Have you noticed the plethora of military words and phrases entering common usage lately? It’s probably because of the unfortunate, ongoing wars and the large numbers of people being cycled through the armed services these days.
I do know that the Fire branch of the Forest Service has gone apeshit with that kind of language the last few years. It’s more of an odd blend of military and law enforcement/emergency services type lingo. I think it causes communication to be fubar.
One of the more popular military-type words inside and outside the Forest Service these days is “deployment”. Instead of something or someone being sent somewhere, they’re deployed. When you use something, you deploy it. As in, “I deployed some odor-eaters in my boots”, or “the telephone rang and I deployed it to my ear.” The FS talks of deploying the fire shelter in a fire emergency. A vehicle is deployed to go pick someone up. A toothpick is deployed to extract some broccoli from the teeth. On it goes.
I find this over-deployment of deployment to be deplorable. Where will it end?
J.R. Herman 