Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!apple!veritas!amdcad!amdcad!military From: scw@ollie.SEAS.UCLA.EDU (Stephen C. Woods) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Military-surplus abbreviations Message-ID: <1991May3.063414.5554@amd.com> Date: 2 May 91 19:01:04 GMT Sender: military@amd.com Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Lines: 48 Approved: military@amd.com From: "Stephen C. Woods" (Couldn't mail direct to Will Martin -scw) >Vietnam-era: >FPBA vest ("Flak Protective B? A?" maybe?) Fragment Protecting Body Armor I remember the little warning message to the effect that: ...this body armor will NOT stop all Small-arms fire... One of the great understatments of the 20th century. WW-II era: >Helmet liners with khaki HBT suspension and "HBT 3-pocket dungaree > jacket" ("HBT" in these two contexts might refer to the fabric, > but I have no real idea.) Right, HBT is Herring Bone Tweed, so called because when examining the fabric there appear to be diagonal stripes arranged in rows (the rows run up/down the farbic, like so (you have to turn your screen on its side). \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ////////////////////////////////////// \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ////////////////////////////////////// \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ////////////////////////////////////// Having herring bone utilities was considered 'very salty' in the early-mid 1960's Marine corps (HBT stopped being issued in the mid-late 50s) much like still having a plain (non cammo) utility cap is now, if they were very faded they were even saltier. Wearing 'out of date' uniforms indicates that you've been around for a while (over a lot of ocean, hence 'salty'), and are therefore someone of importance (in a peer to peer way) this is much more important in a peace-time environment than in war time. "I've worn out more seabags than you have socks". "I've got more ing time than you have in the whole ing Corps". -- Stephen C. Woods; UCLA SEASNET; 2567 BH;LA CA 90024; (213)-825-8614 UUCP: ...{ibmsupt,hao!cepu}!ollie}!scw Internet:scw@SEAS.UCLA.EDU