Clue that someone's ex-military

Maybe he knows too much about guns or military tactics and somehow lets that slip in a conversation? Like they're discussing a current war and he gives some opinions that are just too specific or too well thought-out for a civilian, and that sparks a little doubt?

I take it the SHE you mention did not know the soldier before he went away.

She might notice he talks freer around other men or women who have been in the military. She might notice a tatoo that represents an insignia from a unit, or deployment. She might notice his reluctance to take sides in certain political debates involving the military, like DADT. Maybe he is over sensative in his reactions to loud noises that sound like guns or bombs going off.

I think it will all depend on how observant she is and her own experiences around other military members...

His speech is peppered with acronyms, his haircut is always just a little bit shorter than fashionable, he is always perfectly groomed, he wears a white t-shirt under his regular shirts, his posture is perfect, when standing relaxed he is always balanced on both feet.

He has no se for video games.

Oops, he has no USE for video games.

(I lost my edit buttons.)

How about a tattoo? If he's not a team player, it doesn't have to be a unit tattoo, but could be one that he got while stationed abroad. A word in the local language, or some sort of emblem representing the country or city.

Or it could be something relating to his unit or company--'not a team player' doesn't necessarily mean he didn't bond with the other folks in his unit. Could even be the name of a buddy and the date he was killed (and that's something she could look up, especially if the last name is unusual).

Posture. Ex military types have far better posture than their peers. Most people, especially younger people have terrible posture these days but in the army you get drilled into good posture, especially noticeable when walking, which will be much closer to marching.

That would be my first clue, especially if I knew the person before.

Speaking as a former Marine... I have a thing for creases and can't stand wrinkles. I used to be an obsessive bed-maker but I've since broken that habit. No more tight corners/bouncing quarters for me! (but maybe this stuck with him---in the military, your gear has to be in order. So maybe his drawers/closets are super tidy--t-shirts folded, dress shirts hung and organized by color and pressed).

Also, you tend to eat fast coming out of the military. Where was he assigned while on active duty? If he saw any combat, that changes things a lot.

Does he still look like a soldier--high and tight haircut, etc.? Tatts are popular too!

Anyway, I think boot camp changes most people for the better. I think all fellow jarheads I encounter are very respectful--you'll hear sir/ma'am a lot--tend to walk with an air of confidence too. Most of my friends tell me I don't look like a Marine but I act like a Marine.

And as someone else pointed out--they'll use a lot of military jargon. It tends to stick with you.
USMC (**Editing to add the word EXAMPLES, as in these are Marine Corps examples of military-speak that might stick with a former whatever ):
Hat = cover
Toilet = head
Neat and Tidy = Squared away
etc. etc. etc.

A scar, perhaps from a bullet or shrapnel wound. A limp. A missing limb or finger. The occasional 500 mile stare. But mostly the posture as mentioned above.

Haggis said:

A scar, perhaps from a bullet or shrapnel wound. A limp. A missing limb or finger. The occasional 500 mile stare. But mostly the posture as mentioned above.

Click to expand...

I've gotta say--love the cute little DEVIL DOG! ooh-rah!

The thing I've always noticed--and it's very subtle--is the posture. You can take a man out of the military, but you can't take that posture out of his spine. I'm not talking about standing 'at ease' either, but just a general straight posture that folks who aren't in the military can't emulate.

Unless they wear a back brace.

The other thing I noticed too is that an ex-soldier's clothes are usually...crisper. They're used to ironing their uniforms, and for many that extends to keeping their civvies neater and crisper than others. (Reason # 1 why my husband would have *sucked* in the military).

Same thing goes for cars, houses, closets--a very precise orderliness. Almost to the point of OCD. My dad (Master Sgt, 101st Airborne) still makes his bed up every morning military style, still lays out his clothes for the next day military style, and still has his closet organized so precisely that my stepmother refuses to put clothes into it. He does his own laundry because he's so picky, and if someone

Also, I think this will depend a bit upon the character's rank. He may not be an exemplary soldier in some aspects, but that doesn't necessary preclude him from rising in the ranks. (ie--my brother in law is a good example of that) If he is an NCO, for example, he will retain some of those traits as he makes his transition back into the civilian world.

I was Army. We don't ooh-rah. We unh.

Rowan said:

And as someone else pointed out--they'll use a lot of military jargon. It tends to stick with you.
USMC:
Hat = cover
Toilet = head
Neat and Tidy = Squared away
etc. etc. etc.

Click to expand...

Yes yes, but he's ex ARMY, he won't use MARINE jargon. A toilet is a toilet or possibly latrine. I think squared away is exclusively Marine-talk. Some people called hats covers but more commonly it was called a lid, and most common of all, a 'hat' (weird huh?).

Oh, I don't know if they do this in the American army, but in the Canadian forces if you had a question you brought your upper arm out at a 45 degree angle (45 from straight down), lower arm 90 degrees to the upper arm hand in a fist rather than raising a hand. That stuck with me for quite some time after getting out.

Drachen Jager said:

Yes yes, but he's ex ARMY, he won't use MARINE jargon. A toilet is a toilet or possibly latrine. I think squared away is exclusively Marine-talk. Some people called hats covers but more commonly it was called a lid, and most common of all, a 'hat' (weird huh?).

Click to expand...

Yeah, I can read, Drachen. I got the whole "Army 10th Mountain Div" part from the OP.

I was using those as examples, which is why I put the "USMC" header in there. As a former Marine, I don't know Army speak but was giving the OP an idea as to how we former military types tend to continue using the obscure jargon. I'm sure the Army dogs can give her some Army speak to use for her character.

Posted by HAGGIS:
I was Army. We don't ooh-rah. We unh.

Click to expand...

What is that? A grunt? You were Army....well now that explains a lot!

I would not say short hair means someone was military, but rather is he compulsive about his hair not being over his collar? Does he fold his cap a certain way when not wearing it?

A white T-shirt under his regular shirt...again, this is not definitive because I wore white t-shirts before I was ever in the military. I would also feel this is more an officer thing than enlisted men because enlisted men wear grays or khaki t shirts more these days than white... Unless your navy...

The use of acronyms is not exclusive to the military as lots of professional people in insurance, banking, and stocks use acronyms as well. It will depend on if the acronyms are exclusive to the military.

This is where the experience of your female character around other military men and women will help her put two and two together.

Lockstep.

They keep that rhythm to their gait for quite a while.

I think an astute person will clue in if he/she notices a combination of the habits pointed out in this thread--ie., use of military jargon, attentiont to detail (esp if combined with his being evasive about his past), etc. and so forth.

I'm sure Kate will work it out so her character starts to suspect he's former military by piecing together all of these facts--and maybe she does some investigating (snooping) on her own.

And as you (ThothGuard51) pointed out, perhaps she's got some sort of military experience or knowledge. Maybe her father/brother served? Maybe she dated a Marine or grew up near an Air Force base? The possibilities are endless.

Posture was the first thing I thought of. I've had comments from folks in this burg who notice how I walk (more like stride, upright, no-nonsense). I also tend, even though it's been ten years, to stand at a--okay relaxed--parade rest. Actually, it's rather comfortable when you're used to it.

Has a duffle bag, perhaps with his fabric name tag sewn to it.

He might have high frequency hearing loss; at least, that's how Dad's had his forever.

One giveaway I've noticed is if people have lived a lot of places. Often they'll talk about that without mentioning that they were in the military or military brats. If they've lived in another country and don't speak the language, that can be a big clue, I've found.

> Army, 10th Mountain Division

Cool as ice even under stressful situations. The way he looks at things and people and remembers the details. A sharp knowledge of time. Never asks for directions when on the road. Carries detailed maps and a compass in his car/truck. The more combat the guy had seen the more acute his senses.

-cb

His language. He'll have a tendency to use the term "Hooah". It's a bit like the term "Dude". It can be a question, "Hooah?", a response like OK, "Hooah", or it can be an exclamation of success or happiness, "Hooah!". He'll use terms like "Lock and Load" to imply "get ready". He'll say "strack" meaning somebody has a well groomed appearance. "He's a strak looking guy". He'll say "latrine" instead of bathroom. He may use the term "REMF". It's a derogatory term for somebody who's useless or a coward (it stands for Rear Echelon MF, you can guess at the MF part). He'll probably say Yes Sir to people he respects. He'll say "Un-ass" to mean get off or get out. He'll say "double time" meaning run (quick time means walk, but that wouldn't be used much).

If he smokes, he'll probably cup his hand over the cigarette so nobody can see the glow when he take a draw on it.

He'll know how to run a power floor buffer with one finger.

He'll probably be an early riser and won't be comfortable sleeping in.

He'll eat way more than you expect, and depending on how long he's been out, he might be starting to put on weight (I lived on probably close to 4000 calories a day, sometimes 6000 when on active duty. You work hard and you work out a lot -- you burn that many calories, easily).

He'll most likely line up his shirts and jackets the same way on the hangers, buttons to the left. If he wears boots, chances are, the laces will be tucked into the tops of his boots.

He'll most likely have a big chest and shoulders proportionate to his body because of all the push ups.

He'll be able to ID all types of military weapons from rifles to tanks and artillery (and probably aircraft). He'll call it an "88" or "108" howitzer instead of "cannon" like everybody else.

It's very individual. Some people shed the military bearing immediately, some carry it their entire lives. Some might have no truck with video games, others might love them, although if he has seen combat, chances are FPS games aren't going to be of interest. But most won't be able to help saying some of the phrases I mention above.

Need any more? I can probably come up with a few.

thothguard51 said:

A white T-shirt under his regular shirt...again, this is not definitive because I wore white t-shirts before I was ever in the military. I would also feel this is more an officer thing than enlisted men because enlisted men wear grays or khaki t shirts more these days than white... Unless your navy...

The use of acronyms is not exclusive to the military as lots of professional people in insurance, banking, and stocks use acronyms as well. It will depend on if the acronyms are exclusive to the military.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the T-shirt thing is personal. I never wore them before going in, and I don't wear them now. I was both enlisted and officer, but in the Army, the uniforms are pretty much the same.

Military jargon is unique. It is used a lot outside the military because we see it in some movies, and obviously people who have been in use it, so most of it's not completely alien. But REMF, Strack, and some others are pretty rare.

Oh, yeah, "freeballing" or "going commando" means that you're not wearing any underwear. It's a common practice while out in the field so as to not get crotch rot (jock itch).

Repeated use of yes ma'am and no sir.

The posture. An authoritative walk.

The way the person makes a bed.

How they keep personal hygiene items organized.