LuciusDickusMaximus Archive

November 17th, 2024

/r/navy

1 year ago

My Navy veteran grandfather called my new girlfriend “cannon fodder”. Is that an insult?

My mom was on the phone with my grandfather and didn’t know he was on speaker with me in the room. My mom told him my new girlfriend was coming to thanksgiving and said “great, more cannon fodder.” My mom ran out of the house as soon as he said that. From Google it seems like an insult but maybe it means something else to in Navy context?

November 17th, 2024

Comments:

looktowindward

1 year ago

Is grandpa always a dick? This has nothing to do with the Navy

POHoudini

1 year ago

It just means that she'll be getting lots of attention at Thanksgiving and that you likely have an overbearing or overly attentive family.

It's a light-hearted tongue in cheek saying. Like "throwing her to the wolves," etc. Also meant as the attention she'll bring will take the"heat" off of other family members.

Don't overthink it.

[deleted]

1 year ago

He sounds like an ass, if you’re not willing to skip the event maybe have an exit planned so you can bolt when things get nasty.

Source: I come from a family of assholes and my wife and I have a “code word” that means get your shit we’re leaving without having to say those words verbatim.

Moongazingtea

1 year ago

LOL at your post history. Four days ago you had a husband and a new born. Before that you wanted your ex wife cropped out of a picture.

The heck?

Due-Swan-5577

1 year ago

Depends on how he’s using it honestly. Though it’d be better if you just asked your grandpa what he meant instead of making the assumption that it’s an insult.

tribriguy

1 year ago

It’s a light-hearted joke, probably funnier in his time, and amongst his old mates. Maybe mildly inappropriate today. If you’re serious about this girl and it lasts, you won’t hear that many or any more times. Source…I’m an old salt Marine with some phrases I learned 38 years ago when I joined that sometimes come out today, but really aren’t appropriate or acceptable. They get less and less over the years, but sometimes they surprisingly come to mind, like old memories, when something triggers them. Not trying to be apologist for your grandfather, but it’s unlikely he meant anything personal by it. More likely trying to share a bit of veteran camaraderie, even if it landed off the mark. I got a lot of that from my own grandfathers.

ExRecruiter

1 year ago

OP, what does this post have to do with the navy aside from your grandfather being a navy veteran?

Why not just ask him? Or did your grandfather say to go on to Reddit and then get back to him?

navyjag2019

1 year ago

check the post history. this is more than likely a troll account

[deleted]

1 year ago

Why don’t you ask him instead of posting to a subreddit that’s not related to your question.

No_Celebration_2040

1 year ago

Good bonding moment with grandpa. This new generation miss out on the moments that matter the most.😐

[deleted]

1 year ago

I’d give anything to speak to my gramps about the navy. But he suicided when I was ten from PTSD and service related injuries. He was a proud man who was. GM on the PT boats in the South Pacific and then was on a destroyer in the Korean War.

I have his dog tags, his dress blues, his blue jacket manuals and his Christmas cards. I’d give anything to have had him in my life beyond my 10 years at the time.

Odd_Light_8188

1 year ago

Because the accounts fake. They were also married with a husband not too long ago

Batballman556

1 year ago

Cannon fodder r ppl who would go to soak up bullets or cannon fire, ppl deemed expendable and by him saying more cannon fodder he means all of u it seems. I come from a very military family in my opinion I don't think he meant it to be shitty. most former military have a more dark/edgy sense of humor not everyone gets until u've been exposed alot. They can also be a little rough around the edges doesn't mean he hates tho. I feel if he didn't like her he would make a joke that only includes her singling her out. not a joke where she's a part of the family referring to everyone there as connon fodder. But is he usually an ass or do u know him to be more kind and supportive? Don't confuse stern and straight forward to being an ass. If he says stuff that isn't pleasant but true shows care. Does he not get along with others that will be there? Cause he might have a group he doesn't like and refer to them as cannon fodder. I feel especially from a sailor he would have a better more clear and modern insult that couldn't be confused as just saying something fun and not a reference that last meant something more serious in the 18 hundreds. So my final guess would be no he didn't mean to be a dick I personally would maybe chuckle and never think about it again unless u start seeing other examples. If he doesn't like her sometimes family's just shytty. So u and her both don't need to waste time worried about it with him in ur heads that's tm power to give a shytty persons words that fade away as soon as they leave his lips.

gcracks96

1 year ago

gcracks96

1 year ago

Just a diss in general, grandpa sounds like a grouch ass but also tell people they are on speaker when you pick up, I hate that shit.

[deleted]

1 year ago

I wish speaker phones were a thing back in the day so I knew for a fact what I only suspected then. Didn’t find out how little they thought of me until my 40s

pookieboopie

1 year ago

He’s saying “MORE cannon fodder” meaning it’s not even just her he’s talking about. Not cool. I’m a girlfriend of a navy man, that’s upsetting. And he doesn’t even mean just her. Maybe it’s old military words and it means more now than it did back then. Some people have nothing better to do than talk crap anyways though. Let it go and make sure he doesn’t get away with saying anything again, especially if you don’t like it. Keep your chill and stand your ground IF you need to ya know, so he’ll know to stop

LuciusDickusMaximus

1 year ago

Wouldn’t it be extremely offensive to call someone who used cannons and probably had cannons fired at him cannon fodder?

pookieboopie

1 year ago

If he would get offended by it, you guys should be offended by it. But that’s just my take

Due-Swan-5577

1 year ago

Not at all, there are lines to be drawn that’s for sure but most of us in the armed forces have a very dark sense of humor. It’s usually the tone of voice or how they present what they say as dark humor, you’ll see a lot of examples like this.