noun: an uneducated, untrained or poorly trained individual placed in a given position in a workplace where he/she is neither technically capable of performing the required task nor performing any useful activity, but to deceive the observer in some manner. Warm bodies are often used to give the appearance of proper staffing, to make an organization look larger than it actually is during visits and official functions, or to fulfill some political agenda in the given organization (i.e. "diversity").
"Frank always uses his relatives as warm bodies whenever a customer visits the shop, to try to give the impression he has a zillion people working for him. He must have learned the warm body trick in the old country, when the Communists would take all 12 cars in town and park them in front of wherever they were filming propaganda movies, to make it look busy..."
by speedstan February 23, 2010
US military (specifically Air Force military transport) jargon ca. 1970s-1980s, referring to an operation or undertaking involving an unnecessarily large number of people, most of them contributing nothing or actually impeding progress. Typically used to refer to flightline operations where military brass felt it necessary to make their presence felt and impede the normal duties/operations of the aircrew, offering "advice" or "assistance" that was neither requested nor needed.
"We got gear up and flaps up out of Norton (Air Force Base) on time, no sweat, but Travis was a major goat-rope and a half. We had three times as many Base Ops types and ground-pounders in the cargo compartment as crewmembers, and the only reason they finally got the hell out of the way is that they didn't want to buy a crew delay."
by speedstan May 05, 2008
noun: 1960's origin, military/aviation terms for a semi-skilled or unskilled airport/airbase flight-line worker: typically a baggage handler or aircraft cleaner. Flight crew and skilled mechanics/avionics personnel would NOT typically be considered "ramp tramps".
"Looks like the Port Authority police busted a bunch of ramp tramps at United (Airlines) for stealing baggage again."
by speedstan February 24, 2010
An active customer of prostitutes and escorts who shares information with similar customers, typically on some type of online forum.
by speedstan February 24, 2010
noun: military in origin, derisive term for a personal or administrative assistant to a flag-grade officer (colonels, generals, navy captains or admirals). The term refers to a support or staff role, as opposed to an individual in a line or operations position in an organization. In the corporate world, this term may refer to someone in a personnel/human resources or accounting role, as opposed to someone in a sales, manufacturing, or engineering role.
"The HR weenies that come up with these policies have never set foot in a customer's facility. No wonder they don't have a clue..."
by speedstan February 23, 2010
noun: Military in origin, an official recognition or commendation for good work that is recorded in one's personnel file, specifically one that is a positive influence in a subsequent pay raise or promotion.
"Jones wasn't HR's choice for the new department manager, but the attaboys he got from the customer for that last project convinced the VP to lean on the Personnel weenies on his behalf"
by speedstan February 23, 2010
verb: to carry a load by hand, usually referring to an unusually heavy or unwieldy load, and/or an abnormally long distance, that would not be expected of sane, rational, people. Term is military/aviation in origin.
"Amtrak was running 3 hours late, so there were no taxis at the station when we got into town. We had to hump our bags 6 blocks through 'da hood to get to the hotel. Not my idea of a party."
by speedstan February 23, 2010