Marine Corps Lingo

I was browsing a blog written by a fellow Marine who bills himself as, "America's Sergeant Major,"  when it occurred to me that many Marines assume too quickly that our lingo will be understood by those outside of our profession.  As a result, I decided to publish a list of some of our more frequently used phrases and terms for the amusement and education of our civilian friends.  Feel free to add to this list in the comments.

Ooh-rah: Ooh-rah is a multi-use term that can be a greeting (not to be confused with the "appropriate greeting of the day"), an acknowledgement, or a simple expression of enthusiasm. It's origins are disputed, but I like to keep it simple and believe that it is derived from one of the common, early expressions of excitement, such as, "huzzah," or, "hooray."  

Good to go:  This is a very overused term that simply means, "Ok."  Many leaders get so fixated on this term, that they'll use it in every sentence.  It's an appropriate way of saying that everything is ok, understood, or that you approve of a given situation.  

Secure that $hit: To secure something means to properly tie it down or, more likely, to stow it or put it away.  This is Naval terminology, which permeates our vocabulary in the Corps.  This is an appropriate phrase for a leader when his subordinate Marines are saying something that they shouldn't (like complaining about whatever crappy work detail that they've been assigned to).  

MOS: Military occupational specialty, or job.  This is simply a numerical designation for the career field that a Marine is assigned.  Marines compete for promotion only against others in the same MOS, or sometimes a similar group of MOS designation. 

Lock on:  To lock on something is to schedule it, or set it up.  "Hey Gunny, did you lock on the range for next week's machine gun shoot?"  To lock somebody on can also mean to train them or explain something to them.

 Square away:  This term has multiple meanings.  If a Marine is squared away, he/she looks good in uniform and is good at their job.  To square something away means to fix it, or straighten an area up.  "The General will be here this afternoon; make sure the area is squared away." 

Boot:  A boot is a new, very junior Marine.  This term implies that the subject is freshly graduated from recruit training, or boot camp.  Boots are easily spotted off base by their awkward manner of dress, traveling on foot, backpacks, and running shoes (most don't own much civilian footwear yet).

Field day:  When we were kids, field day was an entire day of games and contests; in the Corps, it's nothing more than a thorough cleaning.  This can be a noun or a verb.  One can be told to go field day the barracks, or that field day will commence at 1800.

PCS: PCS, or permanent change of station, refers to a Marine receiving orders to a new duty station, and the move associated with it.   I got my PCS orders to Camp Lejeune today; looks like I'm moving in September.  PCS can also be used as a verb:  I'm PCS'ing to Camp Lejeune in September. 

Leave: Leave is paid vacation time.  Marines accrue, or earn, 2.5 days of leave per month, which works out to 30 days per year.  Leave is then "charged" when you use it.  Marines cannot carry over more than 60 days of leave to the next fiscal year; anything above the 60 day mark is lost on 1 October.

Liberty: Liberty is nothing more than time off, such as on the weekends, or in the evenings after normal duty hours. This differs from leave, in that it is not charged as vacation days.  

Float: A float is a deployment aboard ship.  Our Corps routinely deploys Marine Expeditionary Units, or MEUs, aboard ships for approximately six months at a time.  A MEU is typically made up of an infantry battalion, sundry combat vehicle elements (tanks, amphibious vehicles, and light armored vehicles), as well as artillery, air wing units, and support elements (cooks, mechanics, etc). 

POG or Pogue:  This term refers to anyone that has a supporting MOS, such as administrator, or supply clerk.  It began as "pogie," or "pogy," many years ago, and has been bastardized into POG, which is an acronym for "person other than grunt," or non-infantry.  
There are also a few more terms that seem to have fallen out of favor over the last couple of decades.  I include a couple of them here for amusement's sake:

Scuttlebutt:  This term has two meanings-- Water fountain and gossip.  The "latest scuttlebutt" is slang for the latest rumor, or word on the street.  Some say that this stems from water coolers being the traditional spot to meet and gossip about one's coworkers, and scuttlebutt being slang for water fountain.

Pogie Bait: Candy or junk food.  This originated from the practice of bribing pogies (supply clerks, admin clerks, cooks, etc) with candy or doughnuts in order to get a favor in return.  "I slipped the supply clerk some pogie bait in trade for a new sleeping bag!"

Geedunk:  Geedunk is another slang term for junk food or candy.  
 

Got any others to share?