Serving your country is a badge of honor you should sport proudly. If you’re trying to practice OPSEC, all the camouflage in the world can’t hide that you’re in the military or recently separated from the military if you do these 18 things.
Walking Fast
Walking with a purpose is a telltale sign you served in the military or possibly lived in New York City. If your friends are constantly struggling to keep up with you, try to remember that in the civilian world, we aren’t always in a hurry.
High-and-Tight Haircut
One of the first things the military does in basic training is shave everyone’s head. This is to take away the sense of individualism to learn to operate as a unit; it also keeps your hair out of the way in a battle. The high-and-tight is an easily spotted military hairstyle.
Camo Backpack, Polo Shirt, and Cargo Shorts
Even when out of uniform, there is somehow still a uniform. The polo shirt and cargo shorts or khaki pants—especially tucked in for officers—are instant giveaways that you are currently in the service. Not the best OPSEC, but it’s the best the PX offers.
Decals on Cars
This one is probably your spouse’s or parents’ more so than you. People are proud of their loved ones who serve; “I <3 My Marine,” “My daughter serves in the Air Force,” and others are flashing signs for military service. It may be a more discreet license plate or sticker for those who served.
Using Military Jargon
The military has a lingo all its own, often finding ways to say things as quickly and efficiently as possible. Do you find yourself saying “roger” and “negative” and speaking in acronyms? Then you may be giving away your military service.
Power Stance
Relaxed stances and slouching are a no-go in the military. Perfect posture and standing at a “parade rest” while standing in line could be a clue you are in the military. For officers and NCOs, the “power stance” with your thumbs through your belt loops isn’t hiding your rank.
Wearing Sunglasses
Maybe it’s the discount on Oakley or just needing to protect your eyes constantly; people in the military always seem to have sunglasses on, even if it’s cloudy outside. Maybe “I wear my sunglasses at night” was written about a soldier.
Uncontrollable Politeness
Respect comes with the job, and that doesn’t end with your superiors. If you find yourself saying “sir” and “ma’am” all the time, especially with customer service workers, you’ve served in the military or grew up in the South.
Scanning Crowds
Vigilance is an important skill set that is encouraged and reinforced in the military. Without heightened awareness of one’s surroundings, a service person is in far greater danger of being attacked and wounded. This is not a reflex that can be turned on and off when you’re on and off duty.
24-hour Clock
Using the 24-hour clock is a hard habit to break, and honestly, why would you want to? The difference between 0600 and 1800 hours saves time and lets you know if morning or afternoon was meant. Plus, when you’re on a random work schedule, it’s good to know exactly what time is on your clock without worrying if it’s 10 a.m. or 10 p.m.
MREs
“The self-contained, individual ration called Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a typical military family household commodity. MREs contain a main course, side dish, bread, dessert, and a flameless ration heater. These instant dishes, like ‘beef ravioli in meat sauce’ and ‘pork chop formed in Jamaican style sauce with noodles,’ are designed to give service members in the field well-balanced meals. Sometimes a packed lunch was an MRE shoved into your backpack.”
Knowing the Phonetic Alphabet
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Comms connections aren’t always crystal clear, and with a variety of accents across military members, it’s important to be precise with speech. Did you say B as in Bravo or V as in Victor?
Making Your Bed with Precision
When living in the barracks, bed checks and tidiness were mandatory; this kept things from getting messy in war-zone settings where you couldn’t find something you needed. Once this is ingrained in your being, it’s a hard habit to break. Can you bounce a coin off your sheets?
Being Early Is On Time
You’re either 15 minutes early or you’re late. The concept of being “fashionably late” doesn’t exist; early is the only option. Of course, if there’s a senior officer involved, that might even mean 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior. Could you imagine showing up 30 minutes late for a breach?
Joint Pain
Years of physical activity can take a toll on one’s body, leading to “freakin’ shot” joints. But don’t worry—just pop 800 mg of ibuprofen, and everything will be OK.
Having an Ex-Spouse or Two
Military men tend to get married young and often. First, it’s the rush to get out of the barracks and get Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). Then the stress and reality of military life come into play, with many spouses not being prepared to move every 2–3 years or the long deployments. The military has one of the highest divorce rates of any profession, at 3%.
Disdain for Inaccurate Military Movies/TV Shows
This can be true for any profession; it will drive you crazy watching movies and TV shows that don’t show what you do accurately. Movies are getting better about hiring people in the military to make sure they are as accurate as possible, but sometimes you’ll have to watch the movie with a grain of salt.
Putting Hot Sauce on Everything
See earlier MREs. They aren’t the best-tasting things on the planet, so hot sauce becomes a staple on many soldiers’ plates. This may also be one of the reasons for some divorces; don’t put hot sauce on your spouse’s cooking without tasting it first! CF
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