RICHARD REIDEL and the CCQs

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Quick Reference Guide to West Point & CCQ Slang

. . . to help you get the most out of your CCQ experience, even if you've never worn As For Class

2-2 - a weekly report which lists cadets who were recently punished for serious violations. The 2-2 (or "two-dash-two") always makes for interesting reading. You do not want to be listed on a 2-2. The name is derived from "USMA Form 2-2"

Alright - means, "Are you where you are supposed to be?" During the hours after dinner, the different classes are afforded different privileges. A "card" at the entrance to a cadet dorm room indicates where each cadet currently is -- your card must be "marked" appropriately. The CCQ is responsible for checking to make sure that everyone in the company is "alright" several times during the evening, and will ask each person in each room, "Alright?"

As For Class - the standard uniform for attendance at academic classes. Much more comfortable than other uniforms which are required for other occasions, such as Dress Gray or Full Dress. CCQ's always wear "As For Class" when they're on duty. It comprises a navy blue button-down shirt, gray trousers with a black stripe down each side, and black dress shoes.

Beanhead - derogatory slang for a Plebe, or freshman.

Big Ed - legendary barber at West Point, known for giving very short haircuts.  After you've been in Big Ed's chair, you probably now have a set of white walls.

Boodle - snack food.  Each cadet is permitted to keep a certain amount of boodle in his or her dorm room.  Usage:  "Hey, you guys got any boodle?"  A more generic term is "Good Boodle", which means "Good Stuff".

(Calling) Minutes - a Plebe duty.  Before events such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and inspections, Plebes are required to stand beneath the clocks in the dormitories and call out the number of minutes before the event:  "Sir, there are five minutes before lunch formation.  The uniform is 'As For Class'.  For lunch we are having grilled cheese sandwiches, green beans, tator tots, and spice cake.  Five minutes, sir!"  Minutes are called 10, 5, 4, 3, and 2 minutes before these events.  These are called "bells":  the 5-Minute Bell, the 4-Minute Bell, et cetera.  At the 2-Minute Bell, the Plebe inserts a reminder to "Don't forget your lights and doors", which means, "turn out your lights and close your doors".

CCQ - Cadet in Charge of Quarters; often abbreviated to "CQ".  A combination watchman/security guard/orderly for a company of approximately 120 cadets.  The CCQ changes daily and is normally a yearling (sophomore) but can also be a cow (junior).  Duty lasts 24 hours and the CCQ is excused from classes while on duty.  The CQ must perform a variety of mundane duties, including security inspections and twice-daily delivery of the company liaison envelope between the cadet Company Commander and the company's military Tactical Officer ("Tac").

C.O. - short for "Commanding Officer", or the Cadet Company Commander.  Each cadet company is "led" by a Company Commander, who is the highest-ranking cadet within the company.  (The true Company Commander, however, is the Company Tactical Officer, or "TAC".)

Cow - a junior; a second-classman.

Days (the) - a form of harassment inflicted upon Plebes.  Plebes are required to know the number of days until the next football game, the Army-Navy football game, Thanksgiving vacation ("leave"), Christmas leave, 500th Night for the junior class, Ring Weekend for the senior class, et cetera.  When an upperclassman becomes displeased with a Plebe, he or she may say, "Start the Days!" and the Plebe must begin the chant:  "Sir, the Days.  There are 5 days until Army defeats Lafayette in football.  There are 32 days until Thanksgiving Leave for the United States Corps of Cadets …"

Dick - to be selfish; to put one's own needs before another's.  "You're dicking on your buddy" means you just screwed over someone else.  To "dick" a portion of the communal meal in the Mess Hall means that you took more than your fair share.

Discrepancy - a violation of policy.  If a CCQ finds an unsecured item during a routine inspection, that item becomes a "discrepancy" on the CCQ's log, or daily journal.

Dress-Off - a method of flattening the back of one's shirt, so that it doesn't billow out.  It's generally regarded as better to have someone do it for you, rather than do it for yourself.  Primarily used with the As For Class uniform.  Usage:  "Hey, can you give me a dress off before we go to lunch formation?"

First Reg - First Regiment.  The Corps of Cadets is divided into 4 Regiments, each containing several companies.  First Regiment, or "First Reg", historically had the reputation of being the toughest regiment, with the strictest standards (and the shortest haircuts).  Fourth Regiment historically had the reputation of being the most lax, laid-back of the regiments.

Formation - Each company of cadets must "form up" in a formation before marching to breakfast, lunch, dinner, parades, and other special events.  Formations are convened outdoors, near the company's dormitories or barracks.  Special inspections, such as haircut inspections, are held in company formations.  Formations are characterized by rows of cadets in Squads (10 cadets), Platoons (4 Squads), and Companies (4 Platoons).  The cadet Company Commander (C.O.) stands in front of the formation.  CCQ's do not attend formations because they are on duty within the barracks.

Frat - short for "Fraternization".  Upperclassmen are not permitted to socialize (fraternize) with Plebes, and vice versa.

Green Girl - beloved, standard issue comforter for use on a cadet's bed (rack).  Used to be Olive Drab Green (O.D. Green) in color -- nowadays, it's brown.  Every cadet's Green Girl will be well-worn by the time they leave West Point.

Guidon - ("Guide - On") the flag which precedes each cadet company during a parade or formation.  It is carried by the company's Guidon Bearer, who is normally selected for his or her good looks.

Haze - to harass or abuse another cadet, normally (but not exclusively) Plebes.  To be known as "a haze" is to be a person who frequently harasses or abuses others.

Honor - refers to the Cadet Honor Code:  "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do".  Violations of the Honor Code can get you thrown out of West Point.  However, there are certain sanctimonious cadets who occasionally take the Honor Code to ridiculous extremes.

Hop - a Saturday night dance.  More often than not, girls would be bused in from surrounding colleges to make it interesting.

June Week - in former times, West Point cadets graduated on the first Wednesday of June.  The entire week is filled with festivities and events and was called "June Week".  Since cadets are not allowed to be married while they attend West Point, a rash of weddings would often follow close on the heels of Wednesday's graduation.  These were called "June Week Weddings".  This week is now called "Graduation Week" because it no longer occurs during June.

Keys - a CCQ would often carry a large ring of keys, used for opening various things within the company area.

Knick-Knacks - personal effects such as framed photographs, calendars, or other mementos.  At one time, cadets were limited to displaying 3 knick-knacks on their desks in their rooms.  Displaying more than 3 knick-knacks could result in a "discrepancy".

Ladycliff - formerly a women's college just outside the main gate to West Point.

Liaison Envelope - a large leather envelope containing correspondence and distribution between the company Tactical Officer (TAC) and the cadet Company Commander (C.O.).  The CCQ carries the liaison envelope between the TAC's office and the Company Commander's room twice each day.

O.C. - Officer in Charge.  A military officer who roams the cadet areas, looking for trouble but ostensibly maintaining good order and discipline.  The O.C. changes daily.  It is normally a Captain, Major, or Lieutenant Colonel.

"Open Ranks, March" - a command given while cadets are in a company formation, for the purpose of conducting an inspection-in-ranks (such as a haircut inspection).  When the command is given, each Squad takes a step forward or backward, "opening the ranks".  This provides space for the inspecting officer to walk down the line, inspecting each cadet (and writing quill for discrepancies that they find).

Open the Net - Army-speak for opening a radio network.  During military exercises, a company's Radio Telephone Operator would "open the net" to enable FM radio communications between squads, platoons, and the company headquarters personnel.  (As used in the song "Liaison Lady", the term "open her net up for you" is just a silly double-entendre, originating from this phrase. 

P - short for "Professor", or academic instructor.  Normally a military officer, although there are some civilian P's.  "You look like a P" means that your hair is long enough for you to pass as a professor, and not a cadet. 

P.R. - short for "Partial Review", which is short for "Written Partial Review", or W.P.R.  A "Written Partial Review" is cadet-speak for a test or an exam.

Plebe - a freshman; a fourth-classman.  Plebes are generally regarded as "the underclass" and are obligated to perform many arcane and, at times, humiliating duties and customs.  Yearlings, Cows, and Firsties are forbidden to fraternize (or socialize) with Plebes.  They are only to be addressed by their last names.  Plebes are required to walk along the walls in the hallways of their dormitories ("barracks") and are not permitted to speak unless spoken to.

P.M.I. - "PM Inspection".  Each cadet dorm room is subject to inspection at all times.  Furniture, uniforms, clothing, and other items are to be neatly displayed in certain ways, depending upon the time of day.  A.M.I. describes the method by which the room is to be arranged during weekday mornings.  P.M.I. is the method of room arrangement during weekday afternoons and most of the weekends.  P.M.I. is a relaxed standard and is often awarded for good behavior, such as donations to periodic blood drives. (see also, S.A.M.I.).

Poop Sheet - to be written up for an infraction.  "How'd you like a Poop Sheet?" means, "How would you like to be written up?"

Quill - to be written up for an infraction or wrongdoing.  "Quill" can be used as a noun ("You're gonna get some quill for that") or as a verb ("What, are you gonna quill me?").

Rack - bed or sleep.  Usage:  "I'm exhausted, I really need some rack."  "She's in the rack right now."

Rally - a pep rally, normally held the night before home football games.

Regs - regulations.  Regs USCC is the book of regulations governing all aspects of life for the United States Corps of Cadets. 

S.A.M.I. - "Saturday A.M. Inspection"; a rigorous method of dorm room arrangement and display, often required on Saturday mornings.  Apart from the normal requirements of A.M.I. all drawers in a cadet's room must be open and the items contained within must be neatly displayed, according to meticulous regulations.  S.A.M.I. is generally regarded as a pain in the rear end.  (see also, P.M.I.)

Section Marcher - a cadet who must report to the Professor ("P") that either the class is all present, or that Cadet So-and-So is absent (and the reason for that absence).  If there is no legitimate reason for an absence, the Section Marcher reports that the missing cadet has "no excuse".  This report is made at the beginning of class.  Any absences will eventually be reported to the missing cadet's Tactical Officer ("Tac").

Sit Up Straight - mainly refers to the posture required of Plebes in the Mess Hall.  Plebes must sit with rigid backs, eyes cast downward at their plates, and may not speak during meals.

Table Board - a mock trial for misbehavior or dereliction of duty during a meal in the Mess Hall.  Cadets sit at tables of 10 in the Mess Hall, with 2-3 Plebes responsible for pouring the correct beverages for each upperclassman ("beverage preferences") and cutting the dessert into 10 exactly equal slices.  Of course, the Plebes are served last.

TAC - short for Tactical Officer.  A military officer, normally a Captain or Major, who is in charge of a company of about 120 cadets.  He or she is responsible for the military, physical, and academic development of his or her company.  For all intents and purposes, the TAC wields the power of God over his or her company.

Taps - the time when all cadets are to be in their own dorm rooms, normally 11:00 pm.  "Lights Out" is normally 1:00 am.  The company CCQ is responsible for ensuring that these are enforced.

Trou - short for "trousers".  To be "caught with your trou down" is the same thing as to be "caught with your pants down".

White Walls - a very close haircut.  The "white walls" refer to the skin that is visible around one's ears when one has received a very short haircut.  See also, "Big Ed".

Yearling - a sophomore; a third-classman.