fobbit

n. a soldier or other person stationed at a secure forward operating base; (hence) a person who is reluctant or afraid to leave a military base. Subjects: English, Iraq, Military

Etymological Note: forward operating base + hobbit

5 Comments | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Citations: 2004 Steve Smith @ FOB Bernstein, Iraq ArmySteve (Nov. 12) “Fobbits and other Iraqi critters”: Those of us who conduct missions “outside the wire’ on a regular basis have come up with a variety of terms to refer to those who remain safe and comfortable on base. The most common one lately has been “Fobbit,” referring to those short, fat, hairy creatures that live in little holes and rarely venture out into the world (see Tolkien for more info). I’ve also seen some units refer to them as FOB Dwellers, with one platoon of Bradleys stenciling the letters FUFD on their back hatches (FU FOB Dweller). Prior to deploying, non-combat troops were usually referred to as REMFs, where RE stood for Rear Echelon (and MF you can guess), but that term seems to have been replaced by Fobbit here. 2005 David Zucchino Los Angeles Times (Mar. 27) “Comforts Of Home Amid Perils Of Iraq” p. A1: Administrative specialists who never leave the fob are known, with some condescension, as fobbits. Like every soldier here, a fobbit could be killed at any time by a random rocket or mortar round. But on most days the greatest danger to a fobbit’s health are the three heaping, deep-fried daily portions of mess hall food. 2005 Anna Badkhen San Francisco Chronicle (June 6) “Appointment in Samarra”: According to soldiers at Patrol Base Uvanni in central Samarra…everyone at Brassfield-Mora, or any other FOB, is a Fobbit. But…1st Lt. Jason Scott…narrows down the definition: a Fobbit is someone who never goes out of a FOB except to go to another FOB. Sgt. Christopher Caulk, 37, from Hawaii, a medic at Brassfield-Mora, is more specific.…"If a mortar round hits your FOB and you can’t hear it because your FOB is so big, you’re a Fobbit. If you have more knives than you have hands and you act like John Wayne, you’re a Fobbit.…If you’re out in a Bradley (fighting vehicle) and you close the hatch when you receive small-arms fire, while the gunner at the Humvee is fighting back with his 50-cal (machine gun), you’re a Displaced Fobbit you’re out on the front line but you belong on a FOB.” 2005 Edward Lee Pitts (AP) (July 9) “Stories from embedded journalists with U.S. units in Iraq”: If you think leaving “the wire” might be a fun adventure, you might be a fobbit, and if the second time you’ll be off the FOB is on leave, you might be a fobbit. 2005 Sri Lausier @ Camp Liberty, Iraq MaineToday.com (July 18) “Living in Iraq”: I am a sentry in our FOB (forward operating base). I am what people call a Fobbit, because I never leave the “wire.”

Posted 13 Dec 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

what are we called if the leadership wont let us leave the FOB.

by lee lambert 28 Dec 07, 0443 GMT

As a former fobbit, in my case one who worked in the TOC and went into town “outside the wire” for ass and trash and meet and greet stuff mainly, I can say the degrees of fobbitdom are many.

I considered myself a fobbit even though leaving the FOB because I was an Infantryman so unless actually seeking or closing with the enemy tought of myself as a fobbit until I actually did go on missions of that nature.

The biggest thing about fobbitdom is whether it is just from bad luck, such as guard duty and FOB security, or you are truely and completely fobbit to the core, sitting in an air conditioned room in front of a computer not only not leaving the FOB but actually not leaving the most fobbitized area of it.

I personally thought being stuck on the FOB was the defination of hell itself so my heart goes out to those enslaved by fobbitdom citizenary.

We threw candy at the gate guards and called them fobbits until TOP made us quit or some fobbit was proviked into shooting one of us when he or she snapped. But they were our gate guards! So we would have defended them violently had others outside the uit done the same as we were, go figure.

by danhendysr 10 Jan 08, 0625 GMT

Fobbit!? Who do you think provides the fuel, water, electrons, essential services, food, and other necessities you “non-fobbits” need to accomplish the mission? Let’s see, why don’t the Commanders just put everyone on patrol outside of the wire and let’s see how things are when you “non-fobbits” return. I can hear your bellyaching 10k away. Why don’t we have this or that available and so on, so forth. So in short, shut up because we’re all on the same team and while you have the mission of going outside of the wire, we have the mission of ensuring you are resourced to do so. And to let you know one other thing, we lost a warrior on the FOB who was always outside of the wire due to mortar attacks. No one is necessarily safer than the other in this un-American environment. In our case, those of us on the FOB have dealt with about as many mortar attacks as the guys outside have dealt with IEDs. Stop hating and pretending that you’d rather be outside of the wire and do the job you have been assigned and let’s all accomplish the mission we were sent to do and come home.

by alex 12 Apr 08, 0553 GMT

i have been a fobbit for most of this deployment. my first deployment i was not and therefore i know both sides. i will say this much. time does not move when you are a fobbit. when i was not a fobbit i could not remember what month it was. so they both have their ups and downs. i will say that the fobbit life sucks. going “outside the wire” is a lot more interesting and keeps you busy.

by chris 12 May 08, 0614 GMT

i know both sides my first time here i started as a fobbit then got moved to convoy security i didnt seem to get a break im back again same fob same barracks and i tell you this i dont want to leave the fob ive seen my team come back f**ked up many times i was single last time im married now and have a baby girl i dont want to risk nothing unless i really have to but im not selfish if they need me ill be right there but yes there are ups and downs time drags by but i know im semi safe and if i was out the wire nothing in the HQ would ever get done so all we can do is take the job they give us and do it well

by Rock-hound 12 May 08, 0146 GMT