What is the strangest name or nickname you've ever heard in the military?

1SG Michael Blount — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:03:28 -0500

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Feb 15 at 2015 10:06 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:06:47 -0500

I have two (2):
1. My first Iraq tour had a guy with the last name of McMichen. He ended up with the nickname "Chicken"
2. My inspection during Basic was done by a 1SG whose last name was "Major", so he was called First Sergeant Major

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 15 at 2015 10:24 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:24:55 -0500

In bootcamp there was a Recruit named with the last name Marine running around. I always wondered what his Drill Instructors called him, because we're very particular about not being called Marine until Graduation.

When I was on Quantico, we had Capt. America running around (until he was promoted to Maj.).

When I was at 3/1, there was a guy we call Z-alphabets. His last name started with a Za..something... yah... Z-Alphabets.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 1:39 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 01:39:31 -0500

Not necessarily strange but in Basic we had a dude named Balmholder (SP) who was caught in the latrine taking care of himself and was known as "PALMHOLDER" the rest of the time there.

Hopefully this does not break etiquette for the site.

Mine was "Mr. Tropicana" because coming from Florida and having Puerto Rican blood I was very dark at the time. Therefore where I was not tan it was extremely noticeable. LOL!

Response by Maj Matt Hylton made Feb 18 at 2015 10:09 AM

Maj Matt Hylton — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:09:15 -0500

AF fighter & bomber guys are big on callsigns. When I got to my second duty station up at the 354 Fighter Wing in Alaska, I was introduced at the Wing CC's staff meeting as Lt Hylton. The Wing King stopped the meeting & told my boss to wait. He looked at me and asked what my name was again and I told him "Hylton, sir."

He was an F-16 pilot. He looked right at me and pointed "No naming ceremony necessary, your callsign is Paris." Of course he said this in the room full of other group and squadron commanders on base, so there was no getting away from that nickname. Everyone in the room started laughing and clapping.

Response by CPT Richard Riley made Feb 18 at 2015 11:18 AM

CPT Richard Riley — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 11:18:18 -0500

I've had the nickname 'punchbowl' since my high school graduation party & guess it will never change.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2015 2:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:09:44 -0400

"Blue Falcon" You know, 1SG.....

Response by PO3 Steven Taylor made Aug 5 at 2015 10:22 AM

PO3 Steven Taylor — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 10:22:56 -0400

We had a short round BT called Tugboat on the Indy
, another one an MMC told me about had big ears so they called him Wingnut

Response by CPT Stephen Parker made Mar 20 at 2016 1:55 PM

CPT Stephen Parker — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 13:55:49 -0400

Before I was in the US Army I was an officer at sea and C-130 pilot in the Coast Guard. One C-130 pilot (not me) at CGAS Clearwater over-rotated on takeoff and the weight-bearing pad on the bottom of the ramp dragged on the runway and trailed a shower of sparks. That pilot was forever after "Sparky".

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Mar 20 at 2016 2:45 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 14:45:37 -0400

My last trail at FT Jackson, we had a PVT with the last name of Bilbo. Yep, you guessed it -- for the next ten weeks "BILBO BAGGINS"

Response by 1SG Ronnie Miller made Mar 22 at 2016 9:07 AM

1SG Ronnie Miller — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 09:07:28 -0400

I had a young SGT named Sergeant Major. His father by the way; was a SGM in the Army.

Response by CPL Bruce Lee made Apr 14 at 2017 10:01 PM

CPL Bruce Lee — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 22:01:14 -0400

Well, I am Bruce Lee Jr lol.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 14 at 2017 10:26 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 22:26:24 -0400

In my old air guard unit, we had a Maj. Woody

Response by CPL Dan Merchant made Apr 15 at 2017 10:31 AM

CPL Dan Merchant — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 10:31:25 -0400

In one unit we had a guy from Boston with an Italian last name he became Pvt Pinhead easier to say. Then another guy who had protruding eyebrows was nicknamed Blade as in dozer blade. Then there was Oty (real name) we always teased him about Garfield the cat beating him up, until we actually got a Garfield in the unit. Then there was me I had three at the same time Ogre, Death ( Death Merchant haha) and my section Sgt called me BDU we had a disagreement over what it stood for. Mine was Brilliant, Dependable and Understanding. His was Big Dumb and Ugly lol Great NCO taught me a lot.

Response by PO2 Chester Evitt made Jul 24 at 2018 7:30 PM

PO2 Chester Evitt — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 19:30:55 -0400

we had a kid ,who was super skinny,we all called him scuds,not sure why ,just stuck to him.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2018 3:52 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 15:52:35 -0400

When I was at reception station gor the Army, one of the recruites was names Joe Badass Freedom. Legally changed. Quit day 3.

Response by Cpl Kevin W. made Oct 21 at 2018 11:24 PM

Cpl Kevin W. — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 23:24:49 -0400

My last name is Wolfe and i had a Lt. that would call me coyote.

Response by HN Marty Smith made Oct 22 at 2018 1:33 PM

HN Marty Smith — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 13:33:26 -0400

Went to boot and corps school with a gut had 24 letters in last name....we called him alphabet

Response by SSG Byron Howard Sr made Oct 22 at 2018 10:06 PM

SSG Byron Howard Sr — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 22:06:21 -0400

When I was at the 1st Inf Photo attached to 121 Sig I would order stuff and I knew how to fill out a order request I think it was 2765. I used to be a 63C. My name is Byron Gerard Howard so I would dog In the back BG Howard. We got all kinds of stuff till the maintenance people realized there was no BG Howard. When they approached me about and ask who was BG Howard I told them I have no idea. They showed me the back of the card I said that's me Byron Gerard Howard everybody else signs it. We never got nothing after that.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Jun 21 at 2019 9:40 AM

CW4 Craig Urban — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 09:40:51 -0400

I like smoke if u got any. Did they mean dope?

Response by 1SG Clifford Barnes made Jun 21 at 2019 4:17 PM

1SG Clifford Barnes — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 16:17:32 -0400

Mine was Grumpy

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Jun 21 at 2019 6:20 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 18:20:11 -0400

One of the DS under my supervision had the last name "Banks". Of course, he got the immediate nick name "Money". Had another (she was a DS Candidate, never did graduate the Academy) - her last name was McFarlane. She got the nickname "Spanky", but it was quickly dropped for PC reasons

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2019 3:31 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:31:59 -0400

disgusting, but here goes. When I was a company CO, I had a PFC that everyone called Skeeter. Much to my chagrin, I foolishly asked someone why they called him Skeeter. Apparently this guy and his buddy were in a 3 way with a female, one on each end, and his buddy got a little overzealous and "slipped out" right at the moment of release. skeet, skeet, skeet and hit this kid right in the chin. hence the nickname "skeeter"

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jul 17 at 2019 3:42 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:42:55 -0400

Canadian F-18 pilot, call sign Twitch. And it was off color....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 17 at 2019 6:00 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:00:14 -0400

MAJ Dick

Response by Patricia Overmeyer made Jul 17 at 2019 6:37 PM

Patricia Overmeyer — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:37:37 -0400

I knew a young Army Sgt. whose name is Oscar Sierra, third generation with that name. His dad was in Nam, his grandfather was in WWII/Korea so I imagine there was quite a tradition of harassment through the years. Whenever he was asked his name, he'd say Oscar Sierra. Reply, OS what? Drove him nuts.
My husband's nickname in Nam was TWO. His initials.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Jul 17 at 2019 6:53 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:53:37 -0400

During one BCT cycle at Jackson, we had an IET Soldier last name of "CUTEE", and he was a male. No way on God's green earth I was going to call him "cutie". I believe that same cycle had another IET Soldier last name of "BILBO". That was just an invitation for references to Lord of the Rings.

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Jul 17 at 2019 6:57 PM

1SG Michael Blount — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:57:20 -0400

During my second Iraq tour, one of the units we were replacing had a guy with the last name of Drag. Fortunately, he was an LTC by time I met him, but for a while he was MAJ DRAG. Only in the Army

Response by MSgt J D McKee made Jul 20 at 2019 1:09 AM

MSgt J D McKee — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 01:09:49 -0400

I actually knew a SSgt (e5) in the af with the last name of "Major" .... we didn't have those in the AF, he should have went in the Army....

Response by SMSgt Ronald Crowder made Aug 29 at 2019 10:44 AM

SMSgt Ronald Crowder — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 10:44:57 -0400

Once new a FEMALE airman. Her name tag said "SCREWS".

Response by AN Mark Payne made Aug 29 at 2019 8:17 PM

AN Mark Payne — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 20:17:30 -0400

"Opie"