COMBAT MilTerms: A

M I L T E R M S :

A : ALFA

AA :

AntiAircraft, referring to fire, devices, or weapons; also known as "archy" / "archie" being WWI British slang that probably derives from the pattern of its trajectory; see FLAK, ACK-ACK, POM-POM, SAM, MISSILE, ROCKET [nb: another proposed derivation for "archy" / "archie" is the hindrance caused by German antiaircraft fire which supposedly reminded some WWI airmen of the refrain in a popular 1915 music hall song: "Archibald, Certainly Not!"]. Also, abbreviation for AIR ASSAULT, meaning AIRMOBILE or AIR CAV; see YELLOWLEG. Also, the "double A" signifier of the 82nd Airborne Division representing All American; see ALMOST AIRBORNE.

AAA :

AntiAircraft Artillery, often called "tripple A"; see ARTY. Also, slang for Affirmative Action Asshole, when referring to marginal MIL-PERS who are advanced more by quota than by skill; see RUNTS 'n' CUNTS, UP OR OUT, VOLUNTEER, AVF, RETREAD, TOTAL FORCE, COMBAT EFFECTIVE.

AAD :

Army Advisory Detachment. See MAAG.

AAFES :

Army and Air Force Exchange Service; PX/BX concessionaire. [cf: vivandière]

AAG :

Army Advisory Group; see MAAG.

AAM :

Air-to-Air MISSILE; see AMRAAM, PHOENIX, SPARROW, SIDEWINDER. Also, the Army Achievement Medal, introduced in 1969 and equivalent to the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Navy-Marine versions, rated below the Commendation Medals, for recognition of lesser accomplishments, but its award became immediately political when differentiated by RANK instead of deed. The Army Achievement Medal attempted to restore the ARCOM's prestige, similar to the Meritorious Service Medal restoring the Bronze Star Medal (BSM). See DSM, LOM, MSM, GREEN WEENIE, GONG.

AAR :

After Action Report; sometimes "CAAR" or "COAAR" for Combat Operations After Action Report, formerly known as "postmortem" or "battle summary". The warm and fuzzy post-VN military changed the abbreviation to mean "After Action Review", simulating a collegiate atmosphere of peer discussion, but actually replicating the communist "struggle" sessions in RE-EDUCATION. See DEBRIEF. [nb: for American CIVIL WAR engagements, the battle summaries were compiled and submitted as much as fifteen years following the event; making their intelligence value nil, and making their historic authenticity dubious at best!]

AARDVARK :

General Dynamics F-111 twin-engine, supersonic, turbofan, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft, suitable for Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) from unimproved airstrips. See BIRD, WSO, TANK PLINKING.

AATTI :

Australian Army Training Team Iraq; the contingent of rotating advisory teams sent since May 2004 as part of the GULF WAR coalition to teach military tactics and skillcrafts, renamed in honor of the AATTV from the earlier element named the Australian Army Training Team Middle East.

AATTV :

Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, being a detachment from the Australian Defence Forces (ADF); the contingent of ADVISORs, many with experience in Malaysia, sent to Vietnam as part of the SEATO coalition of Free World Forces (FWF) from 1962 to 1972. The AATTV "Team" shoulder patch shows a MONTAGNARD crossbow, a boomerang and scroll centered on a green shield with the legend "Persevere". See ATFV, ASAS, ANZAC, ASEAN, ANZUS, KANZUS, RAAF.

AAV :

Amphibious Assault Vehicle, formerly AMTRACK (LVTP-7), and redesignated AAVP-7 "Tuna Boat"; see TANGO BOAT, APC, LAV, TRACK, LANDING CRAFT.

ABATIS :

a defensive obstacle formed from rows of sharpened tree branches projecting outward toward the enemy; during WWII, they were NICKNAMEd "Rommel's Asparagus". See PUNJI STAKE, FRAISE, CALTROP, HEDGEHOG, BOLLARD, DRAGON'S TEETH. [cf: palisade]

ABBREVIATION :

an abridgement or contraction of a word or phrase, often consisting of initial letters, used for concision in written communication or documentation; compare ACRONYM, BREVITY CODE, PROWORD, CODENAME, CODEWORD, NICKNAME, CIPHER, CODE.

ABC :

Atomic-Bacterial-Chemical, or Atomic-Biological-Chemical warfare agents; see CBR, NUKE, BOMB, GENOCIDE, APOCALYPSE.

ABCCC :

Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center; aerial supervision orbit designated Alley Cat, CRICKET, HILLSBORO, and MOONBEAM. See C&C, C2, C3, C4, COMMAND ELEMENT. [nb: "airborne" in the sense of aloft, not parachute]

ABCD :

alliance of American, British, Chinese, and Dutch forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII; compare BIG FIVE, see ALLY.

ABCMR :

Army Board for Correction of Military Records; see NPRC.

ABN :

ARVN Abn Bde

ARVN Abn Div

abbreviation for AirBorNe, a paratrooper or parachute-qualified MIL-PERS; see TAB, HANG TOUGH, PROP BLAST. Also, vertical delivery of troops or equipment, and aerial supervision; see AIRBORNE, FREE FALL, MFF, AIRHEAD, AIRDROP, DZ, PARACHUTE, AIRBORNE SHUFFLE, ROMMEL'S ASPARAGUS, BLACK HATS, IRON MIKE, SQUAT, DINGLEBERRY, RED HATS; compare AIR ASSAULT, RIGGER. [v: Parachuting Terms, and Parachuting History]

ABO :

(aa-bee-oh) a classification (ABO system) of human blood into four major groups (A, B, AB, O) that's based upon the presence (A or B) or absence (O) of red blood cell antigens, as used since WWII when determining compatibility for transfusions; see DOG TAGS, BLOOD EXPANDER, BANK, CASTOFF, SYRETTE, MED BAG. [v: American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)]

A-BOMB :

a bomb whose explosive force derives from a chain reaction of fissile/fissionable materials, such as radioactive uranium or plutonium, with the consequent conversion of part of their mass into energy; also known as "atom bomb" or "atomic bomb". Compare H-BOMB, N-BOMB; see ZERO POINT, GROUND ZERO, OVERKILL, CBR, FOOTBALL, PENTAGONAL, DARPA, BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK, NUKE, YELLOWCAKE, HEAVY WATER, HOT GREASE, SCRAM, CONTAINMENT, BROKEN ARROW. [nb: the Yasukuni [meaning "peaceful country"] shrine, dedicated in 1869 to the remembrance of Japan's honorable military dead in battle and in recognition of their dutiful loyalty, has become a national "peace" monument since the atomic bombings that concluded WWII]

ABORT :

to interrupt or terminate the progress of any military operation, also called "abortion"; failure to accomplish a military objective for reasons other than enemy action.

ABOVE BOARD :

a nautical expression for "utterly fair" or "nothing hidden" that was excerpted from the longer phrase: "all fair and above board"; things situated on or above the main deck, the weather or upper DECK, were fully exposed to view and open for everyone to see, hence without subterfuge or deception. See TOPSIDE, OFFICER'S COUNTRY, CODE OF CONDUCT, HONOR CODE, PROMISE.

ABRAMS :

the 70ton low-profile M1A1 Main Battle Tank (MBT); see TANK, TRACK.

ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE :

the vertical distance between a flying aircraft, rocket, missile, satellite, or the like, and the point on the earth's surface directly below it, as measured by an electronic altimeter.

ABSURDISTAN :

sardonic slang reference to Afghanistan, its tribalism and religious zealotry, as adopted by MIL-PERS from the title of a bestselling novel [Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart (2006)]; see THE STANS, JAWBREAKER, ALPHABET SOUP, MUJ, HAJJI, RAGHEAD.

AC :

abbreviation for Aircraft Commander, also spelled "A/C". Also, aircraft; see BIRD, CHOPPER. Also, USAF Air Commando (qv). Also, air conditioning, such as in an AID STATION or COMM SHACK; first used in India during WWII, and having become ubiquitous in Iraq during the GULF WARs.

ACASP :

Army Civilian Acquired Skills Program; offering enlistment at higher GRADEs or RATINGs with compressed training in exchange for military service. See MOS, CONAP, DEP, NESEP, BOOTSTRAP, USAFI, SOC, ROTC.

ACAV :

Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle; see ACR.

ACCOMMODATION LADDER :

a portable flight of steps suspended from the side of a vessel to give crew and/or passenger ingress and egress access from smaller boats alongside; also known as "boarding ladder". Compare AIR STAIRS, LADDERWELL; see RAMP, GANGWAY.

ACCORDION :

improper interval for line of march consisting of bunching and stretching of the FILE or COLUMN; a typical pattern for inexperienced troops or a CONVOY of mixed military and civilian vehicles. See CATERPILLAR, INDIAN FILE, COMBAT SPREAD, HEADWAY.

ACE :

a combat PILOT with at least five contact victories over enemy aircraft; see BANDIT, BOGIE. [nb: aerial combat statistics from all Twentieth Century wars show that 40% of kills were made by only 5% of pilots]

ACE OF DIAMONDS :

5th Inf Div

NICKNAME of the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), as derived from the red diamond transport mark on unit equipment shipped overseas during WWI deployment; also known as 5th Mech Infantry, and formally known by its motto "Never Runs".

ACETATE COMMANDO :

the staff officer version of REMFs and CLERKS 'n' JERKS; being daring with plans and aggressive in dispatches, being manly enough to sweat in the air-conditioned BUNKER and courageous enough to grapple at the O CLUB bar! See CANDY-ASS, PENCIL PUSHER, MOAN 'n' GROAN, CHAIRBORNE, TOCROACH, MILICRAT, PUKE, ORIFICE, STAFF, HEADQUARTERISM. [cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs]

ACG :

Air Commando Group. See SOW.

ACHILLES HEEL :

any vulnerability or weakness, as an exposed or susceptible position; also called "shatterpoint", and may be spelled "Achilles' heel". This condition is subject to position and timing. Achilles, the hero of the "Iliad", despite having been bathed as an infant in the River Styx to render him invulnerable, was mortally wounded by Paris in the Trojan War. See CHINK, REFUSE; compare BULLETPROOF, VULCANIZE.

ACK-ACK :

antiaircraft (AA) fire or weaponry; also known as "archy" / "archie" being WWI British slang that probably derives from the pattern of its trajectory. See FLAK, POM-POM. [nb: another proposed derivation for "archy" / "archie" is the hindrance caused by German antiaircraft fire which supposedly reminded some WWI airmen of the refrain in a popular 1915 music hall song: "Archibald, Certainly Not!"]

ACOG :

(aa-kogg) Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, being a sturdy telescope that conveniently mounts onto the carrying handle of the M-16A4 rifle.

ACOOC :

(aa-cock) Aircraft Chronically Out Of Commission, informally known as a HANGAR QUEEN.

ACR :

Armored Cavalry Regiment; see CAV, HHT, TRP, SQDN, LAAGER, ACAV, YELLOWLEG.

ACRONYM :

a word formed from the initial letters, or groups of letters, of the words in a name or phrase; as derived from "end" or "extremity" and "word"; see CIPHER, compare BREVITY CODE, PROWORD, CODENAME, CODEWORD, NICKNAME, CODE. Also, an acrostic.

ACSQ :

Air Commando Squadron. See SOW.

ACT :

USAF abbreviation for Air Combat Tactics. Also, abbreviation for Advanced Combat Training; see BCT, AIT.

ACTA :

ACTA

(forthcoming); Advanced Combat Training Academy; see IMJIN SCOUT, compare Q-COURSE, RECONDO, CHARM SCHOOL, COC.

ACTIV :

CAR-15/XM-177E2 carbine

Army Concept Team In Vietnam; formed to evaluate the CAR-15/XM-177E2 carbine, NICKNAMEd "Shorty-16", which was a compact and collapsed-stock M-16 rifle. See CAT, CMEC, BLACK MAGIC, WIDOW MAKER.

ACTIVATE :

to put a unit into existence, that has been previously constituted or commissioned by name and number, so it can be ORGANIZEd to function in its assigned capacity. When a unit is disbanded (its colors furled, its assets redistributed, and its personnel reassigned), it is formally DEACTIVATEd, "inactivated", "demobilized", "dissolved", "decommissioned", or "retired". Compare ORGANIZE, RECONSTITUTED. [nb: the term "composite" (put together) indicates a compound of disparate elements forming a whole, while the term "component" (put together) indicates constituent elements of a greater whole]

ACT OF CONGRESS :

the writs, commissions, statutes, and other enactments uttered by the ostensibly deliberative body vested by and for the people in a locus of power comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives; which meretricious acts, by some arcane process of inscrutable legerdemain, acquire magical infallibility and mystical sanctity, such that their transmutation of public trust into legal tender, or gross profiteering into a fiscally balanced budget, or influence peddling into unimpeachable leadership, or flagrant cronyism into equal opportunity, or unethical compromise into "liberty and justice for all" is nothing short of awesome! That this productive process is a metaphor for mechanistic reductionism, with the nourishment provided by citizen input retained by the legislature for its own development, and its enactments passed as byproducts defecated back onto society merely bespeaks our extreme (but not inexhaustible!) tolerance for self-abuse ... we, the people, should have long since slaughtered the Fatted Calf and consumed it entire! See THE G, THE NATIONAL JOKE FACTORY, FOGGY BOTTOM, UNCLE SAM, YANKEE, THE EAGLE SHITS, NGO, QUANGO, GOCO, OGA, DECENT INTERVAL, WISE MEN, POLITICIAN, GSA, GAO, PORK BARREL, BELTWAY BANDIT. [v: realpolitik, machtpolitik] Also, a euphemism for sexual intercourse, coitus, fornication; see FUCK.

ACTOV :

ACcelerated Turn-Over to Vietnamese; from March 1969 through March 1973. see VIETNAMIZATION, PROVN, CRIMP, CSMO, KEYSTONE.

ACW :

Air Commando Wing; see SOW. Also, Aircraft Control Warning.

AD :

Active-Duty. Also, Air Division. Also, Armor(-ed) Division.

ADA :

Air Defense Artillery, or Air Defense Area; see AAA.

ADC :

an Aide-De-Camp or AIDE, being the OFFICER equivalent of HOUSE MOUSE; see DOG ROBBER, DOGSBODY, MAN FRIDAY, GOFER, BROWN NOSER, FACE TIME. [cf: equerry, page; White House fellowship (1964)] Also, abbreviation for Air Defense Command.

AD HOC :

informal U.S. Army usage since WWII designating a temporary DETAIL or assemblage, composed of immediately available manpower, which is disbanded upon completion; such as POLICE CALL, loading GEAR, transferring materiel, escort DUTY, and so forth. Such an agglomeration of "warm bodies" could be formalized, but usually was not, owing to the short period involved with the task. An AD HOC (literally "for this") is created for the special purpose or end presently under consideration: but a reliance upon "ad hockery" (ad hocery) or "ad hocism" is self-defeating, and exemplifies poor management by supervisors. See CORPORAL'S GUARD, PRESS-GANG, DETAIL, DET, COMMANDEER, CROSS-DECKING, FIELD EXPEDIENT, SHANGHAI. [v: from Ranger history in Somalia: "At approximately 031945C OCT 93 LTC David was placed in command of an ad hoc task force consisting of two of his rifle companies, two Malaysian mechanized companies (drivers and gunners with APC's no dismounted troops), a composite platoon from TF Ranger, one Pakistani tank platoon and supported by an aerial TF consisting of elements of TF 2-25 Avn and Special Operations aircraft and given what seemed to everyone to be a mission that could not be accomplished."] [v: on Tiny Vital Blog Archives, the conglomerated terrorist cells are referred to as "Ad Hoc Terrorists"] [v: WWII war games "Close Combat 1" and "Close Combat 2" use this phrase for augmentation and specialty elements]

ADJ :

ADJutant, being a STAFF officer who assists the commander (CO).

ADOC :

(a-dock) Air Defense Operations Center; see AOC, FOC, ASOC, TAOC, OPN.

ADRB :

Army Discharge Review Board; see DISCHARGE.

ADRIFT :

anything unsecured, or that has slipped its mooring or fast, as being out of control, including items improperly stowed, or things lost overboard; an informal Navy and Marine term for anything unaccountably missing or destroyed. See SALTY DOG; compare DX.

ADV :

ADVisor, ADVisory; see AAD, AAG, AATTV, BRACELET, CA, CAP, CMAC, CORDS, COUNTERPART, CO VAN MY, CT, DLI, FAT, FWF, IVS, JACK, JUNK FORCE, JUSMAG, JUSMAPG, KANZUS, KATUSA, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, LITTLE PEOPLE, MAAG, MACV, MAP, MAT, MATA, MATS, MGF, MIKE FORCE, MSF, MTT, NAD, NAG, OUC DA LOI, PIR, PRT, SF, SHEEP-DIPPED, TDY, TEAMHOUSE, UNPFK, USDAO, YELLOW DOG. [nb: "adviser" refers to the civil or civilian function similar to a military ADVISOR]

ADVISOR :

military personnel who are sufficiently well trained and experienced that they can teach and counsel foreign COUNTERPARTs in MIL-CRAFTs and operations (OPN) with limited supervision in remote locations, often using improvised and out-dated materiel; required to "do more with less", ADVISORs are more cost effective than conventional troops, and serve as "ambassadors in uniform". See ADV, SHEEP-DIPPED, MATA, MATS, CO VAN MY, GONE NATIVE, INDIG, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, LITTLE PEOPLE, NOFORN, UGLY AMERICAN. [nb: a civil servant or civilian who performs a similar function is properly known as an "adviser"]

ADY :

Additional DutY; such punitive extra-duty is intended to improve the individual's military knowledge and/or skill; this practice is known as Extra Military Instruction (EMI) in the U.S. Navy. Compare ARTICLE 15, OFFICE HOURS, ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, CAPTAIN'S MAST, UCMJ.

ACTING JACK :

a temporary or intermediate promotion to a leadership position of increased responsibility, but without the matching pay-grade RATING increase, being the same as provisional BREVET or FROCKED promotion for officers; also known as GADGET. The word "jack" in this phrase probably means "amateur", as in 'jackleg'. See BRASSARD, HONCHO, BREAK CHOP, WALLAH. [nb: in the modern co-ed military, this phrase applies to both sexes, in the same way a mixed group is asexually addressed as "guys"; but this term has sometimes been converted to "Acting Jane" or "Acting Jackless" when restricted to females (see GI JOE, SWINGING DICK, SKIRT)]

ACU :

Army Combat Uniform, or Advanced Combat Uniform, replacing the camouflage-patterned Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in 2004 with a utility work uniform distinguished by the removal of (inaccessible) lower shirt pockets, the addition of (accessible) sleeve pockets, a change to an upright collar, an integrated dispersion pattern, and the addition of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) indicators. See DIGITALS, DRESS.

ADMIN :

administration and personnel processing; S-1/G-1/J-1 (v: J-CODES). See MILICRAT, RED TAPE.

ADMIRAL :

senior Naval OFFICER, equivalent to military GENERAL, as derived from an Arabic phrase for "leader of the faithful". Also, the group of FLAG OFFICERs in Naval service RATED from O-7 to O-11 and RANKed from COMMODORE or Rear Admiral Lower-Half, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral, and Fleet Admiral. See CAPTAIN, LDR, CO, SKIPPER, USN, USCG.

ADMIRAL'S GESTAPO :

Naval Investigative Service (NIS); Navy equivalent of Air Force OSI and Army CID. See FBI, SP.

ADVON :

Advanced Echelon.

AEF :

American Expeditionary Force, being the US military contingent sent in June 1917 to support the Allied campaign in WWI; sardonically re-interpreted as "After England Fails". Compare III MAF.

AEROBATICS :

skilled aerial maneuvers, combat gambits, and other stunts performed by aircraft in flight; see CHANDELLE, IMMELMANN, SNAP ROLL, SPLIT-S, SPIN, STALL, VICTORY ROLL, WINGOVER, JINK, BANK, YANK 'n' BANK, SIDESLIP, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, WING, DIRTY, BUZZ, AUGER-IN, PANCAKE, STRIP ALERT, TOUCHDOWN, SPLASHDOWN, BIRD, DREAMLAND, HAWC, TOP GUN, RED FLAG, BLUE ANGELS, THUNDERBIRDS, SKYBLAZERS, SILVER EAGLES, BARNSTORMER, PILOT. [v: An Aerobatics and Aviation Lexicon]

AESA :

(aysuh) Active Electronically Scanned Array, being a solid-state form of actively-seeking phased-distribution RADAR. See AVIONICS.

AEWCW :

Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing.

AF :

Air Force; see USAF, VNAF.

AFB :

Air Force Base; sometimes referred to as Air Base (AB).

AFBCMR :

Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records; see NPRC.

AFCC :

Air Force Command Center (eg: 7th AFCC).

AFDRB :

Air Force Discharge Review Board; see DISCHARGE.

AFEES :

Armed Forces Examination and Entrance Station, where mental and physical examinations of recruits are conducted; which is commonly called a RECEPTION STATION or "Reception Center", but has now been redesignated as the Military Enlistment Processing Station (MEPS). Compare REPL' DEPOT; see ASVAB, AFQT, AFGCT, GOTCHA. [nb: the Armed Forces of the United States (AFUS) was renamed: United States Uniformed Services (USUS), but is now called: United States Armed Services (USAS)]

AFEM :

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; see VSM, GONG.

AFFIRM / AFFIRMATIVE :

MIL-SPEAK for yes, okay, alright, agree, correct, approved, and sometimes converted into slang as "positron"; not to be confused with "roger" or "wilco" in RTP. See JOY, compare NEGATIVE. [v: "aye"/"ay", "yea", "yo"; cf: AHOY]

AFGCT :

the Armed Forces General Classification Test, being the battery of exams that determine a servicemember's qualification for a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS); otherwise known as the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). See PMOS, DRAFT, McNAMARA'S HUNDRED THOUSAND, AIT, AFEES, MEPS, RECEPTION STATION, Q-COURSE, OJT, CROSS-TRAINING, BILLET, BERTH.

AFN :

Armed Forces Network, successor to Armed Forces Radio (AFR) and predecessor of Armed Forces Radio and Television Network (AFRTN).

AFQT :

the Armed Forces Qualification Test, being the battery of exams that determine a servicemember's qualification for a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS); otherwise known as the Armed Forces General Classification Test (AFGCT), and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). See PMOS, DRAFT, McNAMARA'S HUNDRED THOUSAND, AIT, AFEES, MEPS, RECEPTION STATION, Q-COURSE, OJT, CROSS-TRAINING, BILLET, BERTH.

AFR :

Armed Forces Radio, established 1943 for morale and counter-propaganda broadcasts, later becoming Armed Forces Radio and Television Network (AFRTN). [nb: according to a 1944 Census Bureau survey, almost 90% of Americans owned their own radio, and 70% would forgo movies, newspapers and magazines to retain radio broadcasts]

AFRTN :

(a-farts) Armed Forces Radio and Television Network, later the "American Forces Radio and Television Service" (AFRTS); being the interservice broadcast media equivalent to the State Department's "Voice of America" and "Radio Free Europe" / "...Asia". Such networks were created to counteract the Fascist and Communist broadcasts featuring Lord Haw-Haw, Axis Sally, Tokyo Rose (originally "Orphan Annie", being an American stranded in Japan by the war), Hanoi Hannah, and Baghdad Betty (which most MIL-PERS have found most amusing and very unthreatening). The "Voice of the Gulf" was established to broadcast during the GULF WAR.

AFT :

indicating direction in, at, toward, or close to the back or STERN of a vessel, tail of an airplane, or rear of a vehicle; derived from "AFTer". Compare FORWARD.

AFTERBURNER :

the auxiliary combustion chamber in the aft section of the jet engine, in which raw fuel is sprayed, resulting in increased thrust; see JET PROPULSION.

AFVN :

Armed Forces of Viet Nam, sometimes called Republic of Viet Nam Armed Forces (RVNAF); including Air Force (VNAF), Army (ARVN), Marines (VNMC), and Navy (VNN).

AG :

Adjutant General; see AGO, AIDE, STAFF, MILICRAT. [nb: the Adj Gen insignia is a small shield (taken from the eagle's chest in the US seal) to which this ditty refers: "Twinkle twinkle little shield / Save me from the field!"]

AGENT ORANGE :

Agent Orange

a chemical (2378TCBD) defoliant and herbicide containing Dioxin, widely used in Vietnam since 1965 around BASE CAMPs and infiltration routes to deny enemy CONCEALMENT; other formulas were designated Agent White, Agent Pink, Agent Yellow, etc. Names derived from color coding for formula identification. Extensive or prolonged exposure to herbicides can induce Chloracne, Sarcoma, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease, Multiple Myeloma, Respiratory Cancer, Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, Prostate Cancer, Neuropathy, Spina Bifida, and Adult-onset Diabetes Mellitus. See RANCH HAND, CBR, BOONIES. [v: paraquat, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)]

AGL :

Above Ground Level, being the actual altitude of an aircraft moving in the air above the ground (ie: a dense resistant medium that's impassable and unforgiving to random flying objects), despite the fact that PILOTs of aircraft tend to use Mean Sea Level when referring to their altitude. Compare MSL; see ANGEL, CUPID, G [gravity]. [cf: geoid]

AGM :

Air-to-Ground MISSILE, also known as "air-to-surface missile" (ASM); see MAVERICK, HARM, SHRIKE, HELLFIRE. [nb: at the end of WWII, the Imperial Japanese developed the "exploding cherry blossom" from designs for the German V-2 rocket as a successor to kamikaze suicide aircraft, being a flying bomb, piloted by a volunteer "thunder god", that carried a 2640# payload in the nose of a winged 20ft missile that was launched from a high-altitude bomber to plunge at over 600mph toward its sea level target; ridiculed by Americans as an "idiot bomb"]

AGO :

abbreviation for Adjutant General's Office, with particular reference to the use of authorized forms (such as the "AGO card" for military identification card). See SERVICE NUMBER, ID CARD, DOG TAGS. [v: Index of Social Security Numbers (eg: AFSN, ASSN, SSAN)]

AHC :

assault helicopter company. (HUEYs and gunships)

AHOY :

call used by seafarers to hail or alert others; derived "hoy", as to HOIST. See HOISE, HEAVE-HO, CHANTEY, HOOAH, OORAH, TOCSIN, BATTLE CRY, GUNG-HO, JODY CALL. [v: halloo/hallo/hollo; cf: "aye"/"ay", "yea", "yo"]

AID :

Agency for International Development (USAID).

AIDE :

aide-de-camp (ADC), being an assistant given the opportunity to understudy a senior commander; also called "braider" as a result of the distinctive aiguillette or shoulder CORD worn by such AIDEs, being the OFFICER equivalent of HOUSE MOUSE. See DOG ROBBER, DOGSBODY, MAN FRIDAY, GOFER, BROWN NOSER, FACE TIME. [cf: equerry, page, assistant (eg: powder monkey, drummer boy), apprentice (eg: plebe, midshipman, CADET); White House fellowship (1964)]

AID STATION :

a field medical installation providing both routine and emergency treatment to MIL-PERS, being the lowest level medical facility; also called "dressing station", "battle dressing station", "medical clinic", or DISPENSARY. See SICK CALL, MASH, EVAC, CSH, FST, FIELD HOSP, MEDEVAC, DUSTOFF, CHOP SHOP, BAND-AID, COMFORT STATION.

AIDS-TO-NAVIGATION :

refers to all elements relating to functions of maritime navigation, such as buoys, range markers, wreck markers, signal or identification lights, and lighthouses, including maintenance.

AIGUILLETTE :

a decoratively tagged braid or ornamentally tipped CORD worn on the shoulder of a military uniform; also spelled "aiguelet" or "aguelette", and derived from "aglet" (needle), as a metal capped lace, and applied to any pendant object or pendulous spangle. See CORDON, LANYARD, FOURRAGERE.

AIK :

Assistance In Kind, or Aid In Kind; being the direct contribution of goods and services, instead of indirect monetary aid.

AIMING STAKES :

in gunnery, a vertical rod, bar, or similar post used for directional alignment or aiming position; may be striped or sleeved (ie: a tubular bag called an "aiming post sleeve"), with or without a nighttime signal light (ie: "aiming light" or "aiming post light"), for improved visibility, and now called an "aiming post". Also, any vertical posts positioned to assist firearm alignment with known terrain features and distances for improved distribution and accuracy during nighttime engagements; see FPL, RANGE CARD, AIMPOINT. [nb: tripod-mounted MGs have an integral target alignment device, and TURRET-mounted guns use clock or compass positioning] Also, slang for the conspicuous display of junior / company-grade OFFICER RANK insignia worn on operations in the field; the RANK bars of Lieutenants and Captains.

AIMPOINT :

an object or point on which the sight of a weapon is laid for direction, or on which an observer orients his sighting instrument, as for firing, release, or execution; also called "aiming point"; see KILL ZONE. Also, a precise point on or associated with a target, and assigned for a specific weapon impact to achieve the intended objective and level of destruction, which may be defined descriptively (eg: SNIPER'S TRIANGLE, vent in center of roof), by grid reference, or geolocation, but constitutes the "desired POINT OF IMPACT" or the "desired mean POINT OF IMPACT"; see DEADEYE, BULL'S-EYE, KISS THE MISTRESS, KNOCK THEIR SPOTS OFF, SHARPSHOOTER, DEFLECTION, TARGET. Also, any distinctive terrain feature or RADAR-significant feature, such as a promontory or bridge, used to assist ground navigation or air orientation in timely rendezvous, weapons delivery, or other mission specific assignment despite rough terrain, bad weather, or nighttime darkness; also called an "offset aimpoint" (OAP); see SLANT DISTANCE, DEAD-RECKONING, IP, POD, RV, PHASE LINE, WAY POINT, AIMING STAKES.

AIR AMBULANCE :

a specially equipped aircraft used for transporting sick or injured persons to a medical facility; may be a hospital evacuation by airlift, or a combat zone evacuation by helicopter. See MEDEVAC, DUSTOFF, CRACKER BOX, BAND-AID, NIGHTINGALE, DAKOTA, EVAC. [nb: the air mail contract for Alaska Territory in 1924 included tasking of DeHavilland cargo aircraft as air ambulances for emergency evacuations; Germans operating in the USSR during WWII found the terrain of The Steppes in Russia suitable for airborne evacuation of their wounded]

AIR ASSAULT :

Army Air Assault

combat operation by AIRMOBILE or HELIBORNE troops; it is considered the "vertical envelopment" tactic succeeding GLIDER and PARACHUTE methods. See AIR CAV, LZ, CLZ, PZ, CHOPPER, CHALK, YELLOWLEG. Also, a winged skill badge, without gradations, for proficiency in helicopter-borne combat assault techniques earned after completion of a ten-day course (administratively two-weeks) of instruction. Initially awarded as the "Airmobile Badge" by the 101st Airborne Division (AMBL), and formally approved since 1 April 1974 (but not retroactive for Vietnam service); its design is based upon the WWII GLIDER badge, replacing the Waco glider with a HUEY helicopter. The AIR ASSAULT school teaches skills relative to HELIBORNE operations, including Landing Zone (LZ) practices, sling loading, scaling and rappelling, which culminates in a 12-mile forced march. See BOLO BADGE, TRASH, WINGS; compare AIRBORNE. [nb: in a post-VN effort to maintain esprit and standards, the 101st Abn Div (AA) has imitated the WWII 11th AIRBORNE Div ("The Angels") policy of requiring all division members to be dual qualified (then glider/AIRBORNE, now AIR ASSAULT/AIRBORNE), which ensures that any mission assignment is feasible]

AIRBORNE :

Army basic para

a military force carried to the battlefield in aircraft (eg: airfoil, glider, or helicopter) or by PARACHUTE from air transport in execution of the "vertical envelopment" assault technique; abbreviated ABN. Proficiency acquired in a three-week Basic Airborne Course (BAC) administered by the U.S. Army Infantry School at various times in various locations. A 50-man U.S. Army Test Platoon was established 25 Jun 1940 to develop doctrine and techniques for airborne operations, based upon Russian and German models, resulting in five (ie: 11, 13, 17, 82, 101) divisions and six (ie: 503, 509, 517, 550, 551, 555) separate ABN units for WWII. The Marine Corps established AIRBORNE training in Oct 1940, forming two parachute battalions, later expanded to a regiment authorized four battalions, but never jumped in combat; used as elite infantry until reduced ranks compelled disbandment; remainder assigned with RAIDER remnants as replacements to 5th Mar Div. After completing the Army's jump school, Marines attend further parachute training in their own specialized center, completing five more jumps to earn the USN/USMC gold WINGS. [v: Parachuting Terms, and Parachuting History]

AIRBORNE ALBUM :

an unofficial commemorative account of an AIRBORNE unit and its personnel during a specified period or campaign, often including some historical perspective and anecdotal material; resembling a school classbook or yearbook. Compare SEA BOOK, WAR DIARY, JOURNAL.

AIRBORNE RANGER :

elite parachute infantry. Vietnamese version: Biet Cach Nhay Du (BCND). Compare MIKE FORCE, CIDG, BDQ, BORDER DEFENSE RANGER, RF/PF, LRRP, FORCE RECON, RANGER.

AIRBORNE SHUFFLE :

a gliding walk, without lifting the feet, toward the exit of an aircraft in flight, when the JUMPMASTER directs the PARATROOPERs to jump above the DZ; this sliding gait is used to improve security and sustain balance on an unstable cargo DECK, and to avoid tripping or stumbling during the crucial interval between HOOKUP and jumping; see GANG BANG, HANG TOUGH, ABN, PARACHUTE. Also, slang for the moderately paced jog of several miles duration that AIRBORNE units perform as a routine part of daily exercise; see TRUSCOTT TROT, PT, PFT, DAILY DOZEN, FRONT LEANING REST, BIATHLON, TRIATHLON, PENTATHLON, DECATHLON. Also, informal expression, by extension of the jogging formation, for the tempo when an individual hurries his walking pace or slows from a running pace; to scuff, shamble, or scramble.

AIRBURST :

explosion or detonation of a munition above the ground or in the air; see PROXIMITY FUZE, compare BURST.

AIR CAV :

air cavalry, referring to helicopter-borne (HELIBORNE) or AIRMOBILE infantry; see AIR ASSAULT, CHOPPER, CHALK, LAAGER, YELLOWLEG.

AIR COMMANDO :

USAF special operations personnel trained at the Special Air Warfare Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; who originally wore ANZAC-style campaign hats, but are authorized to wear black BERETs. The 1st Air Commando Force, under the command of Colonel Philip G. Cochran (who was the model for "Flip Corkin" in Milton Caniff's "Terry and the Pirates" comic strip), flew P-52s, B-25s, and C-47s across Burma in 1944 in support of British General Orde Wingate's Chindits. The 1st Air Commando Force was disbanded shortly after WWII, but as a result of President John F. Kennedy's defense policy of waging limited war by fortifying U.S. allies, the all-volunteer 1st Air Commando Group was established to train COUNTERPARTS for rough terrain operations under primitive conditions in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, using C-46 and C-47 transports, stub-nosed B-26 light bombers, and single-engined prop-driven T-28 TRAINERs. See FARMGATE, JUNGLE JIM, DIRTY THIRTY, CHAPAKAO, ACG, ACSQ, ACW, SOW, USSOC, SPECIAL OPERATIONS; compare PJ.

AIRDALE :

any Naval aviator or aircrewman; also spelled "Airedale". See PILOT, BROWN SHOE / BOOT, BIRDMAN, GOOD STICK. [nb: a BULLETPROOF pilot's braggadocio is often expressed as "big sky, little bullet"]

AIRDROP :

to deliver personnel and/or equipment by PARACHUTE onto a DZ from an aircraft in flight, as in AIRBORNE transport or reinforcement, or in aerial supply or resupply; also called "para-drop" or simply DROP. See JUMPMASTER, DROPMASTER, LOADMASTER, CREW CHIEF, COMBAT LOADED, PAYLOAD, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP, HEAVY DROP, JPADS, DROP-TANK, LOG BIRD, ASH 'n' TRASH, HATCH, RAMP, TAILGATE.

AIRFIELD :

see RUNWAY.

AIR FORCE CROSS / AFC :

the nation's second highest award for valor; equivalent to the Navy Cross (NC) or Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). See GONG.

AIR FORCE GLOVES :

slang for having hands in pockets of uniform.

AIR GROUP :

administrative and tactical unit of the Air Force, containing two or more squadrons. Compare WING.

AIRHEAD :

the secure initial position of an airborne assault, used for further advancement and resupply, a foothold or WAY POINT; see AIRBORNE, DZ, HEAVY DROP, GANG-BANG, PHASE LINE, AIMPOINT, DROP-TANK; compare BEACHHEAD, BRIDGEHEAD. Also, name of the USAF theoretical "air power" think tank. [nb: MIL-PERS do not use this term in the context of civilian slang with the meaning of "empty headed", preferring more explicit or specific terms; see DOPE, DUD, YARDBIRD, MAGGOT, PUKE, DEADHEAD, LOOSE CANNON, TURD, SOS, SMACK, SHIT MAGNET, PYHOOYA, FIELD REJECT, HORSE MARINE.

AIR LANE :

a route regularly used by airplanes; also known as an "airway" or "skyway".

AIRLIFT :

the air transport of persons and/or cargo, especially during an emergency; see BERLIN AIRLIFT.

AIR MEDAL / AM :

awarded for heroic or meritorious service during aerial flight, with multiple awards numbered (instead of being increased by star or leaf). See DEVICE, V-DEVICE, GONG.

AIRMOBILE :

11th Air Assault Div

people or material delivered by helicopter; also called AIR ASSAULT, AIR CAV, HELIBORNE, and abbreviated AMBL or AM; see YELLOWLEG.

AIR STAIRS :

the portable or stowable stairway for aircraft crew and/or passenger ingress and egress; also known as "boarding ladder", and sometimes spelled "airstairs" or "air-stairs". Compare LADDERWELL, ACCOMMODATION LADDER; see RAMP, GANGWAY.

AIR STRIKE :

the bombing and/or strafing of enemy targets, personnel or strongholds, by military aircraft; sometimes spelled "airstrike". See SORTIE, PICKLE, CAS, STRAFE, GUN RUN, CAP.

AIRSTRIP :

see RUNWAY.

AIS :

(forthcoming); Automatic Identification System; compare IFF, SQUAWK, ELT, INS, HOMER, PIPSQUEAK, BLINKER, IDENTIFICATION PANEL. [cf: Selective Identification Feature (SIF); Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)]

AIT :

Advanced Individual Training, the specialized schooling following Basic Training (BCT). This specialized training given each soldier is based on his aptitude testing (eg: ASVAB, AFQT, AFGCT) and the needs of military requirements, resulting in a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designation (ie: MOS 11B10 / 11B20 received infantry training; 13E20 received artillery training; etc). [nb: sometimes erroneously interpreted as "Advanced Infantry Training"; see ACT, INF, CRUNCHY, GRUNT, 03, SNUFFY]

ALAMO SCOUTS :

reconnaissance unit, composed of Texas National Guardsmen and Filipino militia, integral to the Sixth Army in the Southwest Pacific theater during WWII; see RECON, RECONSTITUTED, BASTARD. [nb: on 26 Dec 1943, the Sixth Army also transformed the 98th Field Artillery Battalion, by refitment and retraining, into the 6th Ranger Battalion, which had the lowest casualties of any RANGER unit during WWII due to its intelligent applications]

ALCATRAZ :

NICKNAME for 4 Pho Ly Nam De (geo: 21 02 16N 105 51 00E; UTM: 48QWJ88302637), site of major NVN prison camp for captive allied population; also known as [nb: some names only refer to sections within this prison] Country Club Annex, Plantation West. Dates US POWs present: 25 Oct 67 to 09 Dec 69, and 01 Jul 70 to 17 Aug 70. Annex to 17 Pho Ly Nam De / CITADEL. This facility was a small jail that the French built prior to 1954. It was located on the grounds of the Ministry of Defense Headquarters Compound, behind the offices of the Military Arts and Literature Magazine (Van Nghe Quan Doi). According to Vietnamese sources, the Enemy Proselyting Department used this old jail to house American POWs it considered to be disciplinary problems. This jail was torn down sometime prior to 1991 and replaced by a multi-story apartment building that now houses PAVN officers and their families. See POW.

ALCE :

AirLift Control Element; a regional Tactical Airlift Command Post (eg: Sand Box ALCE was at Cam Ranh Bay, Rocket Alley ALCE was at Bien Hoa).

ALCM :

Air-Launched Cruise Missile, being a winged, jet-powered MISSILE designed to be launched from an aircraft to fly on automatic guidance toward the target at low altitude, with a range of almost 2500 miles.

ALFA :

the phonetic letter "A", commonly mistaken to be "alpha"; compare ZERO, WILLIE PETE. [v: Alphabet Codes]

ALI BABA :

USMC slang for Arabic hoodlums and looters in urban rubble during Operation Iraqi Freedom (Gulf War II); from the story of the poor woodcutter who uses the magic words "open sesame" to gain access to the treasure of the forty thieves in "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments". See RAGHEAD, ISAAC THE IRAQ, SCARAB THE ARAB, SANDY, HAJJI, MUJ, BAD GUYS, INSURGENT, TERRORIST, ALLAH'S WAITING ROOM. [aka: camel jockey, camel cowboy, goat roper, snake charmer, carpet pilot, rug rider, sand flea, sand monkey, sand nigger, desert darky, dune coon, tarsh, ali baba, ahab, aladdin, habib, zalama, zol]

ALICE :

acronym for All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment; see RUCK, MOLLE, LBE, LBV, WEB GEAR, STABO.

ALLAH'S WAITING ROOM :

during the GULF WAR, slang reference to any dwelling or building that shelters Islamic rebels or TERRORISTs during a shooting bout in which they hope to provoke an Alamo-like "last stand" of glorious martyrdom that will cost more Allied lives to clear or secure, also called "AWR" or "Alfa Whiskey Romeo" ... the assault force typically takes fire from such a structure, falls back, and calls ARTY or TAC-AIR onto the target, which is shortly obliterated, sending the defenders to meet their personal host of virgins in paradise. Compare SHADOW HOUSE; see RAGHEAD, ALI BABA, ISAAC THE IRAQ, SCARAB THE ARAB, MUJ, BAD GUYS, INSURGENT, TERRORIST.

ALL AMERICAN :

another name for the automatic AMBUSH, as in the parlance of ACR elements in Vietnam during 1970; see MA, ALPHA-ALPHA. Also, NICKNAME of the 82nd Airborne Division, which deployed its 3rd Brigade as part of the 1968 Tet Counter Offensive; as derived from the "double A" shoulder PATCH; see ALMOST AIRBORNE.

ALLIGATOR :

informal Marine designation for WWII-era track-driven LANDING CRAFT, such as the LVT and LVTA as designed by Donald Robling, also known as "swamp 'gator" or GATOR-FREIGHTER; compare GATOR, DUCK; see AMTRACK, AAV, TANGO BOAT, ELSIE, APC, LAV, TRACK.

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR :

a proverb by John Lyly in "Euphues" (1578), and later in "Horse-Shoe Robinson" (1835), meaning that rules don't apply when winning is paramount; often used as a defense of cheating. The "level playing field" and "fair play" are sports metaphors dealing with competition, while the process of war is to seek an advantage over an opponent, and then ruthlessly exploit it to utterly defeat or destroy them. A similar catch-phrase attributed to both Edward Francis Albee and W.C. Fields is "Never give a sucker an even break!". Another apt phrase meaning without limits, rules, or restraints is: "no holds barred". See KNOCK IT OFF, UPHILL BATTLE, WARNING SHOT, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE).

ALLY :

a nation, organization, or group formally associated or connected in a mutual relationship for some common cause or purpose, as to unite by treaty, covenant, or compact; derived from "bind". Also, the member peoples of such a league, confederation, bloc, union, cartel, or syndicate. See BLUE FORCE, GREEN FORCE, UN, NATO, BIG FIVE, ABCD, LEAGUE OF NATIONS. [nb: purportedly, the military uses the term "joint" (to join) to indicate two or more elements from the same service or nation, and the term "combined" (by twos) to indicate two or more interservice or international elements, hence a "joint action" might involve the Army and Navy, while a "combined action" might involve the US and UK; additionally, the term "composite" (put together) indicates a compound of disparate elements forming a whole, while the term "component" (put together) indicates constituent elements of a greater whole]

ALMOST AIRBORNE :

82nd Abn Div

slang designation for the 82nd Airborne Division, made famous during WWII, and conventionally known as ALL AMERICAN (AA). During the VIETNAM WAR, the 3d Bde of the 82nd Abn Div was so NICKNAMEd by wordplay, along with "All Assholes", "All Afros", and "Air Mattress" from their comfortable duty assignment. Although the Joint Chiefs of Staff considered deploying the entire 82nd Airborne Division in response to the Tet Offensive, only the 3rd Brigade ever received such orders, serving in Vietnam between 18 February 1968 and 11 December 1969. Attached to the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), the 3rd Brigade fought in I Corps, primarily in Hue. Late in 1968, the 3rd Brigade was moved south to Saigon to defend Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The ALMOST AIRBORNE appellation also refers to the fact that both the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions have, throughout their combat history, accepted replacements who are less than fully qualified (eg: WWII three-jumps-in-one-day ("3-in-1") paratroopers) and unqualified (eg: air assault substituted for airborne in division training) infantrymen.

ALO :

Air Liaison Officer.

ALPHA :

civilian (mis-)spelling of the international phonetic letter "A"; see ALFA. Also, the first, beginning, or foremost in a series, as from alpha to omega [cf: aleph, alif]. Also, the highest ranking in a dominance hierarchy, as the "alpha female" is superior or preeminent in the band or pack.

ALPHA-ALPHA :

Automatic AMBUSH, a combination of CLAYMORE mines configured to detonate simultaneously when triggered by a TRIPWIRE or battery mechanism; also called ALL AMERICAN, and properly designated as a Mechanical AMBUSH (MA).

ALPHABET SOUP :

slang for the complex mixture of abbreviations and acronyms that comprises MIL-SPEAK and bureaucratic organization; first applied metaphorically to the "alphabet agencies" of FDR's pre-WWII "New Deal" government expansion, which has since metastasized. Also, slang for the message codes used to verify or authenticate COMMO traffic; see KAK, SHACKLE, CIPHER, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, CODEWORD, CODENAME, PROWORD, CODE TALKER, TAP CODE, BREVITY CODE, ACRONYM. [v: Alphabet Codes] [v: cuneiform, Linear-A / Linear-B, Runic, Ogham (Ogam/Ogum), Gaelic, Devanagari, Hangul, Wade-Giles, pinyin, wen-yen, pai-hua, orthography, lexicology; cf: kanji, seal script, logographic radical, logogram, ideogram, glyph, hieroglyph, pictograph, rebus, semiotics]

ALPHA BOAT :

Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB). A light, fast shallow draft boat designed specifically to provide close support to riverine infantry. Armament consisted of machineguns (M-60 and M-2), plus whatever else the crew could scrounge, including M-79 BLOOPER and M-72 LAW. See MRF, PCF, PBR, TAB, LANDING CRAFT.

ALPHA BRAVO :

slang expression for an AMBUSH.

AL-QAIDA COCKTAIL :

a foul slurry of spit, urine, feces, food, and other waste that's thrown at Military Police guards at refugee camps and detainment centers, as derived from the name of the most renown Islamic TERRORIST organization, whether or not the radical demonstrator is a member.

ALS :

Automatic Landing System, an automated control mode for aircraft recovery; see TOUCHDOWN, THRESHOLD, BOUNCE, PANCAKE, AUGER-IN.

ALUMINUM OVERCAST :

slang for the Boeing B-52 heavy strategic bomber that's designated STRATOFORTRESS; also called BUF / BUFF, Aluminum Eclipse, and Monkey-Killer.

ALUMINUM RAIN :

the aircraft parts, along with other debris or detritus, that falls to earth after a midair collision or explosion; such as the "aluminum trail" along the LEDO ROAD or the HUMP. See PANCAKE, GROUND LOOP, NOSEDIVE, AUGER-IN, TURN TURTLE, BLACK BOX; compare SHRAPNEL, DIRTY RAIN.

AM :

Amplitude Modulation, sometimes called "midwave" (MW); signal method in which the amplitude of the radio carrier wave varies; see RADIO WAVE, RADIO. Also, abbreviation for AIRMOBILE; see YELLOWLEG. Also, abbreviation for AIR MEDAL.

AMBUSH :

a sudden or unexpected attack from a concealed position, or the concealed position for such an attack; also called ambuscade, ALPHA BRAVO, HARDSPOT, MA, WIDOW MAKER, ALPHA-ALPHA, ALL AMERICAN, bushwhack, BOOBY-TRAP, STALKING HORSE, RECON BY FIRE, STAY BEHIND. Depending upon terrain and unit size, an AMBUSH is usually configured in an I, L/J, C/U, T, V, or X pattern, TRIGGERed with either an automatic TRIPWIRE or a command detonation, and the KILL ZONE lacks COVER. The only "proper" reaction to an AMBUSH is to break through it, but that's more a matter of luck and instinct than skill and assessment. See PUNJI STAKE, LAW OF AVERAGES, FORCE MULTIPLIER; compare CONTACT, FIREFIGHT, SPOILING ATTACK, PITCHED BATTLE, MEETING ENGAGEMENT, BATTLEFIELD.

AMC :

USAF Air Mobility Command; compare ATC, ATS, MAC, MATS, SPACE A, DEADHEAD.

AMERICAL :

23rd Inf Div

name of the 23rd Infantry Division, being a contraction of "America" and "New Caledonia" from WWII; also called "Southern Cross" from its shoulder PATCH. After the My Lai MASSACRE and its abortive cover-up, as the parent unit for the 11th Inf Bde, it became known as "the unit that couldn't even do wrong right!". See BUTCHER BRIGADE, BURNING WORM, SLOW MATCH.

AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE :

a religious affiliate organization of the American Society of Friends (Quaker), founded in April 1917, which works for social justice and human rights, peace and reconciliation, and provides humanitarian relief. Because Quakers traditionally oppose violence in all of its forms and therefore refuse to serve in the military, the original mission of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) was to provide conscientious objectors (COs) to war with a constructive alternative to military service. Members of pacifist churches (eg: Quakers, Mennonites, Brethren, and the Amish) were legally exempt from the draft, but since individual state draft boards interpreted the law in a variety of ways, there was inconsistent application. During WWI, AFSC provided food and workers in France for relief and medical care of refugees, repair and rebuilding of houses, and founding of a maternity hospital. After the war, the AFSC began working in Russia, Serbia, and Poland with orphans and with the victims of famine and disease; and in Germany and Austria, where they set up kitchens to feed hungry children. During the rise of Nazism, AFSC helped refugees escape from Europe, provided relief for children on both sides of the Spanish CIVIL WAR, and provided relief to refugees in Vichy France. After WWII ended, they did relief and reconstruction work in Europe, Japan, India, and China. In 1947, they worked to resettle refugees from the partition of India, and in the Gaza Strip. As the Cold War escalated, the AFSC was involved in relief and service efforts around the world in conflicts including the Korean War, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and the 1962 Algerian war of independence. Beginning in 1966, the AFSC developed programs to help children and provided medical supplies and artificial limbs to civilians in both North Vietnam and South Vietnam. During the Nigerian-Biafran War, the AFSC provided relief to civilians on both sides of the conflict. The AFSC supported the rights of the Japanese-Americans during their WWII internment, and has worked to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons as part of the peace movement. Since the commencement of the Iraq War in 2003, the AFSC has circulated an exhibit, entitled "Eyes Wide Open", that purportedly displays one pair of combat boots for every American killed and one pair of shoes for every civilian casualty, a gambit alleged to be a "reminder of the human costs of war". The AFSC has been criticized, both within and without its spiritual community, for deemphasizing volunteerism, for eliminating youth programs, and for politicizing its religious foundation, especially when lending "aid and comfort" to America's enemies in time of war, which has drawn the attention of FBI investigators. See CO, Corb, PACIFIST, protestor; compare IVS, IRC, PEACE CORPS, CA, ADV.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION :

the American colonial war (1775-83) for independence from Great Britain was caused by the "Intolerable Acts" subsequent to the 1763 Treaty of Paris ending the French and Indian Wars. The grievances submitted to the King of England by the Continental Congress in 1774 were overtaken by events before they could be remedied when the Battles of Lexington and Concord fired the "shot heard round the world" on 19 April 1775. Fort Ticonderoga was taken from the British on the same day that the Second Continental Congress met, appointing George Washington commander of colonial forces. The Declaration of Independence was conventionally dated 4 July 1776, and the British finally capitulated at Yorktown on 19 October 1781, which conclusion was recognized by the 3 September 1783 Treaty of Paris. Also known as the "American War of Independence" or "War of Independence".

AMF :

dysphemistic abbreviation, based upon the then popular brand of recreation and sports equipment (which corporate advertising re-interpreted its initials to mean "America's Manufacturer of Fun"), for the false benediction "Adios, Mother Fucker", which was the GRUNT's typical blessing for a dead enemy; see XIN LOI, SHIT HAPPENS, FIDO, ZIP. Also, abbreviation for 'Arbeit Macht Frei' from Nazi CONCENTRATION CAMPs as a derogation of Jews or Jewish culture.

AMMO :

AMMunitiOn; see LINK AMMO, TRACER, BULLET, DUMDUM, CARTRIDGE, SHELL, BEEHIVE, HOT SHOT, CANISTER, COFRAM, WP, HE, HEAT, SABOT, CALIBER, MUNITIONS, WARHEAD, BLANK, SIM-AMMO, SILENCER, MAG, DRUM, C-CLIP, CLIP, BANDOLEER, BANANA CLIP, AMMO CAN, DUMP, EOD, UXO, DEACTIVATE. [nb: long barreled weapons (including RIFLE, BAR, CAR, MG) fire the same type of AMMO, and short barreled weapons (including SMG, PISTOL) shoot the same kind of AMMO.] [nb: RIFLEd guns are denoted "inch" (eg: 3" Field Gun called "three incher"), which is the diameter of the projectile, while SMOOTHBORE cannons are denoted "pound" (eg: 12# Mountain HOWITZER called "twelve pounder"), which is the weight of the projectile] [nb: although "gauge" is actually a measure of weight (not size), representing the bore diameter sized to equal the number of lead balls of that diameter to weigh one pound avoirdupois (12ga converts to .69cal), but the so-called ".410ga" SMOOTHBORE barrel is actually a caliber] [v: Firearms Glossary]

AMMO CAN :

.50cal MG ammo can

AMMunitiOn ContAiNer; a stackable air-tight and waterproof container, with a latch closure and a recessed handle, sized by the CALIBER of its contents. See AMMO, LINK AMMO, CARTRIDGE, CLIP, BANDOLEER.

AMRAAM :

designation for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air MISSILE (AAM) using active RADAR guidance; commonly called "Slammer".

AMTRACK :

informal designation for an AMphibious TRAC[K]tor (LVTP-7), being a propeller-driven LANDING CRAFT that's also equipped with TRACKs so the cargo of 20 men and materiel can be driven inland from the BEACHHEAD, used like an amphibious APC by Marines; succeeded by the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) called "Tuna Boat". See ALLIGATOR, TANGO BOAT, ELSIE, APC, LAV, TRACK; compare DUCK.

ANC :

abbreviation for Army Nurse Corps; established 2 February 1901, granted full military standing 1943, transferred from relative to regular rank status 1947, and integrated into the Armed Forces 1978; nurses are commonly known as ANGELs. Approximately 1100 Army nurses volunteered for service in the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, and 59,000 volunteered during WWII, with 16 dying as a result of enemy action in WWII and 1 KIA in Vietnam (LT Sharon A. Lanz at Chu Lai on 8 June 1969). Despite the fact that civilian male nurses had been licensed for decades, the military nurse corps were exclusively female until 9 August 1955. [nb: Navy Nurse Corps established 1908]

ANCHOR CLANKER :

rhyming slang referring to a sailor, seaman, seafarer, gob, SWABBY, SQUID, WHITE CAP, BLUE JACKET, or OLD SALT.

AN CUT :

Vietnamese term for "eat shit".

ANG :

Air National Guard; see NG, WEEKEND WARRIOR, MILITIA, PARAMILITARY, DRAFT, DRAFTEE.

ANGEL :

slang for a vagrant image on a RADAR screen, such as the track of a low-flying bird. Also, altitude expressed in thousands of feet above ground level (AGL); compare CUPID. Also, common expression for a female nurse; see ANC, SKIRT, QUEEN FOR A YEAR, ROUND EYE; compare MEDIC, CORPSMEN, DOC, BONE CUTTER, ORDERLY, BAND-AID.

Nurse Merit

[nb: Aside from nursing sisters performing their religious vocation in hospices and hostels, women began volunteering for nursing service during the Crimean War (1853-6) and the American CIVIL WAR (1861-5). When neither Union nor Confederate governments could agree on the status and disposition of noncombatants, a CSA surgeon named Hunter Holmes McGuire established a policy of unilateral repatriation of medical staff, which was codified two years later by federal regulations, protecting physicians, nurses, sutlers, and civilians in the combat zone. Dorothea Lynde Dix, a hospital reformer, was appointed (10 June 1861) Superintendent of Women Nurses for the Federal government, where she established staffing policies and procedures without precedents, and arranged for training and supplies within and without the military. Clara Barton, who later (1881) established the American Red Cross, was known by Federal troops as the "Angel of Mercy". More than 1100 women worked as contract nurses during the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR due to epidemic diseases, which caused ten times more casualties than combat. Although a separate medical department was established in the U.S. Army in 1818, and in the U.S. Navy (BuMed) in 1842, the Army did not establish a corps for nurses (ANC) until 1901, and the Navy only accepted nurses in 1908. Women also served as contract workers in service jobs, including dietetics and nursing, during WWI, but didn't qualify for protected military status under the conventions of war, and were ineligible for veteran's benefits after the war. On 3 July 1943, the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) and the Women's Army Corps (WAC) were admitted to full military status by Congress. All separate women's military service corps were dissolved in 1978 when female servicemembers were integrated into the RANKS; and their roles further expanded in 1994.] [nb: despite the fact that civilian male nurses had been licensed for decades, the military nurse corps were exclusively female until 1955] [nb: responding to a public appeal to care for the wounded at the outbreak of the CIVIL WAR, Sally Louisa Tompkins opened and operated a private hospital at personal expense in the Judge John Robertson house, Richmond Virginia, where 1333 soldiers were treated, with only 73 of them dying, throughout the war. She was commissioned (9 Sept 1861) a CSA Captain of cavalry to circumvent the regulation requiring all hospitals to be managed by the military, and to enable her to draw medical supplies from scarce stores. "Captain Sally" was the first nurse and the only woman commissioned into the military for a century. Her charity work on behalf of veterans eventually exhausted her fortune, compelling her to move into the Confederate Women's Home in 1905, where she died in 1916, and was buried with full military honors.]

ANGEL'S WING :

distinctive Cambodia/SVN border feature near Tay Ninh; see PARROT'S BEAK, FISHHOOK, DOG'S FACE, ELEPHANT'S FOOT, BLACK LADY MOUNTAIN.

ANGKOR WAT :

the national and spiritual symbol of Cambodia, as the largest and best preserved Khmer temple in the vast Angkor complex of carved statues, gateways, towers, and temple ruins; also known as "Anghkor Vat" or "Norkor Temple", it is located in northwest Cambodia, near the modern city of Siem Reap. In the khmer cosmogony, the pedestal of the temple represents the Mount Meru, structure of the Universe, the top being the central sanctuary of Cambhu, the kind lord creator of the world, divinity of predilection of the King founder. The King was the intercessor between the sky and the land, between the gods and men. [cf: a ruined city named Pagan, located in central Burma (Myanmar) on the Irrawaddy River, is one of the great archaeological treasures of Southeast Asia and is a holy place of pilgrimage; founded around 849, it was adorned by thousands of Buddhist shrines and temples during the 11th century, then occupied by the Mongols in 1287, and was finally sacked and burned by the Shans in 1299; a 1975 earthquake damaged much of the remaining architecture] Also, one of the primary ossuaries of the Cambodian HOLOCAUST by the KHMER ROUGE implementing their genocidal YEAR ZERO program. [nb: despite Congressional junkets (including Bella Abzug in 1973) and notable VIP visits (including Jacqueline Kennedy in 1967), the U.S. refused to intervene in "the killing fields", and declined refugee assistance ... another shameful episode in America's moral decline! Ironically, Vice-President Spiro T. Agnew gave Lon Nol a WHITE ELEPHANT as a token of American commitment. When US Ambassador John Gunther Dean offered to evacuate Cambodia's leadership, he was mystified by their almost unanimous refusal ... Sirik Matak, a former Cambodian prime minister, sent his refusal in a note, handwritten in elegant French: "Dear Excellency and Friend, I thank you very sincerely for your letter and for your offer to transport me towards freedom. I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion. As for you, and in particular for your great country, I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty. You have refused us your protection, and we can do nothing about it. You leave, and my wish is that you and your country will find happiness under this sky. But, mark it well, that if I shall die here on this spot and in my country that I love, it is no matter, because we all are born and must die. I have only committed this mistake of believing in you. Please accept, Excellency and dear friend, my faithful and friendly sentiments." It took Sirik Matak, after being shot in the abdomen and denied all medical care, three days to die.]

ANGLES 'n' DANGLES :

NavSpeak slang for the steep and rapid operation of a SUBMARINE through changes in direction and depth, as if maneuvering like an aircraft underwater; compare YANK 'n' BANK.

ANGLICO :

Air and Naval Gunfire LIaison COmpany, which deploys joint Navy and Marine teams as forward observers (FO) to ground elements.

ANGRY :

slang for class of radios designated "AN/GRC-", with numeric identification appended, such as AN/GRC-87, AN/GRC-109; see RADIO, RTO.

AN KHE PASS :

a dramatic mountain pass west of An Khe on Highway 19, and east of MANG YANG PASS; see STREET WITHOUT JOY, THUNDER ROAD, HAI VAN PASS.

ANNAM :

name for the central section of Vietnam under the French INDOCHINA Protectorate, meaning "Peace of the South"; compare COCHIN CHINA, TONKIN.

ANNEX :

an addition, appendix, addendum, codicil, or supplement to a document. Also, a subsidiary building; also, an extension or addition to a structure. Derived from "attach, bind". See PARTY SUIT, DIRTY SHIRT, SLOP CHUTE, CANTEEN, SHADOW OF THE FLAGPOLE, POW. [cf: barrelhouse, cocktail lounge, saloon, roadhouse, speakeasy, blind pig / blind tiger, pub, ginmill, public house, tavern, cantina, bar, barroom, grogshop, watering hole, honky-tonk, dive, brasserie, bistro, taproom, beer joint, beer parlor, alehouse, rathskeller, cabaret, nightclub, drinkery]

ANTENNA FARM :

major communications center, also called "ant farm"; featuring many types and sizes of broadcast and reception antennas, that's usually maintained by a Signal Company for a separate Brigade or larger unit. See COMM SHACK, RRD, DITTY-BOP, RADIO, COMMO.

ANTIBIOTIC :

any of a large group of bacteriostatic chemical substances, from sulfa drugs (sulfanilamide) to streptomycin, used to treat wounds, burns, infections, and infectious diseases; also spelled "anti-biotic". MIL-PERS often deliberately mispronounce 'penicillin' as "penis-cillin" due to its common treatment for venereal disease (VD/STD); a familiar ditty from end-of-tour exams was: "If you're dripping, you're not shipping!". See CLAP, SHORT ARM, PRO KIT. [nb: When STAY BEHIND troops formed GUERRILLA forces in the Philippines during WWII, they asked "Bug-Out Doug" for medicine and materiel in support of their efforts, but were told that resistance was both impossible and illegal ... to which LTC Wendell W. Fertig replied: As per your last Valentine, send drugs to treat toxic VD contracted from leaders!]

ANTI-TERRORISM :

the use of offensive and defensive stratagems, including terror tactics against TERRORISTs, revolutionaries, religious fanatics, and other sociopolitical radicals; also known as COUNTER-TERRORISM. See UW, COUNTER-GUERRILLA, COUNTERINSURGENCY, ASYMMETRIC WARFARE GROUP, CONSTABULARY, IRREGULARS, OPLAN 7500, TIWG, DHS, DOOR KICKING, KILL HOUSE, GWOT, WAR ON TERROR, PATRIOT ACT. [v: uprising, insurrection, insurgency, revolt, rebellion, takeover, toppling, outbreak, break-out, overthrow, break-through, downfall, mutiny, turning point, putsch, coup, coup d'état, or intifada (der: "shaking off")]

ANZAC :

Australian and New Zealand Armed Corps, used in the sense of both the force and any individual member thereof; see AATTV, ATFV, AUSSIE, KIWI, ANZUS, KANZUS, ASEAN, SEATO. [nb: ANZAC MEMORIAL DAY, observed on April 25th of each year, commemorates the devastating losses which Australian and New Zealand forces suffered at Gallipoli in 1915]

ANZUS :

a 1951 defense agreement between Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. as a result of new relations with Japan, being a mutual assistance pact to its signatories; also called "ANZUS Treaty". New Zealand suspended its membership in 1986 when it refused to permit nuclear-powered ships to enter its ports. See SEATO, ASEAN, KANZUS, FWF.

AO :

Area of Operations, which may also be represented as "A/O" or "A-O"; and is called "Theater of Operations" (TO) by USN / USMC, and "Area Of Responsibility" (AOR) by USCG; and has been lately redesignated "Military Operational Area" (MOA). Compare TAOR, CHOP LINE, OA, UA.

AOB :

(a-o-b) Advanced Operations Base; being a small temporary base, ashore or afloat, with minimal facilities that may include an airfield or anchorage, that's established near or within a SPECIAL OPERATIONS area for command and control, support and training of tactical operations. Compare FOB, CP, MOB, FSB, BASE CAMP, BASE.

AO BA BA :

traditional Vietnamese black pajamas, worn by men and women for work and leisure; compare AO DAI.

AOC :

Air Operations Center; see COMMANDO INDIAN, OPIUM DEN, FOC, TAOC, ADOC, ASOC; compare TOC, CTOC, JOC, CMOC, WAR ROOM, OPN.

AO DAI :

traditional slit-skirted dress and trousers worn by Vietnamese women, adopted from similar Chinese dress. Compare CHEONGSAM, KIMONO, HANBOK.

A-OK :

informal verbal response, equivalent to affirmation or confirmation; usage apparently derived from a shortening of the facetious misspelling (ol' korreckt) of "all correct". An added letter (A-OKay) is primarily used in RTP to increase emphasis or improve clarity, such as the way "niner" is used to prevent misunderstandings. See PROWORD, RADIO.

A-1 / A-ONE :

excellent, best, or first class; from initial or top RANK in both letters and numbers. See BRAVO ZULU, ATTABOY, YOUNG LIONS, GONG, GREEN WEENIE, STREAMER, BRAGGING RIGHTS, TOP DOG, POWER WALL.

AOR :

Area Of Responsibility, being the area of operations as designated by the US Coast Guard (USCG); compare AO, TO, OA, MOA, TAOR, CHOP LINE, UA.

AP :

Air Police, being USAF Security Police (SP) or Combat Security Police (CSP), commonly known as "APes"; see POLICE. Also, Anti-Personnel, such as CLAYMORE, TOE-POPPER, and IED mine [nb: attitudes about the utility and brutality of AP mines changed during the American CIVIL WAR]. Also, Armor Piercing, as Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) or Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) armor piercing HOWITZER round. Also, USN abbreviation for a non-landing troop ship; a transport. Also, Vietnamese term for hamlet; compare XOM, XA.

APACHE :

US Army AH-64 series (eg: AH-64D = Long Bow APACHE) of attack helicopters that succeeded the COBRA for Close Air Support (CAS) of ground troops; see CHOPPER.

APC :

Armored Personnel Carrier, typically M-113, used to transport infantrymen to the combat zone as swiftly and securely as possible, being a "battlefield taxicab" [nb: automobile taxis were actually used during WWI]; informally known as "box" for their appearance, or "can" for their construction. APCs include the Infantry Fighting Vehicles and armored cavalry scout vehicles (such as M-114 recon APC, M-125 w/81mm mortar APC, M-106 w/4.2" mortar APC, M-132 flamethrower APC, M-548 cargo APC, M-577 command APC), and were driven by either the Chrysler 209HP gasoline engine or General Motors 215HP diesel engine. See GAVIN, BRADLEY, STRYKER, LAV, HALF-TRACK, ARMORED CAR, TANK, TRACK, AAV, TANGO BOAT, ZIPPO, SPONSON, SPALL. Also, an Aspirin Phenacetin Caffeine compound, or a generic extra-strength aspirin, being a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that's used chiefly as an antipyretic and analgesic; compare ASA, see MED BAG, SICK CALL.

APD :

a high-speed troop transport vessel converted from a WWII destroyer; see TIN CAN.

APDS :

Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot ammunition; see AP, SABOT.

APHE :

Armor Piercing High Explosive ammunition; see AP, HE.

API :

Armor Piercing Incendiary ammunition; see AP.

APO :

Army and Air Force Post Office; compare FPO. Personal letters sent from Vietnam were delivered without postage if marked "FREE" in place of the stamp. [nb: 5-digit Zone Improvement Code (ZIP) (invented by Robert A. Moon in 1944) introduced 1963; 9-digit ZIP+4 code introduced 1983]

APOCALYPSE :

the Second Indochina War, characterized by PROTESTORs as the locus for widespread destruction, or the paradigm for universal disaster. Term actually designates a prophetic revelation of divine intent, especially concerning a cataclysmic confrontation between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Staging this war as a morality play, entitled armageddon, that was hysterically produced in the SEA theater for a global audience by pathetic incompetents, effectively trivialized a tragedy into a catastrophe (ie: a fiasco with a disastrous end). See BEST AND BRIGHTEST, WAR POWERS ACT, POSSE COMITATUS, DECENT INTERVAL, HOLOCAUST, ATROCITY, RUMOR, DISINFORMATION, FRUIT FLY, FIFTH COLUMN, NEW MOBE, YIPPIE. [v: Myths of the Vietnam War] Also, any widespread destruction or universal disaster; see CBR, WMD, NUKE, GENOCIDE, OVERKILL, HEADHUNTING, TRIGGER-HAPPY, KILL 'EM ALL, WARMONGER, MASSACRE, TURKEY SHOOT, HOLOCAUST, RETALIATION. [nb: the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", or simply the FOUR HORSEMEN, being four allegorical agents of destruction, as described in Rev 6:2-8 Bible: symbolic of pestilence (white horse), war (red horse), famine (black horse), and death (pale horse)] [nb: the "Minotaur", a monster in classical Greek mythology, having the head of a bull on the body of a man and fed on human flesh, is representative of any person or thing that devours or destroys] [v: a "viaticum" is a provision or allowance of the necessary funds and supplies issued to a Roman soldier traveling to his last or final battle; which became the ecclesiastical Eucharist or Communion given to a dying person]

APPEASE :

to yield or concede, as to satisfy the belligerent demands of a nation, group, or person, in a conciliatory or propitiatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles; as derived from PEACE. Also, to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment, as to pacify, soothe, assuage, allay, placate, or relieve. See RAISON D'ETAT, TRUCE, COUP D'ETAT, ENTENTE, DETENTE, RAPPROCHEMENT, PACIFIST, PEACE; compare HARD-AND-FAST.

APRON :

the outer border or boundary area of an airstrip, especially the clear area (usually paved) near airfield buildings and HANGARs that's used for un-/loading, refueling, inspection, and parking aircraft; also called RAMP. See THRESHOLD, TOUCHDOWN, BOUNCE, RUNWAY, STRIP ALERT, REVETMENT, HOT-FUELING, FOD. [cf: esplanade]

APU :

Auxiliary Power Unit, the external energy source used to check aircraft systems before ignition; also known as "accumulator".

AR :

automatic rifle, or assault rifle; see AR-15, WIDOW MAKER, BLACK MAGIC, RIFLE, SMALL ARMS. Also, Army Reserve; see WEEKEND WARRIOR, MILITIA. Also, Army Regulation; see SCRIPTURES, ORDER.

ARA :

Aerial Rocket Artillery; an AH-1G COBRA attack helicopter equipped with four XM159C 19-rocket pods of 2.75" ROCKETs. See GUNSHIP; compare ARTY.

ARC :

airborne tab

any unbroken curve or arch; see TAB, Q-TAB, TRIPLE CANOPY. Also, abbreviation for AIDS-Related Complex; see CLAP, PRO KIT. Also, abbreviation for American Red Cross; see DOUGHNUT DOLLY, compare SALLY. [nb: the parent organization of the American Red Cross, being the International Red Cross based in Geneva Switzerland, should not be confused with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), despite their cooperation]

ARC LIGHT :

CODENAME for the B-52 aerial bombardments, a tactic known as "saturation" or CARPET BOMBING, against enemy positions in Southeast Asia; beginning on 18 June 1965 targeting a suspected Viet Cong base north of Saigon. In November 1965, B-52s directly supported American ground forces for the first time, and were used regularly for that purpose thereafter. Because these AIR STRIKEs were invisible and inaudible to ground troops, the Vietnamese called them "whispering death". See BDA, BOUNCE THE RUBBLE, BOMB 'EM BACK TO THE STONE AGE, STRATEGIC BOMBING.

ARGUS :

SENTRY or security guard; derived from mythic Greek giant with a hundred eyes. See ROADRUNNER, EARTH ANGEL, TRAIL WATCHER, GROUND OBSERVER CORPS.

ARM :

any weapon (eg: sidearm, SMALL ARMS). Also, abbreviation for ARMor branch; see HHC, LAAGER, YELLOWLEG; compare ACR, CAV.

ARMAGEDDON :

a final battle of complete destruction, or the place where the ultimate battle between good and evil will be fought, such as Megiddo (Rev 16:16) or Ragnarok. Also, any large-scale and decisive conflict.

ARMED FORCES :

the military collectively; also designated "Armed Services" and "Uniform Services" ... being a national organization that exists primarily, despite all the grandiloquent phrases and noble sentiments, to kill people and break things! See MIL-PERS, SOLDIER, SAILOR, MILITIA, WEEKEND WARRIOR, PARAMILITARY, STRIKER, RETREAD, DRAFTEE. [nb: as a euphemism for military or naval forces, "Uniformed Services" is particularly egregious for its deliberate omission of weaponry and its implications of servile servitude ... doormen, waitresses, repairmen, gardeners, and dog-catchers are in "uniformed service" ... airmen are in the Air Force!]

ARMOR :

a protective covering, especially metal plate, used as a defense against weapons by vehicles, craft, and people; see FLAK JACKET, HAPPY SUIT, OTV, IOTV, ESAPI, SAPI, FLAK VEST, CHICKEN PLATE, SKIN, HARDEN, HILLBILLY ARMOR, SPACED ARMOR, REACTIVE ARMOR, SPALL, SPONSON, CUPOLA, TURRET, APC, GAVIN, BRADLEY, STRYKER, LAV, HALF-TRACK, ARMORED CAR, TANK, TRACK, ARM, ACR, CAV, YELLOWLEG.

ARMORED CAR :

(forthcoming); including T-17E1 "Staghound" Arm Car w/37mm gun, T-17E2 Arm Car w/.50cal MG, M-20 Arm Car w/.50cal MG, M-8 Arm Car w/37mm gun, M-706 Cadillac Gage "Commando" Arm Car. See TRACK, HALF-TRACK, STRYKER, APC, LAV, SQUIRREL GUN.

ARMORER :

a person who makes or maintains weapons; formerly included the manufacture and repair of arms and armor, but in modern times has become synonymous with the servicing of firearms, a "gunsmith" or artificer.

ARMY CHRISTIAN :

a battlefield convert to religious salvation; someone who adopts the blessings and redemption of religion during a crisis of faith in his "baptism by fire". Due to the violent and stressful nature of combat, the proclamation that "there are no atheists in foxholes" is almost axiomatic, but some egregious conversions, notable for their overt hypocrisy, are shameless attempts to curry favor out of abject fear or blatant uncertainty. This designation may conjure allusions to "Christian soldiers", as in the 19th Century song "Onward Christian Soldiers" by Arthur Seymour Sullivan, or in the 1503 book "Manual of the Christian Knight" (also translated as "Handbook of the Christian soldier") by Desiderius Erasmus, but the American military is secular and non-sectarian, so the ARMY CHRISTIAN derives no socioeconomic benefit from his conversion, and any sociopolitical advantage obtained must be sustained by continued MIL-CRAFT performance. Compare RICE CHRISTIAN; see FOXHOLE CONVERSION, YELLOW DOG, TURNCOAT, BOYDLOOP, LAW OF AVERAGES, UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE, GOD SQUAD, SKY PILOT, PRAYER, SYMPATHY. [nb: "God is With Us" (Gott Mit Uns) was the motto of the Prussian Emperor, and was used by German soldiers during WWII; v: the Edict of Milan issued by Emperor Constantine the Great (Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) caAD313; cf: "whited sepulcher" (Matthew 23:27)]

ARMY SOUP :

the dependent children of PHILIPPINE SCOUTS; compare BRAT; see DRAG, SEPARATE RATS, CAMP FOLLOWER.

AR-15 :

Eugene Stoner designed predecessor of the M-16 assault RIFLE; see BLACK MAGIC, WIDOW MAKER, STONER.

ARPA :

Advanced Research Projects Agency; a separately organized research and development agency, under the direction and supervision of Defense Research and Engineering, Department of Defense. See DARPA.

ARPAC :

U.S. ARmy PACific command, properly known as USARPAC; see PACOM.

ARRS :

USAF Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service; also known as Air Rescue Service (ARS), both of which disappeared in the 1993 force restructuring. See PJ.

ARSOC :

U.S. Army Special Operations
Command patch

ARSOC

(are-sock) Army Special Operations Command, redesignated as "USARSOC" and USASOC (qv); see SOCOM, USSOC, SPECIAL OPERATIONS.

ARTICLE 15 :

summary disciplinary judgement of a soldier by his immediate commander, may result in fines, extra duty (ADY), or confinement in the STOCKADE/BRIG; but ARTICLE 15s do not become a permanent part of a serviceman's record. If an officer is given an ARTICLE 15, his next OER will show his inability, and he will have to resign from the military. See YELLOW SHEET, DRUMHEAD, OFFICE HOURS, ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, CAPTAIN'S MAST, UCMJ.

ARTICLE 31 :

provision in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for the protection of servicemembers against undue influence or coercion, establishing their right to legal representation and silence during formal questioning, such that statements may not be misconstrued; it states:

No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to incriminate himself or to answer any questions the answer to which may tend to incriminate him.
No person subject to this chapter may interrogate or request any statement from an accused or a person suspected of an offense without first informing him of the nature of the accusation and advising him that he does not have to make any statement regarding the offense of which he is accused or suspected, and that any statement made by him may be used as evidence against him in a trial by court-martial.
No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to make a statement or produce evidence before any military tribunal if the statement or evidence is not material to the issue and may tend to degrade him.
No statement obtained from any person in violation of this article, or through the use of coercion, unlawful influence, or unlawful inducement, may be received in evidence against him in a trial by court-martial.

[v: UCMJ Punitive Articles]

ARTILLERY FAN :

the scope and range of coverage by any artillery gun or integrated unit; being the area where artillery fire support is available.

ARTILLERYMAN :

artillerist, REDLEG, CANNON-COCKER, FAG; see ARTY.

ARTY :

abbreviation for ARTillerY, being the "King of Battle", shooting air-burst, impact, and delay rounds, mines and missiles, against personnel, vehicles, routes, fortifications. See AAA, ARA, BASE PIECE, BATTERY/BTY, BEEHIVE, BIG STUFF, BORESIGHT, BULL'S-EYE, CAISSON, CHOKE POINT, CONCRETE BATTLESHIP, DIME-NICKEL, DUD, DUFFEL BAG, ELEVATION, EMPLACEMENT, FA, FDC, FIREBALLING, FIRECRACKER, FIRE MISSION, FO, FSB/FB, FUZE, GUN TUBE, HEAVY STUFF, HHB, H&I, HOT SHOT, HOUSEWARMING, HOWITZER, I&I, KILLER JUNIOR, KILLER SENIOR, LAAGER, LIFT, LIMBER, LOST, MAIN-GUN, MARCHING FIRE, NLOS-C, ONE-OH-DEUCE, ONE-SEVENTY-FIVE, PENNY-NICKEL-NICKEL, PLUNGING FIRE, POINT-BLANK, PREP, PROJOS, PROLONGE, PROXIMITY FUZE, REGISTRATION, SALVO, SCREEN, SHELL, SHORT SHOT, SHOT IN, SHOT OUT, SP, SPONSON, TOWED, TOT, TRACK, TRAIL, TRAIN, TRANSOM, TRUNNION, TUBE, UNLIMBER, VOLLEY, VT, WHIZ BANG, ZERO, ZONE AND SWEEP; compare MORTAR, SMOOTHBORE. [nb: RIFLEd guns are denoted "inch" (eg: 3" Field Gun called "three incher"), which is the diameter of the projectile, while SMOOTHBORE cannons are denoted "pound" (eg: 12# Mountain HOWITZER called "twelve pounder"), which is the weight of the projectile] [nb: the Chinese first used bronze catapults and crew-served crossbows as seige engines or "cannons" against fortifications during the 4th Century BC; and launched explosive "thunder" bombs with iron cases from AD 1231. Cannon was first used in European warfare in ca1346.] [cf: bombard as the earliest type of indirect cannon launching stones, from "noise" (bomb) and "stone-throwing engine" (bombarda)] [nb: the surplus propellent from mortar and artillery fire can be ignited to sterilize the contents of a cesspool [eg: SLIT TRENCH, CAT HOLE], and thus maintain local sanitation]

ARV :

Armored Recovery Vehicle, including M-88 Light ARV, M-578 Heavy ARV, M-32 ARV; see VTR, LOW BOY.

ARVN :

Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnamese Army); established 11 May 1950. VIETNAM WAR Era ranks with US Army equivalents: TRUNG DINH, able bodied man (conscript); BINH NHI, Private 2nd Class (recruit); BINH NHAT, Private First Class (PVT); HA SI, Low Grade NCO (PFC); HA SI NHAT, Junior Grade NCO (CPL); TRUNG SI, Intermediate Grade NCO (SGT); TRUNG SI NHAT, Senior Grade NCO (SFC); THUONG SI, Superior Grade NCO (1sg); THUONG SI NHAT, Senior Superior Grade NCO (SGM); SINH VIEN SI QUAN, officer candidate (OC); CHUAN UY, student officer (cadet); THIEU UY, Jr Gr Jr Officer (2LT); TRUNG UY, Intermed Gr Jr Off (1LT); DAI UY, Sr Gr Jr Off (CPT); THIEU TA, Jr Gr Superior Off (MAJ); TRUNG TA, Intermed Super Off (LTC); DAI TA, Sr Gr Super Off (COL); CHUAN TUONG, Sub Gen (BG); THIEU TUONG, Jr Gr Gen (MG); TRUNG TUONG, Intermed Gr Gen (LTG); DAI TUONG, Sr Gr Gen (GEN); THUONG TUONG, Superior Gr Gen (GA). See AFVN; compare VNAF, VNN, VNMC.

ASA :

Army Security Agency, or U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA), called SENTINELS; the commo-crypto experts. Army Security was created 15 December 1952, and was merged to form Army Intelligence and Security on 1 July 1962, which was redesignated Military Intelligence (MI) on 1 July 1967. See INTEL, CIC. Also, AcetylSalicylic Acid, or generic aspirin, being a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that's used chiefly as an antipyretic and analgesic; compare APC, see MED BAG, SICK CALL.

ASAP :

(a-sap or a-s-a-p) acronym for As Soon As Possible; request for urgency. Compare PDQ, FORTHWITH, CHOGI, GOYA, SCRAMBLE, STAT, HAUL-ASS, JUICE, CHOP CHOP, RIKI TIK; see TOCSIN, KLAXON.

ASAS :

(a-essay-ess) [Royal] Australian Special Air Service, established 4 Sept 1964 from its 1957 predecessor, the 1st Special Air Service Company; as part of the Australian Defence Forces (ADF), it's the AUSSIE branch of the British SAS, which has served in combined operations with American SPECIAL FORCES in Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. See ATFV, AATTV, FWF.

ASAT :

Anti-SATellite, technology designed and weapons directed against enemy satellites.

ASDIC :

(az-dick) a form of echolocating SONAR, which is an acoustic pulse sent in water with its return measured as a distance and response angle, that's used to detect SUBMARINEs, as developed by the British in 1917; being an acronym for Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee, but also represented as the "Allied Submarine Detection Investigation Committee". This acronym was not abandoned in favor of SONAR until the NATO standardization of terms began in 1948. See SOSUS; compare UWT.

ASEAN :

(ah-see-ahn) Association of SouthEast Asian Nations ; see SEATO, ANZUS, KANZUS, PENTALATERAL AGREEMENT, UN.

ASGP :

Air Support Group.

ASH 'n' TRASH :

routine work or FATIGUE DUTY, especially administrative or logistic distribution DETAILs for headquarters (HQ, HHC, HHT). Also, distribution or ferry service assignments flown by unarmed helicopters (SLICK) and rated as "non-combat" (even though they were not always "safe" or BULLETPROOF!), such as transporting men from field to rear BASE CAMP, carrying resupply to forward areas, taking hot CHOW or mail out to the field, evacuating injured men, and so forth; also called "pigs 'n' rice" or "trash hauler", but was commonly perverted into "ass and trash" by many IN COUNTRY aircrews. See CA, VR, CHOPPER, LOG BIRD.

A SHAU VALLEY :

the A Shau Valley is located in Thua Thien Province of I Corps near the Laotian border. Actually several valleys and mountains, the A Shau Valley was one of the principal entry points to South Vietnam of the HO CHI MINH TRAIL. It was an area that was critical to the North Vietnamese since it was the conduit for supplies, additional troops, and communications for units of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and VIET CONG (VC) operating in I Corps. Because of its importance to the NVA and VC, it was the target of repeated major operations by allied forces, especially the U.S. 101st Airborne Division. Likewise, it was defended vigorously by the NVA and VC. Consequently, the A Shau Valley was the scene of much fighting throughout the war, and it acquired a fearsome reputation for soldiers on both sides. Being a Veteran of A Shau Valley operations became a mark of distinction among combat Veterans. The most famous battle of the A Shau Valley was Operation Apache Snow, also known as Hamburger Hill. See PURPLE HEART VALLEY, DELAWARE.

ASHC :

Assault Support Helicopter Company.

ASHES TO ASHES :

an expression representative of death or decay, and symbolic of remorse, as inspired by the Bible; ash, a light silvery gray color, represents the residue, remnant, or remains of life, and denotes total finality. The phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" is from the English burial service, and is similarly expressed as "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust" in the Book of Common Prayer; both of which are related to "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return" [Genesis 3:19], and "I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee" [Ezekiel 27:18]. Phrase has often been irreverently expressed in doggerel as: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if the Lord won't take him, then the Devil must!" and "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, let's dump this fucker, and do what we must!".

ASI :

Additional Skill Identifier, being a prefix or suffix appended to an individual's MOS indicating their skill level; also known as Skill Qualification Identifier (SQI), examples include: 7 prefix for AIRBORNE officers, 3 prefix for SPECIAL FORCES officers, V suffix for AIRBORNE RANGER, S suffix for SPECIAL FORCES, F suffix for PATHFINDER, W suffix for JUMPMASTER, and so forth. See MOS, PMOS, AIT, AFEES, RECEPTION STATION, MEPS, ASVAB, AFQT, AFGCT, Q-COURSE, OJT, CROSS-TRAINING, MIL-CRAFT, PRO PAY, DOG TAG, BILLET, BERTH.

ASM :

Air-to-Surface MISSILE, also known as "air-to-ground missile" (AGM).

ASOC :

Air Support Operations Center; see AOC, ADOC, FOC, TAOC, OPN.

ASSAULT BOAT :

a beach-landing craft used to transport troops; also called "storm boat". See LANDING CRAFT, GATOR-FREIGHTER.

ASSEMBLY AREA :

area designated for personnel and units to form for coordinated launch or crossing of Initial Point (IP). See STAGE, STACK; compare PARADE GROUND.

ASVAB :

the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, being the exam that determines a servicemember's qualification for a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS); formerly called Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) and Armed Forces General Classification Test (AFGCT). See PMOS, DRAFT, McNAMARA'S HUNDRED THOUSAND, AIT, AFEES, MEPS, RECEPTION STATION, Q-COURSE, OJT, CROSS-TRAINING, BILLET, BERTH.

ASW :

Anti-Submarine Warfare; see HEDGEHOG, MAD, DASH, ORION, LIGHTNING, SEA KING, SEA SPRITE.

ASYMMETRIC WARFARE :

the ways and means of fighting IRREGULARS with conventional forces; as countering improvised weapons, GUERRILLA and TERRORISM tactics in the same way that the police must fight crime without becoming criminals themselves. Although a revolutionary may resist an unjust overlord and "move among the people like a fish in water", a TERRORIST exploits and injures the people around him, so the other "fish" must assist the "fishermen" in his efforts to remove the threat to their security. See UW, COUNTERINSURGENCY, COUNTER-GUERRILLA, ANTI-TERRORISM, SPECIAL OPERATIONS.

ASYMMETRIC WARFARE GROUP :

AWG

a COUNTERINSURGENCY unit, activated 8 March 2006 at Fort Meade, has been designed to fight asymmetric weapons (like Improvised Explosive Devices) and insurgent tactics (like suicide bombing and kidnapping); established with soldiers comprising more than twelve Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) for the purpose of assessing battle incidents, developing countermeasures, and training foreign and domestic personnel in their implementation. See UW, ANTI-TERRORISM, IRREGULARS, OPLAN 7500, SPECIAL OPERATIONS.

AS YOU WERE :

command responding to military protocol which restores previous posture or resumes prior proceedings; not to be confused with RECOVER. See CARRY-ON; compare BELAY.

AT :

Anti-Tank; see HEAT, APHE, API, LAW, RR, RPG, TOW, DRAGON'S TEETH. [v: panzerfaust] Also, abbreviation for ANTI-TERRORISM.

ATA :

Actual Time of Arrival; compare ATD, ETA.

ATC :

Air Traffic Control; see ATRC, SCOPE DOPE. Also, Air Training Command. Also, Air Transport Command, the WWII ferry shuttle of the U.S. Army Air Force; see ATS, MAC, MATS, AMC, SPACE A, DEADHEAD.

ATCA :

Advanced Tanker Cargo Aircraft; modified version of C-17A GLOBEMASTER transport, which is itself able to be refueled during flight. See TANKER, BIRD.

ATD :

Actual Time of Departure; compare ATA, ETA.

A TEAM :

the basic 12-man SPECIAL FORCES unit, also known as "Operational Detachment Alpha" (ODA) and sometimes spelled A-Team; consisting of specialists in weapons, demolitions, communications, medicine, intelligence, administration, and lately augmented by combat air controllers. With the CROSS-TRAINING and language skills of area-specific A TEAM members, it can train and advise a battalion sized partisan unit in combat operations. The A TEAM is subordinate to B TEAM and C TEAM detachments. [nb: The Rangers of World War II and Korea had been designed as light-infantry shock troops; their mission was to hit hard, hit fast, then get out so larger and more heavily armed units could follow through. Special Forces, on the other hand, were designed to spend months, even years, deep within hostile territory. They would have to be self-sustaining, without extensive resupply from the outside. They would have to speak the language and know the customs of their target area.] [nb: six A TEAMs or ODAs comprise a company (CO), three SF Companies comprise a battalion (BN), and four SF Battalions comprise a group (effective 2007); each active-duty SF Group specializes in the languages and cultures of a particular region (ie: 1st SFGA in East Asia; 3rd SFGA in Africa, Mid-East, and Central Asia; 5th SFGA in Mid-East and Central Asia; 7th SFGA in South America; and 10th SFGA in Europe)]

AT EASE :

a relaxed military posture in which the feet are spread shoulder width apart and the hands are loosely clasped behind the back, during which all positions in formation are maintained. Also, the command for interrupting talk or work, as when an officer enters the MESSHALL or DAYROOM. See THE BIBLE, ATTENTION, PARADE REST.

ATF :

Amphibious Task Force.

ATFU :

literally "Ate The/Those/Them Fuckers Up", as a brag or boast; compare PISSING CONTEST, SEA STORY, WAR STORY, COUNT COUP, SHOOT THE SHIT, TALK TRASH, BRAVO SIERRA, CHICKEN SHIT, RUMOR, MIL-SPEAK.

ATFV :

Australian Task Force Vietnam, also called "ATFG", being a detachment of the Australian Defence Forces (ADF); see AATTV, ASAS, ANZAC, KANZUS, FWF.

ATHWART :

from side to side, across, crosswise; not aligned or adjacent; see PITCH, YAW, ROLL, HEAVE, CAREEN, CRAB. Also, awry, perverse, contrary.

ATO :

Air Tasking Operation(s), including programmable target strike data.

ATRC :

Air Traffic Regulation Center; see ATC, SCOPE DOPE.

ATROCITY :

any extremely cruel or shockingly brutal act; something repugnant, detestable, abominable, or hateful. See NECKLACE, HAIRCUT AND MANICURE, DECAPITATION, MASSACRE, OVERKILL, KILL 'EM ALL, HOLOCAUST, APOCALYPSE, BODY COUNT, BUTCHER'S BILL, TURKEY SHOOT, TERRORIST, RETALIATION, WAR CRIMES TRIAL. [v: Myths of the Vietnam War] [v: Atropos; cf: Moirai, Parca, Fates] [nb: "He who commits the last atrocity is the one put on trial."]

ATS :

Air Transport Service, the commercial aircraft contracted to fly military cargo and personnel to international airports employing civilian crews; compare MATS, MAC, ATC, AMC, SPACE A, DEADHEAD.

ATTABOY :

slang expression for "well done" or "good job", derived from "that's the boy" (meaning "you the man"); as the proverbial "pat on the head/back/ass", being the necessary kudo or compliment to keep morale high so the mission can continue. Sometimes known as "stroking the troops", which means both "pet the animals" and "jerk 'em off"; as to satisfy their needs so as to satisfy command objectives. This often involved rewards or treats for achievement, such as IN-COUNTRY R&R, ice-cream delivered to the field, or early rotation to BASE CAMP. See BRAVO ZULU, A-1, TOP DOG, YOUNG LIONS, BROWN NOSER, GONG, GREEN WEENIE, STREAMER, BRAGGING RIGHTS, POWER WALL.

ATTENTION :

a rigid military posture in which the feet are angled from touching heels, the chin is tucked, and the unarmed hand(s) is curled along the trouser seam(s); may be conversationally expressed as "Lock your heels!" or "Lock his heels!", which is nonetheless an order for being informally rendered. See THE BIBLE, PARADE REST, EYE-BALL, AT EASE, DISMISS.

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT :

control by PILOT to affect the craft's or vessel's PITCH, YAW, or ROLL; see TRIM, CRAB, JINK, BANK, YANK 'n' BANK, AEROBATICS. Also, the motivation of performance directed MIL-PERS by command guidance or peer pressure, also called "wall-to-wall counseling"; see BLANKET PARTY, SQUEEZE, GIG, CALL ON THE CARPET, HAWK, FANG, NASTY-GRAM, DRUMHEAD, RIOT ACT, GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK, PAIN. [cf: kangaroo court, tribunal, sanhedrim]

AUGER-IN :

a crash or crash landing of an aircraft, especially a NOSEDIVE; see PANCAKE, ALUMINUM RAIN, BOUNCE, GROUND LOOP, TOUCHDOWN, ALS, AUTO-ROTATE, CHOPPER, BIRD. [nb: during the period of aeronautical experimentation, before powered flight was successful, headfirst or nose-down crashes were so common that the Wright brothers characterized their efforts as "well drilling"]

AUS :

U.S. Army

abbreviation for Army of the United States, which is commonly known as the United States Army (USA), a distinction that was codified by the 1920 National Defense Act. The AUS includes the Regular Army (RA), the National Guard (NG), and the Organized Reserve, entailing the ground, air, and amphibious forces of the Army.

AUSSIE :

(ozzie) NICKNAME for Australian ADVISORs and servicemen, also known as "Digger" or "Roo", from "Down Under" (antipodes) or the "Land of Oz"; see ANZAC, AATTV, ATFV, FWF, OUC DA LOI, ASAS, RAAF, ANZUS, KANZUS, ASEAN, SEATO; compare KIWI, TOMMY, GI JOE, GI. [nb: an AUSSIE task force fighting in the Pacific during WWII was called "Kanga Force"; and the kangaroo is a prominent national symbol]

AUTODIN :

Automatic Digital Network.

AUTO-ROTATE :

an unpowered controlled descent of a disabled helicopter, or to decelerate an unpowered helicopter by dissipating gravity through the turbine to slow descent; also called "hover auto-rotation". Similar to "engine breaking" a vehicle on a decline, it's a nonaerodynamic version of the fixed-wing "glide path" by prop free rotation. Compare AUGER-IN; see CHOPPER.

AUTOSEVOCOM :

Automatic Secure Voice Communications.

AUTOVON :

AUTOmatic VOice Network; see TELEPHONE.

AVENGER :

a Surface-to-Air MISSILE, which superseded RED EYE.

AVF :

All Volunteer Force; see VOLUNTEER, TOTAL FORCE, MUSTER, RA, CALL TO THE COLORS, COMBAT EFFECTIVE.

AVG :

the American Volunteer Group, commonly known as FLYING TIGERS, and later incorporated into the 23rd Fighter Group, 14th Air Force; it was organized with three squadrons in 1941 for the air defense of Nationalist forces in China by Claire Lee Chennault, flying escort and TAC-AIR, and was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps on 4 July 1942. See CNAC, CHINAT, POINTIE TALKIE, BLOOD CHIT. [v: blood chit]

AVIONICS :

the scientific development and technological use of electrical and electronic devices in aviation, such as RADAR and ECM, HUD and ALS, IRST and AESA; see BIRD.

AVLB :

Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge, later changed to Assault Vehicle Launched Bridge, being a high-strength temporary "humpbacked" bridge laid hydraulically from a TANK body, typically a Main Battle Tank (MBT) chassis; see BAILEY BRIDGE, PONTOON BRIDGE, BRIDGE RATING, ROUTE STEP, TREADWAY BRIDGE.

AVN :

aviation.

AW :

a magazine or belt-fed Automatic Weapon; more properly known as an "automatic loading weapon" or "autoloader", which firearms have a selector switch for "semi-automatic" (one shot for each trigger pull) and "fully-automatic" (multiple shots for each trigger pull).

AWACS :

(a-wax) Airborne Warning And Control System; see UMBRELLA, CAP, ORBIT, RACETRACK, STACK, VATLS, SIGHT PICTURE.

AWOL :

Absent WithOut Leave; also called FRENCH LEAVE. A charge more serious and difficult to prove than "Unauthorized Absence" (UA), and distinguished from desertion by one's intent to return. AWOL in a combat zone, especially during enemy contact, may be interpreted as desertion; but should not be confused with flight or ROUT during retreat. Compare DESERTER, TRAITOR, TURNCOAT.

AWOL BAG :

a small tote, over-night, or gym bag, so called since it could carry enough possessions to go OVER THE HILL [nb: unlike AWOL BAG, the FLIGHT BAG does not derive from "flee" or "take flight"]; compare FLIGHT BAG, MUSETTE, DUFFEL BAG, WAR BAG, BIVY. [nb: "rucksack" = back-sack; "knapsack" = bite/snap-up/eat, food sack; "kit-bag" = soldier's small bag/knapsack; "haversack" = single strap over one shoulder / musette] [cf: bundle, bindle/bindlea, swag, bluey, dilly bag, tucker-bag, bag, pouch, tote, sack, pack, grip, gripsack, overnighter, weekender, carpetbag, suitcase, portmanteau, Gladstone bag, traveling case, garment bag, Val-Pack, luggage; v: "scrip" wayfarer's bag or wallet; "viaticum" traveler's money and necessities]

AZIMUTH :

the horizontal deviation of a BEARING (usually in "degrees") measured from a standard reference (usually "magnetic north"). Navigation is a sophisticated military subject, involving trigonometry on land and calculus in air or at sea; and includes back-bearing, declination, foresight, latitude, longitude, mercator projection, meridian, minutes, rhumb, vernier, etc. See CONTOUR LINES, GRID COORDINATES, UTM, GPS, INS, LORAN, DEAD-RECKONING, SLANT DISTANCE, HEADING. [nb: the south-pointing compass, including the recognition of magnetic declination, was devised for military navigation during the third century BC as an application of Chinese astrology and geomancy]

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