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

Sgt Joshua Ray — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 23:37:58 -0400

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

LTC John Shaw — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 23:42:26 -0400

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

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

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:00:37 -0400

Marine

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

PO1 Sojourner "Chancy" Phillips — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:05:11 -0400

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

Cpl James Waycasie — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:32:37 -0400

Warrior

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

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:35:35 -0400

I think I would go with "Selfless"

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

SCPO J Logue II — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:56:54 -0400

Patriot

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

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 00:59:57 -0400

G.I.?

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

SMSgt David Zobel — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 02:13:09 -0400

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

Cpl Jeff N. — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 07:13:18 -0400

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

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 08:29:17 -0400

"Chesty"...

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

PFC Tuan Trang — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 08:38:54 -0400

G.I Joe

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

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 08:48:21 -0400

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

Capt Richard I P. — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 08:53:57 -0400

Warriors.

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

CMSgt James Nolan — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 09:45:34 -0400

Righteous
Dedicated
Steadfast
Loyal
Strong

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

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 09:52:33 -0400

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

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 09:53:54 -0400

Tenacious

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

Sgt Joshua Ray — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:39:40 -0400

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

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:41:37 -0400

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

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:46:47 -0400

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

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:50:29 -0400

Formidable

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

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:01:05 -0400

Dependable

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

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:05:26 -0400

Resilient!

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

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:08:38 -0400

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

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:54:39 -0400

Shrinking

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

PFC Juyius Jackson — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:55:57 -0400

Complicated

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

SPC Sheila Lewis — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 12:00:51 -0400

necessary.

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

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 12:18:15 -0400

Tired

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

SA Harold Hansmann — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 12:19:43 -0400

My one word would have to be brotherhood

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

MCPO Roger Collins — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 12:33:53 -0400

Best!

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

Lt Col John Eliopolo Cpc, Eli Mp — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:10:23 -0400

Awesome!

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

Cpl Matthew Hoffman — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:13:00 -0400

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

PFC Al Sethre — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:01:31 -0400

Frustrating

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

SPC Luis Mendez — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:24:11 -0400

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

LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 15:55:17 -0400

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

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

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 15:55:39 -0400

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

CWO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 16:02:56 -0400

Hmm. How about
AmericaFkYEA!!!

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

SGT Glenn E Moody — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 20:15:04 -0400

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

SGT Glenn E Moody — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 20:23:51 -0400

Infantryman

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

SN Earl Robinson — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 20:43:30 -0400

Overpowering!

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

MSgt James Mullis — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 09:44:29 -0400

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

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 15:40:54 -0400

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

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:48:12 -0400

Retired

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

PO2 Angelika Laist — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 05:12:05 -0400

Business

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

LtCol Robert Quinter — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 22:19:58 -0400

Meaningful

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

PO2 Michael Fiel — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 14:09:44 -0400

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.