Elena Wicker
@elenawicker.bsky.social
Military jargon, terminology, dictionaries, and documents. Georgetown PhD. Buzzword enthusiast.
Four years ago, I taught an AI to write a National Security Strategy. (It did a pretty good job!) We are back in NSS season and I wonder how much better AI would do at this today… @warontherocks.bsky.social warontherocks.com/2021/04/stra...
Strategy in the Artificial Age: Observations From Teaching an AI to Write a U.S. National Security Strategy - War on the Rocks
Words matter to members of the U.S. defense establishment, especially if those words are found in official documents like the National Security Strategy
warontherocks.com
April 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Four years ago, I taught an AI to write a National Security Strategy. (It did a pretty good job!) We are back in NSS season and I wonder how much better AI would do at this today… @warontherocks.bsky.social warontherocks.com/2021/04/stra...
Learning the hard way that if you lock yourself in to revise a book manuscript for a week, you start to go slightly batty?
April 3, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Learning the hard way that if you lock yourself in to revise a book manuscript for a week, you start to go slightly batty?
Ever wondered about where Army terminology comes from? Or how word choice affects how we understand the future of war? I was on the Breaking Doctrine podcast with the Army’s Terminologist! open.spotify.com/episode/68uG...
Episode 91 - “Words Matter”: Army Jargon, Terminology & Buzzword"
Breaking Doctrine · Episode
open.spotify.com
April 2, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Ever wondered about where Army terminology comes from? Or how word choice affects how we understand the future of war? I was on the Breaking Doctrine podcast with the Army’s Terminologist! open.spotify.com/episode/68uG...
Reposted by Elena Wicker
Restaging Shakepeare’s Troilus and Cressida (5.2):
Diomedes to Cressida: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing them, Ulysses to Troilus [aside]: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing both, Thersites [aside]: A juggling trick - to be secretly open.
Diomedes to Cressida: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing them, Ulysses to Troilus [aside]: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing both, Thersites [aside]: A juggling trick - to be secretly open.
March 27, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Restaging Shakepeare’s Troilus and Cressida (5.2):
Diomedes to Cressida: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing them, Ulysses to Troilus [aside]: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing both, Thersites [aside]: A juggling trick - to be secretly open.
Diomedes to Cressida: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing them, Ulysses to Troilus [aside]: We are currently clean on OPSEC.
Overhearing both, Thersites [aside]: A juggling trick - to be secretly open.
Political scientist here - just received the *perfect* spam text… #BowlingAlone
January 17, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Political scientist here - just received the *perfect* spam text… #BowlingAlone
“To study history is to study humanity. And to try to foretell the future without studying history is like trying to learn to read without bothering to learn the alphabet.” Octavia Butler
January 17, 2025 at 12:47 PM
“To study history is to study humanity. And to try to foretell the future without studying history is like trying to learn to read without bothering to learn the alphabet.” Octavia Butler
“The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake. And if you want to fight snakes, look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.” -Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
January 15, 2025 at 10:58 AM
“The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake. And if you want to fight snakes, look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.” -Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
SUBORDINATION, from an 1885 US military dictionary.
“It is subordination that gives a soul and harmony to the service: it adds strength to authority, and merit to obedience; and while it secures the efficacy of command, reflects honor upon its execution.” (Insubordination not defined.)
“It is subordination that gives a soul and harmony to the service: it adds strength to authority, and merit to obedience; and while it secures the efficacy of command, reflects honor upon its execution.” (Insubordination not defined.)
January 7, 2025 at 2:57 PM
SUBORDINATION, from an 1885 US military dictionary.
“It is subordination that gives a soul and harmony to the service: it adds strength to authority, and merit to obedience; and while it secures the efficacy of command, reflects honor upon its execution.” (Insubordination not defined.)
“It is subordination that gives a soul and harmony to the service: it adds strength to authority, and merit to obedience; and while it secures the efficacy of command, reflects honor upon its execution.” (Insubordination not defined.)
Most important article of a soldier’s rations? COFFEE. For its “exhilarating and refreshing properties.” (1885)
January 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Most important article of a soldier’s rations? COFFEE. For its “exhilarating and refreshing properties.” (1885)
Trying to clarify how threads of military jargon unfurl from 1700/1800s terms like stratagem, strategical ops, stratotic, stratarithmetry, stratarithmometry, and strategos and I keep returning to these @ldfreedman.bsky.social pieces in TNSR… mandatory reading! t.co/JF8YYkodmL
https://tnsr.org/2017/11/meaning-strategy-part-origin-story/
t.co
January 4, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Trying to clarify how threads of military jargon unfurl from 1700/1800s terms like stratagem, strategical ops, stratotic, stratarithmetry, stratarithmometry, and strategos and I keep returning to these @ldfreedman.bsky.social pieces in TNSR… mandatory reading! t.co/JF8YYkodmL
My military dictionaries (and I) are in @finebooks.bsky.social magazine! www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize Winner Elena Wicker on Collecting American Military Dictionaries, Glossaries, and Lexicons
Our Bright Young Collectors series continues today with Elena Wicker, winner of the 2024 Honey & Wax Book Collecting prize for women collectors aged 30 and younger:Where are you from / where do you li...
www.finebooksmagazine.com
January 3, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My military dictionaries (and I) are in @finebooks.bsky.social magazine! www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
Reposted by Elena Wicker
I’m gaining some followers so I’ll introduce myself…
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
a man sitting at a table with the words words do matter on the table
Alt: a man sitting at a table with the words words do matter on the table
media.tenor.com
November 15, 2024 at 1:50 PM
I’m gaining some followers so I’ll introduce myself…
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
Three holiday parties last week and I only talked about navy encyclopedia editors shipwrecked by hurricanes to TWO PEOPLE. And they ASKED for fun facts.
a man is giving a speech in front of a sign that says rusted leadership for a stronger america
ALT: a man is giving a speech in front of a sign that says rusted leadership for a stronger america
media.tenor.com
December 8, 2024 at 6:17 PM
Three holiday parties last week and I only talked about navy encyclopedia editors shipwrecked by hurricanes to TWO PEOPLE. And they ASKED for fun facts.
Reposted by Elena Wicker
Dammit, Margaret Atwood. Didn’t have to push the knife so deep
Cc all my fellow military historians 🗃️
(H/t to @joelhanes.bsky.social for making me aware of this poem)
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...
Cc all my fellow military historians 🗃️
(H/t to @joelhanes.bsky.social for making me aware of this poem)
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...
The Loneliness of the Military Historian
This is why few people ask me to dinner, though Lord knows I don’t go out of my way to be scary. If I roll my eyes and mutter, if I clutch at my heart and scream in horror like a third-rate actress ch...
www.poetryfoundation.org
December 6, 2024 at 10:14 PM
Dammit, Margaret Atwood. Didn’t have to push the knife so deep
Cc all my fellow military historians 🗃️
(H/t to @joelhanes.bsky.social for making me aware of this poem)
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...
Cc all my fellow military historians 🗃️
(H/t to @joelhanes.bsky.social for making me aware of this poem)
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...
Reposted by Elena Wicker
Not an exhaustive list, but we're all likely exhausted.
November 20, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Not an exhaustive list, but we're all likely exhausted.
Annual NDAA fun fact: The first NDAA from June 1961 was half a page long and had only three sections: aircraft, missiles, and naval vessels.
November 20, 2024 at 4:56 PM
Annual NDAA fun fact: The first NDAA from June 1961 was half a page long and had only three sections: aircraft, missiles, and naval vessels.
Last night in Elena Does Very Serious Military History, I compiled a list of one hundred years worth of “nonexistent things new recruits were told they had to find.”
My current favorite is pie tickets, WWII Navy. Followed by grid squares. What are your favorite examples?
My current favorite is pie tickets, WWII Navy. Followed by grid squares. What are your favorite examples?
November 19, 2024 at 12:13 PM
Last night in Elena Does Very Serious Military History, I compiled a list of one hundred years worth of “nonexistent things new recruits were told they had to find.”
My current favorite is pie tickets, WWII Navy. Followed by grid squares. What are your favorite examples?
My current favorite is pie tickets, WWII Navy. Followed by grid squares. What are your favorite examples?
Navy dictionary from 1941.
November 19, 2024 at 3:01 AM
Navy dictionary from 1941.
Reposted by Elena Wicker
Apparently in 1779, there were these things called message balls or message shells.
You hollowed out a howitzer shell, put your letter inside, and then SHOT IT AT YOUR INTENDED RECIPIENT.
You hollowed out a howitzer shell, put your letter inside, and then SHOT IT AT YOUR INTENDED RECIPIENT.
September 28, 2023 at 11:12 PM
Apparently in 1779, there were these things called message balls or message shells.
You hollowed out a howitzer shell, put your letter inside, and then SHOT IT AT YOUR INTENDED RECIPIENT.
You hollowed out a howitzer shell, put your letter inside, and then SHOT IT AT YOUR INTENDED RECIPIENT.
Need help. Trying to find every way that “hooah” can be used. Motivation, agreement, acknowledgment, …???
November 17, 2024 at 2:38 PM
Need help. Trying to find every way that “hooah” can be used. Motivation, agreement, acknowledgment, …???
Swacked, 1941 Navy slang:
November 17, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Swacked, 1941 Navy slang:
Reposted by Elena Wicker
Second starter pack.
If you’re looking for well researched and thoughtful analysis, you could do worse than these folks. This list is composed of academics I admire and whose research has influenced my thoughts in some way. Follow them if you value depth over click bait.
go.bsky.app/FQ9AZBy
If you’re looking for well researched and thoughtful analysis, you could do worse than these folks. This list is composed of academics I admire and whose research has influenced my thoughts in some way. Follow them if you value depth over click bait.
go.bsky.app/FQ9AZBy
November 16, 2024 at 3:11 AM
Second starter pack.
If you’re looking for well researched and thoughtful analysis, you could do worse than these folks. This list is composed of academics I admire and whose research has influenced my thoughts in some way. Follow them if you value depth over click bait.
go.bsky.app/FQ9AZBy
If you’re looking for well researched and thoughtful analysis, you could do worse than these folks. This list is composed of academics I admire and whose research has influenced my thoughts in some way. Follow them if you value depth over click bait.
go.bsky.app/FQ9AZBy
In 1940s U.S. Army slang, chaplains were called “Holy Joes.”
November 16, 2024 at 3:07 PM
In 1940s U.S. Army slang, chaplains were called “Holy Joes.”
Alright people. Hit me with your favorite words.
What is the most overused word in your industry?
Let it out.
Let it out.
November 15, 2024 at 7:58 PM
Alright people. Hit me with your favorite words.
I’m gaining some followers so I’ll introduce myself…
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
a man sitting at a table with the words words do matter on the table
Alt: a man sitting at a table with the words words do matter on the table
media.tenor.com
November 15, 2024 at 1:50 PM
I’m gaining some followers so I’ll introduce myself…
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!
Hi! I talk about military jargon, terminology, and buzzwords. I research military documents and how words shape orgs, move money, and/or make everyone confused. If you’re interested in if/when/how language shapes militaries - welcome!