Author Archives: Mark Thomas

Occupational Lore: Hooah

White/Jewish

Fordham University/University of Southern California

Army ROTC, EMT, Social Worker

Military Social Work

English

Connecticut

21 April 2011

Folk speech/occupational folklore

“Hooah” (pronounced Who-uh)

As explained by HS:

“Hooah. Well that’s hard to explain…it sorta a word and sorta a sound. Only Soldiers use it, and it means a lot of things. It can mean “yes” or just to pump somebody up. I can’t recall the first time I heard it, all the cadets around mean were using it so often. I think the first time I heard it was before I joined ROTC when I was working with combat veterans at a VA back East. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s just an Army thing. By saying it your not only saying the word, your saying that your part of the Army, and that you follow a code of an organization bigger than yourself. I don’t really know where it originated, I think it was a war cry that we took from the British or something back in the day”

As a cadet of three years, I have had ample time to discuss with my peers the significance and origins of Hooah. Hooah is a short way to characterize the entirety of Army culture into one singular word. The origins of this example of occupational folk speech are largely unknown. In my time in ROTC, I have heard three prevailing myths concerning the origin of this word. The first was that it is a battle cry derived from “Huzzah,” a battle cry used by the British and then the newly independent American Soldiers following the Revolutionary War. The second origin myth is that it came from the Normandy beach landings during World War II. Supposedly, an Officer ordered a group of Soldiers to advance and take a gun position overlooking the beach. Not being in the same unit as the Officer, a Soldier turned and yelled, “Who. Us?” The Officer misunderstood the phrase and thought that it was some kind of motivating war cry and began using it in his unit. The third origin was that I was originally an acronym for the phrase “Heard. Understood. Acknowledged” (HUA). Over the years Soldiers changed the spelling to the phonetic form as it took on more complex meanings.

Beyond being a simple word, Hooah is a complex idea that has considerable meaning and importance in the Army beyond simply being a war cry. Hooah, in its simplest form, literally mean anything except “no.” It can be used to answer a question in the affirmative. Hooah is also affected by the tone and pronunciation of the word, making it mean different things. When spoken with hesitation it can be a one-word question. “Hooah?” When spoken in exasperation, similar to a sigh, it can show an uncertainty in an order or suggestion. “Hooah…” When broken down into two syllables and over emphasized, it can literally mean “whatever. I think what you just said is stupid.” “who-AH.” It can also be used as a replacement for the word “cool.” It is an linguistic identifier that the person who said it is somehow connected to the Army. The sheer variety of the ways that Hooah can be used is quite large, and its significance cuts across into the realm of ideas.

In other mediums, I have heard the word “Hooah” quite frequently. In the videogame Modern Warfare 2,  produced by Infinity Ward, the player plays a Ranger in a fictional invasion of the United States by Russia. During the game, the word “Hooah” is used frequently by the Army Soldiers, and exemplifies the many uses/meanings it can take.

Beyond just a word that can be used in conversations in a military setting, Hooah is also an attribute. Being Hooah, is a descriptive term synonymous with someone being hardcore or intense. Soldiers use it describe individuals or events that are considered “badass.” Saying someone is Hooah is similar to saying someone is very adept at being a Soldier. For example, if a Soldier can take apart a weapon and put it together while blindfolded, they could be described as Hooah. The hyperlink below shows a montage of clips from Soldiers being/doing Hooah things.

http://youtu.be/alTDrosNe7k

Tommy’s Run

White/Jewish

Fordham University/University of Southern California

Army ROTC, EMT, Social Worker

Military Social Work

English

Connecticut

24 April 2011

Tommy’s Run

“The Tommy’s Run is an event that occurs every Spring semester for the USC Army ROTC program. Basically, the cadets from ROTC wake up really early one morning near the end of the spring semester, around 0430, and prepare to go on a run. The run starts at Cromwell field and goes all the way to Tommy’s, a chili burger joint in LA. We run in formation down the street, and cadets call cadences to pass the time and keep us in step. Tommy’s is something like 3 and a half miles away, it takes a little under an hour. We run really slowly so everybody can keep up. Those cadets who are injured travel in a van that follows us to make sure nobody gets hurt. Once at Tommy’s, each cadet is given a chilidog and a chiliburger to eat. Most people can’t finish, but are encouraged to eat as much as they can. After eating, we all start the 3 and a half mile run back. Its incredibly painful, and most cadets develop some sort of cramp. It’s pretty common to puke during the run. I was one of the cadets who puked during the run, I felt terrible for the rest of the day.”

When asked, HS states that the purpose of the Tommy’s Run is part mental test and part endurance test. It’s supposed to be painful, and extremely uncomfortable. She explains because it comes near the end of the year it is partially a celebration of finishing another year of class and ROTC. She also believed that the purpose of the event was to share another common experience that is different from the usual training that they conduct. She mentioned that after she completed the run she felt accomplished, because she didn’t quit even though she felt so sick. Besides being rewarding, HS commented that the Tommy’s Run was pretty fun. “I mean the run back totally sucked. But the start of it was kinda cool. People were driving by and honking their horns, and yelling encouraging stuff out their windows. Its something that I never want to do again, yet at the same time wouldn’t mind doing again.

As a member of ROTC as well, I find that HS beliefs about the significance of the event are for the most part correct. The run is supposed to be difficult, and stated plainly “really suck.” It’s a test, to see how committed individuals are to the tradition of the run. Cadets who purposefully don’t eat a lot, or throw away the food and claim they ate the food are looked down on. The event is important to ROTC because it is an event that is unique just to us as a group on campus, no one else does this. In ROTC, there is a strict no hazing policy. So for new cadets, the Tommy’s Run is the only thing that could be considered hazing. However, unlike other hazing rituals, all cadets take part. Unlike HS, who joined ROTC this year and had her first fountain run, I joined ROTC in my Sophomore year and have gone on three. As a Senior cadet, the event holds a bit more significance. Senior cadets often “talk up” the  event in order to scare cadets who have never done it before. It also represents the last time we are going to do this, and it serves as a measure of the new cadets abilities. One cadet ate two burgers and a chilidog and didn’t puke, a difficult enough feat without having to run three miles after. This event happened two years ago, and that story is still told to new cadets.

Fountain Run

White/Jewish

Fordham University/University of Southern California

Army ROTC, EMT, Social Worker

Military Social Work

English

Connecticut

24 April 2011

USC senior tradition – Fountain Run

“So the Senior Fountain Run is a tradition at USC for graduating Seniors. It usually takes place on the night of the last Thursday of class. Basically, all Seniors gather at their friends’ places or on the row and pre game. After getting drunk, and waiting till it’s late enough, everybody taking part starts making their way to campus. People usually are dressed in swimsuits or crazy costumes, and carry some form of alcohol with them. I even saw one girl carrying an intertube and a blow up shark. As you get closer to campus, more and more people start gathering together. By the time we got to campus, we had a group of around 50 drunk people who were just yelling and running in the middle of the street. Basically, you run around and jump in all the fountains around the SC campus and drink at every fountain. There’s something like over 20 fountains, so it takes a little time to get them all. Some of them are even really hard to find.”

HS explained that first and foremost, the Fountain run is a celebration of senior hood and the impending graduation from college. It serves as a time when every Senior can get together and have a good time. As she put it, “there are no athletes, no sorority girls, no engineers, and no geeks. Everybody is celebrating the two things they have in common: being a Senior at USC, and being close to graduation.” HS explains that it is a period of time when it’s okay for people to get a little crazy. As a graduate student, HS said she learned about the Fountain run from Senior’s in the ROTC program with her. She explained that it had been a hot topic for several days between Seniors she met. During the Run she explains that someone identified her as a none graduating individual and questioned her validity of taking part. HS explained that as a Senior at Fordham University, her school didn’t have an event like this and she felt that she missed out.

As a Senior graduating this semester from USC, I did partake in the Fountain Run. I concur with the observations of the Fountain Run that HS made. As an undergraduate at USC, I had learned about the Fountain Run my Freshman year. While writing a paper, I heard a lot of screaming and running outside my window. Looking, I saw a lot of drunken people jumping in the fountains. For a Senior at USC, the fountain run is a pretty big deal. I had heard individuals talking about it more than a week in advance. Of the people I asked, no one knew when the fountain run started. Coordinating the run was conducted primarily through Facebook. This year was unique in that the fountain run happened a week earlier than usual. The reason was that the campus was preparing for the Book Fair, and the administration warned students ahead of time. This combined with the fact that DPS officers and police officers made little effort to stop the run, shows the administration saw the inevitability of this event and made efforts to stop Senior from destroying the tents being set up. For Seniors, as a group, the fountain run is a unique tradition at USC that marks someone as a Trojan and a Senior, who is having their last hurrah. While other students from other years take part, they are largely left alone. Though this could be because most of the people there are too drunk and having too much fun to care. Below is a hyperlink of a Fountain Run from a prior year. In it you can see that people are chanting, and jumping around celebrating.

http://youtu.be/07mav_JHEXk

Pretended Obscene: That’s What She Said

Italian-American

University of Southern California

USC Rugby

International Relations

Italian, Arabic, English

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

27 April 2011

Folk Speech- That’s what she said…

The context.

So I was having my head shaved by CG, my roommate, in a chair on our porch. While he was shaving my head, I stated, “make sure you rub it (the clippers) back and forth…that’s how you finish the head.” As soon as I said this, I realized the situation I had set myself up for. And sure enough, CG responded with, “That’s what she said!” We sat in silence for a second before he stated, “Sorry dude, I had to do it.” When prompted, CG stated that he understood that what he said was supposed to be a sexual innuendo. He explained that he couldn’t really remember when he first heard it or started using it, but that it was sometime when he was in middle school.

Looking at “That’s what she said,” I can definitely state that it is a form of folk speech under the specific category of the pretended obscene. The whole purpose of saying it is to make a relatively benign statement into something inherently sexual. In no form should it be taken as sexist or offensive. I have often heard woman say, “That’s what she said.” I too, recall that it was incredibly popular during my middle school and high school years. During this period, it was not uncommon to hear it on a weekly basis or more.

Rugby Song: I Used to Work Chicago

Italian-American

University of Southern California

USC Rugby

International Relations

Italian, Arabic, English

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

23 April 2011

Rugby song “I used to work Chicago”

Transcription (because it would not be the same if not sung in context)

Everyone: “I used to work Chicago, I used to work the store, I used to work Chicago, I don’t work there anymore.”

First person: “A woman came into the store looking for an abortion.”

Everyone: “An abortion from the store?”

First person: “An abortion she wanted, a kick down the stairs she got!”

Everyone: “I used to work Chicago, I used to work the store, I used to work Chicago, I don’t work there anymore.”

Second person: “A woman came into the store looking for a necklace”

Everyone: “A necklace from the store?”

Second person: “A necklace she wanted, a pearl necklace she got!” (cue masturbation hand motion)

Everyone: “I used to work Chicago, I used to work the store, I used to work Chicago, I don’t work there anymore.”

Etc.

CG explains that the Rugby song, and songs like it, is a definite part of the rugby experience and rugby traditions at USC. He mentions that he doesn’t think that that it particular to just USC rugby, and he believes that he once heard another rugby player from another school mention it. CG explains that the context to the performance of this song is very important. The songs are generally only sung when there is a large gathering of rugby players and there are copious amounts of alcohol. The purpose of the event, in his words, is to have a good time while getting really drunk. CG mentions that the majority of the rugby songs are raunchy, sexist, and offensive. He explains that it is all in good fun and in no way should be taken seriously.  He explains that the culture of rugby is defined by a duality: one offensive and dirty, the other “gentlemanly.” To explain this, CG stated, “You know how soccer is described as a gentleman’s sport played by hooligans? Well, rugby is a hooligan’s sport played by gentlemen.”

Looking at the song, and having witnessed the context that it was performed; I find that the significance behind it as reported by CG is logical. The song, without a doubt is offensive, and borders on inappropriate. However, I believe this is the reason that the rugby team sings it. In a way, the team is looking to push/test the boundaries of what is appropriate in society. It is supposed to be shocking, as participants will often comment on just how bad it is. I also agree with the statement that it is not inherently meant to be offensive. I have personally seen it performed with women present, and none of them seem offended. The purpose of the song is to be purposefully offensive, and specifically sexual. The fun comes from the fact that the participants are shouting things that are considered taboo. And in some sense, the women present find this attractive. CG told me, “the girls love it. We’d be singing some of the other songs and girls would request us to sing this one.” The second purpose of the song is to test members on rugby “lore.” After one person completes a line, another person is picked out to recite another line. If the person fails or stumbles, everybody dips there hands into their beer and throws it at the individual yelling, “Redeem thyself” until they can think of a new line. The song is a way for the team to include younger individuals and make them feel apart of a larger group.

The hyperlink below is an example of some of the verses to the song.

http://youtu.be/WPyKJxSJ2TY