My boss asked me to describe our military in one word...how would you answer?

2015-08-23T23:37:58-04:00

If I was to try and use one word to say; brave, honest, tough, courageous, elite, bad a$$, motivated, war machine, what would that one word be?

Honerable, Hero or American just don't do the trick.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Aug 23 at 2015 11:42 PM

2015-08-23T23:42:26-04:00

Sgt Joshua Ray One word...Wow!
Duty
Honor
Integrity

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 24 at 2015 12:00 AM

2015-08-24T00:00:37-04:00

Marine

Response by PO1 Sojourner "Chancy" Phillips made Aug 24 at 2015 12:05 AM

2015-08-24T00:05:11-04:00

I thought about it and it is impossible to use just 1 word. But if I had to would have to use Sacrifice.

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Aug 24 at 2015 12:32 AM

2015-08-24T00:32:37-04:00

Warrior

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Aug 24 at 2015 12:35 AM

2015-08-24T00:35:35-04:00

I think I would go with "Selfless"

Response by SCPO J Logue II made Aug 24 at 2015 12:56 AM

2015-08-24T00:56:54-04:00

Patriot

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 24 at 2015 12:59 AM

2015-08-24T00:59:57-04:00

G.I.?

Response by SMSgt David Zobel made Aug 24 at 2015 2:13 AM

2015-08-24T02:13:09-04:00

Lot's of phrases can sum it up well enough. Limited to one word, I would say "professional." I know it's used to describe many jobs - but it's the one thing we all know about each other that civilians wouldn't get.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Aug 24 at 2015 7:13 AM

2015-08-24T07:13:18-04:00

You could use virtuous or esteemed or principled if it must be one word.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Aug 24 at 2015 8:29 AM

2015-08-24T08:29:17-04:00

"Chesty"...

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made Aug 24 at 2015 8:38 AM

2015-08-24T08:38:54-04:00

G.I Joe

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 24 at 2015 8:48 AM

2015-08-24T08:48:21-04:00

If I had to pick one word, my word would be Service.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Aug 24 at 2015 8:53 AM

2015-08-24T08:53:57-04:00

Warriors.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Aug 24 at 2015 9:45 AM

2015-08-24T09:45:34-04:00

Righteous
Dedicated
Steadfast
Loyal
Strong

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 24 at 2015 9:52 AM

2015-08-24T09:52:33-04:00

Don't the Marine's have a one word expression for that?
The Army sure does...
HOOAH!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-08-24T09:53:54-04:00

Tenacious

Response by Sgt Joshua Ray made Aug 24 at 2015 10:39 AM

2015-08-24T10:39:40-04:00

For my boss' purpose the top three I will present to him are Patriot, Marine, Warrior, and G.I.

Thanks for helping me think this one out even if I wasn't 100% clear!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 10:41 AM

2015-08-24T10:41:37-04:00

Adaptable.

We, the military, can meet any challenge at any time on or off duty!

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 24 at 2015 10:46 AM

2015-08-24T10:46:47-04:00

Tradition?
Discipline?
Of course the Navy big three: Honor, Courage, Commitment.
Defender?
Corps?
Values?
There are some of the more negative one word descriptors as well
Drinking.
Stressful.
Repetitive.
Away.

Overall I would use this as my answer to someone who asked me to describe the military in one word: No.

No, I cannot use one word to accurately describe the time I spent in the service, and that was not a long time. It would be insulting to ask a person who was forward deployed, or spent twenty plus years in the service to boil that down to one word.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 10:50 AM

2015-08-24T10:50:29-04:00

Formidable

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 24 at 2015 11:01 AM

2015-08-24T11:01:05-04:00

Dependable

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 11:05 AM

2015-08-24T11:05:26-04:00

Resilient!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 11:08 AM

2015-08-24T11:08:38-04:00

Fierce. We are fierce because we work longers hours than a sweatshop in China sometimes and we go to war (if you're lucky) to support our cause and to make America better. We are the heart of America. Everyday we come into work ready to go and our motivation is high. Granted not everyday is great but even Lances are motivated on a Friday before a 96. We may not be as tough as past generations of the military but we're smarter, usually more decisive, and overall a more fierce and tenacious military

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 11:54 AM

2015-08-24T11:54:39-04:00

Shrinking

Response by PFC Juyius Jackson made Aug 24 at 2015 11:55 AM

2015-08-24T11:55:57-04:00

Complicated

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Aug 24 at 2015 12:00 PM

2015-08-24T12:00:51-04:00

necessary.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 24 at 2015 12:18 PM

2015-08-24T12:18:15-04:00

Tired

Response by SA Harold Hansmann made Aug 24 at 2015 12:19 PM

2015-08-24T12:19:43-04:00

My one word would have to be brotherhood

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Aug 24 at 2015 12:33 PM

2015-08-24T12:33:53-04:00

Best!

Response by Lt Col John Eliopolo Cpc, Eli Mp made Aug 24 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-08-24T13:10:23-04:00

Awesome!

Response by Cpl Matthew Hoffman made Aug 24 at 2015 1:13 PM

2015-08-24T13:13:00-04:00

Let him know that there is no substitute for first hand knowledge, then point him in the direction of the local recruiting office.

Response by PFC Al Sethre made Aug 24 at 2015 2:01 PM

2015-08-24T14:01:31-04:00

Frustrating

Response by SPC Luis Mendez made Aug 24 at 2015 2:24 PM

2015-08-24T14:24:11-04:00

The Military is the biggest Rubber Stamp of the Executive branch of Government and the biggest Bureaucracy in the History of mankind.

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 3:55 PM

2015-08-24T15:55:17-04:00

A certain word starting with 'f' comes to mind.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Aug 24 at 2015 3:55 PM

2015-08-24T15:55:39-04:00

Service. Because above all, being in the military is about service to/for/with:
Your country
Your family
Your friends
Your new military brothers and sisters
Those that came before
Those that will come after

Response by CWO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2015 4:02 PM

2015-08-24T16:02:56-04:00

Hmm. How about
AmericaFkYEA!!!

Response by SGT Glenn E Moody made Aug 24 at 2015 8:15 PM

2015-08-24T20:15:04-04:00

no one word can describe it dosen't matter if you did one year or six years or twenty years no one word can do it the closest i can come is Veteran.!!!!!!!

Response by SGT Glenn E Moody made Aug 24 at 2015 8:23 PM

2015-08-24T20:23:51-04:00

Infantryman

Response by SN Earl Robinson made Aug 24 at 2015 8:43 PM

2015-08-24T20:43:30-04:00

Overpowering!

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Aug 25 at 2015 9:44 AM

2015-08-25T09:44:29-04:00

vigilant: Keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
synonyms: watchful, observant, attentive, alert, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed, on the lookout, on one's toes, wide awake, wakeful, unwinking, on one's guard, cautious, wary, circumspect, heedful, mindful.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Aug 25 at 2015 3:40 PM

2015-08-25T15:40:54-04:00

I find it insulting that a boss would be so shallow as to have someone try to sum up hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters in a single word. WTF?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2015 9:48 PM

2015-08-25T21:48:12-04:00

Retired

Response by PO2 Angelika Laist made Aug 29 at 2015 5:12 AM

2015-08-29T05:12:05-04:00

Business

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Sep 3 at 2015 10:19 PM

2015-09-03T22:19:58-04:00

Meaningful

Response by PO2 Michael Fiel made Sep 9 at 2015 2:09 PM

2015-09-09T14:09:44-04:00

Brotherhood, it is the one thing that I know separates a job/career to what happened in the military. Not that other careers don't also have it, oil field, police,firefighters.