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Where does NEWBIE come from?


PYRO

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The term "newbie" was used at least as early as 1972 in the military. It denoted those guys new to a unit or to an area. It kinda replaced the term FNG in the , then new, all volunteer Army, as it started up. Older terms for new soldiers were still used, but not as blatantly by superiors...the policy in the military began to change as far as what was said to the lower enlisted soldiers...words began to get "minced", and such. In Airborne units newbies were always called Cherries...at least until they had made their first jump in an Airborne unit. "5-jump commandos" are those who have just gotten through jump school...and haven't made any jumps in a unit yet. There is a big difference between the mindset of a soldier who has "only" done the required jumps to get his wings at jump school, and the soldier who is actually in an Airborne unit, and there is a higher level of camaraderie among those who know that their "rear area" is the guy following them on a mission, instead of a mass of other units "behind the lines." Airborne mindset makes you realize that because you are used in "vertical envelopments"(ie., dropped behind the enemy lines), you have NO REAR AREAS...since you are in enemy territory on all sides...what you bring is all you have...and the guys around you in your unit are all you can depend on for help...or anything else!! There is no "falling back to the rear", because there is no rear to fall back to...so you stand your ground or take new ground...that is the only choice. That mindset development is what has always made the Airborne the elite!

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