What’s Your Military Name?

MILITARY

By: Zoe Samuel

6 Min Quiz

Image: avid_creative/ E+/ Getty Images

About This Quiz

Military names go back a long way, though there is no way to know if they go back to the beginning of war. In biblical times, there were figures like Judah Maccabee ("the Hammer"), whose name, depending on whom you ask, stemmed from his weapon of choice, general demeanor, his battle cry, or something else. Charles Martel, the Frankish king who turned back the Moores and fathered Charlemagne was not named Martel, but rather Martel was a nickname that meant "the Hammer" as well. Basically, early on there were a lot of hammers, which one supposes were popular at the time.

More modern names come from the ways of modern warfare. Admiral Arleigh Burke, who served in the Pacific during WW2, was nicknamed "31-Knot" because of a successful mission that required him to travel at full speed, but due to damage to one of his ships, the fastest his squadron could travel was 31 knots. Organized military culture also plays a role in names, as anyone who has seen "Full Metal Jacket" will attest. In these modern times, with war governed more by law than any time in the past and personal mystery less of a factor, military names either reach more deeply into one's sense of identity, or are assigned as a sort of joke, either by other soldiers or sailors, or the press, as was the case with General Mattis.

Do you wonder what your military name would be? We'll work it out for you. Just take this quiz!

How would you prefer to communicate with soldiers or sailors under your command prior to going into battle for the first time?

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How do you view military traditions like dress uniforms, as they fit into military traditions like "dining in"?

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How do you modulate your language around superiors?

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What about military life appeals to you the most?

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How do you feel about the 20th-century battlefield paradigm, with fast-moving artillery and the de-emphasis on infantry?

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Which branch of the US military engages in the sort of work in which you would most like to take part?

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How would you describe your style of communication with those under your command, under normal conditions?

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What would you most like as your signature tool of your trade?

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Which of the following real military unit nicknames sounds like your cup of tea?

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How would you prepare for the military tradition of "dining in"?

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If you were to have challenge coins struck for your unit, what sort of motto would you have on them?

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Using past wars as examples, in which kind of theater of war would you want to serve?

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How high would you want to rise in the ranks?

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How would you react if you found out one of your close comrades may have committed a war crime?

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How would you express your political thoughts while not actively serving?

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How long would you want to stay in the service?

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How far back in your family does the military tradition go?

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What technical specialty would you want to go into?

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How long would you be willing to spend as a warrant officer, so you could have lots of time in your specialty without running out of time in grade?

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How would you adjust to civilian life when you have time off?

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How would you refer to your military service while not on active duty?

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What would you look to get from your military service, personally?

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If you saw abuses of power but knew that blowing the whistle would mean punishment and possible jail time, what would you do?

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How would you treat your service in an unpopular war that was being morally questioned by your friends and family back home?

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Of these, which military leader do you look up to the most?

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How would you cope with having a commanding officer who you really don't like?

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If pushed to do it by national interest, would you take on desk jobs in which you have little to no interest?

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What would you want to do with your life after your military service ends?

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Which job description reads like a good fit for you?

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When do you think you'd get your military name?

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