The “tactical” industry has been overrun by the use of the word “operator.” It’s been used too much in advertising for too long, but this has perhaps had a trickle-down effect, to the point where random people on the internet kick the word operator around like it’s a ball on some dirty third world street. I’ve even seen people refer to me as an operator, which, quite frankly, horrifies me (and also caused me to write this article).
In the purest sense of the word (and leaving out the kind of operators that sit at a switchboard or who make computer systems operate or whatever), an operator is a person who has, among many other things, completed the Operator Training Course, run by very cool parts of the US Army. The term later was used to describe other SOF personnel, which, I guess, is still a bunch of hard dudes, but then everyone else caught on, and now you can’t spend 15 minutes browsing gun and gear sites without finding some reference to the equipment “allowing the operator to execute critical mission blah blah blah,” and that’s not even in advertising, just some guy’s blog.
An operator is not anyone who may or may not have been in the military, is not obese, can shoot an AR-15 without falling over backwards, wears Oakleys, and owns a plate carrier.
It’s possible that the term is simply being used to describe the physical operation of something – which is fine, I guess – or it’s there to give readers a tactical hardon. I guess some people get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside when they read these sorts of things, but come on. The simple fact is that I’m not an operator, you’re (probably) not an operator, and people need to stop making themselves feel special by calling each other operator.
Next up….Gunfighter.
Contractor has also been overused, to the point I no longer can tell if people carry guns for a job or put up drywall.
This.
The word/title of “contractor” may be used in many contexts for sure. We wouldn’t want an “Operator error” to mess with our understanding of semantics, would we?
Hehe, in my professional world the word “consultant” gets heavy abuse, where one should say “contractor” (or “code monkey”)
I hate the word “tactical” anymore as well
I am not an operator, and so can’t you.
This is a big part of why I always wear jeans or plaid shorts to IDPA and refer to them as “tactical plaid”
I do the jeans and a nice buttoned down collared shirt, often a plaid shirt 😉
I for sure am one to like when words are used in their context properly and politely.
An “operator” goes on “operations”. An operation means putting your ass on the line to accomplish a mission. I have no issue with being a bit liberal with the term as long as you meet that criteria. YMMV.
I’ve been on operations. I am not an operator. Being liberal with the word makes one look like a tool who knows dick about the military, combat, and SOF. Frankly I find it disrespectful to people who have actually earned their title.
Amen.
No, one who goes on operations is an operative. Not an operator.
Shall we just attribute the increase to Call of Duty? Seems like the responsible thing to do.
Tactical operator operating tactically.
So, my what does my multicam hat with the “regular guy” moral patch make me?
I think I should buy one of those. I’m as far from an “operator” as it gets.
I remember “operator” or “high speed operator” being used on forums 10 years ago. I usually see it used as a reference to unnamed high speed dudes. Video games have probably made it more common in recent years.
Someone once referred to me as an “advanced operator” on a forum in reference to my skill using a red dot equipped glock in some videos I posted. I LOLed when I read it because while I view myself as an above average shooter it’s not how I would describe myself. Using this case as an example “operator” has probably come to be synonymous with “user” in the gun world. Over time terms get watered down in meaning in public discourse.
There’s a lot of inapropriately used terminology in the gun world today. Using names for products or companies that have historical baggage is my pet peeve. “gladiator” “ludus” “spartan” etc.
Well said…yet again.
“DUDE, ANDREW…DUDE…BRO…DUDE… THAT ARTICLE… IT WAS SO F****** OPERATOR BRO!”
………………
And I rest my case.
Where’s the up vote button on this thing?
Bravo. It has gotten to the point when someone says “operator”, I think of either mall cops or this guy.
I’m pretty sure I saw him and his brothers/cousins/kids/uncles at the gun show this past weekend. I went to help my cousin find a quality AR and some practical (not “tactical”) accessories for it, I wish I’d had recorded some of the conversations i overheard
Thats messed up(photo) 😉
Dearl Lord, It’s Fat Bastard!
“I ET A BABY!”
I have never (and will never) refer to myself as an ‘operator’ nor will I use the term ‘tactical’ to describe my actions.
How about “ninja?”
Ok you got me. Back in high school days I took karate class for a year.
But umm no. Not a ninja. No sir.
I use the term in an almost derogatory way against people who use the term operator like you describe, on par with Mall Ninja.
Then again, a goodly portion of my blog is tongue in cheek, so I hope that really didn’t need explanation.
A lot of times my jokes and sarcasm are subtle and some people take statements written or spoken in jest quite literally.
Words and phrases I have grown to loathe:
Sheepdog
Operator
Gunfighter
Tactical
High Speed, Low Drag
Gun Lifestyle
Milspec
There was a shotgun news a few weeks ago where the front page had LWRC ad that said something around the lines of “It’s not a game” followed by “made exclusively for military and LE.” While it doesn’t use the word tactical or operator it certainly plays into the “our products are high quality because we make them for operators.” If this was a LE/military magazine its one thing, but this is shotgun news.
This is why I have a “regular guy” patch on my range bag, and why I took a Sharpie to the word “operator” on my Rock River AR.
To be honest, I’d love to pick up some apparel with the “Low Speed High Drag” logos on it then hit the range and work my guns like a boss so i can be the butt of jokes. Look! I can rest my AR on mah belleh!
Also, in my NRA Instructors course I took the other day, I and the other fat guy who works on computers owned a 28 year LAPD vet (12 of which on swat), and two marines (one of which instructs in firearms), and two other guys (one an armorer..the other I don’t remember). We were the only ones staying on our 6″ plates at 15 and even 25 yards. We totally overoperated the real operators.
I see it as annoying if it is taken as a meaning “Special Operator” as in one who engages in “Special Operations” (which just makes me think of another meaning for the word “special” – think Shortbus Doorgunner). However, I have just taken it to mean at the point “one who operates something,” like the operation of an AR15 or a vehicle, or a washing machine, even…
The term has, for the most part, fallen out of favour amongst those that would even know where OTC is conducted. When I hear it, I can usually hold my breath until the term “SpecOps” is casually thrown in for good measure. My eyes rolling is actually audible at that point.
Good book and great movie but Blackhawk Down really set up the ramp in front of this particular shark. Quite off topic but Fonz looks like he’s wearing baby blue Ranger panties in that video.
Honestly, the first thing that comes to my mind when hearing the word ‘operator’ is a telephone….
Being an “operator” has advantages…
I was in Vegas meeting a couple of buddies from Afghanistan for a weekend last year. As we stood in a bar watching a particularly inebriated fellow make a fool of himself with a woman on the dance floor, the guy next to me struck up a conversation and asked why I was in Vegas. Told him it was just some old friends meeting up
He asked if we went to school together. Told him we had actually all worked together in Afghanistan.
He leaned in close, got really quiet and asked, haltingly, “are you guys … … … operators?”
With a straight face, two of us looked at each other, back at the guy and said “sure.”
That dude acted like he had seen Jesus. His face lit up and he said “I know I can’t ask you any more questions, so I won’t. But I’d like to buy you guys a couple rounds of drinks.”
That’s the only time I’ve ever claimed to be an “operator,” and it was a win-win. He had a story to tell his buddies when he got home (I’m sure he claimed to have drank with Seal Team 6) and we got free drinks…
With great power, comes great responsibility.
*winning
Thank you. This needed to be written. It took me a few months to realize that people were no longer using the word “Operator” ironically or to make a joke, but honest to God using it with sincerity. I can’t tell you how many times a day I see things like “Carbine Operators course”, “This piece of kit (Cringe) allows the operator…, “Operators like these guys overseas”(referring to Marines, Rangers, or even contractors). It’s ridiculous.
God, I’m glad I’m not the only one who dislikes “piece of kit.” That, and “good kit” need to be freaking stopped. Also people should stop “running” their gear so much. It’s easier to just “use” it.
This ad from FN
http://www.defensereview.com/1_31_2004/FN%20SCAR.jpg
caused this parody
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c254/scrinmaster/operator.jpg
which resulted in a meme on certain parts of the internet
OPERATORS OPERATING OPERATIONALLY
some people take it a bit seriously, but they tend to get made fun of when they do.
From what i have read ( and this may be a completely wrong origin of the word) Operator was originally used to refer to a member of CAG or Delta. They where going to use the word operative was being used buy the CIA to refer to there guys. This is coming from Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney. So take it for what its worth.
“This is coming from Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney. So take it for what its worth.”
Nothing. Fuck him.
The word Operator is just a high speed, low drag way of saying user. Everyone who operates a weapon is automatically an operator. This also goes for all other tools, of course. There’s nothing wrong with the word. You are all operators when reading this, because you are operating a computer to read it.
I think you failed to read and understand the article.
I think I can shed some light on the situation. I think you’ll all be delighted to know that this is coming from an experienced tactical operator.
Here’s the thing, I operate all kinds of tactical stuff, I operate whatever needs operating. Operative devices, tactical operating apparatuses. Hell, I’ll even operate regular operative stuff if I have to. That, my friends, is what being a tactical operator is all about. Yep.
Don’t feel bad if you don’t get my drift. After all, I’m quite sure I’m the only real tactical operator here, and you should leave stuff like this to me.
But seriously, whenever someone uses the operator I hear a metallic female voice with a Chinese accent, once locked inside a toy phone, speak the words “Operator, can I help you?”
As for tactical, I just see a jet black AR with more do-dads than the super-deluxe, highly customizable Barbie.
And by ‘Barbie’ I mean Tactical Operator Barbie, of course.
OPERATOR OPERATOR? OPERATOR OPERATOR OPERATOR OPERATOR! OPERATOR, OPERATOR OPERATOR, OPERATOR OPERATOR. OPERATOR OPERATOR! OPERATOR! OPERATOR! OPERATOR OPERATOR OPERATOR?
I hope you actually operated your keyboard to type that, and didn’t just cut and pasted like a vulgar pogue.
Full disclosure: I am one of those often despised pogues (but I’d like to see “operators” get anything done without us…)
I don’t know… “Operator” in its purest sense is a synonym for “user.” I’ve seen “operator manual” more than once.
Just sayin’.
If I remember correctly, the first unit to call themselves operators were Delta force. Contractors in Iraq popularized the term, and now every douche who has a collection of Magpul DVD’s is an operator. I also hate the term. Your article is spot on, as usual.
Operator is obnoxious, and sheepdog makes me want to punch someone. My favorite is the “I took a carbine class so I’m a ninja” and “I can out shoot so and so.” That’s really cool, glad you are good with a rifle. Good to see you have 10% of the equation down. Oh a well respected military guy taught you something for 4 hours, cool. Have you ever volunteered to go to war? No, you just got really good at shooting paper plates so you’re somehow proficient at anything at all similar to whats required to survive combat? Sweet. Get out of my face. Knowing how to use a screwdriver doesn’t mean you can fix a car. So take your 500lbs, ugly awkward fitting pants, stupid boots, and magpul course DVDs and go away realizing your a hobbyist shooter at best.
end of my rant
Mike
Are you telling me combat doesn’t involve standing at a consistent range from a stationary target and pushing lead in its general direction before making a taco run? /sarcasm
Alternatively, something something swag something I paid so much for it something tactical.
I posted something along similar lines on Calguns.net, in a thread asking why people had AR-15s:
“I have an AR-15 primarily for pretending that I am an e133t operat0r. The AR-15 is a relatively lightweight, accurate self-loading rifle, which of course makes it my best choice for fighting as a member of a small unit against the Undead Nazi Skeletons commanded by an Evil SS Sorcerer from Argentina.”
I’m a 17 year old student and I’m getting a $100 5.11 tactical bag to carry my books and supplies when school starts because I am a tactical student.
Operator: one who operates a machine or an apparatus
Operate: work, perform, function; to use a machine
Tactical: adroit maneuver; expedient, calculated
Gunfighter: one who fights guns?; one who uses guns to fight against others
There is no need to put these words into the military-speak context.
“I am a tactical gunfighter / operator,” is the same as, “I am a person who expediently employs some apparatus (in this case, a gun).”
And “ninja” is another one of these over contextualized terms.
The word “ninja” in Japanese means, “a person who endures / is capable of enduring (hardship)”.
It doesn’t mean dark-blue jumpsuit, throwing stars, smoke grenades…
If I am able to endure the hardship of training myself for a Toughest Mudder race, then I am a ninja.
All of these words have been chosen to describe people who conduct special military operations because they must be able to endure hardship, to operate (in this case perform military tasks), and to do so expediently (tactically).
I remember the day when we were called sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines. Operator has a stage like quality that trivializes what these servicemen and women do.
On a lighter note, to be a real operator you get hair-waxed and tattooed…
My 12 yr old daughter is an Operator, she’s so tactical I have to load her 10/22 mags for her at Appleseed shoots. She doesn’t have time for logistics, she’s focused on “mission critical” tasks.
Not an operational member of Delta/CAG/ACE/whatever they’re being called now? Then you’re not an operator. I don’t know if this term has any legal backing (from say, the DoD and/or DoS), it might. In that case, the term may very well apply to operational members of NSWDG. I don’t know, because I’m not an operator.
The term “Operator” reflects back to 1978 when it was conceived by the lawyers. USC Title 10 needed a term that allowed for “operations other than war” (OOTW-dating myself a little there!) offensive operations by uniformed military forces under a finding.
The term “Operative” denotes the ability to be run as an agent by an Officer of the Clandestine service during Title 50 operations or operational acts, and/or dispense/expend Intelligence funds under the GDIP or NIP funding streams within DoD.
Hope this helps. Yes, it is a legal term in the eyes of the General Counsel. You have to pass a recognized & approved training program that gives you an MOS identifier within your particular branch of service.
V/r
MET
Thanks for the input, Mike.
As I was out walking the dog this morning for some reason I thought about this post.
The biggest advantage we got from being Operatives, or in this case “Operators”, was the benefit of personal management policies from our personal management branches. I.e being an OTC grad gives the CSM the ability to slot you in a Coded management slot that fences you off on the DASR from levy or PCS.
SF Enlisted branch, or Ranger branch, MI etc, knows they can’t move you unless you ask to move for a leadership position, personal reasons (i.e. divorce, kids etc) or higher education opportunities.
I don’t really know about 160SOAR, maybe some one else can chime in?
FWIW.
Cheers and have a great range weekend!
MET
Don’t forget the obligatory black shirt with some incarnation of a skull and/or assorted “death dealing” gear emblazoned on it.
That goes along with the obligatory tatt, often skull related, or maybe the “tribal” look that would get you an ass kick on the north shore of Oahu (other islands as well) from some very large Pacific Islanders. Da Hui!
No disrespect is meant to you Andrew but your blog is starting to suck. You’re sounding like a bit of a frustrated mean spirited elitist and not the understanding tolerant intelligent person I thought you were. Even if some things are meant as sarcasm. I am being honest, it’s just an observation and nothing personal. I thought it was much better when you just kept to weapons, their use and operation. I have lost a lot of respect for you. But you being a young man can learn and correct these things if you so choose to or take my words and deny and discard them.
This blog is, and has always been, whatever I want to talk about.
It’s not “what Big Daddy thinks Andrew should talk about.” Or anyone else, for that matter. I’ve explained the change in tone (and the shift away from exhaustive reviews) in several blog and Facebook posts. If you don’t like it – leave.
I disagree with this post very strongly.
“No disrespect is meant to you… I have lost a lot of respect for you.”
Lol. The door is over there…
Yeah, it is tough to listen to anyone says after putting those 2 comments in the same statement. Once you say that, everything else is blah, blah, blah……I am a dummy.
If you are writing a user manual for a thing, what noun do you select to refer to the person who operates the thing? You can pick “operator” or “user” or what? If it’s a gun, you could say “shooter” but then that’s really only true when you’re shooting, which might not be pertinent if you’re field stripping your weapon.
The problem with the word “operator” is that it was conscripted against its will by modern military groups and wannabes. Now it has become unseemly to operate a weapon properly because only certain elite groups can claim to do that.
The funny thing is that the guys that meet that criteria, never use that term, and most are wearing jeans in every place but the stan. It’s like the saying “what can you tell about a guy wearing an affliction or tapout shirt?…….he is not a fighter”.
Going to BJJ class and getting a tattoo doesn’t make you a fighter anymore than shooting 3-gun or owning Multicam makes you an operator. But we all know the type. I don’t really see too much of a problem with it, wear whatever you want, that is half the fun.
I know a lot of the guys get into “tactical” type shooting, guns, and equipment because part of them wanted to have joined the military, or they did and wish they had a different job. Nothing wrong with that, but if you start telling everyone you are something you are not, eventually one of your dummy friends is going to tell the wrong guy you are a UFC fighter at the bar and you are going to have that stupid look on your face when he punks you out in front of your friends by asking you when you had your last fight, or when you went to OTC, etc……whatever the deal is, eventually it just looks silly.
I haven’t been following this blog all that long but one of the reasons I like it is I like this screw these wannabes tone. I’m all for fun, spirited, competition (Tactical like, or not) shooting. For whatever reason, I start getting annoyed when the costumes come into play (all this tactical gear) and people start letting it get to their heads. If you don’t believe this is happening, talk to some of these people at the range. A solid amount have actually convinced themselves they are self taught “war-fighters” whatever that means, they WANT to have to use their AR15s to clear houses and shoot down ally-ways. Well guess what, they’ve had their shot the last 11 years, and for whatever reason didn’t take it. Too bad, so sad, grow up move on.
Mike
This article is spot on. The term “sheepdog” is tye biggest annoyance to me.
Actually seeing this word on a patch on a law enforcement instructor tac vest pretty much made me decide not to get into LE for a living.
Operator makes me almost as annoyed as most of said “douches” with magpul dvd’s probally couldnt BSZ an AR15 at 50 yards let do 50 pushups.
Andrew like you, I served when we were called sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines so I agree with your post. I think what has happened is that the term operator has been hijacked for marketing purposes and to some degree exploitation by the entertainment industry.
The net effect is that it trivializes what real operators do; furthermore, it focuses on the kinetic effects of an operation, which is probably less than 20% of the total effort – A point that Admiral McRaven C.O. USSOCOM made during a recent interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
So, I think your post is not just well articulated it’s on point as well, and it’s time we came back to earth.
One final comment, you did miss a couple of operator characteristics – waxed muscular figures and buffed out shaved heads, as to reduce resistance when swimming or running into action.
Well done guy!
Back when I was in the Army, we were “grunts.”
Hoowa
When did LE get to be in the same club with Military? No LE will ever be an “operator.” Their job is easy as heck compared to the Military. I take offence to them being considered in the same vein. 🙂
Thank the “War on Drugs” now half the guys with a badge consider themselves badasses kickin in doors but can still be home in time for kickoff
Thank you. Well said.
I get what you’re saying, but “user” has some ugly associations with drugs or emotional abuse, and “shooter” may stir up connotations of murderers. It’s offensive when ‘operator’ is used to indicate someone who pretends to be elite, but when used to indicate the operation of a device, I think it’s probably the best term.
Im operator as fuck! 🙂 GO CA Nasty Girls!
Operator as fuck
I operate all day and night in my parents basement. I’m operator as fuck.
I found this when I was looking for the meaning of the “operator” term. I watch a lot of youtube and almost every gun channel has an operator on it. I’m to old to have heard the term in my military time. They just called us RANGER, SOLDIER, TROOPS or SPECOPS.
I am a Range Safety Officer at a local shooting range where we also offer classes to civilians taught by former so- called operators (former police and military, but not SF). I call it an Operator Fantasy Camp. These civilians take any class and buy any “piece of kit” the instructors tell them the should “run”. Its amazes me how gullible people can actually be.
I describe myself as an operator all the time. I was a pump operator before I lat moved to intel analyst. So I guess I was an operating analyst….which actually sounds way cooler than it really was.
I’m going to Necro a really old post, but man this is a good one.
I’m not an Operator; hell, I’m not even a Vet. I spent a year in the Delayed Entry Program for the Marine Corps only to have a medical issue a month before I was set to ship off to Parris Island back in 1996 which put an end to my illustrious military career before it even began. I wish things would have been different, but I like to believe that everything happens for a reason even when I cannot possibly fathom what the reason is.
I’m just a forty year old dude that loves firearms, target shooting, tactical gear, airsoft, hunting, fishing, camping, and running around in the woods wearing camo. I own handguns and shotguns and AR-15s. I have plate carriers and BDUs (because other than MARPAT nothing beats old Woodland camo), and I love them – that shit is cool to me, it’s fun.
But I’m not a Vet and sure as hell cannot be an “Operator”. I have a buddy who served in the USMC and calls himself an Operator- and he was a damn cook. A COOK. And he didn’t even make a year before he got a medical discharge. He’s still my friend, but Jesus.
If you know anything about airsoft then you’ve heard the term “Milsim”, military simulation. It’s a big business within airsoft and a lot of people spend thousands of dollars to wear load-outs that are so detailed and authentic that you cannot tell the difference between themselves and Rangers on a combat mission. And look, I’m not bashing them – if they want to run around on Saturdays shooting their airsoft M4s and pretending that they are “Operators” that’s fine. Everyone should be allowed to enjoy their hobby.
But there’s a small segment of players that pretend that they really are Vets or even Active Duty when their military experience is nothing but airsoft and Call of Duty marathons and that is a major problem. It’s not “Stolen Valor”, legally, if they are attempting to use “veteran or active duty” status to get free stuff and/or discounts, but some do just that. Some people get so wrapped up in their Milsim roleplay that they can no longer tell fantasy from reality. That sort of thing needs to stop.
And I completely agree with you about servicemen claiming to be “Operators” when they are not. Rangers are, and feel free to correct me if I am wrong, something like a tier two or so Special Forces. But I’ve never heard a Ranger claim to be an Operator. Force Recon are Special Operations Capable, and I’ve never heard one refer to himself as an Operator. But I sure as shit have heard regular infantry grunts refer to themselves as Operators, usually to impress the guys or to try to pick up chicks at the bar. The hell, man.
If you’re not a member of “The Unit” or “Task Force Blue” then you’re not an Operator. I kinda consider dudes who are not truly Operators referring to themselves as such as committing a form of stolen valor. The dudes that truly are “Operators” should rag the hell out of anyone else who wrongfully uses the term.
I know, I’m longwinded and just some damn civilian, but I enjoyed the hell out of this post and wanted to throw my two cents in.