Posted on Dec 3, 2013
What's your favorite military "nickname" or "call sign"?
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It's no secret, we're big on nicknames in the military, and there's some really great ones out there... so, what's your favorite? It could be a nickname that you had, or someone you know, from a move or tv show; it could be a nickname for a rank, base/location, career field, position/title, weapon system, piece of gear, personnel, or just about anything else under the sun. Perhaps it was a nickname for a mascot, civilian personnel, military family member, or something altogether different that has to do w/ the military, military life, or life from the military perspective. Well, this should be an absolute blast folks; so, feel free to share any related info, facts, photos, links, historical context, or just plain entertaining sea stories. The idea here is simple, to share fun and interesting info and to learn a thing or two in the process; now let's get this thing started, so pull up a keyboard, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
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Edited 12 y ago
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 325
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We had one guy that was "Woody" and another one named "Buzz." Best part was they actually looked similar the the characters.
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SPC David Hannaman
We had two guys that roomed together, Chizmar and Escombedo, "Chiz" looked a lot like "Shaggy" and "Scooby" derived from "Escombedo". The nose art on the CH-47? "The Mystery Machine".
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Robocop. It was the nickname the guys in BMT gave me when I first got there. I was doing everything by the book, so they called me Robocop, and some of them even thought I would make Element Leader at the least. However, I ended up as the supply guy (go figure).
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When I was a company commander, I had a platoon sergeant we called Dr. Pain, based on his PT prowess and his ability to smoke us all when the need arose, which was pretty much everyday.
Most folks here won't recall CEOIs or SOIs (Communications-Electronics or Signals Operating Instructions). Before secure communications, we received our call signs via these thick books the RTOs (Radio Telephone Operators) wore around their neck. The call signs changed daily at midnight or some other ungodly hour. There was a long version, and a short version to the call sign. The long version was only used in training, or when someone new was entering your net. The short version was something like X27 or D03. They where based on position and went in 10 day cycles, so if you were in the field for 2 weeks, you were repeating your call signs beginning on Day 11. Continuous operations combined with sleep deprivation made it difficult to remember your call sign for any given day, so you either wrote it on your hand, or you got the, "Sir, you've got to be kidding me look" from your RTO when you asked him for your call sign for the 5th time that morning.
Anyway, secure communications drove the re-introduction of fixed call signs. I have 2 favorites:
Catamount 6 and Tarantula 7
Most folks here won't recall CEOIs or SOIs (Communications-Electronics or Signals Operating Instructions). Before secure communications, we received our call signs via these thick books the RTOs (Radio Telephone Operators) wore around their neck. The call signs changed daily at midnight or some other ungodly hour. There was a long version, and a short version to the call sign. The long version was only used in training, or when someone new was entering your net. The short version was something like X27 or D03. They where based on position and went in 10 day cycles, so if you were in the field for 2 weeks, you were repeating your call signs beginning on Day 11. Continuous operations combined with sleep deprivation made it difficult to remember your call sign for any given day, so you either wrote it on your hand, or you got the, "Sir, you've got to be kidding me look" from your RTO when you asked him for your call sign for the 5th time that morning.
Anyway, secure communications drove the re-introduction of fixed call signs. I have 2 favorites:
Catamount 6 and Tarantula 7
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Blue Thunderbird 3 was my call sign in the 118th Avn. Co. My first tour but my team called me Eagleheart My Indian name during and after my 2nd tour as an Infantry recon Sargent!
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Favorite Callsign was our Brigade name..."STRIKE." So you can imagine, BDE CDR/CSM.....STRIKE6 & 7
My best nickname by far was Issac Hayes because I was the intel soldier
My best nickname by far was Issac Hayes because I was the intel soldier
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With a last name like "Eichenfels," I was bound to get a nickname. Luckily it was also my grandfathers nickname, so I am fine with it. I am called "Ike" by almost everyone.
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My father, whose name I carry, was a LCDR in Naval Intelligence and in the late 1960's was an instructor at the old Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, MD. They had a WWII PT boat there that was used for infiltration exercises and as an instructor he sometimes crewed the boat. He caught the nickname...you guessed it...Ensign Parker, of McHale's Navy fame.
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Puma 6 - 'cuz that's me, at least for another week.
Red 1 - My company internal call sign as a tank PL.
These are both positions that defined me. I wasn't IN the positions. I WAS the positions.
Oddly enough, I cannot recall my Co Cmd call sign right now. It was a good job, connected with my commander, did well, got a good eval, but it was just a position I held.
Red 1 - My company internal call sign as a tank PL.
These are both positions that defined me. I wasn't IN the positions. I WAS the positions.
Oddly enough, I cannot recall my Co Cmd call sign right now. It was a good job, connected with my commander, did well, got a good eval, but it was just a position I held.
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