In the US Army, there is the term "Hooah". Now, no one can ever give it a straight definition because it has numerous meanings and is used in numerous situations. It is pronounced, not "Hoo-ah" but rather very similar to the sound one makes when getting punched in the gut. All branches of the US Military have their own word, but no one can seem to place the Air Forces, at least not that I have found. The Army has "Hooah", The Marines have "Oorah", and the Navy has "Hooyah".
I am unsure of the history of this word, why it exists, or where it came from, and even a good translation is hard to come by. It is used in too many ways, for too many responses, in all kinds of situations, yet somehow the meaning is never misunderstood. A Sergeant gives orders, then says, "Hooah?" He is then answered by the Soldiers he just gave the orders to with a "Hooah!" Some other examples are "Nice day outside, hooah?" or "Man! That training was intense!" with the response being "Hooah." Or maybe "Who wants to clean the latrines?" with the response of "hooah!" while the soldiers are shaking their heads. I have even seen two people holding whole conversations with not much more than this one word.
This word, and i use that term very lightly as it is really no more than a grunt, answers all questions, relays many intentions, orders, emotions, or opinions. It seems as though the fluency of "Hooah" is directly related to the privilege of wearing the uniform. Military spouses try, and eventually catch on to some of the uses of the word, but they can always be spotted because for whatever reason, the powers of the term do not allow for them to say or use it correctly. Essentially, "Hooah" is a language in and of itself reserved for those who have made it through Basic Training. Few people truly understand it, and far less can grasp the comraderie that comes with being able to use it properly.
