Corps Terminology

Like many great organizations, the Corps of Cadets has developed it's own jargon to describe our lives and events here. As is not uncommon, you may not be familiar with their meanings. So the next time you are looking around our web site and wonder what 'Old Man' means, simply look below:

AA Card - This card is placed on the cadet's door to indicate his/her whereabouts at all times.
Ace - To max a test.
ACQ - Afternoon Call to Quarters. Quiet hours from 1300-1600.
AOCD - Assistant Officer in Charge of Dormitory. A position held by a junior each day in each unit, responsible for maintaining order and quiet in the unit area during tour of duty.
Brace Up - A command given to new cadets meaning, "Come to Attention."
BRC - Breakfast Roll Call. Morning formation.
Bud - A fellow member of a class who underwent Cadet Basic Training with you. Usually ends in lifelong friendship.
Cenotaph - The large granite stone on the WWII Memorial located between the eight pylons
Cut -to have an excused absence from a Corps activity such as formation.
Dragging - The act in which a freshman bears to the right side of the hall while marching.
DRC - Dinner Roll Call. Noon formation.
Ducks - White dress pants worn with the Dress A or B uniforms.
ECQ - Evening Call to Quarters. 1900-2300 hours Sunday through Thursday, used as study time. During this time, freshmen do not sound off, and all cadets are expected to maintain quiet in the dorms.
Flag - Excessive belt material not properly aligned.
Fraternization - Socializing outside your class; being too friendly with superiors, subordinates; perfoming undue personal servitude.
Frat Lock - Lock to a cadet's room which prevents the door from closing.
Growley - Morning meal; Breakfast Roll Call (BRC) formation.
GTD - General Tightening Down, increased enforcement of regulations.
Guidon - A unit's flag or standard; the new cadet knowledge publication.
Head - bathroom
Highty-Tighties - Virginia Tech's Regimental Band
Hokie - any Virginia Tech student or alumni; Virginia Tech's mascot
Horizontal Labs - Afternoon snooze.
Hose - To get a few classmates in trouble; person who commits the act.
Kangaroo - VMI mascot, any VMI cadet or alumni
Koofer - Any test, quiz or homework saved to be used to study for future exams. Dates to early 1940s.
MCQ - Morning Call to Quarters. 0800-1100 hours. More commonly used to refer to Marathon Call to Quarters, where ECQ standards are maintained through the entire day.
OD - Officer of the Day.
OD wrap - Senior wrap where both maroon pieces are worn.
OG - Officer of the Guard.
OG wrap - Senior wrap where one crossbelt with chestplate is worn with the bottom maroon sash.
Old Corps - A condition harder than present.
Old Lady - Male cadet's roommate.
Old Man - Female cadet's roommate.
Pylons - Statues above the War Memorial Chapel.
QCA - Quality Credit Average, consists of all semester's GPAs averaged.
Rack - Bed in cadet's room.
Rakt - The act of sleeping in a rack.
Rag - To "chew out" a freshman guilty of an infraction.
Rat - A cadet who went through the system in the Old Corps; used as far back as 1888.
Rattamore - Any freshman cadet between Change of Command and the following New Cadet Week; any cadet without a new class below them.
Rat Daddy/Momma - Upperclassman who protects the freshmen from harassment.
Rat Hole - Storage area above the closets.
Rat Path - Path behind Shultz Dining Hall painted by the HT freshmen
Retreat - Evening formation where the flag is lowered.
Rock - The WWI Memorial between Brodie and Rasche, in front of the flagpole.
Sails - a handkerchief or napkin with the unit's logo on it which is worn by freshmen while under the new cadet system unit VPI beats VMI in a major sport.
Shanks Plain - Area behind Shanks Hall.
Shultz Plain - Area in front of Shultz Dining Hall.
Skipper - A senior without rank; a fifth-year cadet; the VTCC cannon.
Sound off - To give the proper freshmen call; to blow the bugle; to give a loud order.
SRC - Supper Roll Call, evening formation.
Stick or Treat - A tradition which occurs around Halloween when the freshmen give candy to the upperclassmen.
Tapped - To be accepted as a candidate for membership into an organization.
Taps - Lights out at 2300 hours; to pay tribute on a bugle to someone who has died.
Tour - A period of time served as a punishment for excessive demerits.
VT - Area between Lane, Brodie, and Rasche Halls in which all formations are conducted.
Wind Tunnel - Entrance to Brodie Hall near the Performing Arts Building, use is an upperclassman privilege.
Zebra - A high ranking cadet officer.