FNG syndrome

"Fucking New Guy" (FNG) is a derogatory term, used within American Forces deployed to South East Asia during the Vietnam War. [Citation | last1 = Cornell | first1 = George | title = G.I. Slang in Vietnam | journal = The Journal of American Culture | volume = 4 | issue = 2 | pages = 195-200 | publisher = Blackwell Publishing | location = Oxford | date = Summer | year = 1981 | doi = 10.1111/j.1542-734X.1981.0402_195.x | issn = 0343-6993 .]

Overview

Usually, but not always, the term referred specifically to recruits fresh from the United States who joined pre-existing units in Vietnam. Every unit had an FNG, and the term was used across all unit types, from front line combat through to support and medical units. Neither was the term gender specific - female personnel could be FNGs as well. [cite paper | author = Sexton, Julia A. | title = Warrior Women of the Crimea and Vietnam: A Comparison of Fact and Fiction | version = Final | publisher = Unpublished | date = May, 2002 | url = http://www.illyria.com/documents/julia_chap5.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2008-04-06 ]

FNGs were an important part of the group dynamic of US units in Vietnam and their treatment had at its core an overall sense of "us" (those with experience of the war) and "them" (those who were back in the United States). As one soldier said, FNGs were "still shitting stateside chow". [Citation | last1 = Mathers | first1 = Danny L., Rifleman, B Company, 1/61 | title = New Guys | url = http://one-six-one.fifthinfantrydivision.com/161pg14a.htm | accessdate = 2008-04-06 .] It was in combat units that the FNG was truly ignored and hated by his fellow soldiers. An FNG in a combat unit was "treated as a non-person, a pariah to be shunned and scorned, almost vilified, until he passed that magic, unseen line to respectability".Citation |coauthors = Tim Page, John Pimlott, co-editors |title = NAM: The Vietnam Experience 1965-1975, Article: FNG's | publisher = Hamlyn |date = 1988 |pages = pp. 441-443 |ISBN = 0-600-563-111]

On the surface, such treatment of new members in the unit happened for simple survival reasons. New recruits had a higher attrition rate than experienced troops, and the small units of veteran jungle warfare troops simply saw them as a liability. "They talked too loud and made too much noise while moving around, didn't know what it to take into the bush or even how to wear it properly, couldn't respond to basic combat commands, fired too much ammo, and tended to flake out on even the easiest 10-klick moves. An' Christ, they even got homesick."

Beyond mere survival though, there were deeper reasons for veterans to hate the new comers. On one level, the FNG represented those men who were still in America and this fermented resentment. As one popular marching song of the era went: "Ain't no use in lookin' back, Jody's got your Cadillac; Ain't no use in going home, Jody's got your girl and gone". Until they set foot in Vietnam, every FNG was a "Jody", back in the US enjoying life.

Within a military unit, the FNG was seen as a grunt. A unit would attach an almost mystical quality to any members of the unit with prior combat experience; the FNG was expected to live up to the same standard and would not be accepted into the group until he, too, had made a name for himself.

The term does not appear to have seen widespread use outside of the US Military.

tudies

Several specific studies have been undertaken into the FNG phenomenon.

Dr. Douglas R. Bey published "Group dynamics and the "F.N.G." in Vietnam--a potential focus of stress" in 1972 and has been referenced extensively, including having been used in defence of initiation practices within modern US units. [Citation | last1 = Bey | first1 = Douglas R. | title = Group dynamics and the "F.N.G." in Vietnam--a potential focus of stress | journal = International Journal of Group Psychotherapy | volume = 22 | issue = 1 | pages = 22-50 | publisher = Guilford Press | location = New York | date = January | year = 1972 | url = http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowLibraryLinks&TermToSearch=5057967 | PMID = 5057967 | issn = 0343-6993 ]

Dr. Charles Figley has also written on the effects of being an FNG as part of the development of post traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans.

Media

The term FNG and the group dynamics associated with it have been addressed on some level in several major motion pictures in the last couple of decades and is still used in the US military.

Oliver Stone's film "Platoon" traces the experiences of young recruit Private Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) during the Vietnam War. [cite video | people = Stone, Oliver (Director) | title = Platoon | medium = Theatrical Release | publisher = Kopelson, Arnold (Producer) | location = USA | year2 = 1986 .]

Stanley Kubrick's film "Full Metal Jacket" follows pragmatic Private Joker (Matthew Modine) and his fellow new recruits through basic training and deployment into the war's 1968 Tet Offensive. [cite video | people = Kubrick, Stanley (Director) | title = Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket | medium = Theatrical Release | publisher = Stone, Oliver (Producer) | location = USA | year2 = 1987 .]

In Robert Zemeckis's film "Forrest Gump", the titular character (Tom Hanks) and his best friend (Mykelti Williamson) are called FNG's by their commanding officer (Gary Sinise) when they first arrive in Vietnam.

The backpacker novel "The Beach" by Alex Garland, later made into a film of the same title and directed by Danny Boyle, introduced the term into popular culture amongst young tourists in South East Asia. [cite book | last = Garland | first = Alex | authorlink = Alex Garland | title = The Beach | publisher = Viking Press | location = London | date = 1996 | ISBN = 0-670-87014-5 ] [cite video |people=Boyle, Danny (director)|date2= |month2= |year2= |title=The Beach|url= |format= |medium=Theatrical Release|publisher=Macdonald, Andrew (Producer)|location=United States|accessdate=2008-07-21 |time= |quote= ]

Donald Bodey has written a fictional account of the FNG experience in his novel titled simply "FNG". [cite book
last = Bodey
first = Donald
authorlink = Donald Bodey
title = F.N.G., Revised Edition
publisher = Modern History Press
date = 2008
location = Ann Arbor, MI
pages =
url = http://donbodey.com
isbn = 978-1-932690-58-3]

The first level in multiplatform game "Call of Duty 4" is called "F.N.G", and one of the soldiers introduces the player to the commander of the squad by saying "It's the FNG, sir," and asking him to "go easy on him, sir. It's his first day in Regiment." [ [http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/FNG F.N.G. - The Call of Duty Wiki ] ]

The protagonist in "Doom 3" is referred to as "the ranking F.N.G." shortly after arriving at Mars City.

In first episode ("Get Some") of the HBO series "Generation Kill" Lance Cpl. Trombley's fellow marines refer to him as an FNG during the mess hall scene as he was improperly attired, wearing his boonie hat after dark.

References