Dead Obvious Signs You Were In The Military

Soldiers can easily pick out their fellow soldiers from the crowd. There is simply something telling about people who were in the military. They conduct themselves differently in public, though the differences are extremely subtle. If you ever served them in the military, take a look at these pictures and try to tell us you can’t relate!

Floor = Bed

Basic training might be, well, basic but it does teach us some highly valuable lessons. For soldiers, the floor is as a good a bed as many. However, it is pretty ironic that while they are not picky about where to sleep, they could still stand at attention in only a few seconds!

Ironing Boss

Soldiers all know how to fold and iron clothes, particularly their uniform. It is simply a part of the job to look presentable as much as possible. A creased uniform is definitely a no-no.

The Way You Walk

We’ll let you in on a way to figure out who is a soldier. Watch them walk and you can see that military men or women walk with both control and purpose. Here is another tip: if you have to speed up to walk alongside them, there might be a chance they were in the military.

Military Time

Ask them what time it is and you will not get the usual answer. They will likely stick to the military time format. Honestly, why bother affixing AM or PM when you can find out in a shorter way?

Your Hair

Think of the last time that you went to the hairdresser and asked for a specific haircut. Well, soldiers do not get the same treatment. They all receive a buzz cut! Soldiers can only get a different haircut once they leave the military.

Scanning Situations

One of the first things a soldier learns is how to observe and assess situations. It is important for them to act quickly if they find anything suspect. Now you know why there is no need to be alarmed when your military friends take time to scan the room wherever you go.

Standing At Ease

We admit that standing “at ease” probably looks like the opposite for civilians. When you do it on the regular, it becomes instinctive. Upon return to civilian life, we bet ex-soldiers still do it regularly.

Sir And Ma’am

Respect is also a big deal in the military, as it should be everywhere else. Regardless of who they are talking to, soldiers will always display respect. Men are called ‘sir’ and women are called ‘ma’am’.

Fast Eater

Another thing that changes when you go to the military is your eating habits. Soldiers need to munch on their meals quickly! This is because they need to head back to their post as soon as possible, especially when they are in the middle of war. Don’t just your soldier friend too much if they wolf down their food!

Military Jargon

“Roger that”, “negative” and “affirmative” have all become in pop culture depictions of soldiers. True enough, this is pretty accurate soldier speak. Many military men and women, even after they are done with service, continue to speak this way. Truly, military has its own culture.

Cursing

We have already mentioned that respect is a big thing in the military, though a lot of soldiers like to swear like sailors. If you want to see it for yourself, try talking to a drill sergeant. You’ll see what we mean.

Polished

As aforementioned, it is important that soldiers look presentable as much as possible. Another thing they need to take care of is their boots. Soldiers have to put in some elbow grease to make them shine!

Your Fridge

Most of our fridges are full of reminders, photos, and magnets. Meanwhile, it is different for soldiers. Their fridges will typically show war memorabilia, military souvenirs, and other evidence of their time in the military.

Saluting

If someone salutes you, don’t worry. That person is probably just greeting you! After all, this is the common mode of greeting in the military. As we all know, old habits die hard. Just salute back!

No Kitchen

We all cook in the kitchen and eat in the dining room. To soldiers, however, these places are both ‘the mess.’ It’s not a judgment of your cleaning skills! It is only the shortened form of the mess hall.

Call Of Duty

Actual soldiers play video games too and we bet they are fans of Call of Duty as well. However, they can tell the difference between fiction and reality. For example, they know that it would be impossible to pack a grenade launcher and six other rifles with you!

Black paint or ‘Boot-Topping’?

Do you know what boot paint or boot-topping is? If you haven’t spent any time in the military, you might think that it is simply black paint. Let us tell you the difference. It is a black coating used to lather between the deck and the waterline. When it comes to the consistency, it is a thick liquid made of either lime or sulfur.

Quiet In Line

Military personnel have a tendency to behave properly when in line for a queue. Basic training dictates that they must stay quiet when they have to wait for orders or enter the mess hall. They take this kind of behavior to civilian life and we daresay we should follow in their footsteps!

Checking Your Car

Soldiers will not survive in the military without discipline! Before they go out on a mission, it is the duty of a soldier to make sure the vehicle is ready to go. This is an important process, regardless of whether it is a jet, a helicopter, or an armored car. You might find that they also do this in civilian life with their personal car!

Home Chore List

In the army, chore lists are important if they wish to get anything done. This ensures that everyone knows their assignments and tasks. Someone who fails to accomplish their chores will be held accountable for it. The system is often used in their civilian homes as well.

Skip The Fireworks

We all know that fireworks look beautiful, though we do not recommend setting them up if you have a soldier present. This is especially true if they have been deployed into a war zone. In all likelihood, those people will not react positively to loud explosions like fireworks. They sound a lot like something else.

Power Stance

The fact that they are soldiers does not only show in the way they walk. It also shows in how they stand! Based on their rank, they typically have some sort of power stance. You can tell their confidence from their posture alone!

Your Squad

It is true that there exists a special bond between a soldier and their companions on the field. Often, they end up becoming the most important people in each other’s lives. Together, they try to keep each other safe. Regardless of how curses and insults are exchanged, they trust and love each other to death.

Speaking In A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.S.

Acronyms are also a big deal in the military life. If you listen in on a conversation between soldiers, you will likely be confused by the lingo. If you don’t understand what BOHICA, SNAFU, and WAG is, we bet you have always been a civilian.

Honking Twice

Honking twice is a military practice that means you are backing up. Many soldiers tend to do the same thing when they come home from service. Habits do die hard!

The Flag

We all know that the American flag symbolizes the whole nation so it deserves nothing but respect. Whenever it is raised, soldiers will rise immediately and even bring their hands up to a salute.

 

Back To The Wall

If you find yourself with a wall to your back, do not feel so dejected. There is always a bright side to things and this typically means that you are in the safe. Without any threats coming from behind, you can now focus your attention in front of you. This is why soldiers like to sit down with a wall behind them.

Hospital Corners

At this point, you can tell that soldiers like things neat. The same applies to their beds and the way they fix them. They make “hospital corners” for maximum neatness and the beds therefore look identical!

War Movie Frustration

Many soldiers get annoyed by the way Hollywood portrays war. Truly, the media will never be able to duplicate the real-life conditions of their experience. However, they can still chill out and watch an action flick but keep in mind they can pick apart the absurd moments.

Whistling In The Loo

When you are in a public bathroom and the person in the other stall is whistling, they might have spent some time in the military. The military practice is still common, though no one knows where it came from.

Knife Hands

A knife hand is what you call the gesture soldiers make when they are explaining something. They keep the hand flat and tight, the fingers locked together. Even when they are done with service, soldiers typically use it when giving directions.

Getting Up Early

When a soldier claims that they slept in, they still woke up way earlier than the rest of us. Basic training involves waking extremely early and this kind of thing doesn’t go away easily.

Popping Smoke

Have you ever heard of the idiom “popping smoke”? Well, it actually has military origins. In the battle field, soldiers typically “pop smoke” for a diversion or shield as they move into position. If you hear someone say they’re popping smoke, it means they’re leaving.

Tabasco Sauce

It is true that army food is far from gourmet. It is not unusual for the food to be served too dry or too bland. When this happens, soldiers have come up with a solution. Tabasco sauce is the way to go!

The National Anthem

As soon as the Star Spangled Banner plays, you will probably find soldiers with watery eyes. Our national anthem is basically the soundtrack of their lives. Of course, it is also worth mentioning that the song represents our nation.

Always Early, Never Late

A lot of people think it is cool to show up “fashionably late” to an event. Military people, however, will frown on that. Soldiers typically show up around 15 minutes earlier than the call time. This is because they understand how important time is.

No Explanations

We normally give explanations when there is something important taking place. In the military, however, they give briefings. After all, it can be hard to digest information when one delivers a lengthy speech with a lot of emotion. For soldiers, it is important to be straightforward.

Workout Music

Any ex-soldier trying to find a song that will prep them up for a great work out should definitely play “cadence”. Nothing will get them pumped up like this song! Cadence, to military people, will forever be the soundtrack of hard work and motivation.

Your Gun

If you are a soldier who has handled a gun, you probably know what we are talking about when we way the firearm is practically a limb. Wherever one goes, the gun goes as well. Many former military people still feel like they have the gun with them!

Losing Your Gun

On that note, ex-soldiers apparently dream of losing their weapon. If you have ever been in the military, you will know that this is the worst thing that can happen in the battle field! When they open their eyes, though, they will quickly remember that they don’t carry a gun anymore.