Upon completion of training, fighter pilots receive an official nickname referred to as a call sign, and it’s a big deal.
Pilots do not get to pick their own call signs. The call signs are assigned and often based on one’s personality, foibles or an embarrassing mistake, but they are given as part of the military camaraderie and tend to stick with the aviator for their entire career.
It’s rare to get cool-sounding call signs like “Maverick” and “Iceman” from the movies. Pilots are more likely to receive such names as “Meatloaf,” “Bus” or “Sidewalk” — and with a memorable story behind every name, according to a 2022 news article.
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