"As You Were"
This military term is used by an officer to continue what you were doing or to indicate a correction to a previous order or comment.

ASAP
As Soon As Possible.

"All Hands"
Everyone.

"Aye Aye"
Yes. A naval expression.

Barracks
Buildings where single Marines live or a duty station where they serve.

Battalion
A unit containing multiple companies. It is typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. Battalions are normally assigned to a regiment.

BDU
Battle Dress Uniform. The official name for cammies.

Beacon
A light or electronic source which emits a distinctive or characteristic signal used for the determination of bearings, courses, or location.

Brass
Officers.

Brig
A jail in the naval services usually operated by Marines.

Bunker
A covered and reinforced fighting hole.

By-The-Numbers
In sequence.

"Carry On"
An informal order to continue what you were doing before being interrupted, usually by the appearance of a commissioned officer.

Casual Company
Unit of Marines awaiting reassignment.

Chain of Command
The continuous chain of authority that links the most junior private to the General and vice versa. In other armies the loss of a commander would throw the entire organization into disorder while in the Marine Corps, the next most senior person present just assumes command. It is taught that whenever two Marines are walking together, one is in charge.

Charlie Echo Code
A numerical code devised by aviators during the Vietnam War after they were admonished for their frequent use of profanity and unkind references to staff and command personnel. The code was a three-digit number with each number having a specific meaning. It was used in the form “Charlie Echo 103”.

Chow Hall
Place where meals are served, sometimes called a Mess.

Close Air Support
A concept developed by Marines during the Bananna Wars of the 1930s, copied by the Germans in World War II and perfected by the Marines ever since. Aircraft strafe enemy positions or formations only yards from the Marine front line. Marine aviators are most proficient at it but flying sailors also do an acceptable job. The Navy calls it, "Moving mud to help out the grunts."

CO
Commanding Officer.

Company
A unit containing more than one platoon. They are typically commanded by a captain. Companies are assigned within Battalions.

Cover
Caps, hats and other things worn on the head. Marines wear covers, regardless of what the headgear actually is. A Marine's cover is always removed when indoors unless that Marine is armed. Also, in ranks, to align directly behind the Marine in front of you.

Division
A unit containing multiple (usually three) regiments plus supporting units, commanded by a major general.

Fighting Hole
Called a Fox Hole by the Army, it is an entrenched position for one or more Marines in a static warfare situation.

Firebase
An artillery support position.

Firefight
A fight or skirmish between ground units.

"Fire In The Hole"
An alert that an explosive device is about to be detonated. If you hear this you probably missed all of the other warnings and are about to be blown away.

Fire Team
The basic infantry fighting unit consisting of four Marines with various weapons and support. Fire teams are combined into squads.

Fleet
A group of ships usually under the command of a flag officer. Also "In the Fleet", a term used to indicate the Marine Corps beyond boot camp and technical school. It is "in the fleet" that a Marine does his or her job.

"Get Some"
To kill an enemy, or have sex.

"Good To Go"
A phrase delivered with the usual Marine exuberance meaning I am ready or the piece of equipment is ready or that despite what may appear to be obstacles, the mission will be completed.

Grease
To kill.

Grid Square
A standard grid square on a military map is 1000 meters by 1000 meters.

Grunt
Slang for the basic infantryman (usually a rifleman).

Head
Toilet.

HQ
Headquarters.

"Incoming"
An alert that something is coming at you, often enemy fire or artillery.

KIA
Killed In Action.

Klick
Slang for a kilometer, 1,000 meters or .62 of a mile.

Leatherneck
A Marine. The phrase comes from the early days of the Marine Corps when enlisted men were given strips of leather to wear around their necks. The popular concept has it that the leather was to protect the neck from a saber slash. Truth is that it was to keep the Marines from slouching in uniform by forcing them to keep their head up.

"Lock and Load"
The firing line command to put the weapon's safety to the on position and load the weapon with ammunition and await further orders from the range officer. In combat an informal command to prepare to fight.

LZ
Landing Zone.

Medevac
Medical evacuation, the term generally used to identify the mission of Marine aircraft involved in rescuing wounded, injured, and sick personnel.

MIA
Missing In Action.

"Ooohraah"
A sound made by a Marine to indicate agreement or to provide encouragement.

"Out"
I am finished talking and do not expect a reply from you.

"Over"
I am finished talking, I am now expecting you to talk.

Phonetic Alphabet
The Marine Corps uses a phonetic alphabet for spelling or coding messages sent via radio. Alpha=A, Bravo=B, Charlie=C, Delta=D, Echo=E, Foxtrot=F, Golf=G, Hotel=H, India=I, Juliet=J, Kilo=K, Lima=L, Mike=M, November=N, Oscar=O, Papa=P, Quebec=Q, Romeo=R, Sierra=S, Tango=T, Uniform=U, Victor=V, Whiskey=W, X-ray=X, Yankee=Y, Zebra=Z.

Platoon
A unit consisting of four squads. It is assigned to a company and is generally commanded by a lieutenant. It is the basic working unit in boot camp where its leaders are drill instructors.

Point
Lead Marine in a patrol. Lead element in a company.

POW
Prisoner Of War.

R and R
Rest and Relaxation. A respite from combat.

Recon
To patrol looking for enemy movements and facilities in order to gain information. Generally, contact is avoided if at all possible.

"Saddle Up"
Slang, means get your gear on and get ready to move out.

Secure
To stop work or to lock up for safe keeping.

Sit-Rep
Situation report.

Small Arms
Weapons of small calabre and usually requiring only one person to operate as opposed to crew-served weapons. This is not a precise term as some crew-served weapons, such as smaller machine guns are usually called small arms.

Strobe
A pocket-sized strobe light used to help pilots locate whatever you're trying to tag. Shaped like a grenade, it gives off a bright glow only visible to a pilot's night vision targeting computer. Usually used during the night to pinpoint landing zones or airstrike locations.

Zero-Dark-Thirty
Pre-dawn; Early.

Zero/Zero
Zero ceiling, zero forward visibility, as in flight conditions.