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[Pags]

Callsign appears to be Havoc. Can someone explain/defend why the AF dudes give themselves ‘cool’ callsigns? It’s so much more lame than the ones that celebrate epic screwups or personal shortcomings.

Because they're the AF.

That said I think there's some variability between the USAF communities. @nittany03 and I had a VT IP who's callsign was some acronym along the lines of "BS you hit the pickle switch with your elbow." He was an A-10 guy. The AFSOC guys I've worked with seem to eschew them as "stupid things fighter guys do."

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Callsign appears to be Havoc. Can someone explain/defend why the AF dudes give themselves ‘cool’ callsigns? It’s so much more lame than the ones that celebrate epic screwups or personal shortcomings.

They were all big fans of American Gladiators?

"Hi, if you can’t tell by this teenage girl’s watch, I’m Havoc, and this is Atlas, Justice, Laser, Nitro, Mayhem, Quake, Rage, Rocket, Sniper, and uh, also Sniper."*

*All actual names, but I just stuck to the dudes names which is a huge assumption.

 

[squorch2]

That’s Hansel’s new outfit. Wonder what he had to say to this guy...

 

[loadtoad]

In my current squadron which is USAF, their callsigns are pretty damn similar to Navy. Some good, some bad. The one major exception is they are much more PC.

 

[Hair Warrior]

He Always Voices Opinions Carefully

 

[Mos]

A contractor friend worked with eagle pilots with various callsigns, but I remember most of them being humorous or self-deprecating.

 

[croakerfish]

Or, perhaps, it's a play on words as havoc backwards is covah, "being the humblest at the hardest times."

"So to speak"

 

[sevenhelmet]

There are good dudes and blowhards in all communities. As a Hornet guy, I've generally gotten along with Eagle guys fairly well; particularly the Strike Eagle folks, since we have a fairly similar mission.

USAF callsigns do sound ridiculously narcissistic. There are exceptions, but one can often infer a pilot's service from their callsign alone:

USAF: Viper, Razor, Havoc, Buzz, Burner, etc. - Cool sounding in a "you-paid-for-this-with-alcohol" kind of way.
USN: Farva, Gump, Trash, Yogurt, Princess, etc. - funny and self-effacing. Generally the best of both worlds.
USMC: FUNGUS, Dumbass, Caveman, Agony, etc. - soul-crushing, and hilarious. Embrace the suck.

 

[taxi1]

The callsign is HADDOCK. This was confirmed by a friend who does audio forensics and is more importantly an asshole.

 

[ea6bflyr]

The callsign is HADDOCK. This was confirmed by a friend who does audio forensics and is more importantly an asshole.

So, he's a "treasure from the sea" huh?

 

[nittany03]

"So to speak"

Head. Box.

(points with finger)

 

[Griz882]

USMC: FUNGUS, Dumbass, Caveman, Agony, etc. - soul-crushing, and hilarious. Embrace the suck.

Back in the early 1980’s when I was a young Marine my neighbor was a CH-53 crew chief who flew with a pilot called FART. Stood for something like “Friendly, Accountable, Reasonably Trainable.” If I remember correctly he was apparently a nice guy, just kind of mild mannered, something like a Mormon.

 

[villanelle]

Callsign appears to be Havoc. Can someone explain/defend why the AF dudes give themselves ‘cool’ callsigns? It’s so much more lame than the ones that celebrate epic screwups or personal shortcomings.

More or less the same reason guys with small penises start bar fights. Overcompensation.

 

[Notanaviator]

I wanted it to be Haddock. But here we are. Maybe there's a good HAVOK acronym we're missing.

 

[jmcquate]

Happened Again..........Vomited Over Kansas.