Tag Archives: guns

Naming Your Weapon

Title: Naming Your Weapon

Informant info: Informant name is Jason Laackmann. Jason is twenty-eight years old and attends Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH as a United States Army Veteran. Jason served in the Army for five years in active duty and continues to serve in the Minnesota National Guard. The locations in which he has served are Fort Bend, Georgia, Fort Riley, Kansas, and overseas in Eastern Afghanistan.

Type of lore: Customary Folklore, Superstition

Language: English

Country of Origin: USA

Social / Cultural Context: Jason was interviewed at Dartmouth College. He was asked to talk about any superstitions he had during his time in the army.

Associated File: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6KcnEdk7Q4 (start at 4:23)

Transcript:  [I have recorded the item exactly how it was told to me in the interview]: And then overseas, you know, everybody names their weapon something unique, and usually after a girl, if you’re a guy. Um, but uh, you know, they maintain it because you have uh, quite intimate relationship with your weapon system. And that uh, is thought to keep you safe. And something to focus on.

Informant’s comments: Jason did not disclose the name of his own weapon, but has said a few of his friends name their weapons after girlfriends or wives.

Collector’s comments: When he talked about naming weapons and the relationship soldiers have with them, he smiled and shrugged.