Marine Corps Academics Officer Candidates School (OCS) Practice Test

In Marine slang, “boot” before a rank means someone who has just earned that rank and is new to it. “Gunny” is the nickname for Gunnery Sergeant, the E-7 enlisted rank. So a “boot Gunny” is a newly promoted Gunnery Sergeant—someone who’s recently moved into that rank and is still adjusting to its duties. It’s not a recruit (that would be a trainee before earning any rank), nor does the phrase inherently describe a seasoned Gunny or a drill instructor (who is a role, not the status implied by “boot”).