USNA  JARGON

 

Every Profession has its own Jargon, and the Navy is no exception.  For the Navy, Bulkhead, Deck, and Overhead are Wall, Floor, and Ceiling.  Some of this Nautical Terminology has found its way into every day use.  These hybrid origins of terminology are delineated herein.  Some Jargon changes over the years and some new words are added.  Below you will find a great selection.

 

PHRASE

MEANING

100'S NIGHT

Night in February, 100 Days from Graduation; PLEBEs switched places with FIRSTIEs and take reigns of power; Tradition halted in 2003, as deemed Conduct unbecoming an Officer

AHOY

Old traditional greeting for hailing other Vessels; originally Viking Battle Cry

ALL CALLS

PLEBE Punishment that requires reciting Daily Menu (Chow Calls) more often than usual

ALPHA CODE

Six-Digit Number given to every Plebe on I- Day; 1st 2 Numbers indicate Graduation Year; number kept throughout stay in Annapolis and printed on everything from clothing to medical paperwork; stays with MID after leaving Yard

ANCHOR

Graduating FIRSTIE with lowest OOM; traditionally receives $1 from each Classmate; also King Hall center point where Prayers given, Announcements made, and Meal begun with Bell ringing

APPLIED STRUGGLE

Applied Strength Test; test of physical ability including push-ups, pull-ups, and endurance

AQUA ROCK

Non-Swimming MID

ARMY WEEK

Week prior to Army/Navy Football Game; favorite week for conduct of outrageous Activities, Pranks, and Covert Actions; lots of good stories born

ARTICLE

PLEBEs required to read/recite from Newspaper Articles; have to explain contents of several articles daily; Parents sometimes get frantic requests for current events, as PLEBEs trying to keep up with outside World and fulfill required Article Count

ARUGAHHH!

Marine Corps Yell; also heard as HOOO-YAAAH! and OOOO-RAAAH!

ATLANTIC PROFESSIONAL AFLOAT TRAINING FOR MIDSHIPMAN PROGRAM

All Midshipmen participate in this program; better known as YP Cruise; MIDs learn to apply lessons learned in NS-100.

AVIATION QUALIFICATION TEST/ FLIGHT APTITUDE RATING

Aviation Test; 2-Part Test:  1 Math and 1 Flying; taken in 2nd Class Year; passing required for continuing on to Flight Selection

BAG-IT

Not bothering to try; giving up when others still working hard

BANCROFT (MOTHER B)

Largest Dormitory in World; Home to 4,000+ Mids for 4 Years by the Bay.

BARN

Room in Bancroft Hall with 4, or more, Racks

BEACH LIFTER

MID working in Weight Room to look good instead of working for Cardiovascular, or Conditioning, benefit

BEAT ARMY

Chant heard over and over and over again in every Passageway, at every Game forever

BEAT FEET

To leave quickly

BED CHECK

Check if MIDs in Racks at night

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP

In wooden Ships, Devil is longest Ship Seam, running from Bow to Stern; when At-Sea and Devil had to be caulked, Sailor sat in Bo'sun's Chair and was suspended between Devil and Sea (The Deep), very precarious position, especially when Underway.

BILGE

To put someone Down

BILLET

Place, or Position; used throughout Navy

BIRTHDAY BALL

Marine Corps Gala held on 10 Nov each Year to celebrate their Anniversary

BLACK MONDAY

Monday after Brigade Reform; PLEBEs surrounded by thousands of Upperclassmen instead of just few Detailers as in PLEBE Summer

BLACK N

Demerits for inappropriate behavior; when receive 100, or more, Demerits for 1 Infraction, considered Black N; MIDs used to compete for this one, then Command decided to keep Demerits at 99, or below, even for serious Offenses

BLACK SUNDAY

Sunday of PPW; PLEBEs' Families depart Gate 1; PLEBEs faced with reality that have a whole year ahead of them before they aren't at bottom of pile

BLUE AND GOLD

USNA Alma Mater; Words available at http://www.usna-parents.org/bg.html

BLUE MAGNET

Bedspreads at USNA are Navy Blue; Sleep can be big draw for many MIDs, thus Racks become Blue Magnets

BOGUS

Bad Thing

BOONDOCKER

Low-Cut Footwear

BOW WOW

Battalion Officer Of The Watch

BRACE

Braced PLEBEs have Chins tucked deeply into Necks and Heads stretched high with Eyes in Boat (Straight Ahead); Position commonly seen during PLEBE Summer

BRAG SHEET

MIDs write own advertisements to showcase accomplishments; Submit Sheets when Performance Rates being determined

BRAIN DUMP

Completely forget everything once test, or performance, over

BRASSARD

Cloth Band worn on Upper Sleeve to show temporary responsibilities

BRAVO ZULU (BZ)

Great Job; used throughout Navy

BRICK

PLEBEs bestow a Brick on Upperclassman who had most unappealing Weekend Date

BRIGADE

All MIDs, together, make up Brigade

BUBBLEHEAD

Submariner

BUDWEISER

SEAL Breast Insignia looks like Budweiser Seal

BULKHEAD

Wall, whether on Land, or onboard Ship; in Navy everything is At-Sea, even when on Dry Land

BULL

Non-Technical Majors; English, History, Government, and so forth

BULLDOG

Marine Officer Candidate School, Quantico, Virginia; has Training Option that some Mids choose for Summer Training

BUTTER BAR

Gold Bars worn by Ensigns and 2nd Lieutenants

CAKE

Something easy

CANOE U

Nickname for USNA

CARRY ON

What PLEBEs want to hear, as can relax and don't have to follow strict rules and regulations of their lowly station

CHAIN OF COMMAND

Administrative and Operational Channels above every Navy Member

CHERRY

MID who has never gotten in trouble - yet

CHEST CANDY

Ribbons, Awards, Insignia

CHEWING THE FAT

GOD made the Vittles but the Devil made the Cook, was a popular saying used by Seafaring Men in 19th Century when Salted Beef was staple diet aboard Ship; this tough Cured Beef, suitable only for long voyages when nothing else was cheap or would keep as well, required prolonged chewing to make it edible; Sailors often chewed one chunk for hours, just as it were chewing gum, and referred to this practice as Chewing The Fat

CHIT

Command-Issued Paper giving permission for some privilege; MIDs can request Chit to leave Yard when others are not allowed; get Medical Chits to avoid Physical Activity while recuperating from Injury; must apply in writing through Chain Of Command to get Chit

CHOKER WHITES

White Summer Uniforms that have High Tight Collar

CHOP

To march with Knees popping high in exaggerated staccato motions; rapid way for PLEBEs to get around; easily recognizable at a far distance

CHOW CALLS

Essential part of PLEBE Summer; heard loudly throughout Yard; PLEBEs shout out location of next Formation, inside or outside, Uniform required, Day's Menu (Sometimes Menus for next Day or Week), Names of MIDs and Officer On Duty that day; Week's Professional Topic and Major Yard Events; PLEBEs memorize Chow Calls every day and must recite On-Command regularly

CIVILIAN

Day without Classes

COLOR COMPANY

Company with most accumulated Color Points for everything from Academics and Athletics to Parades and Military Activities; being Color Company is good thing; get Bragging Rights and Extra Privileges

COME AROUND

Upperclassmen can require PLEBEs to recite Rates and Professional Knowledge

COMMANDANTS LIST

MIDs with 2.9 SQPR, or better, B in Performance and B, or better in PE

COUNTDOWN

Starting 30 Days before Herndon, PLEBEs in each Company, by Company Number-on their Countdown Number Day, do some sort of Reconnaissance or Prank

COVER

MID Hat

CRABTOWN

Annapolis

CRIPPLE CROWN

Tongue in check reference to MID who has worst scores on Semester's PE Tests, Applied Strength, Mile Run, and Obstacle Course

CROW'S NEST

Raven, or Crow, was an essential part of Viking Navigation Equipment; these land-lubbing birds were carried onboard to help Ship's Navigator determine where closest land lay when weather prevented sighting Shore; in cases of poor visibility, Crow was released and Navigator plotted Courses corresponding to Bird's flight path because Crows invariably headed towards Land; Norsemen carried Birds in cages secured to Mast Tops; later, as Ships grew and Lookouts stood Watch in Tub located high on Main Mast, name of Crow's Nest given to this Tub; while today's Navy still uses Lookouts in addition to Radars, etc., Crow's Nest is of the past

CUP OF JOE

Josephus Daniels, 18 May 1862-to-15 January 1948, appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913; among his Navy Reforms were inaugurating practice of making 100 Fleet Sailors eligible for Naval Academy; introduction of Women into Service, and abolishment of Officers' Wine Mess; From that time on, strongest drink onboard Navy Ships could only be Coffee and over time, Cup of Coffee became known as a Cup Of Joe

DANT

Short for Commandant

DARK AGES

Cold, difficult Period between Christmas and Spring Vacation, when Bad Weather and NO Breaks make it most depressing time of Year

DEAD WEEK

Week before Commissioning Week

DEAN'S LIST

List of MIDs with 3.4 GPA, or Higher

DECK

Floors are Decks in Navy; everything is At-Sea,  -  whether it is, or not is irrelevant

DEMERITS

Strikes against MID; Navy can't strike MID, but they can give Demerits; more for worse Offense and harsher consequences

DEVIL TO PAY

Primarily describes having unpleasant results from some action that has been taken; originally, this expression described unpleasant tasks aboard Wooden Ships; Devil was Ship's longest Hull Seam; Caulking was performed with Pay, or Pitch (Tar); task accomplished by squatting in Bilges, which was despised by every Seaman

DIXIE CUP

Blue-Rimmed Sailor's Hat worn by PLEBEs during PLEBE Summer; discarded after Plebe Year

DOG IT

To give less than your best

DRAG

Guest shown around Academy by MID; potential USNA Candidate; MID spending Day hosting Drag and gets Carry On

E-FRYS

E-Mails notifying MIDs of Conduct Offenses

EIGHT BELLS

Aboard Navy Ships, Bells are struck to designate Hours of Watch; each Watch is 4 Hours in length, and Bells are struck as follows:  1 Bell is struck after 1st Half-Hour, 2 Bells after 1 Hour, 3 Bells after an hour and a half, 4 Bells after 2 hours, and so forth up to 8 Bells, completing 4 Hours; completing Watch with no incidents to report was 8 Bells and All is Well; practice of using Bells stems from Sailing Ships, when Sailors couldn't afford time pieces and relied on Ship's Bells kept by Ship's Boy utilizing 1/2-Hour Glass; as sand ran out, he would turn Glass over and ring appropriate Number of Bells

EYES IN THE BOAT

PLEBEs must keep eyes straight ahead without focusing on anything in particular

FATHOM

Fathom was originally land measuring term derived from Ango-Saxon Word Faetm meaning to embrace; most measurements based on average size of body parts, such as Hand (Horses still measured this way) or Foot; Fathom is average distance from Fingertip to Fingertip of Man’s outstretched Arms -- about 6 Feet; since Man stretches Arms to embrace Sweetheart, Britain's Parliament declared that distance be called Fathom and a unit of measure; Fathom remains 6 Feet; also used to describe taking Measure or To Fathom (Figure Out) something

FEELING BLUE

If sad and feeling blue, using phrase coined from custom among many old Deepwater Sailing Ships; if Ship lost Captain, or any Officer, during voyage, Ship would fly Blue Flags and have Blue Band painted along entire Hull when returning to Port

FIRST CLASS ALLEY

Walkways on far sides of Wardroom, where Upperclassmen congregate

FIRSTIE

1st Class MID (Civilian Colleges call Students in 4th Year, Seniors; at USNA, called FIRSTIEs; 1st Year Students are 4th Class)

FLAMER

Upperclass who is excessively harsh on PLEBEs; SPPA:  2nd Class MID

FORECASTLE

Appropriate pronunciation for this word is fo'ksul; Forecastle is forward part of Main Deck; derives name from days of Viking Galleys when Wooden Castles were built on Forward and After parts of Main Deck from which Archers and other Fighting Men could shoot Arrows and throw Spears, Rocks, and so forth

FORTY YEAR SWIM

Only 40 Minutes; for swimming challenged, seems like 40 Years; accomplished during 2nd Class Year

FRY

To generously distribute Demerits

FUNNY MONEY

MID Credit System for MID Store and Yard; involving Pay and Automatic Deductions for Services whether used or not, such as Haircuts, Tailor Shop, and so forth

GALLEY

Ship’s Kitchen; corruption of Gallery; Ancient Sailors cooked Meals on Brick or Stone Gallery laid Amidships

GAS FACTOR

Unhappiness Factor

GEEKERS

Ugly Eyeglasses issued to MIDs

GOAT COURT

Two enclosed areas of Bancroft Hall formed by 3rd Wing in the 1st Regiment and by 4th Wing in the 2nd Regiment; rooms overlook Goat Courts and view lower roof and windows; are no trees or shrubbery and is noisy; no wind, so not helpful to keep windows open

GOUGE

Stuff necessary to get by every day; always need to memorize something:  Military Rates, Course Materials, and so forth; MIDs need to know their Gouge

GUN SALUTES

Gun Salutes were first fired as an act of good faith; in days when it took so long to reload Guns, it was proof of friendly intention when Ship's Cannon were discharged upon entering Port

GUNGY

Inspired to support NAVY

HALL RAT

MID who stays in Bancroft Hall on Weekends; has NO Social Life

HAPPINESS FACTOR

Number of Christmas Leave Days divided by Number of Days until Leave

HEAD

Bathroom aboard Navy Ship; term comes from days of Sailing Ships when place for Crew to relieve themselves was way forward on either side of Bowsprit, integral Hull part to which Figurehead fastened

HERNDON

21' Granite Obelisk near Chapel; covered with Lard and scaled by PLEBEs; replace Dixie Cup with MID's Cover; happens at beginning of Commissioning Week

HIGH AND TIGHT

Marine Haircut

HO CHI MINH

Reference to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail; Tunnel Labyrinth for Yard's Steam Heating System, which was used for Recons; disappear in Yard and reappear far away or outside Yard Walls; after 9-11 System shut down to tighten Security

HOLYSTONE

Last Navy Ships with Teak Decks were Battleships; Teak, and other Wooden Decks, were scrubbed with Sandstone, nicknamed Holystone; so named because, its use brought one to his Knees, so it must be Holy

HONOR NAZI

MID who delights in turning in fellow Mids for Honor Offenses

HOOO-YAAH!

Motivational yell; particular to Marines, or SEALS

HOP

Dance

HUNKY-DORY

Term meaning everything is OK, was coined from Street named Honki-Dori in Yokohama, Japan; inhabitants of this street catered to pleasures of Sailors, so street's name became synonymous for anything that is enjoyable or at least satisfactory; logical follow-on is Okey-Dokey

ICE CREAM SUIT

Short-Sleeved White Summer Uniform

I-DAY

Induction Day; start of PLEBE Summer

JIMMYLEGS

USNA DOD Police; provide Yard and Gate Security

JOHNNY

Student at St. John's College

JOKE JAIL

PLEBEs required by Upperclass to tell Jokes; if Jokes are poor, the PLEBE must hold Fork in front of Face as if speaking through Jail Bars

KAYDET

Student at West Point Military Academy

KNOCKABOUT

Small Sailing Craft

KNOWS THE ROPES

In very early days, phrase written on Seaman's Discharge to indicate Novice status; only knew names and uses of principal Ropes (Lines); Today, phrase means opposite:  Person fully knows and understands Operation, or Organization

LEATHERNECK

4-Week Training Course conducted by Marines at Basic School, in Quantico, VA; Topics covered include Amphibious Assault and Ground Warfare

LIB-O

Short for Liberty

LOCKED ON

MID who is extremely motivated and very positive about USNA

LOG BOOK

In early days of Sailing Ships, Ship's Records were written on Shingles cut from Logs, hinged and opened like Books; called Log Book; when paper readily available and bound into Books, Record maintained it name

MAYDAY

Internationally recognized Voice Radio Signal for Ships and People in serious trouble At-Sea; made official in 1948, it is an anglicizing of French m'aidez, Help Me

MECH-E

Mechanical Engineering

MINI-BUD/S

Summer Training Block for FIRSTIEs considering SEALS as Warfare Specialty Selection; difficult 3-Week Training Course at Basic Underwater Demolition School, Coronado, CA; also assigned 1-Week to Special Operations Units, such as a SEAL Team or Small Boat Unit

MISERY HALL

First Aid Rooms in MacDonough Hall and Halsey Field House; where Athletes go for First Aid and Ice

MOTHER B

Bancroft Hall, largest Dormitory in World

NERD NICKEL

Achievement Pin from 2nd-Year YP Cruise

OBLIGATION

Service Commitment incurred by graduating MID

O-COAT

Four-Button Overcoat

ORDER OF MERIT

Class Rank

PEA COAT

Sailors having to endure Foul Weather often donned Pea Coats; Coat's name isn't derived from Weather; heavy Coat worn in cold, miserable Weather was once tailored from Pilot Cloth -- heavy, course, stout kind of Twilled Blue Cloth with nap on one side and known as P-Cloth for initial letter of Pilot, with garment called P-Jacket, later, Pea Coat; term has been used since 1723 to denote Coats made from that Cloth

PIECE

MIDs drill with Fake Rifles (Cemented Bore)

PLEBE

4th Class MID; 1st Year MID, short for Plebeian, or Commoner

PLEBE INFORMAL

Periodic, mandatory 4th Class Dances

PLEBER

PLEBE

PODUNK

Home of Record

PORT HOLES

Originated during Henry VI of England‘s reign (1485); insisted on mounting Guns too large for his Ships; traditional methods of securing these Weapons in Forecastle and Aftcastle could not be utilized; French Shipbuilder, James Baker, commissioned to solve problem; put small Doors in Ship’s sides, allowing mounting of Cannons inside Ship; Doors protected Cannon from Weather and Doors were opened when Cannon utilized; French word for Door is Porte, which was later Anglicized to Port; now utilized to mean any opening in Ship’s Side, whether for Cannon or not

PRIORS

MIDs from Fleet Service

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY REVIEW

Annual tests of Professional Knowledge

PROFESSIONAL TRANING FOR MIDSHIPMEN

All 2nd Class MIDs not on PLEBE Summer Detail do this Training; 3-Week Training Course introducing Aviation, Subs, and Marine Corps Communities

PROGRAM

PLEBE Summer Physical Fitness Program

PUDDLE

Coastie; Coast Guard

P-WAY

Passageway

QUALITY POINT RATING

Civilian Schools use GPA; Yard additionally inputs Military Grades and Physical Training Points -- QPR

QUANTICO

Base in Virginia where 4-Week Leatherneck Training occurs; also known as Basic School

RACK

Bed

RATEY

Acting like you have more seniority than you do; thinks more important than really is

RECON

After-Hours Adventures in which MIDs participate:  Evening runs to Stores like 7-11

REG NAZI

Overzealous MID who looks for Regulations Violations

RETURN OF THE BRIGADE

After PLEBE Summer, PLEBes meet Upperclassmen and introduced to Academic Structure during Brigade Reform; instead of Detailers, have Upperclassmen who outnumber and overwhelm them; learn to cope and get used to Brigade

RING DANCE

Formal Dance at end of 2nd Class Year, where Ring is dipped into Binnacle of 7-Seas Water and when Class Ring can be officially worn

SANDBLOWER

Very short person

SCUTTLEBUTT

Nautical parlance for Rumor, comes from combination of Scuttle -- to make hole in Ship's Hull, causing Ship to sink and Butt -- Cask, or Hogshead, used by Wooden Ships to hold Drinking Water; Cask from which Ship's Crew took Drinking Water was Scuttlebutt; since Crew congregated around Scuttlebutt, that is where Rumors about Ship, or Voyage, began; thus, Rumors are Scuttlebutt

SEA LAWYER

MID who makes excuses for Misconducts

SECOND CLASS ALLEY

Spaces between Wardroom Tables

SERVICE SELECTION

FIRSTIEs apply for preferred Service Selection in Career Path; 1st choice given starting at top of Class Ranking; higher on class ranking list, more likely top choice will be granted; event happens shortly after Christmas; bottom of Class get whatever is remaining after all choices selected

SHEET POSTERS

Bulletin Boards generated by PLEBEs to showcase proper Navy Spirit

SHOVE OFF

To leave

SIX-N DAY

Six classes in 1 Day; go from class to class with NO breaks

SMACK

PLEBEs sometimes required to write Smack Letter to Mother, or Girlfriend; hysterical pieces of literature, having to glorify personality traits and physical attractiveness of Detailer

SOS

Letters do not stand for Save Our Ship or Save Our Souls; were selected to indicate Distress because, in Morse Code, these Letter combinations created unmistakable Sound Pattern

SPLICE THE MAIN BRACE

Sailing Ship's Rigging was favorite Target during Sea Battles, since destroying Opponent's ability to Maneuver, or get away, put your Ship at obvious advantage; first thing tended to after Battle was repair of broken Gear, Sheets, and Braces; Main Brace was principal Fore-and-Aft support of Ship's Masts and splicing this line was most difficult chore aboard Ship, as well as upon which Ship's safety depended; was custom, after Main Brace was properly spliced, to serve Grog to entire Crew; thus, today, after hard day, or, not so hard day, phrase has also become invitation to Drink

STAR

MID having GPA of 3.4, with A in Conduct and Performance, and at minimum B in Physical Education

STARBOARD

Vikings called the side of their Ship its Board, and they placed the Steering Oar, the Star on the right side of the Ship, thus that side became known as the Star Board.  It's been that way ever since, and, because the Oar was in the right side, the Ship was tied to the Dock at the left side.  This was known as the Loading Side or Larboard.  Later, it was decided that Larboard and Starboard were too similar, especially when trying to be heard over the roar of a heavy Sea, so the phrase became the side at which you tied up to in port, or the Port Side

STRIPER

MID in Class Chain of Command

SUPE

Short for Superintendent

SUPE'S LIST

Best academically performing Students

SWEAT

Worrying about everything

TAKEN ABACK

One hazard faced in days of Sailing Ships has been incorporated into English to describe someone who has been jolted by unpleasant news; say that person has been Taken Aback; person is at momentary loss, unable to act or even to speak; Also danger faced by Sailing Ships from sudden Wind shifts (Squall), blowing Sails back against Masts, putting Ships in grave danger of having Masts break off and rendering Ship totally helpless; Ship was Taken Aback

TECUMSEH

GOD OF 2.0; Statue of Tamanend, Delaware Chief, in front of Bancroft Hall; MIDs toss Pennies trying to get them in Tecumseh Quiver for Good Luck for Exams and so forth

THREE SHEETS TO THE WIND

Describes someone who has too much to drink; are often bedraggled with perhaps shirttails out and messy clothes; reference is to Sailing Ship in disarray; that is, with Sheets flapping loosely in Breezes

THREE-MILE LIMIT

Originally recognized distance from Nation's shore over which that Nation had jurisdiction; Border of International Waters, or High Seas, was established because 3 Miles was longest range of any Nation's most powerful Guns, and therefore, limited Shore Batteries at which they could enforce their Laws (International Law and 1988 Territorial Sea Proclamation established High Seas Border at 12-Mile Limit)

TOOK THE WIND OUT OF HIS SAILS

Describes getting best of opponent in argument; originally described Battle Maneuver of Sailing Ships; 1 Ship passes close to Adversary and on windward side; Ship, and Sails block Wind from 2nd Ship, causing loss of Headway; losing motion meant losing maneuverability and ability to carry on fighting

TOOL

Jerk

UNIFORM RACES

When upperclass give plebes time, such as 2 Minutes, to change Uniforms and be back for Inspection

UNREG

Unauthorized; not according to Regs

UNSAT

Below 2.0 GPA; D Grades unsat, MID loses weekend privileges and has to spend extra time studying

VISITOR CENTER

Where Visitors go and MIDs do not

WATCH

MIDs are responsible for checking doors, making sure everything is secure, that all Personnel are on duty, and so forth; Responsibilities:  Take charge of particular Area and all Government Property; walk Post on alert, observe everything that takes place within sight or hearing; quit Post when properly relieved; give alarm in case of fire or disorder; be especially watchful at night, challenge all persons near Post, and allow no one to pass without proper authority

WATCH COMMAND

Company Duty Officer (CDO)  -  FIRSTIE who is head of Company Duty Section; Commissioned Officer assigned Main Office Watch for Day with OOW; Company Mate Of The Deck (CMOD)  -  PLEBE, or YOUNGSTER, standing Watch in Company Area, called Mate; MOM (Main Office Messenger) Duty of PLEBE; Officer Of The Watch (OOW)  -  Highest Ranking Watch Billet for MID; Other MIDs have to salute OOW; Company Midshipman Officer Of The Watch (CMOW):  Company Commander Billet in Main Office under OOW; Battalion Officer Of The Watch (BOOW)  -  FIRSTIE also called Bow Wow

WATCHES

Traditionally, 24-Hour Day divided into 7 Watches:  Midnight to 4 AM [0000-0400], Mid-Watch; 4 to 8 AM [0400-0800], Morning Watch; 8 AM to Noon [0800-1200], Forenoon Watch; Noon to 4 PM [1200-1600], Afternoon Watch; 4 to 6 PM [1600-1800] First Dog Watch; 6 to 8 PM [1800-2000], Second Dog Watch; and, 8 PM to Midnight [2000-2400], Evening Watch; 1/2-hours of Watch are marked by striking Bell appropriate number of times

WATER SKIING

MID having each bare Foot in different Urinal and flushing; form of Hazing

WOOP, KAYDET

Student at West Point Military Academy

X-PERIOD

Times set aside for Morning Exams

YOUNGSTER

3rd Class; 2nd Year MID

YP

Ships used for Midshipmen Summer Training.  (108 Feet in Length and used for Training)

ZOOMIE

Student at Air Force Academy