Definition of "strack"/"strac"
Definition of "strack"/"strac"
Hi,
I am currently at work on a book about a former Ranger/LRSU during Operations Desert Storm & Shield. He uses the word "strack" a lot, and though I know exactly what he means when he says it, I still haven't found a suitable objective definition. About the closest I could get is the following, from one of Gary Linderer's books:
Strack – a term used to designate the ideal in military dress, demeanor and bearing.
Through Google, I also found the following exchange, which had the added bonus of confusing the issue by introducing an alternate spelling:
> Here is a word which is missing from my dictionaries. I
> suppose it is slang or jargon or both. I think anybody
> who was in the US military in recent decades (that's a
> lot of people) would recognize this adjective. I'm not
> sure there's an exact synonym. I don't know what the
> etymology is: perhaps an alteration of "strict" to rhyme
> with its antonym "slack"? This refers to a person or unit
> exhibiting good discipline and high standards of dress
> etc.: immaculately shined boots, immaculately bloused
> trousers, never a sloppy salute, etc. ... at least as I
> understand it (I'm not a very strack person myself). One
> can see a few examples by googling with "strack outfit",
> "strack troops", etc.
It's "STRAC." Originally an 1950s acronym for Strategic Army Corps, a group of four, elite divisions maintained at a high readiness for overseas
deployment. It began to be used as an adjective, to be "STRAC" was to be prepared (which as Doug notes in the peacetime army usually means shined boots, bloused trousers, and a crisp salute). After the demise of the Corps, the adjectival use hung on. A new, unofficial backronym was formed for it, "Skilled, Tough, Ready, Around the Clock." It was very common in the US Army of the 1980s. I can't vouch for current use of this sense, although I'd imagine it's still in use.
"STRAC" is currently used in the US Army as an official acronym for "Standards in Training Commission," which was almost certainly chosen because of its association with readiness and the earlier, unofficial sense. You'll see this one in a lot of official army web publications and web
sites.
I would really appreciate hearing the thoughts of current/former Rangers on this.
Thanks!
I am currently at work on a book about a former Ranger/LRSU during Operations Desert Storm & Shield. He uses the word "strack" a lot, and though I know exactly what he means when he says it, I still haven't found a suitable objective definition. About the closest I could get is the following, from one of Gary Linderer's books:
Strack – a term used to designate the ideal in military dress, demeanor and bearing.
Through Google, I also found the following exchange, which had the added bonus of confusing the issue by introducing an alternate spelling:
> Here is a word which is missing from my dictionaries. I
> suppose it is slang or jargon or both. I think anybody
> who was in the US military in recent decades (that's a
> lot of people) would recognize this adjective. I'm not
> sure there's an exact synonym. I don't know what the
> etymology is: perhaps an alteration of "strict" to rhyme
> with its antonym "slack"? This refers to a person or unit
> exhibiting good discipline and high standards of dress
> etc.: immaculately shined boots, immaculately bloused
> trousers, never a sloppy salute, etc. ... at least as I
> understand it (I'm not a very strack person myself). One
> can see a few examples by googling with "strack outfit",
> "strack troops", etc.
It's "STRAC." Originally an 1950s acronym for Strategic Army Corps, a group of four, elite divisions maintained at a high readiness for overseas
deployment. It began to be used as an adjective, to be "STRAC" was to be prepared (which as Doug notes in the peacetime army usually means shined boots, bloused trousers, and a crisp salute). After the demise of the Corps, the adjectival use hung on. A new, unofficial backronym was formed for it, "Skilled, Tough, Ready, Around the Clock." It was very common in the US Army of the 1980s. I can't vouch for current use of this sense, although I'd imagine it's still in use.
"STRAC" is currently used in the US Army as an official acronym for "Standards in Training Commission," which was almost certainly chosen because of its association with readiness and the earlier, unofficial sense. You'll see this one in a lot of official army web publications and web
sites.
I would really appreciate hearing the thoughts of current/former Rangers on this.
Thanks!
Failure to follow instructions....
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No soup for you!!
C Co 3/75 88-90 (Just Cause)
124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)
Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.
ΜΩΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis
Panem Et Circenses
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124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)
Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.
ΜΩΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis
Panem Et Circenses
My safe space
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- Ranger
- Posts: 3840
- Joined: November 26th, 2003, 1:27 am
Basic homework is lacking. Wikipedia has about the best entry to explain this term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Army_Corps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Army_Corps
Ranger Class 13-71
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
Ranger Jim:Jim wrote:Basic homework is lacking. Wikipedia has about the best entry to explain this term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Army_Corps
I appreciate the link. I had seen the entry, but honestly hadn't noticed the "Other Definitions" at the bottom. For everyone's benefit they are as follows:
This seems pretty sufficient for my purposes. Anyone disagree? Also, would everyone agree that the acronym "STRAC" should be the same spelling used for the adjective? (As opposed to "strack", which I have seen printed elsewhere.) I'm wary of it because aesthetically it would seem that "strack" would fit better than all caps "STRAC".STRAC is Army slang term for "a well organized, well turned-out soldier, (pressed uniform, polished brass and shined boots)." A proud, competent trooper who can be depended on for good performance in any circumstance.
Gear clean and tight; Weapon clean and ready; Mind clear, organized, and ready for action. S- skilled T- tough R- ready A- around the C- clock. STRAC
Thanks for the help.
- Charlie 51
- Ranger
- Posts: 1045
- Joined: January 5th, 2007, 4:26 pm
Look you fucking idiot no one else cares about this bullshit. "for everyones benifit" who the fuck are you knob gobbler. You are not our peer, mentor, personal writer or fucking anything. As far as any of us knows you are an attention seeking dickhead writing an article about how old Rangers are a buch of real assholes, well its true. Plus, I never heard anyone outside of Basic training and Airborne school use the term STRAC. Why don't you go research the word Hooah because I'm sure this fag you're writing about uses it constantly too.author wrote:Ranger Jim:Jim wrote:Basic homework is lacking. Wikipedia has about the best entry to explain this term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Army_Corps
I appreciate the link. I had seen the entry, but honestly hadn't noticed the "Other Definitions" at the bottom. For everyone's benefit they are as follows:
This seems pretty sufficient for my purposes. Anyone disagree? Also, would everyone agree that the acronym "STRAC" should be the same spelling used for the adjective? (As opposed to "strack", which I have seen printed elsewhere.) I'm wary of it because aesthetically it would seem that "strack" would fit better than all caps "STRAC".STRAC is Army slang term for "a well organized, well turned-out soldier, (pressed uniform, polished brass and shined boots)." A proud, competent trooper who can be depended on for good performance in any circumstance.
Gear clean and tight; Weapon clean and ready; Mind clear, organized, and ready for action. S- skilled T- tough R- ready A- around the C- clock. STRAC
Thanks for the help.
C Co 2/75 Weapons
Classes 4-5/93
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" - Will Rogers
Classes 4-5/93
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" - Will Rogers
Welcome to ArmyRanger.com wild man... :DCharlie 51 wrote:Look you fucking idiot no one else cares about this bullshit. "for everyones benifit" who the fuck are you knob gobbler. You are not our peer, mentor, personal writer or fucking anything. As far as any of us knows you are an attention seeking dickhead writing an article about how old Rangers are a buch of real assholes, well its true. Plus, I never heard anyone outside of Basic training and Airborne school use the term STRAC. Why don't you go research the word Hooah because I'm sure this fag you're writing about uses it constantly too.author wrote:Ranger Jim:Jim wrote:Basic homework is lacking. Wikipedia has about the best entry to explain this term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Army_Corps
I appreciate the link. I had seen the entry, but honestly hadn't noticed the "Other Definitions" at the bottom. For everyone's benefit they are as follows:
This seems pretty sufficient for my purposes. Anyone disagree? Also, would everyone agree that the acronym "STRAC" should be the same spelling used for the adjective? (As opposed to "strack", which I have seen printed elsewhere.) I'm wary of it because aesthetically it would seem that "strack" would fit better than all caps "STRAC".STRAC is Army slang term for "a well organized, well turned-out soldier, (pressed uniform, polished brass and shined boots)." A proud, competent trooper who can be depended on for good performance in any circumstance.
Gear clean and tight; Weapon clean and ready; Mind clear, organized, and ready for action. S- skilled T- tough R- ready A- around the C- clock. STRAC
Thanks for the help.
Invictus wrote:Welcome to ArmyRanger.com wild man... :DCharlie 51 wrote:Look you fucking idiot no one else cares about this bullshit. "for everyones benifit" who the fuck are you knob gobbler. You are not our peer, mentor, personal writer or fucking anything. As far as any of us knows you are an attention seeking dickhead writing an article about how old Rangers are a buch of real assholes, well its true. Plus, I never heard anyone outside of Basic training and Airborne school use the term STRAC. Why don't you go research the word Hooah because I'm sure this fag you're writing about uses it constantly too.author wrote: Ranger Jim:
I appreciate the link. I had seen the entry, but honestly hadn't noticed the "Other Definitions" at the bottom. For everyone's benefit they are as follows:
This seems pretty sufficient for my purposes. Anyone disagree? Also, would everyone agree that the acronym "STRAC" should be the same spelling used for the adjective? (As opposed to "strack", which I have seen printed elsewhere.) I'm wary of it because aesthetically it would seem that "strack" would fit better than all caps "STRAC".
Thanks for the help.
B Co 3/75
1989-1990
Just Cause Airlando Commando
1989-1990
Just Cause Airlando Commando
STRAC!
Fuck,
Just typing that is funny. Say it out loud. I dare you. You will laugh.
I know at least 10 of you will say it out loud and then immediately start laughing.
Fuck,
Just typing that is funny. Say it out loud. I dare you. You will laugh.
I know at least 10 of you will say it out loud and then immediately start laughing.
B Co. FIST 3/75 Rgr Rgt.
1991-2000
RS 9-92
Task Force Ranger 1993
For those who fight for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
1991-2000
RS 9-92
Task Force Ranger 1993
For those who fight for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.