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Alpha, Bravo, Charile. Military Alphabet Code and LEO Code
- Thread starter JOERM
- Start date
Okay, I'll admit...I'm an old guy and I figure "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The phonetic alphabet was developed for a reason. The words selected were selected because they were unique in the letter they represented.
Had an experience two days ago that proves my point. A guy called and was giving me an email address. He was spelling a word and I couldn't tell if he was saying "P," "B," "T," or "D."
Finally, he said, "'B' as in 'bomb'." I still wasn't sure, so I asked, "Did you say 'B as in bomb or T as in Tom?"
He replied, "Yeah, that's right."
Frustrated, I finally asked, "Is it 'Bravo' or 'Tango'?"
He said, "Oh...'T' as in 'tango.'"
The phonetic alphabet was developed for a reason. The words selected were selected because they were unique in the letter they represented.
Had an experience two days ago that proves my point. A guy called and was giving me an email address. He was spelling a word and I couldn't tell if he was saying "P," "B," "T," or "D."
Finally, he said, "'B' as in 'bomb'." I still wasn't sure, so I asked, "Did you say 'B as in bomb or T as in Tom?"
He replied, "Yeah, that's right."
Frustrated, I finally asked, "Is it 'Bravo' or 'Tango'?"
He said, "Oh...'T' as in 'tango.'"
I get the feeling a shooters phonetic alphabet might go something like this: Anschutz-Benelli-Casull-Detonics-Enfield-Fox-Greener-Husqvarna-Ithaca-Jericho-Kimber-Llama-Marlin-Nambu-Ortgies-Parker-Quakenbush-Remington-Savage-Tikka-Uberti-Volcanic-Winchester-Yankee (Hill MFG)-Xtreme-Zanotti
Sorry-had to do it
Sorry-had to do it
The Last Standing Knight
Member
Phonetics are still around, somewhat...as are ten-codes. I remember having to memorize them in the academy. We were told to forget the military terms and use civilian (aka 'Adam, Boy, Charles, etc).
Ten codes are all but extinct in many areas. As it was explained to me, radio traffic is recorded as a log and could be used as evidence and if that happened, you didn't want to "code-out" a jury.
Ten codes are all but extinct in many areas. As it was explained to me, radio traffic is recorded as a log and could be used as evidence and if that happened, you didn't want to "code-out" a jury.
sipowicz
Member
LASD
A ADAM
B BOY
C CHARLIE
D DAVID
E EDWARD
F FRANK
G GEORGE
H HENRY
I IDA
J JOHN
K KING
L LINCOLN
M MARY
N NORA
O OCEAN
P PAUL
Q QUEEN
R ROBERT
S SAM
T THOMAS
U UNION
V VICTOR
W WILLIAM
X X-RAY
Y YOUNG
Z ZEBRA
A ADAM
B BOY
C CHARLIE
D DAVID
E EDWARD
F FRANK
G GEORGE
H HENRY
I IDA
J JOHN
K KING
L LINCOLN
M MARY
N NORA
O OCEAN
P PAUL
Q QUEEN
R ROBERT
S SAM
T THOMAS
U UNION
V VICTOR
W WILLIAM
X X-RAY
Y YOUNG
Z ZEBRA
MaximumLawman
Member
As I understand it, the largest impetus for getting rid of ten codes and speaking "normally" on the radios was NIMS. Another pet peeve is writing reports in the third person. What was the purpose for that in the first place?
sipowicz
Member
It gives you two more witnesses.
Comrad
Member
anybody use niner for 9
MaximumLawman
Member
Haa haa, that makes about as much sense as any other reason I've heard!
DWFAN
US Veteran
My first MOS was radio operator Battalion qualified. 28 words a minuet. Got sent to the Engineers and ended up a heavy equipment operator. Here ya go son. That there's the stat button. What could I possibly screw up in the middle of South East Asia. I did manage to tip over an Allison Chalmers 24 ton dozer once. 
DW
DW
Maccabeus
Member
Sure, in my radio-using days along with alpha-bravo-charlie. But not in casual conversation, cause that would just be goofy.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I was always an Alpha Bravo Charlie guy. Not that it matters - I have a PD radio in my rig but it might as well be a waffle iron for all that I use it.
Between texts, cell calls, and push to talk I'm covered. Its easier to call our NCIC operator than use the radio - and then they just email the results to my Blackberry (a dinosaur, I know. Your tax dollars at work.) I doubt I've talked on the radio twice in the last ten years.
Between texts, cell calls, and push to talk I'm covered. Its easier to call our NCIC operator than use the radio - and then they just email the results to my Blackberry (a dinosaur, I know. Your tax dollars at work.) I doubt I've talked on the radio twice in the last ten years.
Only old, REALLY old, field artillerymen.
elm_creek_smith
US Veteran
I guess I had it up past my eyebrows one fine day when I had to give my email address to a customer service rep, one of the "Bombay Boys" whom I could barely understand and he couldn't understand me.
So I went phonetic: "S as in Slaughter, M as in Massacre, B as in Bludgeon, E as in Execute..." I don't know if he got my drift, but I guess I was lucky that the cops didn't pay me a visit....
COL Jagdog
Member
It all sounds fishy to me;
Albacore
Barracuda
Cod
Drum
Eel
Flounder
Grouper
Haddock
and so on
Albacore
Barracuda
Cod
Drum
Eel
Flounder
Grouper
Haddock
and so on
I just wanna know why they changed.
Used to was Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox - and now it's Alpha, Bravo, Charlie (didn't change that one, for some reason), Delta, Echo, Foxtrot.
Why? Must have been lots of fun for the folks that had been doing it for years and years, when the change went in.
And, you know, Whisky Papa just don't sound the same as Willie Pete.
Sgt. Rock of Echo Company?Huh??
You're showing your age there. My dad was in the Air Corps and taught me that one. Even though I used the newer version, we ALWAYS referred to white phosphorus grenades (or wp bombs) as "Willie Pete". Never have I heard them referred to as Whisky Papa.
I knew a Ranger who called them "15s" though. He was way too smart to be Marine. I'll leave it to you eggheads to figure that one out.
You're showing your age there. My dad was in the Air Corps and taught me that one. Even though I used the newer version, we ALWAYS referred to white phosphorus grenades (or wp bombs) as "Willie Pete". Never have I heard them referred to as Whisky Papa.
I knew a Ranger who called them "15s" though. He was way too smart to be Marine. I'll leave it to you eggheads to figure that one out.
Chemistry major, no doubt.
charger73se
Member
I wasn't in the military, so I've always used Adam, boy, Charlie, etc. I think it sounds better when you call someone Adam Henry as opposed to Alpha Hotel.
Faulkner
Member
^^^ NIMS is exactly why all first responders around the country are supposed to be standardizing on a plain language communications format using the NIMS standard. The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the National Integration Center (NIC), publishes the standards, guidelines and compliance protocols for determining whether a local, state, tribal, territorial or federal government has implemented NIMS. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to communicate and work together seamlessly.
This is a by-product of Katrina when hundreds of agencies went to the gulf coast to help out and found that even if the different agencies could talk to one another they often couldn't understand one another. I was part of a response team from my department that went to Orleans Parish on a TDA following Katrina and we experianced this.
I personally don't like the plain language radio protocol and find it awkward, but we've implemented NIMS county wide and anyone who uses the radio net (i.e., LE, fire, EMT, OEM, etc.,) has to have NIMS certifications on file with the county's Office of Emergency Management. Eventually, we've gotten used to it and the newer guys who never used 10-codes don't know any difference.
As for phonetics, we have standardized on what sipowics listed above and we're very anal about correct usage. In fact, we have one officer that kept using "Sally" for S instead of "Sam" . . . guess what his permanent nickname is now?
