32 AM

2023-12-05T11:32:32-05:00

I'm Preventive Medicine, soooo...

"Preventing Fleas, Disease, and nasty STDs"

Response by 1SG Russell S. made Dec 5 at 2023 12:26 PM

2023-12-05T12:26:04-05:00

“Second To None”

Response by Sgt Bob Leonard made Dec 5 at 2023 4:56 PM

2023-12-05T16:56:22-05:00

Strategic Air Command's (SAC) official motto:

"Peace is our Profession"

Unofficial remainder:

"War is only a Hobby"

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Dec 6 at 2023 7:36 AM

2023-12-06T07:36:04-05:00

"HOT STEEL"

Response by COL John McClellan made Dec 6 at 2023 9:58 AM

2023-12-06T09:58:13-05:00

Nec aspera terrent: No fear on Earth! Which, in the short time I was serving alongside Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, was shortened to simply "No Fear!" My thanks forever to the Wolfhounds for keeping me and my team safe in Iraq!!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2023 1:35 PM

2023-12-06T13:35:29-05:00

2009 PTT-3 "We're here to get you out" we did a lot of escort missions.

Response by SFC Robert Devincenzo made Dec 6 at 2023 6:52 PM

2023-12-06T18:52:29-05:00

Air Defense, It Fly's it Dies (or if I may) Shoot em all down and let God sort em out.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Dec 6 at 2023 8:00 PM

2023-12-06T20:00:13-05:00

"let's Go!" 325 Abn Inf Regt- 1917- regular infantry, 1942- Glider Infantry, 1947- Airborne Infantry till present day. Oldest unit in 82nd Abn Div.

Response by Sgt Sheri Lynn made Dec 7 at 2023 5:18 AM

2023-12-07T05:18:07-05:00

1LT Private RallyPoint Member this was a terrific question/discussion. I enjoyed it and all the comments very much

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 7 at 2023 5:11 PM

2023-12-07T17:11:39-05:00

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 7 at 2023 5:15 PM

2023-12-07T17:15:51-05:00

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 11 at 2023 12:35 PM

2023-12-11T12:35:15-05:00

Guess I'll go with this one, 1LT Private RallyPoint Member! De Oppresso Liber

The U.S Army interpretation of the Latin phrase De Oppresso Liber is generally considered to be "to free from oppression" or "to liberate the oppressed".

A more correct and/or literal translation of the Latin phrase de oppresso liber would be "from (being) an oppressed man, (to being) a free one".

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 11 at 2023 12:55 PM

2023-12-11T12:55:40-05:00

This is not my favorite, 1LT Private RallyPoint Member, but the origin of the 8th ID's motto "These Are My Credentials" is worthy of note. Here's the WWII story.
Charles D. W. Canham was promoted to Brigadier General and was named as the Assistant Division Commander of the 8th Infantry Division. It was in this capacity during the surrender of the German garrison at the Port of Brest that Canham spoke the words that would become the 8th Infantry Division's motto. Upon entering the headquarters of General der Fallschirmtruppe (a three-star rank) Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke, a leader of German paratroops, Ramcke demanded to know the lower ranking Canham's credentials as a condition of surrender. Unruffled, Canham pointed to the dirty and tired American soldiers he had brought with him to witness the surrender and said, 'These are my credentials.' The account of this event, which was reported in The New York Times, saw in this spontaneous statement of a combat leader the greatest tribute ever paid to the real power of the American Army, the individual soldier."

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2023 11:33 AM

2023-12-19T11:33:06-05:00

Unofficial motto of a unit I deployed with; "Let it be known, you're on your own."

Still makes me chuckle.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2024 6:32 PM

2024-01-30T18:32:22-05:00

Go for Broke. https://goforbroke.org/history/unit-history/442nd-regimental-combat-team/

442nd Regimental Combat Team – Go For Broke