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View Full Version : When did Hooah become an Army wide term?



John Lindsey
30th August 2002, 17:34
As a former Army Ranger, I am a bit perplexed about how everyone in the Army is now using the term "Hooah" which I have always thought was strictly a Ranger term. Maybe they call it whooah or whatever, but it sounds the same to me, which can be a bit shocking coming from the mouth of some REMF leg :).


Here is what a Ranger website says about the word.


There are dozens of stories circulating about the etymology of hooah. Some say it's an old Indian term for who knows what. The romantic in me believes in the following account: General Cota, Assistant Division Commander of the 29th Division, approached the Rangers as described above in "Rangers Lead the Way!"
Here's a twist, though: when General Cota said, "Lead the way, Rangers!" the Rangers from 2nd Bat reportedly said, "WHO, US!?" General Cota thought he heard them say "HOOAH!" He was so impressed with their cool and calm demeanor, not to mention their cool term, hooah, he decided to make it a household name.

Hooah quickly became a multidimensional term and, in the tradition of "f*ck," is now recognized as the second-most versatile word in the English language. It has dozens of meanings as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. It's easier to say than F*ckin-A, and is more acceptable as a household word and is safe around people of all ages.

Hooah exemplifies everything Ranger: intelligent, strong, cool, versatile, with just a touch of humor. Of course. We are very funny creatures. . . .

Regardless of where it came from, Hooah is to Ranger what Budweiser, Richard Petty, the Rebel Yell and grits are to card-carrying Southerners.

What are your questions, Hooah? F*ckin-A.

tcasella
30th August 2002, 23:13
I have been in since the late 80's (101st) and "Hooah" has always been a word or even a sentence in the combat arms since I've been in anyways. Some of the newer troops (the so-called college educated spec4's) don't use it as much though. And more often than not you'll get counseled or at a minimum "that look" if you start throwing the F word around too much nowadays.

Sigh...what the F*&k happend to my Army, Hooah?:rolleyes:

tcasella
30th August 2002, 23:16
Almost forgot...guess it won't be long before the whole Army is wearing the Ranger's Black Beret...oh, we already did that! Is that some Hooah, F#$k'n S*&t or what?:toast:

Chuck.Gordon
2nd September 2002, 18:07
Back in the mid-80s, some folks used hooah-hooah as a derogatory term for folks who were way over the top. Others used it as an all-purpose word (no not the all-purpose adjective) to express great enthusiasm.

I seldom if ever used the word. I lerned to say "All the Way!" or "Drive on!"

Later, sometime in the mid-90s, I began hearing it amongst the younger troops. A lot. Hooah this, hooah that, hooah everydamnthing.

When I did learn the word and used it, it was a shouted grunt, alomst kiai-like. Now, it's just hooah. Dunno.

Here at Graf, it's almost as prevalent as the F-word.

Chuck

Joseph Svinth
3rd September 2002, 10:16
By 1975, the Marines had begun using A-oo-rah (it is three syllables in Marine speak) as a standard term. I don't know when this started, but I don't recall the usage in boot camp (August-November 1975). Thus, it was not institutionalized at that time. (The cry then was, "Sir, 3092, Hard dicks, aye aye, sir." However, we had to stop that after the DI had us sound off right outside the main exchange at MCRD San Diego.)

Anyway, as Chuck said, back then the sound was guttural, and not at all like the mincing Liberace voice given the term today by colonels trying to sound like warriors.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, hoohah was National Guard speak for chickensh**. The reason why? Well, a war story. Back in the late 1980s, a hoohah sergeant major got on one of our guys at Fort Lewis for wearing an unauthorized combat distinctive unit insignia (a C Co LRRP scroll). Well, our guy was not shy, so soon they were knocking on the door of the Assistant Division Commander, 9ID. The general, who happened to be wearing the same scroll as our guy (he was the former company commander, after all), said, "Kregg, how the hell are you? I haven't seen you since the last reunion." And, as far as I know, that was the last time anybody complained about that patch on Fort Lewis.

Now, that's a hoohah story.

Soulend
3rd September 2002, 12:03
'Ooh-Rah' was apparently borrowed from Naval Academy cadets. Now the fashion seems to be 'Errrr'! As meaningless, gutteral noises go, this one has to be the most awful - I despise it. It just brings to mind this visual of a drooling village idiot.

Just get off yer ass and do it, sez I. No accompanying noises are neccesary.

tmanifold
3rd September 2002, 21:46
I know in my regiment we would often say "Hoo-yeah!" It was an affrimative like f$%% Yeah. Like what did you guys think of that helo insertion was it fun? Hoo-Yeah! I guess phraes like that transend borders. I still prefer old faithful when answering though.... F*(* Yeah or F*&*ing A!

But I guess I am just White trash at heart and love my vulgarity.

Jeff Cook
3rd September 2002, 22:33
F*ckin' -A, John, Rangers think they invented the Army, so I guess it follows that they think they invented "Hoo-ah" too.

Did you guys also invent the term "battle-buddy" and the stress card?

Hoo-ah?

;)

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

John Lindsey
3rd September 2002, 22:41
Jeff,

Next, the Army will want to take away our black berets and give em to everyone...

:).

Well, as long as we get to keep the Ranger Creed, everyone else can keep their stress cards...

Midnight
4th September 2002, 01:06
Well, I think you'll be disapointed to hear that while I was at Fort Sam Houston last summer, with the JROTC, they wouldn't have us answer with "yes", only "Hooah!". So, I guess it's pretty much a general thing now. By the way, the Best Ranger Competition was on last night, happen to catch it?



Nick Martin

Jeff Cook
4th September 2002, 04:08
John,

Actually, the Rangers were not the first to have the black beret. It was TAKEN from another branch, and given to the Rangers.

Anybody wanna guess who it was taken from?

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

John Lindsey
4th September 2002, 04:55
All I know is that some of the Korean war Rangers wore a beret, but without crests, which I think came later with SF. In 1975 the black beret become official for the Ranger Batts, but they were also worn during Nam.

Jeff Cook
4th September 2002, 11:00
Anybody else want to take a crack at it?

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

legalhack
4th September 2002, 11:14
Jeff, armored cav units wore it up through the 70's.

Jim Patterson

BTW, it is not a "beret", it is an: oil rag, shoe shiner, handle for hot coffee cups. We look like a bunch of Iraqi Generals walking around in low-quarters with that stupid hat on.

John Lindsey
4th September 2002, 17:10
Hey,

Didn't Special Forces take their beret from the Girl Scouts? :).

Jeff Cook
4th September 2002, 17:39
They took it from the French, which is about the same damn thing...

By the way, Jim is the winner! He got it right. Armored Cav had the black beret before the Rangers. They got it from the French too (tankers). According to the "official" Army history, the Rangers have only had the black beret for 25 years. Which would rule out Korea and most of Vietnam.

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

George Kohler
4th September 2002, 18:46
From the Army's Official beret history


The tradition of wearing black berets began with armored units. In 1924 the British Royal Tank Regiment adopted the first modern military beret, based on the Scottish highland bonnet and French Bretonne beret. The regiment selected the headgear for its practicality--brimless for use with armored vehicle fire control sights and black to hide grease stains. In the US Army, HQDA policy from 1973 through 1979 permitted local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions, and Armor and Armored Cavalry personnel wore black berets as distinctive headgear until CSA Bernard W. Rogers banned all such unofficial headgear in 1979. Rangers received authorization through AR 670-5, Uniform and Insignia, 30 January 1975, to wear black berets. Previously, locally authorized black berets had been worn briefly by the 10th Ranger Company (Airborne), 45th Infantry Division, during the Korean War before their movement to Korea; Company F (LRP), 52d Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, in 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam; Company H (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry Division, in 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam; and Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade, in 1971 in the Republic of Vietnam.

Army Beret Page (http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm)

Note that the US army in 1973 allowed unofficial wear of the beret to up to 1979. Also, it is noted above that the 10th Ranger company wore the unofficial beret during the Korean War. So, up until 1975 all black berets were concidered unofficial. In 1975 the Army officially gave the black beret to the Rangers. All previous wear of the black beret is moot because the beret was an unofficial headgear until 1975.

Jeff Cook
5th September 2002, 00:30
George,

Thanks for the additional info. The truth is always somewhere in-between! :) In fact, research shows that there is controversy surrounding the history of the beret. Gen. Shinseki is being publicly branded a liar concerning the history of the black beret. His accusers are rangers, not tankers.

With that said, I am sure the troops who wore the beret prior to the rangers "officially" getting it would take exception to your characterization of the point as being "moot," ESPECIALLY considering that HQDA policy allowed them to wear it (making it "official" in my opinion). The tankers made a public protest by burning their black berets when they were told only the rangers could wear their beret.

What is TRULY moot are the hissy fits being thrown by rangers and former rangers about "their" beret being taken away from them, as it has been given "officially" to the entire army now.

The beret does not make rangers elite (if they are indeed elite). It also doesn't make the army as a whole perform any better. We all wear Kevlar helmets in the field (except for the REAL special ops forces, who wear whatever the hell they want to wear).

It is an ugly piece of headgear that has no functional purpose. It looks good on females. I would prefer that the rangers be allowed to keep the damn thing.

In case anybody is wondering, I have the ultimate respect for those rangers who professionally go about their jobs, with their priorities straight, who do not publicly sob into their tan berets over the demise of their lofty black beret. Too much symbolism is unhealthy.

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

George Kohler
5th September 2002, 08:43
Originally posted by Jeff Cook
What is TRULY moot are the hissy fits being thrown by rangers and former rangers about "their" beret being taken away from them, as it has been given "officially" to the entire army now.

Jeff,

I don't know if you were trying to direct this at me, but I could careless who gets the black beret. I actually like the tan beret better. Anyway, I never liked wearing one. They were too hot in the summer.

Jeff Cook
5th September 2002, 11:06
George, if I was directing it at you or anyone else on e-budo, I would make that perfectly clear. I like and respect you, even if I don't always agree with you!

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu