When I was in the Navy, intel peeps were called "spooks" because we were hardly seen. Are they still called that, or is the term divisive?

PO2 Robert M. — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:02:52 -0400

Response by PO1 Larry Beach made Apr 18 at 2017 1:05 AM

PO1 Larry Beach — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:05:23 -0400

To me it meant ghosts. I guess they could just called them ghosts, instead of spooks. But when i think of it, to me
It means ghosts.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Apr 18 at 2017 1:12 AM

SSgt Jim Gilmore — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 01:12:05 -0400

I never looked at the term as being divisive. If anything, I used it as a term of endearment applying to those doing a job some of the rest of us either did not or were not qualified to do. Consider yourself one of a select few who may know all the secret truths...Spooks are everywhere.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 18 at 2017 2:39 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 02:39:36 -0400

I will Always be a "Spook" "CTO1" CT1" That is What I Did, That is What We Did! We Made History but No One would ever Know and if they did, It Wasn't until Much Later, We Lived in the Shadows, Masters of Smoke and Mirrors.

Response by CPO Allen D. (Al) B. made Apr 18 at 2017 8:10 AM

CPO Allen D. (Al) B. — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 08:10:22 -0400

I also was one of those "Spooks". Always thought of the term as one of comaraderie and acceptance by the other rates.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 18 at 2017 9:47 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:47:25 -0400

PO2 Robert M. - I don't know about the Navy - but many people have been called spooks - including intel collection officers - but also covert operations officers, infiltrators, exfiltrators, long range reconnaissance patrols, special forces, snipers, low visibility aircraft operators, civilians with too many buttons on their embassy or other agency radios, and quite frequently anyone with a set of orders and/or assignment that was either not obvious / obviously not what they claimed / or on a need to know basis where very few people need to know, or anyone who operated mostly outside routine chain of command with or without obvious chain of command support. Then there were those who wandered the countryside, jungles, valleys, and mountains distributing some medical equipment, supplies, and training (and very quietly low profile radio communications equipment) accompanied by a couple of "Ex-Seals" carrying Mk22 Mod0 "Hush Puppy" - who were thought to be black marketeers - but on arrest or detention were released on call by command to Tom Polgar or Graham Martin. More broadly, anyone operating abroad - particularly when risking their lives or long jail time - in the interests of the U S Government without obvious military or diplomatic cover were spooks. The trick was not be recognized as a spook by anyone other than a "friendly" spook. The alternative may be quiet detention, disappearance, or death. Warmest Regards, Sandy :)

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Apr 18 at 2017 11:59 AM

PO1 Brian Austin — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:59:32 -0400

I was a Spook and darn proud of it!
I saw it more along the lines as a term of endearment and camaraderie.

Response by PO2 Robert Moore made Apr 19 at 2017 8:00 AM

PO2 Robert Moore — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 08:00:32 -0400

They called them spooks when I was in, also. I never heard anyone raise the race card issue over the term. I think if they had, they would have been ridiculed highly for the "blatant misuse". Since it does not refer to any kind of race. They should be ridiculed for that today, also. We need to stop letting the LOUD, unbound and moronic.....from dictating what words mean or meant, and what words we can use and can't. Talk about attacking Free Speech. Gee whiz..... Attacking the damn dictionary and thesauruses, also....it seems.
Hey next time you call your girlfriend Bae.....keep in mind....that's what Gramps used to tell me to shovel from the Sheep pen. Be careful what you decide words should mean. To the rest of us. You're WRONG. :D

Response by LT Ryan Smith made Aug 3 at 2017 5:15 PM

LT Ryan Smith — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 17:15:47 -0400

Not divisive

Response by SGT Martin Mundo made Aug 15 at 2017 1:36 PM

SGT Martin Mundo — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 13:36:32 -0400

Have you heard of the "ice box" in Bad Aibling?

Response by PO3 Robert Weber made Jun 6 at 2018 2:25 PM

PO3 Robert Weber — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 14:25:38 -0400

I was also a spook aboard the USS Enterprise CVAN 65 during Vietnam

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jul 3 at 2018 12:06 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 00:06:30 -0400

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Here is a question - and answer tailored for you! Do you hav a RP account under an assumed name? You spooks are all the same, covert!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jul 3 at 2018 12:11 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 00:11:34 -0400

1LT Sandy Annala Rally Point pleased that Sandy was not caused to ‘disappear’!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jul 3 at 2018 1:38 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 01:38:44 -0400

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Sandy owes America’s military community a book !

You know the drill, but I would hope that Sandy could escape the bureaucratic strictures on her many escapades!

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2018 6:40 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 06:40:24 -0400

I think Sandy Nailed it. To be honest I think its your community that puts big deal on "spook" most, Navy folks know that its just Comm guys doing their thing in the cold rooms. "Spook" is a term used for to many, so as for Navy yes CT world has changed a lot and term "spook" for that world needs to go away. Your not covert spies, sorry your not. Yes you do work for NSW today and all the three letter OGA's, but that does not make you covert SOF operter guys, just high tech ciphers.

Response by PO3 Jayme L McIntyre made Jun 8 at 2019 11:08 AM

PO3 Jayme L McIntyre — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 11:08:07 -0400

Yeah as was I , though friends of mine that went on to Civilian Intelligence were Always the real Spook's .

Response by Sgt Dan Catlin made Nov 23 at 2019 2:31 AM

Sgt Dan Catlin — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 02:31:50 -0500

How could it be divisive? It just meant anyone who operated primarily in the shadows. The CIA, for example, were "spooks." So were SF and Mercs attached to them. Whether manning a comm intercept and/or crypto station or the ones boarding unmarked planes and being dropped into Cambodia during Nam, they had a job to do just like the rest of us. We didn't ask. But no one bad-mouthed them for who/what they were.

We all had/have our job to do. And like calling a radio operator "sparky," an 03 a "grunt," Jar-Heads, Squids, Dog-Faces, Airdales, or Puddle-Pirates, euphemisms will be used to describe them. They aren't divisive unless someone makes/lets them be.

Response by TSgt Gary McPherson made Nov 25 at 2019 11:32 PM

TSgt Gary McPherson — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 23:32:15 -0500

Most branches of service had them.Except the CG.In the day in the USAF it Was Air Force Security Service.Name changed over the years.Highly secret.Could not even tell your spouse.

Response by PO2 Nick Burke made Dec 15 at 2019 8:19 AM

PO2 Nick Burke — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 08:19:16 -0500

Spooks, Twiggits, Snipes, Airdales...
All descriptive terms by us Squids.

Response by PO3 Jennifer McMullin made Apr 8 at 2021 10:49 PM

PO3 Jennifer McMullin — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 22:49:40 -0400

I never had a problem being called a spook.