Becoming a Sailor means learning a lot of training skills and lessons. Without a doubt, learning to speak like a Sailor is similar to learning a new language.
There are many Navy terms, jargon and acronyms.
But with a little practice, you’ll have it down in no time.
You’ll hear a lot of specific terminology aboard a ship, but you’ll also hear some Navy terms around military establishments like bases or government buildings. If you’re getting ready to head off to Navy boot camp, reviewing these terms will give you an advantage over your peers.
There are many more terms you’ll learn than what’s listed here, but these are some of the main military terms you’ll want to know right away.
Below, we’ve included a list of words to help you get started:
Navy Terms
Adrift – Loose from mooring and out of control – also anything left lying about
Aft-end — near or toward the stern (rear of the ship)
Ahoy — call for attention from a distance
All Hands — the entire ship’s company or the entire command
Allotment – amount of money automatically taken from pay
Astern — behind a ship
Aye Aye – reply to a command or order – “I understand” (Aye) and I will comply (Aye)”
Avast – cease or stop
BAH — basic allowance for housing
BAS — basic allowance for subsistence; (meals) for service member
Barracks – building where Sailors or recruits live
Below — beneath (“lay below” means to go downstairs, for example)
Brightwork – brass or shiny metal that is polished instead of painted
Bow — forward end of a boat or ship
Bridge — also pilothouse – room from which a ship is commanded
Brig — military prison on a ship or base
Bunk – rack or bed
BUPERS — Bureau of Navy Personnel
Carry On – order to resume work or duties
Cast Off – to throw off; “Cast off a mooring line”
Chain locker – room in forward part of the ship where the anchor chain is stored
Chit – official piece of paper indicating a special request or granted permission
Chow — food or meal
CMDCM — Command Master Chief Petty Officer – rating for the most senior enlisted Sailor in a command; also abbreviated as CMC.
CNO — Chief of Naval Operations
CO — Commanding Officer; also known as the Captain of the ship
Colors — ceremony for raising or lowering of the National Ensign Held at 0800 and at sunset
CPO – Chief Petty Officer
Deep Six – to dispose of by throwing over the side of a ship underway
DC — damage control
Dead Ahead — straight ahead
Deck – floor or ground
DEERS — Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
DoD — Department of Defense
DoN — Department of the Navy
Ensign – National Flag; also commissioned officer with a paygrade of O-1 whose rank is between Chief Warrant Officer 5 and Lieutenant Junior Grade
Fast – snugly secured
Fathom – unit of length (equal to 6 feet) used for measuring the depth of water
Flag Officer – a commissioned officer with a paygrade of 0-7 or above
Forward — toward the bow of a ship
FSA — family separation allowance is an allowance that a Sailor may be entitled to when involuntarily separated from dependants; also Food Service Attendant for Sailors who are performing food prep duties on a ship
Galley – kitchen for preparing meals
Gangway – opening in the lifelines of a ship that allows access to the brow, accommodation ladder; also an order to clear the way
Gear Locker – storage room
Geedunk – candy, gum, snacks or a cafeteria
General quarters (GQ) — order to leave what you are doing to get to Battle Stations
Gigline – The straight line that runs down the front center of the torso formed by the alignment of the shirt, belt buckle and pants zipper.
Head – bathroom or toilet
Helm — steering wheel of the ship that controls the rudder
Jacob’s ladder — portable rope or metal ladder for accessing ships
Knot — 1 nautical mile per hour; also tying a line or rope to securely fasten
Liberty – permission given to leave the ship or base
Lifeline – lines around the weather decks of a ship to prevent personnel from falling over the side
Lay — movement of a person or group of personnel
Log — book in which data or events that happened during watch are recorded
Main deck — uppermost deck that extends from the stem (the very forward-most point of the ship) to the stern (i.e. hangar bay on an aircraft carriers)Master-at-Arms — ship security force member; also in basic training the recruit master-at-arms is the recruit who is responsible for monitoring good order
MCPO – Master Chief Petty Officer
MCPON – Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Mess Deck – designated area where Sailors eat meals
Muster — process for accounting for all members in a unit; roll call
MWR — Morale, Welfare, and Recreation
NEX — Navy Exchange
OPSEC — Operational Security
Overboard — over the side of the ship or boat
Overhead – ceiling or above
Passageway – hallway or corridor
Paygrade – administrative classifications to indicate pay across the military service branches; i.e. E-1, E-2, etc.
PCS — permanent change of station or transfer
PIR — Pass in Review
PO1/PO2/PO3 — Petty Officer 1st Class; Petty Officer 2nd Class; Petty Officer 3rd Class
PRT — physical readiness test
Quarterdeck — designated area by the CO for official use or ceremonies
Quarters – formal assembling of All Hands for muster, instruction, and inspection
Rate – enlisted occupation and paygrade; a Boatswain Mate 1st Class would be abbreviated BM1 and a Electronics Technician Chief would be abbreviated ETC
Rating – enlisted occupations earned through A school or OJT ; an example would be a Fire Controlman (FC) or Damage Controlman (DC)
Reville – the time to wake up; will not be past 0600
RDC — Recruit Division Commander
Recruit – in basic training all trainees are referred to as recruit
SCPO — Senior Chief Petty Officer
Scuttlebutt — drinking fountain; a rumor
Secure – lock, put away, or cease work
Shift colors — change arrangement of colors after getting underway
Sick bay — area aboard ship that serves as a hospital or medical clinic
Sick call — time designated for personnel to seek non emergency medical attention
SR/SA/SN— Seaman Recruit; Seaman Apprentice; Seaman;
Stem – forward most point of ship or vessel
Stern — aftmost part of a ship or vessel
Swab – mop or the action of using a mop on the deck
Taps – bugle call to signal the end of the military day; also played at military ceremonies such as funerals and memorial services
Tattoo – five minutes before Taps
Topside – weatherdecks of a ship; also upstairs
Turn In — heading to bed
Turn To – begin work or to return to working
UA — unauthorized absence
VCNO — Vice Chief of Naval Operations
Watch — period of time, usually a 4-hour periods, to where one mans a watch station and performs a particular duty;
XO — Executive Officer; second person in command
Start Talking Like a Sailor
You’ll want to start learning and practicing this language long before you head to the Recruit Training Command,Great Lakes.
You may not use all of these Navy terms every day onboard the ship, but you’ll be better prepared if you use them more often. Once you get a copy of your Recruit Training Guide and The Bluejacket’s Manual at basic training, you’ll also find additional military terms.
In the meantime, learn the terms and pass this list along to your family members, friends and supporters. That way they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about once you start exchanging letters while you’re in boot camp!
If you have a loved one at RTC Great Lakes, be sure to join our RTC Great Lakes Facebook group.
What excites you most about basic training? Share with us in the comments below!
