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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:14:58 PM EDT
It was always my understanding that you don’t get much control over what you get(?), but how exactly does it work?
Is it at your first permanent duty station after training? Or when you get winged? Or? Does everyone make suggestions, and then the other pilots vote on it? Does the Wing commander have to approve it? Is it only rated pilots who get callsigns or is it anyone who uses Comms these days? Just curious. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:28:09 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Ege]
[#1]
Non-pilot NFOs get them too.
Long after these guys are done flying they are still using these fucking nicknames. I know one dude whose dad calls him by his callsign. 
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:37:56 PM EDT
[Last Edit: LowBeta]
[#2]
I know a guy who earned his callsign when something went wrong ... with an admiral in the right hand seat.
He knew right then, that instant, his forever name. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:39:29 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BillofRights]
[#3]
For pilots, it’s always been a thing. Some use it as their Name for the rest of their life.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:44:48 PM EDT
[#4]
Awarded at the Squadron Kangaroo Court, aka K-court.
Some non-aviation units do similar, for example when I was at one of the MEUs they held a K-court at a mess night and the MEU commander christen me “tackleberry”. Since I think call signs are gay aviation crap, I was never called that after I PCAd from that MEU |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:54:56 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By R0N: Awarded at the Squadron Kangaroo Court, aka K-court. Some non-aviation units do similar, for example when I was at one of the MEUs they held a K-court at a mess night and the MEU commander christen me “tackleberry”. Since I think call signs are gay aviation crap, I was never called that after I PCAd from that MEU Probably just as well. That’s not a keeper.  Brings up another question though: are many of the combat arms service members getting their own noms de guerre these days, now that everybody has comms? Its common in other countries, and some of our snipers and special ops guys had them.. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:56:00 PM EDT
[#6]
Marine aircrew got them as well. Mainly for SERE but the names stick.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 2:58:29 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By LowBeta: I know a guy who earned his callsign when something went wrong ... with an admiral in the right hand seat. He knew right then, that instant, his forever name. Bolter! That’s actually a pretty cool name. Could lead to confusion though. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:01:45 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 6172crew: Marine aircrew got them as well. Mainly for SERE but the names stick. Makes sense. It wouldn’t be good to be saying real names over the air, when searching for missing people. How did the names get chosen? |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:01:59 PM EDT
[#9]
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:05:11 PM EDT
[Last Edit: R0N]
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillofRights: Probably just as well. That’s not a keeper. Brings up another question though: are many of the combat arms service members getting their own noms de guerre these days, now that everybody has comms? Its common in other countries, and some of our snipers and special ops guys had them.. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillofRights: Originally Posted By R0N: Awarded at the Squadron Kangaroo Court, aka K-court. Some non-aviation units do similar, for example when I was at one of the MEUs they held a K-court at a mess night and the MEU commander christen me “tackleberry”. Since I think call signs are gay aviation crap, I was never called that after I PCAd from that MEU Probably just as well. That’s not a keeper. Brings up another question though: are many of the combat arms service members getting their own noms de guerre these days, now that everybody has comms? Its common in other countries, and some of our snipers and special ops guys had them.. Yes, and instead of normal unit call signs like Alpha Company, Delta Battery. They now have Hollywood calls signed like Assassin Company and Deadly Battery |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:09:24 PM EDT
[Last Edit: redfish86]
[#11]
“Kroeger, your Delta Tau Chi name is…Pinto”
“Why Pinto?” (Belch) “WHY NOT?” |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:10:18 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By crownvic96: STAB! https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/navy-fa18-pilot-craps-pants-30000-feet/ That’s disgusting. Can you imagine being the poor guy stuck in the plane with him. His squadron mates were very kind assigning that name. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:10:20 PM EDT
[#13]
 The REAL Truth About Aviator Callsigns |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:12:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BillofRights]
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By R0N: Yes, and instead of normal unit call signs like Alpha Company, Delta Battery. They now have Hollywood calls signed like Assassin Company and Deadly Battery Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By R0N: Originally Posted By BillofRights: Originally Posted By R0N: Awarded at the Squadron Kangaroo Court, aka K-court. Some non-aviation units do similar, for example when I was at one of the MEUs they held a K-court at a mess night and the MEU commander christen me “tackleberry”. Since I think call signs are gay aviation crap, I was never called that after I PCAd from that MEU Probably just as well. That’s not a keeper. Brings up another question though: are many of the combat arms service members getting their own noms de guerre these days, now that everybody has comms? Its common in other countries, and some of our snipers and special ops guys had them.. Yes, and instead of normal unit call signs like Alpha Company, Delta Battery. They now have Hollywood calls signed like Assassin Company and Deadly Battery Yeah, I preferred the old way, C-2-3 or whatever. I guess it’s thought to increase morale and esprit-de-corps. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:14:19 PM EDT
[#15]
It used to just be a single seat fighter thing, then the heavy dudes got jealous, then everyone else who ever looked at an airplane got jealous and got one too. Means almost nothing anymore. People even change them when they get one they don't like. Much like everything else these days, it's gay and watered down.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:18:48 PM EDT
[#16]
Different communities will have a different standard for when somebody is eligible for a callsign. Timing, qualifications, etc.
But generally, the process involves copious amounts of booze in the squadron bar on a friday evening, somebody proposing a callsign for the FNG and the story behind it (10% truth rule applies), and then the named members of the squadron will vote. Usually the Sq/CC holds the hammer on approval. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:26:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BillofRights]
[#17]
Quote HistoryGood Stuff!  I knew a “Smoke” but I think it was from bringing one in with an engine on fire. (B-52 pilot). Even after a 20 year career in the Mil, and a 20 year airline career, he was Still using that name. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:30:22 PM EDT
[#18]
YOu usually get them by doing something stupid
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:33:32 PM EDT
[#19]
ib MACH. Did any windows get broken?
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:34:13 PM EDT
[#20]
I just called every Army pilot "chief". I was usually right.
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:44:51 PM EDT
[#21]
Anyone with a last name like Strong, Wise or any other positive attribute automatically gets the callsign “Notso”.
That is until they earn a more demeaning nickname. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:45:41 PM EDT
[#22]
I was under the impression that the training class recommends the call signs to others. Like they get to design their class patches.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:48:45 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JimEb: Anyone with a last name like Strong, Wise or any other positive attribute automatically gets the callsign “Notso”. That is until they earn a more demeaning nickname. Add Bright to that list. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:50:34 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryMy Naval aviation experience is 1987-present. This video is spot on. Some of my faves: Had a female CO named Butch. Another female fighter pilot named Alf. Lt. "Scro" Odom. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:51:35 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By R0N: Yes, and instead of normal unit call signs like Alpha Company, Delta Battery. They now have Hollywood calls signed like Assassin Company and Deadly Battery Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By R0N: Originally Posted By BillofRights: Originally Posted By R0N: Awarded at the Squadron Kangaroo Court, aka K-court. Some non-aviation units do similar, for example when I was at one of the MEUs they held a K-court at a mess night and the MEU commander christen me “tackleberry”. Since I think call signs are gay aviation crap, I was never called that after I PCAd from that MEU Probably just as well. That’s not a keeper. Brings up another question though: are many of the combat arms service members getting their own noms de guerre these days, now that everybody has comms? Its common in other countries, and some of our snipers and special ops guys had them.. Yes, and instead of normal unit call signs like Alpha Company, Delta Battery. They now have Hollywood calls signed like Assassin Company and Deadly Battery They do that because otherwise you have half a dozen units with the same callsigns in a brigade. When you're jumping between different battalion nets and a brigade net to do a passage of lines, it is helpful to know who you're actually talking to without doing a "who's on first" routine. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:53:05 PM EDT
[#26]
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 3:59:38 PM EDT
[#27]
Don’t try to assign yourself a cool sounding callsign. That’s gonna backfire on you.
Like this guy who was from Hollywood so he tried to self assign “Hollywood” as his callsign. Everyone called him “Burbank” instead. Then there’s the TicTac UFO pilot with the last name Fravor. His callsign was “Sexual”…later just shortened up to “Sex”. |
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MD, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:03:39 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillofRights: That’s disgusting. Can you imagine being the poor guy stuck in the plane with him. His squadron mates were very kind assigning that name. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillofRights: Originally Posted By crownvic96: STAB! https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/navy-fa18-pilot-craps-pants-30000-feet/ That’s disgusting. Can you imagine being the poor guy stuck in the plane with him. His squadron mates were very kind assigning that name. Similar one. Again an F18. Guy had the SOS for breakfast and had an accident in flight. Continued on to the target and returned. His call sign was POM POM. "Pooped On Myself, Pressed On Mission." |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:07:56 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By broy_jenkins: They do that because otherwise you have half a dozen units with the same callsigns in a brigade. When you're jumping between different battalion nets and a brigade net to do a passage of lines, it is helpful to know who you're actually talking to without doing a "who's on first" routine. Marine units are regimental based, so there A, B, C are in first Battalion and so one and so forth. The Army practice of each battalion having an A, B and C company/battery other than the few using the Regimental system is odd to us. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:24:37 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Sundowner08L: Similar one. Again an F18. Guy had the SOS for breakfast and had an accident in flight. Continued on to the target and returned. His call sign was POM POM. "Pooped On Myself, Pressed On Mission." Callsign PIMP - pooped in my pants Callsign DASH - dude actually shit himself |
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NC, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:31:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Rocketman]
[#31]
My kid's call sign is OBE-1, pronounced like OBE WAN in Star Wars. Seems pretty cool until you realize that he earned that call sign during his first training flight in the Harrier. He fucked it up by the numbers and earned "Overcome by Event 1" or OBE-1. He almost got "Lotion" but that's a whole nuther story. OBE -1 has stuck with him for 14 years now.
The best call sign story I personally know is from BMW. "Beemer" for short. After their first carrier qual in jets (in the T-45) the boys from VT-9 were rocking Duval Street. Just like new carrier aviators that bounced on the USS Bush are won't to do. "Soon to be BMW" picked up a fair maiden (tourist) that night and got invited back to her room. During their one v one engagement it seems BMW zigged while the lucky young lady zagged. A loud pop was heard along with high pitched screams from our new Naval Aviator....... Voila a new call sign was in the making. It seems Beemer broke his dick and serious internal bleeding was the result. At 3 am he told the det OIC he wouldn't be flying his T-45 back to Meridian because his dick was broken and that he needed immediate surgery. Of course a call sign meeting was called that very next morning while the victim was under the knife. The result was BMW. So "Broke My Weiner" it was..........He's still in the Marines and "Beemer" will forever his call sign. I shit you not when I say that a "classified" incident report on this one v one engagement was promptly written up and with in hours had made it's way around the world.........funny as hell. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:38:25 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ege: Non-pilot NFOs get them too. Long after these guys are done flying they are still using these fucking nicknames. I know one dude whose dad calls him by his callsign. And Navy callsigns are normally given to you by others. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:38:53 PM EDT
[#33]
My call sign was bestowed upon me for actions during a very bad situation. Stuck with me for 20 years at this point. Even had plane tickets booked in my "name" twice by accident. Don't catch it until I was standing at the ticket counter. That's the risk of having a somewhat normal name for a call sign.
But, my call sign was a calling card so to speak. It conveyed my performance. Sort of an informal resume attached to it. You can have people you've never met approach you you and know your reputation I. The community, good bad or indifferent. |
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NC, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:42:53 PM EDT
[#34]
My squadron in AFG had a pilot in TIC section ignore the TIC siren and keep eating his chow one time. From then on his call sign was changed to Chota which stood for “chow over tic anytime”. He was a real piece of shit.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:43:11 PM EDT
[#35]
Neighbor has his on a flag in his garage with a whole bunch of cool jet posters everywhere. It's a great name for him too and I'd share it except it doesn't make sense without knowing his last name.
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:43:15 PM EDT
[#36]
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:44:48 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tacocat: My squadron in AFG had a pilot in TIC section ignore the TIC siren and keep eating his chow one time. From then on his call sign was changed to Chota which stood for "chow over tic anytime". He was a real piece of shit. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:45:57 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SuperSixOne: It used to just be a single seat fighter thing, then the heavy dudes got jealous, then everyone else who ever looked at an airplane got jealous and got one too. Means almost nothing anymore. People even change them when they get one they don't like. Much like everything else these days, it's gay and watered down. I don’t know what Heavy guys you’re talking about. Unless it is some nerdy-ass WIC-grad. Callsigns are a fighter thing in the AF, anyone else is a dork. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:47:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Duke117]
[#39]
Sigh... half the dudes at my shop still use them 20 years after separation.
Had one dude ask me to refer to him as Colonel.. he stopped that shit after intense mockery.. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:49:33 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BillofRights]
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Rocketman: My kid's call sign is OBE-1, pronounced like OBE WAN in Star Wars. Seems pretty cool until you realize that he earned that call sign during his first training flight in the Harrier. He fucked it up by the numbers and earned "Overcome by Event 1" or OBE-1. He almost got "Lotion" but that's a whole nuther story. OBE -1 has stuck with him for 14 years now. The best call sign story I personally know is from BMW. "Beemer" for short. After their first carrier qual in jets (in the T-45) the boys from VT-9 were rocking Duval Street. Just like new carrier aviators that bounced on the USS Bush are won't to do. "Soon to be BMW" picked up a fair maiden (tourist) that night and got invited back to her room. During their one v one engagement it seems BMW zigged while the lucky young lady zagged. A loud pop was heard along with high pitched screams from our new Naval Aviator....... Voila a new call sign was in the making. It seems Beemer broke his dick and serious internal bleeding was the result. At 3 am he told the det OIC he wouldn't be flying his T-45 back to Meridian because his dick was broken and that he needed immediate surgery. Of course a call sign meeting was called that very next morning while the victim was under the knife. The result was BMW. So "Broke My Weiner" it was..........He's still in the Marines and "Beemer" will forever his call sign. I shit you not when I say that a "classified" incident report on this one v one engagement was promptly written up and with in hours had made it's way around the world.........funny as hell. Nice submission.  The main thing I’ve always appreciated about pilots, is that they are highly technical people, who also happen to be extremely Creative. There are some funny mf’ers in the ranks. |
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NC, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:50:27 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By thesquidliest: Chota = Mexican slang for the po-po. In this case its slang for someone who would rather stuff his face then respond to some poor grunts calling in troops in contact. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 4:55:31 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SteveG75]
[#42]
I got mine day in VT-10 (basic NFO training). Stuck with me for 20+ years.
"Meat" I flew with couple of pilots whose callsigns were "Big" and "Lick" respectively. So, the lineup was 500 - Big/Meat or 500 Lick/Meat. Know some other classics in the day. "Boom Boom" - If you set the parking brake while on the catapult, you will still go flying when the cat fires. However, your main mounts (wheels) will not rotate and veru quickly, your tires will go BOOM BOOM. "Floater" - Always check the head after usage at a squadron party. "ISIS" - (this was in the 90s). We told his wife that it stood for "I Sleep in Shower". Actually, "I Shit in Sink". There was alcohol involved. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 5:15:14 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ParityError]
[#43]
Apocryphally, a guy I know flew with a guy who had a public version of his call sign, “Delta Hotel”, and a private version, “dickhead”. Apparently he did something so stupid that he came within a hair of being booted. And thus was the call sign born.
Could, of course, be total bullshit. But it would be funny if true. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 5:22:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: BuckeyeRifleman]
[#44]
Call signs aren’t as ubiquitous in the Army as they are in the Air Force or Navy, but we did them when I was a commander for the espirit de corps.
For us we decided to do it as a deployment thing. At the end of the deployment we had a “call sign review board.” Participation was not mandatory. We had a formal set of rules… IIRC The rules were as follows… The call sign had to sound cool. One couldn’t nominate their own call sign. The call sign has to have a cool cover story. The call sign often has an embarrassing “real” story behind it. Once the board received a few nominations, it would be voted on. The receiver of the call sign could get one “veto” if he/she didn’t like it. This could be overridden by a unanimous vote of the call sign review board. There were other rules but I can’t remember them off the top of my head. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 5:39:04 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tacocat: In this case its slang for someone who would rather stuff his face then respond to some poor grunts calling in troops in contact. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tacocat: Originally Posted By thesquidliest: Chota = Mexican slang for the po-po. In this case its slang for someone who would rather stuff his face then respond to some poor grunts calling in troops in contact. 
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Posted: 4/25/2024 6:19:39 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillofRights: ib MACH. Did any windows get broken? if you are calling me out, the answer is yes Brand new 2nd LT number 4 in a 4 ship of Eagles against F-4s. We committed from the rear of the CAP over the double yellow line of the main road full of restaurants and bars and antique shops in a town, a 180 degree turn at 90 degrees of bank at 5000 AGL and trying to stay in tactical formation I accidentally went supersonic with the shockwave pointing directly at the ground and blew out many thousands of windows in the main shopping district. I single handedly destroyed the entire shopping district. It was described as looking like a war zone. It was a very big deal but we did kill all 4 adversary F-4s, so that was good. |
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GA, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 6:34:34 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Crash_Test_Dhimmi]
[#47]
In the Air Force, operators of weapons systems get call signs.
As Cyber is an offensive tool (weapon) cyber operators also receive call signs. There is typically a naming ceremony, that includes alcoholic beverages, and a story with atleast 10% veracity about the person is produced, to legitimize the call sign. It is then put to a vote, and others may introduce competing call signs. Some are way out there, some are deserved. Some are really good. The true B!tches will complain to the commander later to get theirs "over turned" and get the name they like. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 6:39:32 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Crash_Test_Dhimmi: As Cyber is an offensive tool (weapon) cyber operators also receive call signs. A slight thread side bar, but I have long discussion with AF cyber guys on why the concept of all cyber systems are weapons, both on the OCO and DCO side, makes it hard for kinetic fires guys to take them serious. |
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Posted: 4/25/2024 6:44:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: OKnativeson]
[#49]
my son is not a Pilot, but is heavily involved with the Pilots and he was given one and they all refer to him as his call sign. on the radio, in the office.
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NM, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2024 6:47:29 PM EDT
[#50]
Drill Sergeant Potter dubbed me "Hollywood" for wearing prescription Ray-Ban Wayfairers to formation.
Thankfully, it didn't follow me out of Ft. Knox. |
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