We all recognize the Veterans with the VFW hat or the high-top haircuts they are so accustomed to. But, what about the thousands of others that you may encounter daily without even realizing? Behind the civilian clothes and new hairstyles, some Veterans still hold on to habits from their service that are a clear giveaway. Here are some of the habits that you can keep an eye out for:

15 Minutes Prior

The “15 Minutes Prior” rule is a hard one to break. This is implemented to teach Service Members how to avoid being late. You must arrive 15 minutes before the planned event is supposed to begin. This way, leaders confirm you are in the correct place and take attendance. Consequences for being late were often not worth the extra 15 minutes of sleep. Sometimes the pressure made leaders invoke a “15 minutes prior to the 15 minutes prior” rule (that’s 30 minutes prior in civilian math).

So if you notice a coworker consistently showing up 15-30 minutes early to work or meetings and profusely apologizing when they are “on time”, they just might be a Veteran.

Tracking & Roger

The military is widely known for its short-hand speech. Some words are great, and others are hard to explain. For example, instead of 15-person vehicle, you could say “15-pax”.

But one of the most useful sayings in the military is the word “tracking”. “Tracking” is a polite and professional way to say “I already know” or “I’m aware”. There is not really a civilian equivalent that does it justice, so this word tends to follow Veterans after service.

The same goes for “roger”. This is a much more commonly understood term. “Roger” is a term of acknowledgement. When being told to do something or given information, a Service Member can respond with “roger” in acknowledgement. This is widely used in movies and television, whereas “tracking” is not. So keep your ears open because one of these terms might just slip into conversation and let you know you’re dealing with a Veteran.

Eating At Lightning Speed

While everyone’s experience is different during initial entry training, i.e., basic training, one commonality is the rush to eat. At Fort Jackson in 2018, we were forced to only use our spoons in order to eat faster. Once the time is up, everyone gets up and gets back to training. Best believe with all that training, you get VERY hungry! Every bite counts.

Next time you’re sitting next to someone at a restaurant or the work cafeteria, and you see someone inhale their food in 5 minutes or less, they might just be a Veteran.

Walking Around The Grass

“Get off my Sergeant Major’s grass!!!” A command many Service Members have heard plenty of times. We are not too sure what the big deal is about the grass, or why Sergeant Major is so particular about it, but we do know to stay off of it. Even if that means adding an extra quarter mile to the walk to your car to protect the 4 dying blades of brown grass left on the whole military base.

No Walking & Drinking, Using the Phone, or Smoking

This is a big one in the Army. It is implemented from day one that when you are walking, you should maintain situational awareness and professionalism at all times. This includes no texting, talking on the phone, smoking, or even taking a drink from your canteen.

This practice feels silly until you start noticing civilians texting and almost walking into traffic. This is a useful habit that will most likely stick with your Army Veteran friends.

What Do You Do With This Information?

One of our biggest challenges as a nonprofit organization aiming to help Service Members and Veterans is building awareness. The algorithm gets tougher every day, and trying to break through the noise requires real boots on the ground. If you notice one of these habits, start a conversation and ask if they know about Soldiers’ Angels and the services or volunteer opportunities we offer. You might just make someone’s day.

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