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The Military Has a Vocabulary All its Own. Here are Some Common Terms and Phrases

How would you respond if you heard someone say, “I’m a 90A, and I just finished up as the S1 for the 728th. I ran the battalion PAC and was responsible for OERs, NCOERs, awards and all MILPO actions”?

The military jargon used to communicate systems, positions, geography and terminology is plentiful. Within the military, it’s a shorthand that makes communication more efficient, although to civilian listeners, it can be confusing to say the least.

The U.S. military uses many unique items and concepts that civilians aren't exposed to. Because of this and the need for expedient, clear communication, service members are immersed in a linguistic world apart from the daily life of a civilian. Some are self-explanatory and others are completely cryptic, but they each have a specific and important (sometimes) meaning.

Be sure to check out Military.com's Glossary of Military Acronyms .

If you want to know more, check out our complete guide to the military alphabet .

What is Military Slang?

Military slang refers to the unique jargon and expressions commonly used by service members in the armed forces. Military slang is a way for soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coasties to not only communicate more efficiently, but also as a way to build camaraderie with “insider” language.

Military slang typically includes abbreviations and other shortened ways of saying things, such as acronyms, nicknames for equipment, and more. It’s often direct and tinged with dark humor, reflecting the culture.

Military jargon and slang can change from region to region, and sometimes evolve over time and with different missions.

Military Terms, Slang, and Jargon

11 Bullet Catcher/Bang-Bang -- An Army infantryman.

40 Mike-Mike -- An M203 grenade launcher, usually mounted under an M-16 or similar weapon.

Air Picket -- Any airborne system tasked with detecting, reporting and tracking enemy aerial movements within a certain area of operation.

Alpha Charlie -- Military alphabet used to represent ass chewing. Defines getting verbally reprimanded.

Anymouse -- A lockbox on Navy ships where sailors may drop anonymous suggestions.

Ass -- Armored vehicles such as Strykers and Tanks.

Ate-Up -- Describes a service member who follows regulations so closely that they disregard the context of the situation. Conversely, may describe a service member who doesn't understand regulations at all.

Band-Aid -- A Vietnam-era term for a medic.

Bang-bang -- An Army term describing a pistol or rifle.

Big Voice -- Term used to describe the loudspeaker on a military base. The Big Voice warns of everything from incoming attacks to scheduled ordnance disposal.

Bird -- Helicopter.

Bitchin' Betty -- Most U.S. military aircraft feature warning systems that frequently utilize female voices. The phrase is derived from the same anthropomorphizing applied to GPS units in cars, only Bitchin' Betty's alert pilots to life-threatening situations.

'Black' on ammo, fuel, water, etc. -- A common phrase denoting a particular resource is gone.

Blowed up -- The state of being hit by an IED.

Blue Falcon -- A euphemism for buddy **** or buddy ****er, which is slang for a backstabber.

Bolo -- A derogatory remark for recruits who cannot pass marksmanship training. The idea being that if one cannot use a rifle, one must resort to a bolo.

Bone -- A B-1 bomber.

Bull**** Bomb -- A package intended to disperse propaganda leaflets.

Bullwinkle Badge -- Another name for the Air Assault Badge.

Burn Bag -- A bag used to hold shredded documents, designed to be burned. May also refer to a useless person.

Cannibalize -- The act of taking workable parts of one item and using them in another.

Chancre Mechanic -- Medical officer who checks service members for venereal diseases.

Charlie Foxtrot -- Commonly used expression utilizing the military alphabet to stand for clusterf***.

Chem-Light Batteries -- A mythical object that would be extremely, functionally pointless. Often the source of fruitless hunts embarked upon by hapless privates.

Chest Candy -- Ribbons and medals worn on a uniform. Can be insulting or applauding.

Chicken plates -- Sheets of protective material, called Small Arms Protective Inserts, which are used in the Interceptor body armor system.

Comics -- Term used to describe maps presented by military intelligence. The term is fairly derogatory in nature as a slight against the accuracy of the maps. It also refers to the brightly colored layouts and symbols usually included.

Commo -- Communications equipment or the individuals who operate it. Usually given to communications officers on U.S. Navy vessels.

CONUS -- Continental United States, the 48 states on the U.S. mainland (not including Alaska or Hawaii.)

Crank -- Navy term for a sailor pulling temporary duty in the galley.

Crumb Catcher -- Military slang describing the mouth.

Crusher -- Hats worn by pilots during World War II. The hat's wide top brim would need to be crushed down to allow for headsets to be worn.

DD 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) -- Every separated service member receives a Department of Defense (DD) Form 214 upon retirement, separation, or discharge from military service. This document states all the information related to their time of service (such as assignments, awards, dates of service, etc.) as well as the type and characterization of the discharge.

Dear John -- Common term referring to a significant other breaking up with a service member through a letter.

Demilitarized Zone -- A specific area in which any type of military force -- including but not limited to personnel, hardware and infrastructure -- are banned.

Digit Midget -- Usually used with a number as a prefix. X digit midget refers to the number of days till an individual goes on leave or retires.

Digies -- Digital camouflage worn by soldiers and Marines.

Dittybopper -- A term in the Army referring to signals intelligence radio operators trained to utilize Morse code. Also used as a verb to describe soldiers marching out of synch with a cadence.

Dope on a Rope -- Derogatory term used for air-assault soldiers.

Dust-off -- Specifically, a medical evacuation by helicopter.

Duty Station -- the geographic location at which a service member is conducting official duties. This may be a temporary location for professional military education or training, or it may be permanent (i.e., home station).

Dynamited Chicken -- Term originating in the Navy referring to chicken cacciatore or chicken a la king.

Embed -- When a reporter stays with the military in order to conduct journalistic business. They typically are provided with security and basic necessities provided by the unit they are embedded with.

Expectant -- A casualty who is expected to pass die.

Eagle Keeper -- Maintenance crew chief of an F-15 .

Fang -- A verb to describe being rebuked, called out or otherwise disparaged.

Fangs -- A Marine Corps term for one's teeth.

Fart Sack -- Refers to a sleeping bag or an airman's flight suit.

Farts and Darts -- Refers to the clouds and lightning bolt embellishments found on Air Force officer caps.

Fashion Show -- A Naval punishment where a sailor is required to dress in each of his uniforms over a period of several hours.

Fast Mover -- A jet fighter. Aptly named due to the rapidity of a jet fighter's movement.

First Light -- The time of nautical twilight when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.

Flaming ***hole -- An Air Force term to describe the fiery effect of a jet plane turning on its afterburners during combat or any other military operation.

Flight Suit Insert -- Air Force slang for a pilot.

Fitty -- An M2 .50 caliber machine gun.

Five-Sided Puzzle Palace -- The Pentagon.

FOB (Forward Operating Base) -- Larger than a COP (smaller base located in a particularly hostile area.) A FOB typically offers more resources and comfort provisions such as hot meals, hot water and laundry facilities.

Football Bat -- An individual or way of doing things that is particularly odd.

Force Projection -- The ability of a nation-state to extend military force beyond their borders.

Fourth Point of Contact -- From rolling after a successful parachute drop: a term to describe an individual's buttocks. The first three points are feet, calves and back of the thigh.

Fruit Salad -- Slang for a service member's display of medals and ribbons on a dress uniform.

Fugazi -- Completely out of whack, ****ed up, screwy. This term originated during the Vietnam War and experienced limited use by civilians.

Galloping Dandruff -- An Army term used since World War I to refer to crab lice.

Geardo -- An Army term for a soldier who spends an inordinate amount of money on gear, regardless of actual need.

Gedunk -- Refers to snack foods, such as candy and chips, as well as the place they're sold. Associated with the Navy and can be used in the phrase "gedunk sailor" as a pejorative remark for inexperienced sailors.

Gofasters -- A term for sneakers used in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

GOFO -- Literally stands for "grasp of the ****ing obvious."

Gone Elvis -- A service member who is missing in action.

Grape -- A term with two meanings; one for the Air Force and one for the Navy. A Navy Grape is an individual who refuels aircraft. An Air Force Grape, on the other hand, refers to an easy assignment and can be used as a compliment when a service member makes something look easy.

Great Mistakes -- The name sailors have given the Great Lakes Naval Training Center north of Chicago. It references the closing of two other training facilities in San Diego and Orlando, which both feature far more enjoyable weather.

Grid Squares -- A nonexistent item recruits typically are told to go find.

Groundhog Day -- Term originating from the titular movie that refers to deployment s that seem to proceed in the exact same way despite attempts to change them.

Gum Shoe -- Navy slang for a sailor cryptology technician. The first CT school was located on top of a building where tar would get stuck to the bottom of students' shoes.

Gun -- Term for a mortar or artillery piece. Must never be used within the military to describe a pistol or rifle.

Gunner -- A service member who operates a crew-served weapon, such as a piece of artillery or ship's cannon.  

Hangar Queen -- An aircraft that is used primarily for spare parts to repair other planes.

Hardball -- A hard-surfaced road.

Hardened Site -- A structure usually built under rock or concrete designed to withstand conventional, nuclear, biological and chemical attack.

Hat Up -- To change one's location. Refers to the need to wear a hat for the intended destination.

Hawk -- Term for cold weather. Commonly referred to as "the hawk."

Helo -- Short-hand term for a helicopter.

High Speed -- An individual who is highly motivated and at or near peak efficacy. Can be used sarcastically.

Hit the Silk -- Ejecting from an aircraft and utilizing a parachute.

IED (Improvised Explosive Device) -- A popular weapon with insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, IEDs are roughly-organized, inexpensive bombs that are be easily modified to exploit an enemy’s vulnerabilities.

Inactive Status -- Members of the Reserves who are unable to train for points, receive pay and cannot be considered for promotion.

Ink Stick -- Marine Corps term for a pen.

Iron Rations -- Rations used in an emergency survival situation.

Jawa -- Term for an Army soldier who is stationed in a desert area, named after the desert-dwelling aliens of "Star Wars."

Jesus Slippers -- Military-issued shower footwear.

Jockstrap Medal -- Derogatory term for medals given by the military to active CIA members.

Joe -- Army term for a soldier. Shortened from G.I. Joe.

Joint Operation Planning -- All type of planning involving joint military forces in regard to military operations, including, but not limited to, mobilization, deployment and sustainment.

Kinetic -- Slang adjective meaning violent.

Klicks -- Kilometers.

Latrine Queen -- Air Force specific term for a trainee in basic who is in charge of the team responsible for cleaning bathrooms.

Left-Handed Monkey Wrench -- A nonexistent tool. Often the object of fruitless searches undertaken by recruits at the behest of more experienced service members.

Long Pig -- Slang for when a human being is used as a source of food. Typically this happens in extremely desperate situations.

Major Nuclear Power -- Any nation-state with a nuclear arsenal capable of being delivered to any other nation in the world.

Meat Identifier -- A dish or sauce that identifies what type of meat is being served. For example, cranberry sauce indicates turkey while applesauce indicates pork chops.

Meat Wagon -- Slang for an ambulance or any other medical emergency vehicle.

Moonbeam -- Marine term for flashlight.

MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) – Military jobs are classified by codes that attach to their specialty. The Army, Marines and Coast Guard call this an MOS (military occupational specialty) or MOC (military occupation code); the Air Force calls them Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC). The Navy uses a system of ratings and the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) system. The Department of Defense lists more than 7,000 codes representing various job skills someone might perform while on duty.

Moving Like Pond Water -- Moving so slowly that a unique term is required to describe it.

Mustang -- Term referring to any officer who was promoted from the enlisted ranks. Can be used respectfully or pejoratively.

Nut to Butt -- The instruction used to tell soldiers to line up in a tight, forward-facing line wherein one's nuts are in extreme proximity to the butt of the soldier before them.

OCONUS – “Outside of the Continental United States”

OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) – The combat operation that Veterans may have deployed to in support of the War on Terror, where the theater of operations was in Afghanistan.

Officer's Candy -- Navy term used by sailors to describe the scented cake placed in urinals.

Officer of the Deck -- Any officer charged with the operation of a ship. Reports to the commanding officer, executive officer and navigator for relevant issues and concerns.

OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) -- The combat operation that Veterans may have deployed to in support of the War on Terror where the theater of operations was in Iraq.

Over the Hill -- Missing in action or someone who officially has gone missing from their post.

Oxygen Thief -- A biting piece of slang for someone who's useless or talks too much.

Pad Eye Remover -- A nonexistent item used by sailors to trick new service members into a fruitless search. Pad-eyes are used to secure airplanes with chains.

PCS (Permanent Change of Station) -- When a service member and their family from one geographic unit location to another due to orders for a new assignment. This is not temporary; thus, the use of the word “permanent.

People Tank -- A U.S. Navy term for the inner hull of a submarine.

Pill Pusher -- A U.S. Navy term for a hospital corpsman.

Pink Mist -- A distinct effect created by certain types of gunshot wounds.

Pogey Bait -- Snack food. A "pogue" is an individual who does not serve on the frontlines and performs non-combat-oriented roles. "Pogey bait" is, subsequently, a bribe given to these individuals in exchange for expedited or high-quality services.

Pollywog -- A sailor who has not crossed the equator on a U.S. Navy ship.

Puddle Pirate -- Member of the Coast Guard . So called due to a fallacious belief that the Coast Guard never operates in deep water.

PX Ranger -- An individual who purchases, from the Post Exchange, paraphernalia unique to certain prestigious ranks or occupations and passes them off as though they earned the items.

Quay -- A man-made structure between a shore and land that can be used by ships to berth and is typically an area for handling cargo.

Rainbow -- A new recruit in basic training.

Red Team -- A body of experts on a specific topic who are instructed to research and suggest alternative methods regarding a planned course of action.

Remington Raider -- A somewhat derogatory term used for Marines given the harrowing task of performing office duties.

Rocks and Shoals -- U.S. Navy rules and regulations.

Rotorhead -- A helicopter pilot.

Ruck Up -- "Ruck" is short for "ruck sack," which refers to backpacks service members sometimes wear. To "ruck up" is to get through a particularly challenging or stressful situation.

Salad Bar -- Service ribbons found on a military uniform.

Sandbox – A desert area, specifically either Iraq or Kuwait. To say this is a short list is an understatement. Having a “cheat sheet” of commonly used terms is helpful for your hiring managers to refer to and use in interviewing and hiring. As an employer, work with your veteran hires to teach them common lingo and jargon for your company and industry, and accept that it might take time for your veteran employees to break old habits.

Scrambled Eggs -- The embellishments found on some officer's caps.

Self-Propelled Sandbags -- A derogatory term for a Marine based on their emphasis on fighting on the front lines.

Shavetail -- Second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. It primarily refers to the haircuts received in Officer Candidate School. The term's origins date to the time when the Army used pack animals, and handlers shaved the tail of newly broken animals to distinguish them from those more seasoned.

Shellback -- A sailor who has crossed the equator on a U.S. Navy ship. Responsible for turning all Pollywogs into Shellbacks once they cross the equator themselves.

Snake Eater -- Member of the U.S. Army Special Forces .

S*** on a Shingle -- A piece of toast with gravy.

Sky Blossom -- A deployed parachute.

Slick Sleeve -- A sailor who has not yet earned a rank that requires decoration on the sleeves.

Smoke -- To punish a service member with excessive physical work due to a minor infraction.

Snivel Gear -- Any equipment meant for use in cold weather.  

Soap chips -- A psychological operations (PSYOPS) tactic where fake letters from an enemy's home country are written and placed on bodies and battle wreckage. They include sentimental content, hint at the infidelity of loved ones back home and are designed to demoralize combatants.

Soup Sandwich -- An individual, object, situation or mission that has gone horribly wrong. The thrust of the term's meaning derives from the fact that it is incredibly difficult, some would say impossible, to make a sandwich out of soup.

Swoop -- Marine term for a weekend trip off base.

Taco -- An Air Force term for receiving an "unsatisfactory" grade on a training exercise due to the vague taco-shape of the letter "u."

Tango Uniform -- Slang for "tits up," which is the position dead bodies tend to face. The term can be applied to the deceased as well as broken pieces of equipment.

Target Discrimination -- The capability of a surveillance or guidance system to choose certain targets when multiple options are presented.

Trench Monkey -- A derogatory term referring to a member of the U.S. Army.

Twidget -- A sailor who repairs electronic equipment. Suggested by user X-USN-DS1 .

Un-Ass -- To move immediately or leave one's current position.

Uncle Sam's Canoe Club -- A U.S. Navy term for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Unit Identification Code -- An alphanumeric, six-character string that identifies all active, reserve, and guard units of the United States military.

Voice in the Sky -- Term referring to military base announcements broadcast over speakers.

Voluntold -- An assignment that is technically voluntary but understood to be mandatory.

Weapons of Mass Destruction -- Weapons that can cause destruction or death beyond the ability of conventional weapons. These typically are nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological or high-yield explosive in nature. This definition does not include the vehicle, or transportation method, of delivering the weapon.

Zone of Action -- A smaller section of a larger area. Typically these are under the purview of a tactical unit, usually during an offensive maneuver.

Zoomie -- Term used by non-flying service members for anyone who operates a flying vehicle.

Lida Citroën and Tiffini Theisen contributed to this report. 

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Glossary of Military Terms

• Self-Employment

Check this glossary for commonly used military terms.

The list of terms below is from Today's Military online guide by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Active Duty Continuous duty on a daily basis. Comparable to "full time" as used in reference to a civilian job.

Allowances Money, other than basic pay, to compensate in certain situations for expenses, such as meals, rent, clothing, and travel. Usually given for maintaining proficiency in a specific skill area, such as flying or parachuting.

Artillery Large cannons or missile launchers used in combat.

ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. A test that assists students in career exploration and decision-making. Used by the military services to determine enlistment eligibility and to assign occupational specialties.

Base A location of an installation on which a military force relies for supplies or from where it initiates operations.

Basic Pay The pay a military member receives, as determined by pay grade and length of service. Does not include other benefits such as allowance or bonuses.

Civilian Anyone not on active duty in the military.

Commissioned Officer A member of the military with the rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above. This role in the military is similar to that of a manager or executive.

DEP Delayed Entry Program. Allows an applicant to delay entry into active duty for up to one year for such things as finishing school.

Drill To train or exercise in military operations.

Duty Assigned task or occupation.

Enlisted Member Military personnel below the rank of warrant or commissioned officers. This role is similar to that of a company employee or supervisor.

Enlistee A service member, not a warrant officer or commissioned officer, who has been accepted by the military and has taken the Oath of Enlistment.

Enlistment Agreement/Contract A legal contract between the military and an enlistment applicant. Includes information on enlistment date, term of enlistment, and other options such as a training program guarantee or a cash bonus.

GI Bill Benefits A program of education benefits for individuals entering the military. Allows service persons to set aside money to be used later for educational purposes.

Inactive Reserve Duty Affiliation with the military in a non-training, non-paying status after completing minimum obligation off active duty service.

Infantry Units of men trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot.

Job Specialty A specific job or occupation in one of the five services.

MEPS Military Entrance Processing Station. The enlistment process occurs at stations located around the country.

National Guard Serves in both a state and federal capacity. May be call on to assist in community support, disaster relief, and other local emergencies. During national emergencies, units are called on to support their active counterparts in the Army and Air Force.

NCO Non-commissioned Officer. An enlisted member in pay grades E-4 or higher.

Obligation The period of time one agrees to serve on active duty, in the reserve, or a combination of both.

OCS Officer Candidate School. For college graduates with no prior military training who wish to become military officers. Qualified enlisted members may also attend. After successful completion, candidates are commissioned as military officers.

OTS (OTG) Officer Training School (Group). See OCS, Officer Candidate School.

Officer See commissioned officer.

Pay Grade A level of employment designated by the military. There are nine enlisted pay grades and 10 officers pay grades through which they can progress during their career. Pay grade and length of service determine a service member's pay.

Quarters Living accommodations or housing.

Recruit See enlistee.

Regular Military Compensation Total value of basic pay, allowances, and tax savings. The amount of pay a civilian worker would need to earn to receive the same take home "pay" as a services member.

Reserves People in the military who are not on full-time, active duty. May be called up in a national emergency to serve on active duty. During peacetime, they support the active duty forces in our country's defense. Reservists are also entitled to some of the employment benefits available to active military personnel.

ROTC Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Training given to undergraduate college students who plan to become military officers. Often they receive scholarships for tuition, books, fees, uniforms, and a monthly allowance.

Service or Services A branch or multiple branches of the United States Armed Forces. There are five in all: the Army, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps (or Marines) and the Navy.

Services Classifier A military information specialist who helps applicants select a military occupational field.

Service Obligation The amount of time an enlisted member agrees to serve in the military as stated in the enlistment agreement.

Station A place of assigned duty.

Tour of Duty A period of obligated service. Also used to describe a type of duty tour, such as a "Mediterranean tour."

Warrant Officer A member of the Army, Navy, or Marines who is a technical specialist or pilot. These members are generally appointed from the enlisted, non-commissioned officer ranks.

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• General Military Questions

204 Common Military Terms / Slang / Jargon / Lingo

Each Military Branch has terms/slang words that may not make sense to a civilian or a member of a different branch.

Military terms/slang originates for various reasons and changes throughout time.

Movies and TV shows may depict terminology that was used in World War II, that is no longer referenced anymore.

It can be hard to stay current with military slang, so OMK created a list of terms/slang that are new or established, but still used, found below.

1MC: The overhead public address system on US Navy ships.

3rd Deck Dive Team:  Mainly a Marine Corps term, meaning someone is suicidal and should dive off of the third deck.

11 Bang-Bang:  Army infantryman

5 Fingers of Death: Beef franks with beans served in some MREs. Named for the number and unpleasant taste

99:  Navy term meaning the information being discussed is pertinent to all personnel

100mph Tape:  Standard Army green duct tape

  Related Article – What is a Navy Squid? 11 Slang Nicknames For Navy  Sailors

AAV:  Amphibious Assault Vehicle

ACU:  Army Combat Uniform

Ali Baba: Iraqi term for the bad guy, criminal, or insurgent

Alpha Charlie:  Verbally reprimanded

Angel:  Used in Iraq to refer to a soldier killed in combat

AOR:  Area of responsibility

As you were: Return to your previous task or posture

AWOL:  Absent Without Official Leave; leaving post without permission

Azimuth Check: A procedure designed by the Army to help soldiers assess their own well-being and readiness 

BAH:  Basic housing allowance

Bang Bang:  Pistol or a Rifle

Barracks Rat:  Personnel who stay in the barracks during downtime

Battlefield Airman: Air Force Special Operations Command pararescue, combat control, and weather troops

Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids: Reference to supply items such as food, ammunition, or medical supplies

Beat Feet: Move quickly

Beat Your Face:  Push-ups

BFT:  Blue Force Tracker; Equipment that connects with a satellite to provide locations of units as well as maps and routes

Big Voice/Giant Voice: Term used to describe the loudspeaker system on a military base. It will often make a range of announcements, such as alerting soldiers of incoming attacks, the schedule of upcoming ordnance disposal explosions, and when and where to take cover as an attack strikes. It also broadcasts Reveille and Retreat when in Garrison.

Bird:  Helicopter

Blue Canoe:  Portable toilet

BLUF:  Bottom line upfront

Blue Falcon:  Battle buddy who informs higher command of actions; tattletale

Blue-on-Blue: Refers to an attack in which soldiers are unknowingly fighting against their own side, often ending up with injuries and even death

Blue-on-Green:   Similar to the ‘Blue-on-Blue’, this means your own forces are accidentally engaging forces friendly to your force. 

BOLO: Usually an Army derogatory term for an individual who cannot perform a task or meet basic requirements; also can mean “be on the lookout”

Bone:  B1 Bomber

Brad:  M2 Bradley Armored Personal Carrier (APC)

Bravo Zulu:  Good Job

Bubblehead: Personnel in a submarine

Butter Bar:  2nd Lieutenant

C-Wire:  Razor Wire

CAB: (Army) Combat Action Badge; soldiers who perform in the infantry but do not have an infantry MOS

Cat Hole:  Hole in the ground dug by a soldier to use as a bathroom

CC: Company commander 

CCP:  Casualty Collection Point; closest area to action where personnel are triaged

Charlie Mike:  Continue Mission; continue with your task

Chest Candy: Ribbons or Medals worn on the chest of the uniform

CHU:  Small container housing units on large bases

CIB:  (Army) Combat Infantryman’s Badge; Award for infantry who is under fire

Clearing barrel: Dirt-filled area used to clear weapons at entry points of FOB.

Commo: Communications personnel or equipment

CONUS:  Continental United States

COP:  Small base in a combat area, combat outpost

CP:  Check Point

Crank:  (Navy) Temporary galley duty

Crypto: Code that scrambles a radio signal, or those who work in intelligence gathering

CSH:  Combat Support Hospital

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DAP:  Deltoid Auxiliary Protection. Shoulder armor

Dash Ten: An army publication; usually a user or technical manual

Dear John: Break-up letter sent to a soldier from a significant other

Demilitarized Zone: Area where military forces and equipment are banned from

Dependa:  Dependents of a military personnel

Detail:  Referring to a usually unappealing task such as cleaning

DFAC:  Dining facility

Digies:  Digital Camouflage

Double Gates:  The task of referring to individuals with names not of their own when around detainees

Drive On:  To keep going

Dustoff:  Helicopter medical evacuation

Duty Station: Location where a service member is temporarily or permanently conducting work

Embed: Term for a reporter who is provided security, shelter, and transportation by military personnel so they can observe and report on firsthand operations

ERB: (Army) Enlisted Record Brief; a document containing information such as rank, ASVAB details, promotion points, etc.

ETS:  Expiration Term of Service; the date a soldier completes their contract

Farmer Armor- Improvised armor for a vehicle

Fart Sack:  Sleeping Bag, or in some cases a mattress cover.

Fast Mover: Fighter jet

Fat Cakes:  Unhealthy desserts or sweets

File 13:  Garbage can

First Shirt:  First Sergeant

Five-Sided Puzzle Palace:  The Pentagon

FOB:  Forward operating base; a mid-size base with basic provisions

Fobber or Fobbit- Someone who does not leave the FOB

Fourth Point of Contact: Butt; the term comes from a parachute drop in which the fourth point of contact is the butt.

Fruit Salad: Refers to the display of ribbons on a dress uniform (similar to “Chest Candy”)

FST:  Forward Surgical Team

Galley:  Kitchen on a ship

Geardo:  Soldier who spends a large amount of money on military gear that is generally not needed

Gedunk: Snack Food that can be purchased, usually used by Navy sailors on a ship

Glass House: An example of a target house for rehearsing assaults

Goat Trail:  Dirt road

Gofasters:  Sneakers

Good Cookie: The Good Conduct Medal 

Green Beans: A civilian coffee shop company common on larger bases, especially in the Middle East

Green-on-Blue:  Forces “thought to be” friendly to your force accidentally, or not so accidentally, engaging your forces. 

Groundhog Day: Referring to the movie by the same name, and the feeling that each day is the same during deployment

Grunt:  Infantryman

Gum Shoe:  Sailor Cryptology Technician

Haji: Indigenous Iraqi or person of Arabic descent

Hardball:  Paved Road

Hangar Queen:  Aircraft used for replacement parts

Hawk:  Cold weather

Head:  Bathroom on a ship

Helo:  Helicopter

Hesco:  Dirt-filled bins for absorbing explosions

High Speed:  An individual who is highly motivated and at or near peak efficacy. Can be used sarcastically. Often includes “Low Drag”

HMMWV:  High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle

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IDF:  Indirect fire

IED:  Improvised Explosive Device

Ink Stick:  Pen

INTSUM- Intelligence Summary given after events happened

Iron Rations: Rations used in an emergency situation

Jawa- Soldiers stationed in a desert area

JDAM: A bomb dropped from a U.S. aircraft

Joe:  Soldier

JOP:  Joint Operation Planning; Military forces joining for operations

JTF:  Joint Task Force

Kevlar/Kpot/ACH:  Helmet

Kinetic:  Violent military action

Kicks- Kilometers

Knees in the Breeze:  Airborne term for exiting an aircraft

KP:  Kitchen Patrol; kitchen duty

Lands:  Raised spiral surface in the bore of a weapon

Latrine Queen:  (Air Force) Term for a trainee during basic training who is a team lead responsible for bathroom duty.

Left (or Right) Flank:  The far left or right edge of troops in relation to the enemy

LES:  Leave and Earnings Statement; holds information similar to a civilian pay stub

Lima Charlie:  Loud and Clear

Meat Wagon:  Medical Emergency Vehicle

Midnight Rats: Late night food from the chow hall

Mike:  Minutes

Moonbeam- (Marines) Flashlight

MRE:  Meal Ready to Eat. A vacuum-sealed meal with a long shelf life

MSR:  Main supply route

Mustang:  Officer promoted from enlisted ranks

MWR:  Morale, Welfare, and Recreation; military department in charge of recreational facilities

Naval Landing Party:  Navy personnel for ground-force operations ashore

Net:  Radio Network

NGO:  Non-government Organization

No-Go:  Failure at a training station or job task

Nut to Butt:  Standing very close together

O Dark Thirty:  Early in the morning

Oscar Mike:  On the Move

Oconus:  Overseas; not in the continental U.S.

OCS/OTS:  Officer Candidate School; Officer Training School

Officer’s Candy:  Scented cake placed in urinals

OPTEMPO:  Operating Tempo; the pace at which one is working

OTV:  Outer Tactical Vest

PCC:  Pre-combat check

PCS:  Permanent Change of Station

People Tank:  (Navy) Inner hull of a submarine

Pill Pusher:  (Navy) Hospital Corpsman; or a medic

PLF:  Parachute Landing Fall

POG:  Person Other than Grunt. Anyone who’s not Infantry. In other words, if you ain’t Infantry you’re a POG

Pogey Bait: Tasty snacks that are not normally available to soldiers in the field

POO Site:  Point of Origin site

Pond Water- The speed at which a slug / laggard is moving

Pop Smoke:  To leave without being seen

PSD:  Personal Security Detail

QRF:  Quick Reaction Force; ready to react

Quay- Man-made structure between shore and land

Quick Time: Cadence at 120 steps per minute, or also, double time march

Rack:  Refers to a bed; soldiers ‘rack out’, meaning they go to sleep

Red on Red:  Enemy on enemy fire

Release Point: A geographical point where soldiers change from central command to that of their commander 

REMF: Rear Echelon Mother F**ker — a solider far from the front line

Rocks and Shoals:  (Navy) Rules and regulations

ROE:  Rules of Engagement

Ropeyarn Sunday:  (Navy) Half-holiday

ROTC:  Reserve Officer Training Corps

Rotorhead:  Helicopter pilot

RTO:  Radio Telephone Operator or RO-Radio Operator

Ruck:  Rucksack; backpack

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Sandbox: Iraq, Afghanistan, or other desert area

Scrambled Eggs:  Embellishments on Officer’s caps

Scuttlebutt:  (Navy) Rumors or gossip

Sky Blossom:  Deployed parachute

Smoked:  Physical punishment for some sort of infraction

Snivel Gear:  Cold weather gear

Soup Sandwich:  Something has gone extremely wrong

Speedball:  Refers to a bag dropped from a plane or helicopter for soldiers in the field that contains supplies

Spoon: A cook or culinary specialist

Squid or Swabbie:  U.S. Navy member

SRB: Selective Reenlistment Bonus; Bonus offered to enlisted members as an incentive to reenlist

Taco:  (Air Force) Receiving an unsatisfactory grade during training; shape of the letter resembles a taco shape

TAD:  Temporary Additional Duty

Take a Knee:  Rest

Tango Mike- Thanks much

Target Discrimination: Ability of a surveillance system to choose an individual target when there are multiple options

TCP:  Traffic Control Point

TDY: Temporary Duty – refers to a short-term assignment, and is sometimes expressed as “Temporary Duty Yonder”

TIC:  Troops in a contact fight; can relate to a firefight or IED

TOC:  Tactical Operations Center

Turtleback:  Swimming on your back to watch for direction and a compass

Twidget:  Sailor who works on electronic equipment

UAV:  Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Underground:  Individuals who support resistant movement through secret operations

Unit Identification code: Six character code that identifies military active, reserve, and guard units

UXO:  Unexploded Explosive Ordnance; potential to explode

VBIED:  Vehicle Borne IED; car bomb

Voice in the Sky:  Military base broadcast announcements

Voluntold:  Assignment that is presented as voluntary but is seen as mandatory

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Advanced weapons with the capability of causing mass destruction of casualties

Wingnut: Term for USAF members — WINGNUT comes from the shape of the Air Force E2 rank with single stripes, which looks like a wingnut.

Wire: Term referring to the base; a person is inside or outside the wire

Woobie:  (Army) Issued poncho liner used as a blanket

XO:  Executive Officer; just below the Commanding Officer

Zone of Action:  Small Section of the total tactical area

Zonk:  Released after formation

Zoomie: Army slang for someone in the USAF, normally a pilot

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Military Terms

4.8 out of 5 (85 ratings), related articles you might be interested in:, 7 replies to “ 204 common military terms / slang / jargon / lingo ”.

Rob The USAF term WINGNUT comes from the shape of the E2 rank with single stripes, which looks like a wingnut.

Thanks for that William, just got it changed up.

Rob V, thought of a couple more: Knees in the Breeze – Airborne term for exiting an aircraft. No-Go — Failure at a training station or job task PLF — Parachute Landing Fall

Thanks for those Robert, just got them added.

Rob V. Owner / Founder OperationMilitaryKids.org

Rob V, these are all really good but POG stans for Person Other than Grunt, meaning anyone who’s not Infantry. In other words, if you ain’t Infantry you’re a POG. Said pōg.

Also, you’re missing Blue on Blue, meaning, from the speaker’s perspective their own military accidentally fighting another element of its own forces. Blue on Green meaning your own forces accidentally engaging forces friendly to your force. And Green on Blue meaning Forces “thought to be” friendly to your force accidentally, or not so accidentally engaging your forces. (See the February 17th Militia, Sep 11 2012, Benghazi)

Thanks for that Galen, just made the updates. I appreciate it!

Rob V. OMK Founder

Oscar Mike- on the move

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Assignment & Promotion

Wants & needs.

The man who donned the US Army uniform during World War II became a tiny part of a vast war machinery that grew explosively through 1945. The army numbered fewer than 200,000 servicemembers in 1939 but counted more than 8.2 million in its ranks at the war’s end. More than two-thirds of that expansion occurred between 1940 and 1943. Army leaders constructed systems that worked well enough to manage expansion and its attendant growing pains, but they did not work perfectly. Many servicemembers found success in these systems and fulfillment in their assignments. Others, unable or unwilling to see the big picture, remembered the friction.

Efficient manpower management posed problems for the organization and the individual alike. The army had to select people who met minimum standards, assign them jobs, train them, allocate them to units, and promote the most deserving. It also had to continually adapt its human resource systems to meet evolving needs. Individuals cared more about getting a “square deal” or a “good break,” but what they wanted and what the army needed did not always match. Moreover, many servicemembers defined themselves as temporary “citizen-soldiers” to whom the Old Regulars’ ways should not apply. They chafed against the army’s traditions, social stratification, authoritarianism, and hidebound caste culture as a result. Ultimately, soldiers’ satisfaction depended greatly on harmony between their wants and the army’s needs, and the perceived fairness of their immediate organizations.

“You May Be Eligible for the Army Specialized Training Program,” Newsmap 2, no. 3 (10 May 1943). Courtesy of NARA, 26-NM-2-3b, NAID 66395129 .

The Officer-Enlisted Divide

If I Were the C.O….," What the Soldier Thinks , no. 7 (July 1944) .

Distinguishing between officers and enlisted men is necessary because selection, assignment, training, and promotion systems differed by group. The army’s structure during WWII can be illustrated as two triangles, one larger than the other and each subdivided into layers, representing the service’s “castes.” Officers filled the smaller triangle, enlisted men filled the larger, and a “yawning social chasm” separated them ( TAS, vol. II, 56 ). Generals and senior non-commissioned officers, or “noncoms,” occupied the tops of the officer and enlisted triangles, respectively. Lieutenants and privates inhabited the bases. Similar triangle pairs structured the Women’s Army Corps, the National Guard, and the Army Air Forces, though their proportions differed. Normally, officers led units and planned, while enlisted men performed specific duties. The former also enjoyed greater privileges than the latter, much to the chagrin of enlisted men. This social gulf did not reflect the structures to which White, male Americans were accustomed. Many enlisted men desired more respect and for their officers to be “regular guy[s] with the boys” ( “If I Were the C.O….,” WST , no. 7 (1944), 2) ). These classless ideals cut against the army’s traditional hierarchies. Unresolved tensions in officer-enlisted relations could create morale problems.

Enlisted Personnel: Accessions

All enlisted men experienced standard reception, sorting, and training processes. The enlisted man’s military career typically began at a local induction center with physical and psychological screenings. If he passed, he would move on to a reception center. There he underwent further physical examinations, sat for an interview, and completed the 150-question Army General Classification Test (AGCT). These mechanisms determined his job assignment, which was also known as a military occupational specialty (MOS). Adaptation to army life began at these temporary way stations. Wearing a freshly issued uniform, the new enlisted man learned how to salute, make his bed, and “hurry up and wait” while enduring calls of “you’ll be sor-ree” from older soldiers. Adapting to this unfamiliar culture and its traditions could be challenging.

“Lt. B. Holmes instructing cadres in the art of parry and long thrust in bayonet practice. Left to right: T/Sgt. Leroy Smith, Pvt. George W. Jones, and Sgt. Leo Shorty, look on,” November 1942. Courtesy of NARA, 111-SC-147979, NAID 531140 .

Within days or weeks, the new soldier moved on to a training center aligned with his job and unit assignment. Subsequent experiences varied by camp or fort (of which there were 242 by 1945), by force affiliation (Army Ground Forces, Army Service Forces, or Army Air Forces), and by year of induction. Training for the ground and service forces, where the bulk of men were assigned, shared two phases. The first was “branch immaterial” and concentrated on military courtesy and physical fitness. The second prepared men to perform their specific jobs. Army Ground Forces (AGF) training included a third phase in which armor, artillery, and infantry elements exercised together as combined-arms teams. Before 1944, men usually learned their trade over a year as part of a unit. From 1944 on, men trained in their specialties for between eight and seventeen weeks before shipping out as individual replacements. 1 The replacement system counteracted combat attrition, but often at the expense of unit cohesion and the individual’s well-being.

Enlisted Personnel: Job Assignments

Job assignment was a major factor in any given soldier’s satisfaction with the army. Volunteers could select their branch of service. They naturally reported higher levels of satisfaction. However, volunteerism shunted a large percentage of high-quality men away from the combat arms. For instance, a mere 5 percent selected the Infantry or Armored Force while the vast majority selected the Air Corps. 2 The army consequently stopped accepting draft-age volunteers at the end of 1942. Selectees, who comprised most of the army’s manpower, had less control over their destinies. Their assignments were products of pre-existing skills, AGCT results, and luck. The reception center interview and AGCT supposedly identified skills from civilian life and general aptitude, or “trainability.” 3 Ideally, this sorting process sped up mobilization by filling demands for specialists with men from related civilian occupations. 4 In reality, mismatches and disappointment were not uncommon.

Because the AGCT purportedly identified potential for leadership and technical work, high scores opened opportunities such as officer and pilot training. An unintentional consequence was that non-combat and technical fields accrued a disproportionately large share of talented, skilled, and socially stable men. The Army Air Forces proved especially masterful in skimming the cream of personnel intakes by setting high qualifications and retaining everyone, even men who failed pilot training. In contrast, specialties such as “infantryman” had no civilian corollary. Many soldiers therefore entered the combat arms by virtue of not being qualified for other duties. Re-prioritization of physical ratings over occupational skills in 1944, in response to a dire shortage of combat troops, changed this dynamic somewhat.

"’Square Deal’ or Not?," What the Soldier Thinks , no. 16 (September 1945) .

The assignment system worked well enough for the organization, but many soldiers expressed dissatisfaction. Frustration tended to be most acute amongst skilled and educated men whose self-images did not match their new realities. Other aggravations included involuntary job changes and high personnel turnover rates produced by units scrambling to fill shortfalls. Race introduced another dimension. Black men, for instance, were allocated disproportionately to service specialties. The assignment system was ultimately a common source of discontent among enlisted men; one study concluded that it accounted for approximately one-sixth of all soldier complaints about not getting a “square deal.”

Officer Accessions

Officer accessions worked differently. The officer class, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, was smaller and more selective than the enlisted population. Four pathways to entering that class existed: the United States Military Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs, direct commissioning, and Officer Candidate Schools (OCS). Combined, the first three produced less than half of officers during WWII. The most common pathway was an OCS program. Created in 1941, OCS turned enlisted men into officers through twelve- to seventeen-week courses. It also provided a bridge across the officer-enlisted social chasm, though crossing opportunities narrowed in late 1943 to prevent a junior officer surplus.

Qualifications for OCS included an AGCT score in one of the top two brackets, “proven leadership ability,” and completion of basic training. 5 Roughly 75 percent of candidates graduated by performing adequately in academics, cadre evaluations, and peer ratings. 6 Graduates received a commission as a Second Lieutenant and, informally, a “90-Day Wonder” moniker. Although many performed well in time, 90-Day Wonders routinely inspired complaints among noncoms because they rarely arrived at units with the tactical competence to lead men in battle.

What the Soldier Thinks , no. 14 (June 1945) .

Servicemembers continued navigating the army’s personnel systems after basic training. Most hoped for a promotion that would bring enlarged authority, better pay, and more privileges. Servicemembers competed for promotions within their units when vacancies opened in the Table of Organization. This document established a unit’s strength by duty position and grade. Determining which men to promote depended chiefly upon the judgment of a unit’s commanding officer. 7 A commander’s first consideration was supposed to be seniority. The longer a man’s service, the more likely he was to secure a promotion. Manner of performance was also important, yet it was difficult to measure in any standard and objective way. For enlisted men, the recommendations of noncoms and junior officers determined merit. For officers, biannual efficiency reports and a superior’s impressions did the same. 8 Men seeking to get ahead in this system “bucked” for promotion by drawing positive attention to themselves or by politicking. Both were widely practiced and widely condemned.

Satisfaction with promotion systems correlated strongly with success in them. Those who earned promotions were better disposed to the processes, but dissatisfaction was widespread (see WST, no. 14 (June 1945) ). Systemic preference for seniority and conformity over merit vexed soldiers who shared widely held beliefs in egalitarian, citizen-soldier ideals. One postwar study concluded that the army was “not too successful” in convincing men that promotions were “based on merit or were the reward for exceptional achievement.” 9 An old adage summed up the main source of frustration: promotion depended “more on who you know than on what you know.”

Samuel A. Stouffer et al., The American Soldier: Adjustment During Army Life , vol. I (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949), 233 .

Readers exploring The American Soldier in World War II collection should bear in mind tensions between the army’s requirements and people’s desires. The army’s industrial approach did not always endear itself to servicemembers because it prioritized the organization’s needs. Consequently, some men came to feel that they did not receive a “square deal.” Stories abound of airplane mechanics winding up in the infantry and of competent soldiers losing out on promotions to sycophants. Such feelings and anecdotes, though not representative of most soldiers’ experiences, were byproducts of a giant war machine’s operations. Yet the army’s systems proved sufficient for fighting World War II. Also, they were not entirely insensitive to servicemembers, as the studies by Samuel Stouffer and his colleagues show. Servicemembers ultimately learned how to function within the systems, playing for advantage where they could and accepting their lots or complaining where they could not.

Garrett Gatzemeyer The University of Kansas

Further Reading

Lance Betros, Carved from Granite: West Point since 1902 (Texas A&M University Press, 2012).

G. Q. Flynn, The Draft, 1940-1973 (University Press of Kansas, 1993).

Lee Kennett, G.I.: The American Soldier in World War II (University of Oklahoma Press, 1987).

Peter Mansoor, The GI Offensive in Europe: The Triumph of American Infantry Divisions, 1941–1945 (University Press of Kansas, 2002).

Milton M. McPherson, The Ninety-Day Wonders: OCS and the Modern American Army (United States Army Officer Candidate Alumni Association, 1991).

Robert R. Palmer, Bell I. Wiley, and William R. Keast, eds. The Army Ground Forces: The Procurement and Training of Ground Combat Troops (Center of Military History, 1991).

Studs Terkel, ”The Good War”: An Oral History of World War Two (Pantheon, 1984).

M. E. Treadwell, The Women's Army Corps (Center of Military History, 1991).

Select Surveys & Publications

S-44: Attitudes toward Branch of Service S-116: Planning Survey What the Soldier Thinks , no. 3 (February 1944) What the Soldier Thinks , no. 4 (March 1944)

• Lee Kennett, G.I.: The American Soldier in World War II (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987), 46-47.
• Robert R. Palmer, "The Procurement of Enlisted Personnel: The Problem of Quality," in The Procurement and Training of Ground Combat Troops (Washington: Center of Military History, 1991), 5.
• Kennett, 34-36.
• Palmer, 6-9.
• William R. Keast, "The Training of Officer Candidates," in The Army Ground Forces: The Procurement and Training of Ground Combat Troops , ed. Robert R. Palmer, Bell I. Wiley, and William R. Keast (Washington: Center of Military History, 1991), 329. See also Milton M. McPherson, The Ninety-Day Wonders : OCS and the Modern American Army (Ft. Benning: United States Army Officer Candidate Alumni Association, 1991), 86-95.
• Ibid., 344.
• Stouffer et al., 259.
• Ibid., 271.
• Stouffer et al., 413.

SUGGESTED CITATION: Gatzemeyer, Garret. “Assignment & Promotion.” The American Soldier in World War II . Edited by Edward J.K. Gitre. Virginia Tech, 2021. https://americansoldierww2.org/topics/assignment-promotion. Accessed [ insert date ].

COVER IMAGE: "Training, Action! Landing Operations," Newsmap 1, no. 24 (5 October 1942). Army Orientation Course, Special Service Division, Army Service Forces, War Department. Courtesy of NARA, 26-NM-1-24b, NAID 66395048 .

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noun as in responsibility, task

Strongest matches

• appointment

Strong matches

noun as in selecting or setting apart

• distribution
• apportionment
• appropriation
• assignation
• attribution
• authorization
• consignment
• designation
• determination
• specification
• stipulation

Discover More

Example sentences.

Yariel Valdés González and I faced these challenges while on assignment in South Florida and the Deep South from July 21-Aug.

They’re putting time into decoration just as they would in their physical classroom, and students can interact with the space by, say, clicking on a bookshelf to get a reading assignment.

For now, if the district moves to in-person learning, instruction in Carlsbad will take place on campus five days per week and students may engage in additional independent practices and other assignments at home.

The assignments must also respect the relationships between the elements in the group.

It’s very hard, by the way, to do real random assignment studies of couples therapy.

His most recent assignment was the 84th Precinct, at the Brooklyn end of the Brooklyn Bridge.

When Lewis was shipped off to Vietnam, his son was just three months old, and the timing of the assignment worried Lewis.

When Vial got that first assignment, she was just beginning her photography career, and Cirque du Soleil was only a few years old.

“For our winter issue, we gave ourselves one assignment: Break The Internet,” wrote Paper.

By the 1950s the rapid assignment of gender to an ambiguously gendered infant had become standard.

Consent to an assignment may be given by the president of the company, without formal vote by the directors.

A transfer by the lessee of the whole or a part of his interest for a part of the time is a sublease and not an assignment.

An assignment to one who has an insurable interest as relative, creditor and the like, is always valid.

When an assignment of it is made, the assignee may sue in his own name for rent accruing after the assignment.

In some states statutes forbid the assignment of such policies for the benefit of creditors.

Related Words

Words related to assignment are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word assignment . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

noun as in matter or business to be taken care of; happening activity

• circumstance
• office function
• responsibility
• transaction
• undertaking

noun as in arrangement for meeting; prearranged meeting

• consultation

noun as in job, position of responsibility

• officeholder
• representative

noun as in allocation, setting aside

• setting apart

Viewing 5 / 50 related words

On this page you'll find 85 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to assignment, such as: appointment, chore, drill, duty, homework, and job.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Synonyms of assignment

• as in lesson
• as in appointment
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Thesaurus Definition of assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• responsibility
• undertaking
• requirement
• designation
• appointment
• authorization
• installment
• installation
• destination
• emplacement
• investiture
• singling (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dethronement

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun assignment contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of assignment are chore , duty , job , stint , and task . While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

When is it sensible to use chore instead of assignment ?

While the synonyms chore and assignment are close in meaning, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

When is duty a more appropriate choice than assignment ?

Although the words duty and assignment have much in common, duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

When might job be a better fit than assignment ?

The synonyms job and assignment are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

When could stint be used to replace assignment ?

In some situations, the words stint and assignment are roughly equivalent. However, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

When can task be used instead of assignment ?

The meanings of task and assignment largely overlap; however, task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

Thesaurus Entries Near assignment

assignments

Cite this Entry

“Assignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assignment. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on assignment

Nglish: Translation of assignment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assignment for Arabic Speakers

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America’s Military Is Not Prepared for War — or Peace

By Roger Wicker

Mr. Wicker, a Republican, is the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

“To be prepared for war,” George Washington said, “is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.” President Ronald Reagan agreed with his forebear’s words, and peace through strength became a theme of his administration. In the past four decades, the American arsenal helped secure that peace, but political neglect has led to its atrophy as other nations’ war machines have kicked into high gear. Most Americans do not realize the specter of great power conflict has risen again.

It is far past time to rebuild America’s military. We can avoid war by preparing for it.

When America’s senior military leaders testify before my colleagues and me on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee behind closed doors, they have said that we face some of the most dangerous global threat environments since World War II. Then, they darken that already unsettling picture by explaining that our armed forces are at risk of being underequipped and outgunned. We struggle to build and maintain ships, our fighter jet fleet is dangerously small, and our military infrastructure is outdated. Meanwhile, America’s adversaries are growing their militaries and getting more aggressive.

In China, the country’s leader, Xi Jinping, has orchestrated a historic military modernization intended to exploit the U.S. military’s weaknesses. He has overtaken the U.S. Navy in fleet size, built one of the world’s largest missile stockpiles and made big advances in space. President Vladimir Putin of Russia has thrown Europe into war and mobilized his society for long-term conflict. Iran and its proxy groups have escalated their shadow war against Israel and increased attacks on U.S. ships and soldiers. And North Korea has disregarded efforts toward arms control negotiations and moved toward wartime readiness.

Worse yet, these governments are materially helping one another, cooperating in new ways to prevent an American-led 21st century. Iran has provided Russia with battlefield drones, and China is sending technical and logistical help to aid Mr. Putin’s war. They are also helping one another prepare for future fights by increasing weapons transfers and to evade sanctions. Their unprecedented coordination makes new global conflict increasingly possible.

That theoretical future could come faster than most Americans think. We may find ourselves in a state of extreme vulnerability in a matter of a few years, according to a growing consensus of experts. Our military readiness could be at its lowest point in decades just as China’s military in particular hits its stride. The U.S. Indo-Pacific commander released what I believe to be the largest list of unfunded items ever for services and combatant commands for next year’s budget, amounting to $11 billion. It requested funding for a raft of infrastructure, missile defense and targeting programs that would prove vital in a Pacific fight. China, on the other hand, has no such problems, as it accumulates the world’s leading hypersonic arsenal with a mix of other lethal cruise and attack missiles.

Our military leaders are being forced to make impossible choices. The Navy is struggling to adequately fund new ships, routine maintenance and munition procurement; it is unable to effectively address all three. We recently signed a deal to sell submarines to Australia, but we’ve failed to sufficiently fund our own submarine industrial base, leaving an aging fleet unprepared to respond to threats. Two of the three most important nuclear modernization programs are underfunded and are at risk of delays. The military faces a backlog of at least $180 billion for basic maintenance, from barracks to training ranges. This projects weakness to our adversaries as we send service members abroad with diminished ability to respond to crises.

Fortunately, we can change course. We can avoid that extreme vulnerability and resurrect American military might.

On Wednesday I am publishing a plan that includes a series of detailed proposals to address this reality head-on. We have been living off the Reagan military buildup for too long; it is time for updates and upgrades. My plan outlines why and how the United States should aim to spend an additional $55 billion on the military in the 2025 fiscal year and grow military spending from a projected 2.9 percent of our national gross domestic product this year to 5 percent over the next five to seven years.

It would be a significant investment that would start a reckoning over our nation’s spending priorities. There will be conversations ahead about all manner of budget questions. We do not need to spend this much indefinitely — but we do need a short-term generational investment to help us prevent another world war.

My blueprint would grow the Navy to 357 ships by 2035 and halt our shrinking Air Force fleet by producing at least 340 additional fighters in five years. This will help patch near-term holes and put each fleet on a sustainable trajectory. The plan would also replenish the Air Force tanker and training fleets, accelerate the modernization of the Army and Marine Corps, and invest in joint capabilities that are all too often forgotten, including logistics and munitions.

The proposal would build on the $3.3 billion in submarine industrial base funding included in the national security supplemental passed in April, so we can bolster our defense and that of our allies. It would also rapidly equip service members all over the world with innovative technologies at scale, from the seabed to the stars.

We should pair increased investment with wiser spending. Combining this crucial investment with fiscal responsibility would funnel resources to the most strategic ends. Emerging technology must play an essential role, and we can build and deploy much of it in less than five years. My road map would also help make improvements to the military procurement system and increase accountability for bureaucrats and companies that fail to perform on vital national security projects.

This whole endeavor would shake our status quo but be far less disruptive and expensive than the alternative. Should China decide to wage war with the United States, the global economy could immediately fall into a depression. Americans have grown far too comfortable under the decades-old presumption of overwhelming military superiority. And that false sense of security has led us to ignore necessary maintenance and made us vulnerable.

Our ability to deter our adversaries can be regained because we have done it before. At the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, in the twilight of the Soviet Union, George H.W. Bush reflected on the lessons of Pearl Harbor. Though the conflict was long gone, it taught him an enduring lesson: “When it comes to national defense,” he said, “finishing second means finishing last.”

Regaining American strength will be expensive. But fighting a war — and worse, losing one — is far more costly. We need to begin a national conversation today on how we achieve a peaceful, prosperous and American-led 21st century. The first step is a generational investment in the U.S. military.

Roger Wicker is the senior U.S. senator from Mississippi and the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Humeyra Pamuk, David Ljunggren and Daphne Psaledakis; additional reporting by Kanishka Singh; editing by Rami Ayyub, Heather Timmons, Cynthia Osterman, Deepa Babington and Rod Nickel

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South Korea's Yoon calls for greater cooperation with Africa on minerals, trade

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday the country will step up cooperation with African nations to secure a stable supply of core minerals and it will speed up negotiations to promote economic partnerships.

Philippine authorities ordered the evacuation of residents living near a volcano in central Philippines on Tuesday following an eruption that sent a five km (three miles) high ash cloud into the sky.

MILITARY ASSIGNMENT Crossword Clue

All solutions for military assignment, top answers for: military assignment, military assignment crossword puzzle solutions.

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Military Labs Do Detective Work to Identify Soldiers Decades After They Died in World War II

(OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb.) — Generations of American families have grown up not knowing exactly what happened to their loved ones who died while serving their country in World War II and other conflicts.

But a federal lab tucked away above the bowling alley at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha and a sister lab in Hawaii are steadily answering those lingering questions, aiming to offer 200 families per year the chance to honor their relatives with a proper burial.

“They may not even have been alive when that service member was alive, but that story gets carried down through the generations," said Carrie Brown, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab manager at Offutt. "They may have seen on the mantle a picture of that person when they were little and not really understood or known who they were.”

Memorial Day and the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 are reminders of the urgency of Brown's work. The forensic anthropologists, medical examiners and historians who work together to identify lost soldiers are in a race against time as remains buried on battlefields around the globe deteriorate.

But advances in DNA technology, combined with innovative techniques including comparing bones to chest X-rays taken by the military, mean the labs can identify more of the missing soldiers every year. Some 72,000 World War II soldiers remain unaccounted for, along with roughly 10,000 more from all the conflicts since. The experts believe about half of those are recoverable.

The agency identified 59 servicemembers in 2013, when the Offutt lab first opened. That number has steadily risen — 159 service members last year, up from 134 in 2022 — and the labs have a goal of 200 identifications annually.

Read More: 10 Surprising Facts About Memorial Day

The labs' work allowed Donna Kennedy to bury her cousin, Cpl. Charles Ray Patten, with full military honors this month in the same Lawson, Missouri, cemetery where his father and grandfather are buried. Patten died 74 years ago during the Korean War, but spent decades buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

“I just I ached. I mean, it hurt. You know, I just felt so bad. Even though I didn’t know him, I loved him,” Kennedy said.

Patten's funeral was a simple affair with just a few family members. But often when veterans who fought decades earlier are identified, people waving flags and holding signs line the streets of their hometowns to herald the return of their remains.

“This work is important first and foremost because these are individuals that gave their lives to protect our freedom, and they paid the ultimate sacrifice. So we’re here holding that promise that we’ll return them home to their families,” Brown said.

"It’s important for their families to show them that we’ll never stop, no matter what,” she said.

Often there are compelling details, Brown said.

One of her first cases involved the intact remains of a World War I Marine found in a forest in France with his wallet still in his pocket. The wallet, initialed G.H., contained a New York Times article describing plans for the offensive in which he ultimately died. He also had an infantryman badge with his name and the year he received it on the back.

Before leaving France with the remains, the team visited a local cemetery where other soldiers were buried and learned there were only two missing soldiers with the initials G.H.

Brown had a fair idea who that soldier was before his remains even arrived in the lab. That veteran was buried in Arlington National Cemetery and Brown often visits his grave when she is in Washington D.C.

Most cases aren’t that easy.

The experts who work at the lab must piece together identities by looking at historical records about where the remains were found and which soldiers were in the area. They then consult the list of possible names and use the bones, objects found with them, military medical records and DNA to confirm their identities. They focus on battles and plane crashes where they have the greatest chance of success because of available information.

Read More: World War II in Europe Ended 75 Years Ago—But the World Is Still Fighting Over Who Gets to Say What Happened

But their work can be complicated if soldiers were buried in a temporary cemetery and moved when a unit was forced to retreat. And unidentified soldiers were often buried together.

When remains are brought to the lab, they sometimes include an extra bone. Experts then spend months or even years matching the bones and waiting for DNA and other test results to confirm their identities.

One test even can identify if the soldier grew up primarily eating rice or a corn-based diet.

The lab also compares specific traits of collar bones to the chest X-rays the military routinely took of soldiers before they were deployed. It helps that the military keeps extensive records of all soldiers.

Those clues help the experts put together the puzzle of someone's identity.

“It’s not always easy. It’s certainly not instantaneous,” Brown said. “Some of the cases, we really have to fight to get to that spot, because some of them have been gone for 80 years.”

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NATO allies brace for possible Trump 2024 victory

London — With six months to go until the presidential election , America's NATO allies are planning to boost their defense spending ahead of the potential disruption of a second Donald Trump presidency.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is preparing a funding plan to try to insulate the 75-year-old military partnership from any changing political realities that might affect the alliance, according to Oana Lungescu, who until last year was the longtime lead NATO spokesperson for Stoltenberg.

"It is important to have predictability both for allies and for Ukraine ," Lungescu told CBS News. "This [plan] relieves the U.S. of some of its organizational burden while still maintaining full oversight," she said.

Stoltenberg has proposed a $107 billion, five-year package of military aid for Ukraine that would give the broader alliance a more direct role in funding, Reuters reported last month.

Under the plan, European allies would create a shared Ukraine aid fund and increase their contributions to Kyiv's war effort, reducing the sizable funding provided by the U.S.

Trump's first term as president demonstrated that the 2024 presumptive Republican nominee is unafraid to upend the NATO alliance. Trump shocked America's allies with his open criticism of the failure of some NATO members to meet defense funding commitments, and the Trump campaign has said that calling on allies to increase their defense spending is a policy that a future Trump White House would aggressively pursue.

In an emailed statement, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that "President Trump got our allies to increase their NATO spending by demanding they pay up, but Crooked Joe Biden went back to letting them take advantage of the American taxpayer."

"When President Trump returns to the Oval Office, he will restore peace and rebuild American strength and deterrence on the world stage," Leavitt said.

Lungescu said that the strategy proposed by Stoltenberg would address Trump's complaint that NATO allies aren't doing enough to share the economic burden. At the same time, Stoltenberg is trying to protect Ukraine from the kind of severe delays in Congress — mostly driven by House Republicans — that halted U.S. aid and weapons funding for the first half of the year. NATO allies are also increasing their own individual defense spending, Lungescu told CBS News, although she also pointed out that American presidents dating back to Eisenhower have criticized NATO partners for not contributing enough.

NATO guidelines say member states should commit a minimum of 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending to continue to ensure the Alliance's military readiness.

By NATO's own admission, in terms of GDP, the wealth of its members "nearly equals that of the U.S." But "non-U.S. Allies together spend less than half of what the United States spends on defense," according to NATO's website .

As of 2023, only 10 of the 30 other NATO allies had met the 2% spending commitment, excluding the U.S., though two-thirds of the NATO allies are expected to meet the target by the end of the year. 

"I think by the time we get to the Washington NATO summit in July, we will have updated figures and will be in an even better position in terms of significantly increased defense spending," Lungescu predicted. 

Trump vows to not protect NATO allies who don't raise their spending

In February, former President Trump said at a campaign rally in South Carolina that he'd encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO allies who don't pay their fair share into the Western military alliance.

Referring to a conversation with an unnamed leader of an NATO country who asked him, "If we don't pay, are you still going to protect us," Trump said he replied, "Absolutely not." 

Since Trump left office in Jan. 2021, his former national security adviser, John Bolton, has said the former president had been close to withdrawing the U.S.from NATO at the end of a 2018 summit and said another Trump term presents an existential threat to the trans-Atlantic alliance.

"Many [NATO] countries owe us a tremendous amount of money… The United States has paid and stepped up like nobody," Trump said at a July 2018 NATO gathering, adding that "something has to be done." 

Will Trump withdraw U.S. from NATO? 

"I think Trump will cause significant damage in a second term, damage that in some cases will be irreparable," Bolton wrote in his 2020 memoir, "The Room Where It Happened." He said he believes Trump intends to pull America out of the alliance if reelected.

"I think he fully intends to do that," Bolton wrote. "I think that would be a catastrophic decision for America and a whole host of other things. It's a very grim prospect to see Trump in for a second term."

"I think that actually the biggest danger he [Trump] is for NATO is his unpredictability," Ben Hodges, a former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, told CBS News. "The urgency of defense investment is even greater if Trump turns out to be not as dependable as every other American president has been."

Hodges said that a way to ensure that NATO allies maintain smooth diplomatic relations with any incoming Trump administration would be for America's allies to honor their commitments and increase their defense spending now.

But he's skeptical that Mr. Trump would move to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, pointing to a law passed in Congress last year that prohibits the president from withdrawing from NATO or using any appropriated funds for that purpose without approval from lawmakers.

War game simulates NATO collapse in a second Trump term 

A recent war game run by Finley Grimble, a former intelligence analyst for the U.K. Ministry of Defense, found that in the event of a second Trump presidency, the alliance would be vulnerable to collapse, even if the U.S. doesn't  withdraw from NATO.

Grimble's war game ran a scenario in which Trump wins the election. The new administration immediately attempts to unilaterally broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. The talks break down and Trump then slashes foreign aid to Ukraine.

In the absence of having the congressional majority needed to formally withdraw the U.S. from the NATO treaty, the Trump White House then significantly reduces U.S. participation in NATO exercises, including moving 50% of America's military presence in Europe, to the Indo-Pacific region.

Grimble told CBS News that his analysis showed such a scenario would leave NATO a "hollowed out, unprepared shell" by pursuing a policy of NATO "dormancy."

In Grimble's war game, Trump takes advantage of NATO's command structure in which the supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe is always a U.S. officer and is responsible for the overall command of NATO military operations.

"NATO has these war-fighting plans that are ready to roll out… but the supreme allied commander in Europe would answer to Donald Trump," Grimble told CBS News.

"You tell [the NATO supreme allied commander] to stop cooperating, to stop enacting the plans, and the whole thing falls apart. And that's what Trump did in the game," he said.

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Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Reds first baseman elects free agency over minors.

• May 31, 2024

Carly Wimer

First baseman Mike Ford has decided to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment with the Cincinnati Reds. The 31-year-old infielder was designated for assignment earlier this week but passed through waivers unclaimed.

Ford has shown his potential as a power hitter despite his career being characterized by inconsistencies at the plate. He has had an on-and-off relationship with the Reds this year, signing two minor league deals, both of which he opted out of, as well as a major league deal.

Around those transactions, Ford slashed .455/.486/.727 in spring training and .297/.381/.538 in Triple-A. But once he cracked the Cincinnati roster, Ford’s production took a significant hit. He was batting .150/.177/.233 with a homer and a triple in 62 plate appearances before he was cut.

From the Reds: Mike Ford who was outrighted to AAA Louisville, has informed the Reds that he will elect free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment. — Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) May 31, 2024

Drafted by the New York Yankees in 2013, Ford has been bouncing around the majors for the past two years. He has hit .205/.298/.402 with 37 homers and 89 RBI since making his MLB debut in 2019.

Reds First Baseman Mike Ford Elects Free Agency Over Triple-A

Mike Ford has often found himself shuttling between the majors and the minors in his six-year career. However, the 31-year-old has struggled to maintain consistency at the major league level. Despite his disappointing numbers, Ford’s track record offers glimpses of his potential. Just last year, he had his best showing in the majors, hitting 16 homers through 84 games with the Seattle Mariners. Despite his performance last season, Seattle non-tendered Ford, leading to his on-and-off relationship with the Reds.

Instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville after clearing waivers, Ford will forgo the remainder of his salary and will enter free agency. A left-handed hitter, Ford has good splits against right-handed pitching and could be an interesting bench addition. Perhaps another team will take a chance on the veteran first baseman, hoping to unlock more consistent production. Or maybe Mike Ford will find his way back to the Reds and continue their on-and-off relationship.

Photo Credit: © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

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What is Memorial Day? The true meaning of why we celebrate the federal holiday

For many Americans, Memorial Day is more than a long weekend and an unofficial start to the summer season. The real meaning of the holiday is meant to honor all U.S. soldiers who have died serving their country.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day's history goes back to the Civil War. It was was declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Although Veterans Day in November also honors military service members, Memorial Day differs by honoring all military members who have died while serving in U.S. forces in any current or previous wars.

The late-May holiday has also evolved into an opportunity for Americans to head to the beach or lake , travel to see friends and family , or even catch a Memorial Day parade .

Here's what to know about the history and the reason behind why we observe Memorial Day.

Memorial Day weather: Severe storms could hamper your travel, outdoor plans for Memorial Day weekend

When is Memorial Day?

One of 11 federal holidays recognized in the U.S., Memorial Day is always observed on the last Monday of May. This year, the holiday falls on Monday, May 27.

Why do we celebrate Memorial Day?  

The origins of the holiday can be traced back to local observances for soldiers with neglected gravesites during the Civil War.

The first observance of what would become Memorial Day, some historians think, took place in Charleston, South Carolina at the site of a horse racing track that Confederates had turned into a prison holding Union prisoners. Blacks in the city organized a burial of deceased Union prisoners and built a fence around the site, Yale historian David Blight wrote in  The New York Times  in 2011.

Then on May 1, 1865, they held an event there including a parade – Blacks who fought in the Civil War participated – spiritual readings and songs, and picnicking. A commemorative marker was erected there in 2010.

One of the first Decoration Days was held in Columbus, Mississippi, on April 25, 1866 by women who decorated graves of Confederate soldiers who perished in the battle at Shiloh with flowers. On May 5, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, the tradition of placing flowers on veterans’ graves was continued by the establishment of Decoration Day by an organization of Union veterans, the Grand Army of the Republic. 

General Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first large observance, a crowd of about 5,000 people, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 30, 1873.

This tradition continues to thrive in cemeteries of all sizes across the country. 

Until World War I, Civil War soldiers were solely honored on this holiday. Now, all Americans who’ve served are observed. 

At least 25 places in the North and the South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Some states that claim ownership of the origins include Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, according to Veterans Affairs.

Despite conflicting claims, the U.S. Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, as the “birthplace” of Memorial Day on May 30, 1966, after Governor Nelson Rockefeller's declaration that same year. The New York community formally honored local veterans May 5, 1866 by closing businesses and lowering flags at half-staff. 

Why is Memorial Day in May? 

The day that we celebrate Memorial Day is believed to be influenced by Illinois U.S. Representative John A. Logan, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in November 1858, and served as an officer during the Mexican War.

It is said that Logan, a staunch defender of the Union, believed Memorial Day should occur when flowers are in full bloom across the country, according to the  National Museum of the U.S. Army.

Congress passed an act making May 30 a holiday in the District of Columbia in 1888,  according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act – which created the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance and encourages all to pause at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence – was signed into law by Congress and the President.

What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?

Memorial Day and Veterans Day both honor the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans, but the holidays serve different purposes.

Veterans Day, originally called “Armistice Day,” is a younger holiday established in 1926 as a way to commemorate all those who had served in the U.S. armed forces during World War I.

Memorial Day honors all those who have died.

See how Madison Marsh balances her duties as a US Air Force officer and Miss America

• Second Lt. Madison Marsh juggles duties as an active-duty US Air Force officer and Miss America .
• In January, the 22-year-old became the first active-duty service member to be crowned Miss America.
• She is now pursuing her master's degree at Harvard and assisting in pancreatic cancer research.

Madison Marsh has had a whirlwind few months balancing her duties as a US Air Force officer and Miss America.

In January, the 22-year-old Arkansas native became the first active-duty US Air Force officer to compete in — and win — the national pageant competition.

Fort Smith homecoming

Marsh returned to her hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas, over the weekend, welcomed with a homecoming parade. She also visited local schools — including her old middle and high school — to talk about her journey to the Miss America stage from those very halls.

"I mean, I've been saying all day that winning Miss America has never been about me," Marsh said, according to local news station KHBS . "It's been about the people that are in my community, who have backed me and the people that we can impact."

"And so, if I can hopefully open up the mind of another young woman or another young man to chase their dreams, to do something different, then it's a job well [done]," she continued. "And I'm so extremely lucky to have the position that I have."

Air Force officer, pageant winner, and now Harvard student

Over the span of a year, Marsh graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a degree in physics, was crowned Miss Colorado and later Miss America, and earned a full-ride scholarship to Harvard University.

Marsh earned her civilian pilot's license at 16, which inspired her to apply to USAFA. After she received her commission as a second lieutenant, she was selected for the flight school pipeline to become a military pilot.

However, Marsh decided to defer flight school last September to pursue a master's degree in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

Advocate for pancreatic cancer research

She also works as a graduate intern at Harvard Medical School , working with researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the early detection of pancreatic cancer using artificial intelligence.

Her mother died from pancreatic cancer in 2018, just nine months after her diagnosis, which led Marsh to become an advocate for patient care and research through the Whitney Marsh Foundation, the nonprofit her family founded after her mom's death.

"We are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were when my mom was diagnosed five years ago, and I think that speaks volumes to the type of strides we're making across the entire pancreatic cancer community ," Marsh told Healthline in an interview.

A future in public policy

Marsh said she hopes to apply insights gained from her Harvard research toward shaping public policy at Capitol Hill that will better support patients.

"Now I understand the science side and [how to ask] medical professionals, 'What do you think needs to be done for patients, and how can we get that done through legislation?'" Marsh said at a United Service Organizations event on Capitol Hill in February. "Because through Harvard, even though I only got to do one semester there, I have learned that it is really easy to make bad policy."

"I think the best way to making good policy is by intimately understanding from the source — with patients — and intimately understanding that scientifically so we're enacting it properly," she added. "Now that I have all of those communities able to give me that knowledge, I'm really excited to get to use that piece to come forward here on the Hill and maybe get some things done."

Balancing active duty with pageant duty

Marsh is taking the rest of the year off from her degree and research to focus on her commitments with the Air Force and Miss America. To coincide with her pageant duties, the Air Force kept Marsh on active duty by assigning her to a public affairs and recruiting position.

"The Air Force has been really, really wonderful with me," Marsh said. "Basically, anytime I go and do Miss America events, I'm also giving back to the Air Force to ensure people know about the message of what it means to serve as 2nd Lt. Marsh — the different ways that they can get involved in the military, whether it be in the Air Force or other branches or different jobs."

Never the same day at work

The 22-year-old certainly has her hands full as she travels to a new city every few days to make a public appearance or attend events for both the Air Force and Miss America, some of which may vary greatly from each other.

"One event may include putting on my [Air Force] uniform to speak to classrooms of students about what it means to serve our country," she said, according to Dayton Daily News , "and 10 minutes later, I could be changing into something like this," referring her black jumper, high heels, tiara, and Miss America sash, "to attend a speaking event or the Super Bowl."

'Put me in coach!'

But Marsh's professional sports cameos aren't just limited to the NFL. Earlier this week, Marsh threw the first pitch at the Mets baseball game at Citi Field in New York.

"Put me in coach!" Marsh wrote in an Instagram post after the game. "Grateful for the military community and the team at the Mets that made this happen!"

A day in the life of an Air Force cadet

In February, Marsh and 27 fellow state delegates visited her alma mater, the US Air Force Academy, to tour the facilities. Delegates experienced a day in the life of an Air Force cadet , flying flight simulators, packing parachutes, and sitting in a TG-16A glider.

"My Miss America class was floored by the entire experience," Marsh said in an article published by USAFA's Strategic Communication office. "They truly got the whole cadet experience — dorm tours, flight simulators, hopping in planes, eating with cadets, and more. I really couldn't have thought of a better day to show them my home."

Mike Peterson, outreach division director for USAFA's Strategic Communications office, said he hopes the visit will inspire the Miss America delegates to promote the academy in their home states.

"We're hoping that one of the things that the delegates will talk about is how they participated in Miss America's homecoming at her college, the US Air Force Academy," Peterson said. "They are going to represent their states for the rest of their lives. We hope they will continue to spread the word about the Academy and their positive experience here."

'I serve as 2nd Lt. Marsh, and I serve as Miss America simultaneously'

By serving in both crown and uniform, Marsh said she hopes to empower young women to lead in any space, regardless of any gendered misconceptions.

"I hope that women are able to see that they can define their own role in the military — whether they want to take it in the more feminine path or not — knowing that they are empowered to make that decision," Marsh told DOD News in February. "I hope young girls can see that you can lead in the military, or you can lead in a board room, in the courthouse, in medical boardrooms — whatever it might be — and you can be taken seriously.

"Whether I'm in a crown and sash or whether I'm in my uniform, I serve as 2nd Lt. Marsh, and I serve as Miss America simultaneously, and they do not take away from one another."

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