Know The Traits!
It’s not as easy to read people these days. There’s so much information online that if someone wanted to lie to you or even pretend to be a soldier, they might just get away with it.
But some things, you just can’t fake. Here are some behaviors every military man might have, and why. If he doesn’t add up, he could be a phony!
The Buzzcut
You’ve seen this hairstyle in every war film to date. It’s the military classic - and the only hairstyle available! So, it’s not surprising that when they’re home, they still continue to choose that hairstyle.
Old habits die hard and change is tough. That can also be said for a few other quirky behaviors.
The Desire To Salute
It’s what everyone who pretends to be a soldier would do first. They’d salute. But salute enough times and surely enough, you’ll have a new habit that’s hard to get rid of.
Soldiers learn the salute as soon as they join the military and continue to use it as a form of greeting. Sooner or later it becomes more muscle memory than active intention.
The Walk
Whether he’s wearing a uniform or not, you can tell a lot from the way a person walks. Soldiers tend to walk with certain distinctive traits that separate them from civilians.
Soldiers tend to keep the way they walk for training and adapt a sense of purpose and pride to their everyday walk. Standing tall, they usually walk faster than the rest of us.
Tabasco Sauce
Military dining leaves a lot to be desired. It can only improve by adding more flavour. Any flavour. That’s where the love for tabasco sauce is formed.
Military food is often dried so it can be eaten without preparation. Although efficient, it tastes awful. To make it more palatable, tabasco sauce is offered. But taste isn’t the only thing soldiers are short of.
Beds Everywhere!
Being a soldier has many benefits, but also many disadvantages, and sleep is one of them. Getting enough sleep is hard, especially during training and deployments as they are often worked to their limit during these times.
This means that any flat surface is as good as a king-size bed. But just because they can sleep anywhere doesn’t mean they’re as easy-going.
War Movies Aren't Enjoyable
One thing a soldier can’t seem to fully get on board with is war movies. That’s not to say some war movies can’t be good and depict a true representation of events. But most of them are so far from reality that they're walking on cringy territory.
Yet again, the same could be said for all Hollywood movies that try to portray an event or profession.
A Quick Shower
Having a long shower or bath is a form of self-indulgence that soldiers simply do not have the pleasure of experiencing. Because they’re taught to acknowledge the importance of time on the field, they’re usually limited to a 3-minute shower.
It’s all about doing things quickly and effectively. Sometimes it can be hard to stop and smell the roses, or in this case, body wash.
The Phonetic Alphabet
Most of us have never heard of the Phonetic Alphabet, but not military men. They use this alphabet to spell out words in code. Because of this, they may use it out of habit or with a fellow soldier.
Either way, if you hear a bunch of jumbled words such as Alpha, Yankee, India, Charlie, Delta, etc., you can be sure he’s a military man.
An Ironing Pro
If a man really knows how to iron, that could be a sure sign he’s from the military. Soldiers learn a few skills in training that can easily transfer to civilian life, and ironing is one of them.
This skill was ingrained on them as a way to respect their uniform. And nothing says respect like wrinkle-free clothes. The next behaviour however, doesn't really leave you with the same impression.
Swearing
No wonder the phrase, ‘swearing like a sailor’ is so popular. It’s true that military personnel curse more than average. This is due to being exposed to swearing constantly while in training and throughout their career.
A career in the military is pretty void of social norms. So, it’s no surprise that a soldier will unthinkingly start to express themselves using curse words.
Shoes Of Pride
It’s not only a wrinkle-free uniform or shirt that gives soldiers a great sense of pride, a shiny shoe does the trick too! A clean boot means regular polishing and careful care.
This immaculate attention to detail towards their appearance is something that sticks out quite a bit. It’s also a trait that doesn’t fade away too easily.
Military Time
This ones a no-brainer. Military men use military time. They use it to avoid any confusion around the AM / PM time-telling out on the field. For example, 4 PM is 16:00, 6 PM is 18:00 and so on.
Just like the habit of keeping up appearances, time-telling is also bound to stick around, long after the mission is over.
Yes Sir, no Ma'am
Respect is one of the most important values that is distilled in training. This is because of the responsibility that follows them everywhere to uphold the good reputation of the armed forces.
This means addressing every man or woman as a ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’. This gesture of respect usually expands well past their career. But it’s a good one to keep, just like the next one.
Standing Quiet
Soldiers are often standing in lines at work. In fact, it’s such a key element to what they do that they were even trained on how to do it properly. That is, with respect and discipline.
So, next time someone’s standing very mannerly and quietly in a line at a grocery store or amusement park, they’re most likely from the military!