Modern Warfare 2's most baffling jargon

VIDEO: Should the game have shipped with a military dictionary?

Words: on November 23, 2009

Most of the time, we’re too busy trying to stay alive to pay much heed to the inscrutable military jargon in Modern Warfare 2. When necessary, we can often fill in the blanks through context, but not always. We’ve never been to boot camp, so it’s like trying to pick up another language. Honestly, we can’t tell our Pave Paws from our Pave Lows. So for kicks, we thought we’d chop together a mish-mash of military codespeak from Modern Warfare 2 to fully disorient you. Unless you’re fluent in militarese, in which case you’re probably already bored and oscar mike to the next feature. (See, we’re learning!)

Nov 23, 2009


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34 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
  • MRoswell

    MRoswell  - 2 years, 1 month ago  - Report

    Pave Low - Sikorsky MH-53 heavily armed attack helicopter. Wikipedia.
  • joshdaman123

    joshdaman123  - 2 years, 1 month ago  - Report

    some how i understoof all of MW2 jargon lol

    reCAPTCHA: Daffier Vladvostok...
  • sharker

    sharker  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    got everything but what's icepick?
  • hungryman84

    hungryman84  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    @KillDrone- APC is Armored Personnel Carrier. http://www.military-today.com/apc/stryker_images.htm
  • Redtom101

    Redtom101  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Bingo fuel means; minimum fuel allowed to safely return to the nearest army base with the supplies to hold these units and/or vehicles.
  • Kinnolo

    Kinnolo  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    That's not very confusing. It's all terms you learn in the two stages of initial training.
  • Shagnasty

    Shagnasty  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Haha yeah no we really do use Oohyah and its variations alot. At least at both my commands.
    ETSA Shaughnessy, USN.
  • gmilf71

    gmilf71  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Well most of those are just code names, but yah, WHAT THE FUCK IS AN OSCAR MIKE?!? AND BINGO FUEL?! WHAT, IS THAT WHERE THERE'S LIKE OLD PEOPLE FROM FLORIDA PLAYING BINGO IN YOUR GAS TANK?! SPEAK ENGLISH PLEASE!!!
  • batman5273

    batman5273  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    OpFor: Oposition Forces (the bad guys)
    Sit Rep: Situation Report
    Lima/Charlie: Loud and Clear ex:I read you Lima/Charlie
    Whiskey/Hotel: "WH" or White House

    As a veteran I can understand what they are saying, but honestly it sounds alot like "Hollywood" Military. With encrypted Commo most just speak normally unless you are doing a challenge/password such as "Icepick/Pheonix" or you are on an unencypted line or radio. then you use call signs.

    if anything you can understand alot just by knowing the military phonetic alphabet. meaning instead of saying the letter "A" you say "Alpha"

    A = Alpha
    B = Bravo
    C = Charlie
    D = Delta
    E = Echo
    F = Foxtrot
    G = Golf
    H = Hotel
    J = Juliet
    I = India
    K = Kilo
    L = Lima
    M = Mike
    N = November
    O = Oscar
    P = Papa
    Q = Quebec
    R = Romeo
    S = Siera
    T = Tango
    U = Uniform
    V = Victor
    W = Whiskey
    X = X-Ray
    Y = Yankee
    Z = Zulu

    so if you just know these letters you'll understand Charlie Oscar Delta a whole lot more.
  • Skykid

    Skykid  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    (Second Message)

    Both my parents are ex-Air Force, so I know a bit of military jargon myself.

    Even more terms to confuzzle you:

    E.M.P: Electromagnetic Pulse, fries all electronics within blast radius

    L.U.P: Laying Up Point

    Two Forty Bravo: M240B machine gun

    Victors: Any kind of ground vehicles
  • Skykid

    Skykid  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Some other terms to clear the "fog of war"

    SOSUS: Submarine detection system; fancy word for sonar.

    Bogie: basically, one of the bad guys

    LZ: Landing zone (duh)

    "Fire mission: Target package romeo, danger close.": Air strike, weapons package romeo(smart muntions), close to friendlies.

    Oscar Mike: ready to go, all clear

    BCT: Brigade Combat Team (squad)

    "How Copy?": Basically, "How are you doing?"
  • qwed123

    qwed123  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    When ever I hear them saying oscar mike, I keep thinking of the hot dog song. "Every one would be in love with MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
  • fattoler

    fattoler  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    I understood nearly all of it, but my dad was in the army so that probably puts me at a slight advantage
  • TheHolyHandGrenade

    TheHolyHandGrenade  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    there was also a level when you are making your way into DC (after the EMP) and your guy enters a building saying "Star" and then he gets lit up. My Favorite part.

    recaptcha: crooked nearblindness
  • Vagrant

    Vagrant  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Why not just point us to Generation Kill?
    Considering IW obviously learnt most of their terms from it and pilfered everything else for that second level with the humvees...
  • Cwf2008

    Cwf2008  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Ha i actually know what Bingo Fuel means: Basically "WE'RE OUT OF GAS SO GET YOUR ASS ON BOARD"

    And lol didnt know Bloody Yanks was military lingo (and yes i read the above comment)
  • WayByWind

    WayByWind  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    foxtrot uniform charlie kilo
  • Tomsta666

    Tomsta666  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
  • Yeager1122

    Yeager1122  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    Im oscar mike.
  • wiitard07

    wiitard07  - 2 years, 2 months ago  - Report

    You guys don't know what Oscar Mike or Civvies means? Oscar Mike OM On the Move Civvies civilians.
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