Australian English Military Slang
Members of the Australian military (known officially as the Australian Defence Force or ADF) use many unique slang terms. The ADF is made up of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Each have their own distinct traditions but share a defence force culture. Some military slang words, such as digger, have become widely used by Australians in general. However, most slang used in the ADF is restricted to its personnel. Keep in mind the lack of sources on this page.
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Members of the Australian military (known officially as the Australian Defence Force or ADF) use many unique slang terms. The ADF is made up of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Each have their own distinct traditions but share a defence force culture. Some military slang words, such as digger, have become widely used by Australians in general. However, most slang used in the ADF is restricted to its personnel. Keep in mind the lack of sources on this page.
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- ACE, spelt ASM, Warrant officer Class 2 of a RAEME unit, Artificer Sergeant Major. "G'day ace, how are ya Sir?"
- ACMS - Army Capability Management System - Because entering all your data in three systems isnt enough (ROMAN, PMKeyS, and MILIS). ACMS excels at reversing the pareto principle, that is, instead of 20% of the work accounting for 80% of the assets, ACMS creates 80% of the work to account for less than 20% of the Army's assets.
- Adgie - Refers to a RAAF airfield defence guard.
- After fives - Refers to the plain black spit polished dress shoe worn by soldiers either with their pollies or after dinner to give their feet a rest from their boots.
- Air Base - A RAAF Base as described by the Australian media, Army and Navy personnel. "Today, an Army C130 Hercules was seen landing at Air Base Amberly."
- Airy-fairies - Refers to Air Force personnel, usually used by the Army or Navy. Rarely heard these days.
- A.J. (A Jay) - Army Jerk. A derogatory term often used by civilians, RAAF and Navy personnel in reference to soldiers in townships with large concentrations of soldiers (particularly Darwin and Townsville). Also often used by soldiers in reference to other soldiers behaving badly in public, for example "He was being a real AJ" or "They were acting like a bunch of real AJ's and giving the rest of us a bad name". As in 'this was written by an A.J....'. Like many derogatory terms, AJ has been "taken back" by the AJs. In other words it's OK for us to say it, but you might get a slap if you say it, depending on tone and location.
- A.J. fade-away - Refers to a soldiers ability to disapear when they are required to do something or attend something "after 1600 hr marridies did the A.J fade-away from the boozer". also refers to the habit of Army personnel to fade away when having a night out, usually in the form of leaving without saying goodbye to the people they are there with. Often used to describe the habit of Army males leaving the females they have been trying to become romantically involved with. As in "Where'd you end up last night, I didn't see you after dinner?" "Yeah I did the old A.J. fade-away"
- AJAX Packet - Ajax packets were placed in the front windows of married quarters to indicate to single men that the man of the house was away, AJAX, AJ Away at Exercise. See OMO. See also FAB.
- Angry Chook - Army Chinook heavy lift helicopter.
- Angry Palm Tree - Army or Navy helicopter.
- APC - Armoured personnel carrier.
- APC - Arm, pits, and crotch, a type of bath taken in the bush with limited water.
- Arc-up - To initiate an engagement against an enemy force with offensive fire. Also to shout at, as in "Sarge arced-up at me for not ironing my DPCUs."
- Arse-end Arnold - Used to refer to the person who is guarding the rear in any field patrol formation (typically used by Army).
- Arse Ripping - RAN version of a Face Ripping. Also described as 'Getting torn a new one'
- Argit short for the F-word
- Army appreciation day - Pay day.
- AusCam - An abbreviation of Australian camouflage, the standard camouflage pattern on Australian Military equipment.
- Back-ups - Seconds (when having a meal).
- Bag, the - Conduct After Capture (CAC) training. Formerly known as Resistance To Interrogation (RTI) training. Also referred to as "getting bagged" or "going in the bag".
- Bagger - Air Force term for a married member living off-base. Refers to brown-bagging meals from home instead of eating in the Mess.
- Bagus - From the Indonesian word for good, Bagus (pronounced in an Australian accent as baggis), is used by Indonesian linguists as an alternative for good.
- Bait layer - An Army cook. Refers to a person who drops poison meat to kill dingos.
- Balder- Refers to a conversation not worth having.
- Bang Seat - Ejection seat.
- Bang Stick - A rifle.
- Banjo - Refers to a bacon and egg breakfast roll wrapped in tin foil and delivered in hot boxes typically to troops staying overnight at the range.
- Barbecue - After firing weapons at the range, or on exercise, the unit will spend as long as it takes to clean all the weapons. This is called a barbecue. "After we finish here, we're going back to the barracks for a barbecue." "A barbecue! Great! Will there be beer and snags?" "Ha ha ha, no son, it's not that kind of barbecue." Derived from the similar appearance of both a barbecue and a weapon cleaning bath made from a 44-gallon drum that has been cut lengthwise.
- Barracks lawyer - A soldier who professes to know everything about military law, who reckons he could have probably got David Hicks out of Gitmo by finding a technicality in his charge sheet.
- Base Rat - A female civilian resident of a garrison town who can be frequently found on an Army barracks at the consecutive invitation of a high number of male soldiers.
- Bash - To mould a KFF (q.v.) or beret into an acceptable, close-fitting shape.
- Bastardisation - An archaic term used in reference to illegal initiations and punishments that often involved putting subordinates or peers in highly irregular situations.
- Battle tranny - Refers to a portable device (cf. transistor radio) used to access FM/AM radio stations (often cammed up by individual soldiers).
- Bayo - Bayonet Assault Course.
- BBDA - Back blast danger area a term used when firing shoulder fired rockets such as the M72 or 84mm Carl Gustav. Also used in emails that are sent out that nobody wants anyone else to see "check your BBDA" you would then check your rear for any onlookers
- BBDA Bag - A fabric sack designed to be attached to the rear of the 84mm Carl Gustav Medium Direct Fire Support Weapon to contain the back blast. Belongs to the same equipment set at 'left-handed screwdrivers' and 'long weights'
- BBPAG - Big Black Plastic Army Gun - refers to the M60 GPMG (in contrast to the LBPAG (M16) and LGPAG (F88))
- Bed Wetter - RAAF term for a RAAF apprentice who looks far too young to be enlisted
- Bean counter - Refers to anyone that knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Can also refer to military accountants and unit resource managers.
- Beasting - To Beast means to stand over or monster a subordinate. The expression is more commonly used by officers. For example, He copped a beasting off the Sergeant Major.
- Bedpan scrapper - medic
- Bear - EW Operator. From the location of 7 SIG REGT at Cabarlah, QLD as in Cabarlah Bears
- Beer Issue - "Two beers per night perhaps" Refers to the practice of issuing each sailor two beers either on a special occasion or (rarely) when the time can be spared.
- Bin-A-Raffie - A not so nice prank where members of the Army attached to the Air Force would throw intoxicated airmen in garbage bins and place bets on how long it takes for them to escape. Game first played at RAAF Williamtown by members of 16 Air Defence Regiment the night before the start of Ex ACES NORTH, late 1987 or 88. The term "Get me another Raafie: This one is ripped!" was coined at the same time.
- Bird bath - Washing of Aircrft after coming back from a flight over water (salt water), Hygienic activity taken by a soldier in the field to clean body parts, utilising any available resources such as baby wipes or a small basin of water. This action replaces normal daily showering or bathing at home. Also refers to the airfield spray system used to wash salt residue from maritime patrol aircraft.
- Bird gunner - Air Defence Regiment (Surface-Air Missiles) member, division of the Royal Australian Artillery.
- Bird sh** - Officer pips. Older style DPCU had rank slides on the epaulettes, inferring a bird has sh** on the officers shoulder.
- BJ - Big Juby.
- Black Magic - A term used by infantrymen to describe any process or discipline which is incomprehensible to them (eg Computers, radios, shoe laces etc).
- Blade - Descriptive term for an SAS soldier. "He's a blade'. (From the Winged sword/dagger beret badge of the SAS.)
- Blair - A waste of Military funds
- Black handers - Air Force term for maintenance personnel working on mechanical systems; i.e., those who get their hands dirty because they are not well educated(cf. gay traders).
- Black hat or Blackhead - Refers to either Armoured Corps personnel (Black Berets) or to non-SAS personnel (who wear very dark blue berets that look black) posted to the SAS regiment.
- Black plastic fantastic - slang for the M16 when the SLR and M16 were the common service rifles.
- Blanket stacker/blanket counter - a Q-bloke. Trained to make large stacks of blankets in the Q-store, and to make sure that the blankets stay where they are. Fully aware of the risk of a collapsing stack of blankets, these highly trained warriors have the stealth of a ninja and the reflexes of a cat.
- Blood bath - The US Meritorious Unit Commendation. Awarded to some Australian Army units for actions during the Vietnam and Korean conflicts. See Swimming Pool.
- Blowie/blow fly - Refers to Royal Australian Army Medical Corps Environmental Health personnel.
- Blow Flow – see Blowies. Also the civilian contractor who removes the contents of a Honey Pot (see below) when latrines are not allowed to be dug.
- Blue orchids - Derogatory term for Air Force personnel (used by soldiers and sailors in reference to their preciousness and scarceness). Also a non-derogatory term used to describe RAAF personnel during WW2 due to their Service Dress Uniform appearing more glamorous than that of other Commonwealth Air Forces.
- Blues - Navy or Air Force (Blue) Service Dress uniform. Also Blue Suiter or Blue job, a member of the RAAF (not necessarily wearing blues). Army full dress uniform, commonly used at the RMC. Once issued to all ranks from Sergeant upwards.
- Blunt - A derogative term to describe anyone deemed not to be at the sharp end (i.e., front-line/operational). Always a favourite of fighter pilots, who believe that pretty much anyone that isn't strapped into a bang seat (q.v.) is a blunt.
- Boffin - An Army electronics/communications technician.
- Bog/date roll - Toilet paper.
- Boggy - Short for bograt, the slang term for a Pilot Officer (the most junior commissioned Air Force Officer rank).
- BOHICA - Bend Over, Here It Comes Again. Often heard prior to the delivery of a pineapple (q.v.); i.e., one is about to be lumbered with an unpleasant task.
- Bomb up - To be issued or restocked with ammunition, equipment, or stores.
- Boned in - To be yelled at for doing something wrong (RAN) e.g. 'The Buffer boned me in for being late on watch'.
- Bongos - In general, equipment; often refers to field equipment, webbing and/or packs carried on the person. Pack up your bongos and get on that truck.
- Bookie [Bukie] or Bookoo - Many. As in 'How many rounds do we need?' 'Bookie rounds, Boss' Presumably derived during the Vietnam period from the Indo China French 'Beaucoup'.
- Boots - A suck up. Refers to somebody who is so far up somebody else's backside that all that you can see is his/her boots.
- Boozer - Pub or Bar on an Army Base; usually a Soldiers' Boozer as distinct from a Sergeants' or Officers' Mess.
- Boss - A complimentary term used by soldiers to refer to their immediate superior officer, usually their Platoon Commander, but can be other Officers in their unit, in the chain of command like the Company Commander or Company 2IC (Second in Charge). E.g., Do you know what we're doing today, boss? Implies respect: unpopular and/or incompetent officers remain 'sir' or 'ma'am'. Also used in the British Armed Forces.
- Brass - A high ranking officer. Referring to the amount of brass on someone's uniform.
- Brass up - To fire a lot of rounds at something.
- Brew - Coffee or tea. Usually made in Standard NATO - Milk and 2 sugars.
- Bubba - Useless Member of the Australian Air Force, and biggest RAAF Cock alive. See RAAF Cock.
- Bucket - As in bucket of sh**. An M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier.
- Buckets - A-vehicles, tanks, APCs, ASLAVs, or the Royal Australian Armoured Corps in general. This usage is debated and appears to have been invented by a dumb grunt. F***in' smartarse buckets, why do we have to walk? (If we carried grunts, there'd be no room for slabs of coke, chocolate, salami, cheese, travel fridges or all the other stuff that the gentlemen of the Cavalry require when roughing it in the field. And we'd have to take our hammocks down. If you wanted to ride, you should have learnt joined up writing).
- Buffer - The NCO who runs the seamanship department aboard a ship.
- Bug - Someone with poor personal hygiene
- Bug-mariner - A collegial term for submariners. Refers to their austere hygiene conditions.
- Bug out - Leave an area.
- Bullsh** Castle - Headquarters Air Command, Glenbrook, New South Wales.
- Bunghole (Bung'ole)- the very popular tinned fruit pudding in the old 10 man rat pack.
- Bush Chook - RAAC member with initial posting to 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) because of the emu on their Unit Badge.
- Bush hat - The floppy hat worn by soldiers in the field or in non-barracks training.
- Bushie - The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) in use by the Australian Army.
- Cake and arse party - Semiformal gathering of officers and / or senior NCOs where alcohol and nibblies are enjoyed. And or where an activity is being poorly run with multiple leaders not really doing a good job EG "Who the f*** is running this cake and arse party?"
- Can anybody drive a tractor? - See Motorbike licence
- Canteen medals - Beer or food stains on the breast of a shirt or jacket.
- Cams - Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU), working dress for Army and Air Force and worn on exercises/deployment. Also used in the British Armed Forces.
- CDF - Chief of Defence Force; also Common Dog F@#@
- C-Dubs - Short for CWD, or Combined Working Dress; the obsolete, Hard Yakka-esque dark blue uniform worn by the Air Force as working dress until the turn of the century. Subsequently replaced by GPU (see Smurf Cams).
- Cent - a Centurion Armoured Fighting Vehicle.
- Chair Force - Derogatory term referring to the RAAF.
- Champagne Showers - Expend ammunition.
- Chicken strangler - An SAS soldier; refers to ability to live off the land.
- Chief Wheelnut - Refers to a Warrant Officer of the Transport Corps.
- Chit Monger - See Linger.
- Civvy - (Pronounced "Siv-ie") The name given by members of the ADF to non-ADF members. Stems from the word civilian
- Choco - (Pronounced "Chock-o") A "chocolate soldier". First used in World War 2 to describe CMF units joining the AIF units in the war in Papua New Guinea. Thought to come about when the CMF passed the AIF on the Kokoda Trail, the CMF would give the AIF that they were replacing, chocolates from their ration packs. Many interpretations of the name's origin include the AIF belief they would melt like chocolate in battle or the fact that they were constantly caked in mud. The name has continued on, referring to current Reservists.
- Choc-wit - Term for Army Reservist.
- Chooffer – Immersion Water Heater, so called due to the noise it makes when lit incorrectly and explosively – CHOOFF !
- Chooffer Face – Last picquet to come off duty before stand-to in the morning (i.e. 3rd last picquet) who is required to light the chooffers by the mess tent. Also the typical singed hair and eyebrows resulting from incorrectly lighting a chooffer.
- Chook – A signals operator. The term comes from the days of Morse code communications, where an operator transmitting a message resembled a chook pecking the ground. 108th Signals Squadron has the famous cartoon chook Foghorn Leghorn as their unit mascot. However, 108th Signal Squadron ran a not so close second to the most famous Signals Squadron in the Australian Army: 139 Signal Squadron, who were well loved by the Brigade Commander especially after "Chooking" his personal Armoured Command Vehicle in the early ninety's. Also well known for their singing ability and known far and wide for their early 90's classic hit song "139 is on the piss again"
- Chook on a stick - the cap badge of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, - the 2 Cav cap badge is a wedge tailed eagle carrying a lance in its talon, with a guidon bearing the word "Courage". Also the term for the American-Australian monument at Russell Offices, Canberra.
- Chookie Scrabble - a friendly competition at after work drinks where the prize is a portion of barbecue chicken. The format of the game is thus: The company/squadron retires early on a Friday afternoon (or on sporties) to engage in some inter-rank fratnerisation. Beer is drunk. Approx 30 minutes before the mess opens, when everyone is feeling quite hungry and suitably lubricated, a circle is formed and one or two barbecue chickens are produced, removed from their packaging and lobbed onto the floor. A companies worth of hungry soldiers (and it has been rumoured offices and SNCOs at time) race toward the chooks and compete - bodily and aggressively for a portion of chicken.
- Clacker - The hand-held firing device for a 'Claymore' anti-personnel weapon. (As distinct from the mild Australian profanity meaning 'anus'.)
- Clicker - RAAC member with inital posting to 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Also any person who is prone to angry and or crazy outburst, "Man that guy is a clicker"
- Clicks - A measure of distance for grunts - how many clicks have we come? A click is a KM.
- Clinton - Refers to a person with a soft almost fairy like telephone voice.
- Cloud puncher – Refers to the Air defence branch of Artillery.
- Clubs - Navy PT Instructor, aka Clubswinger. Derived from the Crossed Indian Clubs (from their category badge) used by the RN over 100 years ago as strength training equipment.
- Cluster - Short for cluster f***. A individual that has a tendency to get things wrong. Can also be used to describe the current situation in a negative light. E.g., Exercise Mantail Sword 2005 was an absolute cluster
- Clutch F***er - Transport driver, derogitory term, joking term
- Clunge - Artillery term for a woman on the platform.
- Cockroach - An Ordnance Corps (Supply) person, also referred to as a 'ROACH'.
- Cockroach Farm - Term of endearment for 292 Squadron, RAAF; the training and support unit for the RAAF AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
- Coffin nail - A cigarette. Also known as 'lung lollie'.
- Coke medal - The Australian Defence Medal. Refers to the white and red ribbon colours. Also known as the 'thanks for coming medal', in reference to the eligibility requirements.
- Colour, dash and daring- what the gentlemen of the Cavalry bring to war. Without it/them, war would just be a mindless sh**fight amongst grunts.
- Combat PJs - Term used to describe cams when well worn in the field. So known because they are never taken off, even when sleeping.
- Combat Wombat Term used to describe infantry soldiers away from home location as they "eat root, shoot and leave". Also a common name for a digger who is rather short and chubby(resembles the shape and size of a wombat).
- Comfy Num Num - the affectionate name given to the DPCU 'jacket' issued to Army personnel. Has a softshell type fabric with hardwearing cordura type fabric at the elbows and across the shoulders.
- Conehead - See "Boffin". Also refers to Airborne Electronics Analyst crew members on AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
- COT Death - Derogatory Term used by RAAF Engineering/Trade Apprentices at Wagga to describe RAAF Technology Apprentices, derives from Certificate Of Technology the techapps graduate with. See "Spud App"
- Crack the sads - To be sad or upset about anything "Johno why you cracking the sads mate?"
- Craftie - A private in the corps of Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) - short for "Craftsman".
- Crap Hat - Name given to the slouch hat or any non Maroon beret by airborne soldiers who wear the beret. Also a derogatory term for a person who is not parra qualified. EG, Cav Black Berets are crap hats.
- Cruds - Recruits in traiing at 1RTB, also can refer to poor quality food EG "This food is crud" or "Dinner was crud"
- Crump in - To have a relatively bad landing when parachuting.AKA "Spudding" in.
- CSM - Company Sergeant Major, AKA, Chief Sandwich Maker, usually out for the RSM's position.
- Cut Lunch Commando - A member of the CMF (Citizens Military Forces), precursor of the current Army Reserve.
- Cyclone Training - To be spread out on ones bed as if to be holding down your bed in a cyclone. Term is widely used in the northern parts of Australia, particularly in reference to soldiers shirking away from work to their rooms and getting some quiet sleep. Also used at Kapooka when instructors tear a Recruits room apart like a Cyclone.
- Chucking a fergo - To fall out of a unimog and break your back.
- Champ - Whilst not an exclusively army term, within the army it takes on an entirely derogatory meaning; "Oh alright CHAMP!", "Listen up champ'. Can also sometimes be substituted with 'chief' and very occasionally 'sports fan'.
- Diesel Dyke - A female member of the Transport corps.
- Dart thrower - A member of the Australian Intelligence Corps. Refers to the perceived method of identifying compounds/areas of interest for future operations, usually conducted eyes-shut with non-master hand to ensure statistically random results.
- Dargan - a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer in the Army.
- Dark Side - The Officer Cadre of the Australian Army. (To 'Cross over to the Dark Side' is to apply for appointment as an officer.)
- Delta - female recruits at 1 RTB (now ARTC) as Delta company housed/trained the female recruits (see groundsheet). Also, "to make a Delta (or D)" is to make a decision. "What's your Delta, Sir?"
- Delta Romeo - Direct Reflection. As in "your digger is a sh** fight, delta romeo"
- DiddlyBop - to run under fire or conduct a patrol (Vietnam Era) We took a quick DiddlyBop round the perimeter to see what Charlie was up to.
- Digger – A soldier of the rank of private or equivalent in the Australian Army, for example Look after your diggers, Lieutenant. Term comes from the Anzacs.
- Diggers Breakfast - Term used for a 'Smoke and coffee' undertaken during morning routine.
- Digging With Your Eyebrows - Refers to the act of taking cover during contact when in open terrain.
- Dirked : To be assigned a task by a superior, it usually not being a task an individual would volunteer to complete. E.g., I've been dirked by the boss to sell Unit T-shirts at our social function. From the Scottish term for a stiletto or dagger : a Dirk. (See also 'Stabbed'). Also, to be assessed while giving a lesson, particularly on a promotion course.
- Dirt Dart - A soldier undertaking Army parachuting.
- Dirt Road Driver - 80s RAAF term for a male suspected of being homosexual
- Dish Licker - Term used to describe a member of the Steward Mustering of the RAAF.
- Dit - A DVD; i.e., "What's the Dit?".
- Dixies - Small aluminium cooking and eating pans used by individuals in the bush; mess tins. Issued to all soldiers in the Australian Army and required for inspections during DP1 checks.
- Dixie-bashing - Washing up pots and pans.
- Dhoby - A wash, or shower, derived from 'Dhobi', a caste of launderers found in India and Pakistan.
- Dhoby Dust - Royal Australian Navy term for Laundry powder.
- Doc - Medic.
- Doe - A name referring to Commandos, usually by the SAS.
- Dog and pony show - A painstakingly prepared briefing, usually of little real substance or value, pandering to the whims of a senior officer. Also used to describe having to participate in some sort of display for civilians as a recruiting drive. E.g. 'The boys got stabbed to do a dog and pony at the footy on Friday night.'
- Donk - Nickname given to engines by RAAF tradesmen. Can be aero or motor vehicle. 'CPL, go round up some troops to pull the left donk out of A8-109.'
- Donga - Term used to describe a sailors room on base. Also used by the RAAF to describe a small hut on the airfield or a workshop's SNCO office. "CPL have you seen the FSGT?" "Think he is in his donga, Sir"
- Doona wrestling - a favourite "sport"; i.e., sleeping. (Doona is an Australian term meaning duvet or quilt). "What are you doing for sport this arvo?", "I'm doona wrestling." See Cyclone training.
- Door kicker* - A member of the SAS who is trained in gaining entry by force.
- DP1 - Draft Priority - One. The status of soldiers' equipment and personal administration which renders them available for immediate deployment on operations or exercise. Usually attained subsequent to the conduct of innumerable "DP1 Checks".
- DP1 Check - An activity (the frequency of which is determined by the level of sadism prevalent in one's superiors) where soldiers present all of their personal equipment for inspection, lay it out on the ground, then stand around for several hours.
- DPCU - Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform. see 'Cams'.
- DPNU - Disruptive Pattern Naval Uniform. see 'Cams'.
- Drabs - Air Force Tropical Dress which replaces Service Dress (see Blues) in tropical areas.
- Draggie - Device for converting noise into lift/thrust. RAAF term of endearment for the now sadly departed Hawker Siddeley HS 748.
- Drop shorts – An artillery solider,'Drop shorts' also implied that gunners dropped their rounds onto our grunts rather than the enemy by accident.
- Drut - Driver Recruit Under Training, also a Backward Turd, A sometimes derogatory, sometimes affectionate description of an army recruit.
- DS Solution - The correct answer to a problem. DS Comes from the term 'Directing Staff'
- Durries/darts/darbs - A common army term for cigarettes.To smoke is to 'throw darts'.
- Duty First - The motto of the Royal Australian Regiment. It was selected because, "The unhesitating and unquestioning performance of his duty is the fundamental requirement of a soldier."
- Eating irons - Cutlery (mainly known in the army as KFS - knife, fork and spoon).
- EKO - Early Knock Off. Also 'Eventual Knock Off' when an announced early knock off is expected to result in working later than usual.
- Elephant gun - L1A1 SLR Self Loading Rifle (not used while the SLR was the main rifle).
- Elephant trackers - RAAF security police. A derisive reference to their supposed lack of investigative acumen.
- Emu bob - A line of soldiers, under the control of a junior NCO, side by side, almost shoulder to shoulder, walking slowly forwards cleaning up an area, therefore bobbing up and down to pick up litter (usually cigarette butts or brass), which resembles an emu searching for food. Also known as an "Emu Parade".
- Enemy Pam - Woman's fashion magazine
- EX - Shorthand for an "Exercise" or training mission/deployment.
- Extras - extra duties, used as a form of punishment, usually illegally awarded without hearing by NCOs. Can only legally be awarded after a trial by a summary sub-ordinate authority (i.e. OC level officer). But try telling that to your platoon sergeant. I dare you.