Pilot Callsigns

The Three Rules of Callsigns

1. If you don't already have one, you will be assigned one by your "buddies".
2. You probably won't like it.
3. If you complain and moan too much about 1. and 2., you'll get a new nickname you'll like even less!

So, how do you get a callsign?

Do something stupid or have it fit with your last name. Obvious examples, 'Crash' or LT 'Cheese' Kraft. Sometimes it's based on a physical appearance thing like 'Carrot'. After you've earned the respect of your buddies, you'll get a more 'heroic' callsign.

Add your callsign to the list

Most recent additions

Creeper

 (added: 1 Mar 2012)

On a mission was caught by his commanding officer stalking the girls of a village in Korea

Batman

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

USAF Fighter Pilot : real name - Michael Keaton!

Me-So

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

Last name Horn.

Sibaba

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

F4E Instructor... students followed around foot to foot asking him questions, quick thinking Zoomy recognized he had the appearance of a "Guru" ... Instructors First name "Si" .. actual Indian Guru... "Sibaba"... you can't make these things up!!

Circum

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

In 1982-3 I was assigned to 80 TFS, Kunsan in the Life Support shop. The Juvat tradition is that Tac Call Signs are assigned upon Green Bean tours and are permanently engraved upon your challenge coin. The rule seemed to be that your call sign would be something that you would object to. My last name is Scism, so The LSO was tasked with designating my call sign, but he was over-riden by the DO, who decided my call sign would be Circum-Scism. The policy of course was for identification purposes if war broke out. and if we called in, by phone or radio this would be part of authentification. So in the bar, in Silvertown, when I drank my Juvat Cocktail and was ceremoniously dubbed, The squadron declared that if my my Tac Call Sign was to be Circum, I had to demonstrate that I was Circumcised. Audentes Fortuna Juvat!

Arclight

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

This guy had a personality like a B-52 strike

Manstew

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

Was at a hotel in a foreign country where the squadron was put up on deployments. In addition, the hotel hosted airline stewardess' in-training. Initially, I was operating solo macking on a half-a-dozen airline stewardess in a hot tub all to myself. But then all of a sudden...a squady rolled in, got in the tub, spread his arms out on the rail with one of them landing behind me looking as if he put his arms around me. I moved away but it was too late. I was pissed off he showed up and it set the stage for a scene on par with Broke Back Mountain. I was branded as the guy that boils in hot water.

VC

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

The Philippine Air Force pilot was half-Vietnamese.

Digger

 (added: 5 Feb 2012)

One day shortly after arriving to a fighter sq as a female SSgt., I had a huge wedgie, so I walked into the Flight Equipment room to dig it out of my butt in what i thought was a empty room at first glance. I had been outside packing a ISU 90 for RED FLAG in Vegas so i was all sweaty and my panties were really wedged up my crack. I shoved my hand down my pants to remove them from my butt, then i heard a chair squeak. With my hand still in my pants, i Slowly turned to my right to see someone slunched down in a computer chair checking their email and they just had this look of utter amazement on their face. It was like they couldn't believe what they saw. We just stared at each other for a second and i then pulled my hand out and then looked at it. All i could say was "I need to sanitize," and then walked out. Later, earning me the name Digger.

Mangler

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

While in Hawaii, I had a little bit of an accident involving alcohol, a hottub, various gorgeous women, and the zipper of my shorts. Apparently, the medical term for getting your coin purse stuck in your zipper is 'testicular mangling'.

Tarzan

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

This new kid's a sport climber, first name starts with T, he likes camping outdoors more than hanging out at the bar. Go figure.

Fredders

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

Freddy Krueger - he was frightning to fly with, as mad as box of frogs!

Panic

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

A pilot in my EA-6B squadron could not make a good carrier landing to save his life. He routinely slammed the bird to the deck, catching the "one wire," hence panicking. "Panic" rhythms with his last name, so... Incidentally, CDR Willie McCool was a LCDR in our squadron when he was selected as an astronaut candidate. RIP, brother.

Shrubs

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Found with my boots sticking through the shrubs outside the O'Club after drinking too much Weed. Convinced that gravity had forsaken me, I was clinging to blades of grass...

Sweets

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

His mom was the sh*t, and she worked for Hersheys chocolates.

Milky

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Last name is "Way"

Wedge

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Foreign Hornet Driver showing off for the ladies at an airshow party, cannot badmouth F-16's and viper drivers enough. One of the ladies present, call sign "Combat Pat", is a viper wife, WWII fighter pilot's daughter, and not to be trifled with. After all attempts to solicit some minimal hint of respect fail, Combat Pat, spotting a target of opportunity, grabs hold of his inconveniently displayed boxers and all 5 feet and 100 pounds of her delivers a world class wedgie. Said Foreign Hornet Driver squeals like a girl. The party (a well attended NATO affair) stops. With all eyes on the pair, Combat Pat, in her sweetest voice asks "Did I mention my husband flies F-16's?" and walks away. Haven't heard much from Wedge lately.

Grizzly

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Very unpublicized prank involving a tranquilized bear and the mess. You can figure it out for yourself.

Yukon

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Threw up in the back of a Yukon SUV on deployment in El Centro.

Jeeter

 (added: 15 Dec 2011)

Last name Bush. [Ed. note: check Urban Dictionary]

Bitch

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

This poor guy had his ex-girlfriend around during his naming. When everybody was yelling names and trying to get their point across, she stood up and yelled: "You guys shut the F*%K up! That's my bitch!". Thanks for the help hon...

Kong

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

Hairy!

Crunch

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

During my private pilot days I had a knack for performing unusually hard landings. They just hadn't clicked for me yet. One day I was on proficiency check flight with an old Navy pilot when I pulled off one of my 'landings' and he said with a bit of excitement, "Son you ought to give this up and join the Navy, you drive it right to the deck!" He also used to say that "Flaring is like squatting to pee." Must be a Navy thing. =)

Moses

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

My wife's a redhead... God came to Moses in the form of a burning bush... Nuff said

Chainsaw

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

While pulling "ALERT" and attempting to catch some ZZZZzzz's and snoring loudly I could easily cut and stack a cord of wood a night. Hence, Chainsaw.