-
CA :
-
in air operations, meaning Combat Assault, which flight time
counted more than resupply (ASH 'n' TRASH) or surveillance
(VR); and in ground operations, meaning Civil Affairs (or
Community Affairs), as related to Civic Action Program (CAP)
missions, including DENTCAP, ICAP, and MEDCAP, as conducted by
the proverbial "5 shop", as S-5/G-5/J-5 (v: J-CODES); see DP,
CAG, PHIL CAG, CAT, CAP, CAAT, CAMG, OOTW, USAID, IVS, WINNING
HEARTS AND MINDS; compare UW, FID, PSYOPS, DA, SF, SOF.
[nb:Civil Affairs sections have been redesignated as Resources,
and enumerated S-/G-8; while J-5 has been designated the Plans
section in latest references]
Also, designates a U.S. Navy armored heavy cruiser; a type of
WARSHIP; compare CL.
-
CAAT :
-
Combined Anti-Armor Team, consisting of several HMMWVs (High
Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle) equipped with TOW and
JAVELIN anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), heavy machineguns and
automatic grenade launchers. Also, Counterinsurgency Advisory and
Assistance Team; see ADV, COIN, UW.
-
CAB :
-
abbreviation for the Combat Action Badge, approved 27 May 2005,
for US Army personnel present and engaged in active ground combat
while serving at brigade level or smaller sized units in an area
designated for Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger supplemental pay,
but who are not eligible for either the Combat Infantryman's or
the Combat Medical Badge. This award culminates the extensive
efforts to recognize the combat service of artillerymen, tankers,
cavalrymen, combat engineers, and military policemen with a
distinctive badge; and it may be earned by other support
personnel if so engaged. If a servicemember is entitled to more
than one combat badge, only one may be worn at a time on the
uniform, with the CAB of lowest precedence. This badge was known
as the "Close Combat Badge" during its design and development
(officially announced 11 Feb 2005), but someone probably noticed
that Nazi Germany presented an award of the same name for the
same service during WWII, which undoubtedly hastened the change
of designation. During and after the VIETNAM WAR, an enlarged
specialty branch insignia surrounded by a wreath was circulated
as an unofficial "combat badge" for REDLEGs, MPs, and others. See
CIB, CMB.
-
CABLE :
-
any strong heavy ROPE or CORD made of twisted strands, especially
one made with metallic wire; see LINE. Also, a thick HAWSER made
of ROPE, wire, or chain. Also, a strong heavy ROPE or CORD that
operates a mechanism. Also, a unit of length equal to 720 feet on
land, or 606 feet at sea; see FATHOM, NAUTICAL MILE, KNOT, KLICK.
[nb: 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, 6 feet / 2 yards = 1
fathom, 16.5 feet = 1 rod (aka: pole or perch), 66 feet / 4 rods
= 1 chain (90 feet / 15 fathoms = 1 anchor chain), 10 chains /
660 feet (1/8 statute mile) = 1 furlong, 120 fathoms / 720 feet =
1 land cable, 101 fathoms / 606 feet (1/10 nautical mile) = 1
cable, 3 statute miles = 1 land league, 3 nautical miles = 1 sea
league / shot] [nb: a "geographic mile" is the length of a minute
of longitude on the equator]
-
CAC :
-
the Marine Combined Action Company; compare CACO, see CAP, CUPP,
CAG. Also, the rude Vietnamese word for "shit", as in "bu cac
toi"; see TRA CA, DUMP, TROTS, SQUIRTS, SLOP CHUTE, CAT HOLE,
SLIT TRENCH, LATRINE.
-
CACA DAU :
-
Vietnamese phrase for "kill you" or "you die". May be
personalized "I'll kill you" as TOI CACA DAU.
-
CACHE :
-
a hiding place for munitions, supplies, or other valuables, a
stash or hidey-hole; derived from "pack together" or stow. See
GLORY HOLE, SMUGGLER'S TRAP, DUMP, DEPOT.
[nb: the cellar or cache known as "The Douglas Larder" derives
from the incident, on Palm Sunday 1307, when Sir James Douglas
regained his castle by a ruse and, knowing that he could not hold
it, caused all the provisions to be heaped together, along with
the bodies of the slain prisoners and dead horses, pouring drink
and casting salt over all, then the castle entire was fired; cf:
wolverine]
-
CACO :
-
(kak-ko) in the Navy and Marine Corps, the Casualty Assistance
Calls Officer, being a duty detailed to someone of equivalent
RANK who is stationed near the home of the servicemember's next
of kin (NOK), often accompanied by a chaplain, so as to initiate
burial and survivorship procedures; this procedure is known as
Casualty Affairs or Survivor Assistance in the other service
branches. See KINFORMING, HUG SQUAD, GHOUL, SKY PILOT, GOD SQUAD,
WIA, DOW, KIA, MORTUARY AFFAIRS, GRAVES REGISTRATION.
Also, abbreviation for Marine Combined Action COmpany; compare
CAC, see CAP.
-
CACTUS :
-
the CODENAME for Guadalcanal during Operation Watchtower during
the period 31 July - 3 September 1942 in WWII.
-
CACTUS AIR FORCE :
-
the ensemble WWII Allied air power assigned to Guadalcanal,
particularly that operating from Henderson Field; which phrase
derives from the CODENAME ("Cactus") for the island.
-
CACTUS CURTAIN :
-
(forthcoming); see GITMO
Compare STAR WARS, MAGINOT LINE, SMEZ, BERLIN WALL, IRON CURTAIN,
BAMBOO CURTAIN, BAR LEV LINE, McNAMARA'S WALL, McNAMARA LINE,
CHINESE WALL, DEW LINE, PHASE LINE.
[cf: Hadrian's Wall, Antonine Wall, Great Wall of China] [nb: the
Dutch built Wall Street (1652-98) as a defense against the
British in New York] [nb: "The strength of a wall is neither
greater nor less than the men who defend it." by Genghis Khan]
-
CADENCE :
-
rate of march, as coordinated by rhythmic beats or chants. See
JODY CALL, CHANTEY, HEP, BY THE NUMBERS, QUICK TIME, DOUBLE TIME,
FUNERAL PACE, PARADE, MARCH, MARK TIME, ROUTE STEP, STUTTER-STEP,
WALK LIKE A PUSSY, DITTY-BOP, HOISE, BEATERS 'n' BLEATERS,
TOOTER. [cf: ballad, chanson, lay, air, tune, ditty, carol]
[eg:
C-130 comin' down the strip,
Airborne daddy gonna take a little trip.
Stand up! Hook up! Shuffle to the door!
Jump right out and count to four.
If my chute don't open wide,
I've got another one by my side.
If that chute don't open round,
I'll be the first one on the ground.
If I die on the ol' Drop Zone,
Pack me up and ship me home.
Bury me in the leaning rest,
Tell my folks I did my best.]
-
CADET :
-
a student of military science in a school/academy, or a
subaltern enrolled in an officer training course, culminating in
a commission in the Armed Forces; such as OCS, ROTC, US Air Force
Academy, US Military Academy ("West Point"), US Naval Academy
("Annapolis"), Virginia Military Institute (VMI), The Citadel,
etc. Just as enlisted (EM) trainees are given distinguishing
designations (eg: pup, TADPOLE, YARDBIRD, MAGGOT), so freshmen in
officer training are identified by unflattering names (eg: plebe,
midshipman, DOOLIE, rook, rat, knob, DOGSBODY, SNOTTY). The term
CADET literally means "small head", as the younger son of a
headman, chief, CAPTAIN, or noble. See BOAT SCHOOL, HUDSON HIGH,
TRADE SCHOOL, RING-KNOCKER, MERCHANT MARINE, COASTIES, RECYCLE,
SQUARE MEAL, BRACE, SHORT-SHEET, WOC, SMACK, MISTER, OFFICER,
AIDE, PIP, OC, OCS, WETSU, GREMLIN.
[v: West Point slang; Military Schools]
[nb: the word "caddie", with the same origin as CADET, and
sometimes shortened to "cad" (irresponsible, dishonorable), was
the 17th century term for a gentleman who learned the military
profession by serving in the army without a commission;
henceforth, it was applied to a person seeking employment (cf:
coronet)]
[nb: Vietnamese term: Sinh Vien Si Quan; Chuan Uy (DRV Third
Lieutenant Aspirant)] [v: Viet-Nam Military Terms]
-
CADRE :
-
the complement of officers and enlisted men (NCO, EM) permanently
assigned to an organization, from regular TO&E units to
training centers; see STAFF, PERMANENT PARTY, SHIP'S COMPLEMENT,
PDS, PLOWBACK, HOUSE MOUSE, OC, OSUT.
-
CAF :
-
the Marine Combined Action Force, being the administrative
element in III MAF that directed the Combined Action Program; see
CAC, CAP, CAG.
-
CAG :
-
Carrier Air Group, or designated Carrier Air Group commander.
Also the Marine Combined Action Group; see PHIL CAG, CAP, AID,
HOPE, PROMISE.
-
CAISSON :
-
a two-wheeled wagon, used for carrying artillery ammunition; see
LIMBER, ARTY. Also, an ammunition chest. Also, a wooden chest
containing bombs or explosives that was formerly used as a MINE.
Also, any of various structures used as a protective environment
for workers in underwater construction, consisting of a
pressurized watertight chamber. Also, a float for raising a
sunken vessel, that's submerged beside the vessel, made fast to
it, and then pumped out to make it buoyant; also called "camel"
or PONTOON. Also, an adjustable structure built against the
damaged area of a HULL to render it watertight; also called
"cofferdam". Also, a boatlike structure used as a gate for a dock
or the like.
-
CAKEWALK :
-
routine mission or uneventful operation; such "going through the
motions" operations often lulled troops into false security. See
PIECE OF CAKE, LAUGH A MINUTE, WALK IN THE PARK, DUCK SOUP, NO
SWEAT, MILK RUN, TURKEY SHOOT.
-
CAL :
-
caliber.
-
CALIBER :
-
the bore diameter, measured from land to land, of a firearm or
gun, expressed in either hundredths of an inch (eg: .45 cal) or
in millimeters (eg: 9mm); and the BULLETs sized to pass through
particular barrels. See CARTRIDGE, DUMDUM, SHELL.
[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] [nb: the 1795 Springfield Arsenal musket
(smoothbore, flintlock, .69 caliber muzzleloader) was the first
official shoulder-firearm to use standardized interchangeable
parts]
[v: Firearms Glossary]
-
CALL ON THE CARPET :
-
the formal censure or reproach of a subordinate by a superior,
with the existence of an office carpet implying a very senior
supervisor, which chiding may require a defensive or apologetic
response, oral or written (RBI), or may escalate into preferred
charges and punishment; also called reprimand, rebuke, upbraid,
admonish, berate, scold, reprove, chastise, castigate, fustigate,
revile, vilify, tongue-lash, dress-down, bawl-out, chew-out,
sail-into, rap-on-the knuckles, slag-off, or carpet dance. See
CONFAB, FANG, NASTY-GRAM, BLISTER, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, HAWK,
BLANKET PARTY, GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK, GIG, DR,
DRUMHEAD, SMACK, ARTICLE 15, RIOT ACT, UCMJ.
-
CALL-SIGN :
-
radio or field telephone station identification, known as
"handle" or moniker; could be qualified by appending "actual"
(eg: Bayonet 6 Actual) to indicate the person speaking was not
the operator (RTO). After initial contact between stations, the
formal CALL-SIGN would be abbreviated (eg: "Six, one, WILCO,
over."); and a distinctive voice or style could eliminate any
need for SIGNATUREs. Compare CODENAME, CODEWORD, NICKNAME, COVER,
PASSWORD; see HAND, SOI, SSI.
[nb: the numeric suffixes of CALL-SIGNs do not match STAFF
designations (eg: S-6 = commo but CALL-SIGN-6 = commander, S-5 =
civil affairs but CALL-SIGN-5 = executive officer or deputy
commander, etc)]
-
CALL TO ARMS :
-
a BUGLE CALL to rally the MILITIA; see MUSTER, VOLUNTEER. [cf:
warison; v: clarion call]
-
CALL TO THE COLORS :
-
evocative phrase akin to "rally 'round the flag", meaning to
ACTIVATE the militia, in the same sense that a "call to arms" or
to "man the barricades" invites VOLUNTEERs to defend their
community or their standards. Due to Johnson's simultaneous
NATION BUILDING in SEAsia and Great Society "war on poverty" at
home, an agenda of both bullets and butter, only one reserve unit
(Co D, 151st Inf (LRP/Rngr), Indiana NG @ II FFVN: 20 Nov 69 - 10
Apr 70) was ACTIVATEd for service in combat during the VIETNAM
WAR. See DRAFTEE, DRAFT LOTTERY, McNAMARA'S HUNDRED THOUSAND,
VOLUNTEER, MUSTER, TOTAL FORCE. [cf: warison; v: clarion call]
[nb: "One volunteer is worth a score of [im]pressed men."
anonymous proverb]
-
CALTROP :
-
an obstructive device consisting of four projecting spikes, such
that at least one always points upward when emplaced on the
ground; formerly used to inhibit cavalry. Variously sized for
anti-personnel or anti-vehicular obstruction, they may be seeded
from AIRDROP. The name originally designated a tropical plant
with spiny burs or bracts, but derives from Medieval Latin for
"heel trap", and is also spelled "caltrap" or "calthrap". See
PUNJI STAKE, FRAISE, ABATIS, HEDGEHOG, BOLLARD, DRAGON'S TEETH.
-
CAMARADERIE :
-
comradeship or good-fellowship; see COMRADE, BAND OF BROTHERS,
HOOAH, OORAH, GUNG-HO, ESPRIT DE CORPS, FIDO, GUSTO, WETSU.
-
CAMELBAK :
-
commercial name for the "personal hydration system" supplied with
the MOdular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment (MOLLE) issued to
field troops; see CANTEEN.
[nb: the latest iteration of the humble water bag, now labeled a
"personal hydration system", is the container and sipping tube
supplied with the MOLLE gear that's commercially marketed as
CamelBak; contrived from an intravenous setup by a competition
bicyclist, its alleged benefits in specific situations are offset
by its greater defects, the greatest being the additional care
required to maintain sanitation and prevent temperature damage.
The advantage of tube-feeding water from a backpack-mounted
storage container without halting the march tempo or removing
bulky gear ignores the necessity of rest stops, of movement paced
to terrain, and of gear removal to prevent bodily injury. all
flexible containers, which are quieter and lighter, are more
prone to puncture and leakage than firm or rigid containers, but
the heaviest part of any container is its contents, and no
CANTEEN is bulletproof. Although the tubes and valves of this
demand delivery system are detachable, replaceable, and
interchangeable with an insulated type, every complex system has
a greater potential for failure than a simple system; and when
one large container holds all of a person's water, any small
problem can rapidly become a large problem that will leave the
user without water.] [nb: a vest-packed soft canteen accessed by
a drinking tube was described in the novel: Tunnel in the
Sky by Robert A. Heinlein (1955)]
-
CAMG :
-
Civil Affairs and Military Government; see USAID, CA, CAP, CAT.
-
CAMMIES :
-
camouflage FATIGUES or Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU) of various
patterns, including LEOPARD, TIGER STRIPE, WOODLAND, CHOCOLATE
CHIP, or three-/six-tone DESERT, as used for protective
coloration. Each disruptive pattern has featured different styles
of uniform. Probably the first patterned cloth camouflage was the
hunting tartan worn by Scots, but the original camouflage field
uniform was British KHAKI (subdued from "redcoats"), and both
German gray and French blue were selected for their subtility
during dawn and dusk operations, being the time when most enemy
action occurs. During WWI, both Allied and Axis powers formed
"camouflage corps" to study color perception, concealment and
distortion, which resulted in various spotted or mottled patterns
being adopted by the end of the war. During WWII, the earlier
research resulted in the limited use of spotted or striped
uniforms for select units, such as Marine parachutists, but the
scale and urgency of the war made wider production of mottled
cloth uniforms impractical. Furthermore, technological advances,
such as infrared (IR) detection, made camouflage uniforms
obsolete. The EDRL leaf pattern uniform that was introduced
during the VIETNAM WAR included infrared dispersion dyes in its
mottling; this feature became standard on later field uniforms.
See ACU, ABU, DIGITALS, FLUFF 'n' BUFF, DRESS, HELMET-COVER,
CAMO, GILLIE SUIT; compare FATIGUES, DUNGAREES.
-
CAMO :
-
truncation of CAMOuflage; designed to either conceal or distort
an object, either blending or disrupting an object's context by
imitation or deformation, and by natural or denatured coloration,
so as to confuse or disguise perception of it. See DECEPTION,
CONCEALMENT; compare HELMET-COVER, CAMMIES, LEOPARD, TIGER
STRIPE, ERDL, WOODLAND, GILLIE SUIT, DESERT, CHOCOLATE CHIP,
DIGITALS, ACU, ABU, KHAKI, DAZZLE, COUNTERSHADING, WAR PAINT, WAR
FACE, CORK, GRAYBACK.
[cf: parti-colored, mottle, variegate, pied/piebald]
-
CAM ON :
-
(kham-mon or gam-mug) Vietnamese idiom for "thank you",
usually combined with the polite gender designation (eg: Cam On
Ong); may be elevated to "Xin Cam On Ong Lam Lam" for emphasis.
-
CAMPAIGN :
-
one of a series of military operations, as a systematic course of
aggressive activities, for a specific purpose or objective as
part of a war. Also, a style of furniture, paraphernalia,
accouterment, or equipage formerly used by soldiers and explorers
when outfitting for campaigns, fieldwork, or foreign travel; see
CAP-A-PIE, RIG, FOOTLOCKER, DUFFEL BAG, WAR BAG.
-
CAMPAIGN HAT :
-
a broad-brimmed and high-crowned felt hat that's been in active
service in various styles since the antebellum period, including
the Hardee slouch (1850s), the cavalry center crease (1880s), and
the "Montana Peak" (1899). Adopted in 1911 as the Army's service
cap, it was replaced by the more convenient OVERSEAS CAP during
WWI, but has since been retained for special purposes due to its
military appearance. The CAMPAIGN HAT is most commonly associated
with drill sergeants (DI), but has also been worn by marksmanship
cadre, honor guards, drill teams, ROTC cadets, and others. Worn
by the Army SCOUTs who staffed the national parks before the
National Park Service was instituted, it remains part of the
Forest and Park ranger uniform (called a "Smoky the Bear" hat);
as well as being worn by many state and local POLICE forces. See
HEADGEAR.
[nb: the wearing of the CAMPAIGN HAT in a distinctive manner by
certain groups or units has necessitated a "wetting down"
INITIATION composed of various rituals and arcane rites, normally
including a bout of drinking from the inverted hat, together with
other high jinks and hilarity; see SPUR RIDE, ORDER OF THE SPUR]
[nb: the Australian and New Zealand slouch hat, which is similar
to the American campaign hat, is worn by AUSSIEs with a central
fore-and-aft "bash" in the crown, while KIWIs shape the crown
into a "lemon squeezer" peak (like American "Montana Peak") that
sheds rainwater; one side of the slouch hat brim is pinned-up
only when under arms, so as to clear the rifle at the shoulder or
on its sling]
-
CAMPAIGN MEDAL :
-
informal reference to a "service medal", such as the Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) or Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), which
indicates service during one or more campaigns authorized for
that award; see I WAS THERE, GONG, FRUIT SALAD, BATTLE STAR,
DEVICE.
-
CAMPAIGN WIFE :
-
a female companion or sex partner adopted for the period of
"hardship" assignment outside of CONUS or away from home; and
distinguished from a SHACK-JOB by being another dislocated
government or military employee, instead of a foreign national
(v: SLEEPING DICTIONARY). Officers have more of an opportunity to
acquire a suitable surrogate without jeopardizing the CUSTOMS AND
COURTESIES OF THE SERVICE (ie: morale is adversely affected when
leaders "get their bread and meat" at the same place) and social
conventions (eg: pregnancy, divorce, etc). Although some foreign
military services assign attractive EMs as "personal aides" (an
implicit CAMPAIGN WIFE) to senior officers, the informal practice
is a classic opportunity to introduce a DANGLE for a "honey trap"
extortion. See DISTAFF, CLASS-B DEPENDENT, DRAG, COW, OFFICER'S
WIFE, CAMP FOLLOWER, PETTICOAT COMMAND, STRANGE, SPLIT, SNATCH,
BITCH, ROUND EYE, SKIRT.
-
CAMP BUCCA :
-
a military detention facility located near Umm Qasr in Iraq, used
for Islamic TERRORISTs; see CLUB FED, GULF WAR.
-
CAMP FOLLOWER :
-
a CIVILIAN not officially connected with a military unit, but who
settles nearby for personal or economic reasons, especially
sutlers and prostitutes, also called "blow fly" or "barracks blow
fly", but this rubric also includes dependent spouses and BRATs;
see SEPARATE RATS, ARMY SOUP, SKIRT, DOUGHNUT DOLLY, SALLY,
DISTAFF, CLASS-B DEPENDENT, DRAG, COW, OFFICER'S WIFE, BITCH,
STRANGE, SPLIT, SNATCH, BUTTERFLY, SHORT-TIME.
[nb: many young women during WWII, enthralled by the wartime
drama and excitement, became "uniform groupies" who were
sufficiently "khaki wacky" to express their ardor by casual favor
or intimacy bestowed upon almost any serviceman for simple
companionship; such patriotic chippies or amateur trollops were
known as "V-girls" (probably by analogy to B-girl), with the dual
implication of "victory" and "venereal"] [nb: the American GI's
standard reference for a "woman of easy virtue" during WWII was
Mary Quicklay, during Vietnam was Susie Rottencrotch or Mary
Meatgrinder, while any Asian was either Madam Butterfly or Suzie
Wong] [cf: vivandière] [nb: the "comfort girls" who were
employed as contract prostitutes to serve the sexual needs
(TRICKs) of Imperial Japanese troops in the field, usually at a
COMFORT STATION or SIN CITY, were called "shock absorbers" by the
Allied POWs who happened to observe their (mis-)treatment]
Also, a person who espouses the aims of a group without belonging
to it; an advocate or champion, booster or supporter, sympathizer
or upholder; see PATRIOT, BTDT, WANNABE, PAY DUES.
[nb: "In the moment of failure (at Bannockburn) the sight of a
body of camp-followers, whom they mistook for reinforcements to
the enemy, spread panic through the English host." by J.R. Green,
A Short History of the English People (1874)]
-
CAM TU :
-
Vietnamese phrase for suicide squad, as depicted on unofficial
RANGER-style scroll worn by I&R, LRRP, or LRSP teams.
Suicidal tactics often indicate desperation or fanaticism (eg:
TERRORIST) but also represent deep devotion and high dedication;
and fails in its intended purpose, like STRATEGIC BOMBING, of
demoralizing and discouraging their targeted opponent, enemy, or
adversary. See SUICIDE SQUAD, SPEARHEAD; compare IOTA.
[v: Viet-Nam Military Terms] [cf: Vietnamese
phrase: Queyet Tu (ready to die)] [v: Japanese kamikaze (single)
or floating chrysanthemum (group) mission, Nazi self-sacrifice
mission or total mission]
-
CANBERRA :
-
Martin B-57 twin-jet tactical bomber, some of which were
extensively modified for reconnaissance missions over southeast
Asia; see BIRD.
-
CANDLESTICK :
-
designation given to UC-130 aircraft used in nighttime SCAR
operations.
-
CANDY :
-
non-accountable funds or unvouchered money made available to
select agencies and special units for "deniable" training or
BLACK operations; see GOLDEN SHOWER, SLUSH FUND, CUMSHAW, JUICE,
CARPETBAGGERS. Also, a euphemism for analgesics, anesthetics,
euphorics, or other pharmaceuticals used to relieve PAIN or
suffering incurred by MIL-PERS during training exercises or
combat operations; the oft quoted Ogden Nash verse ("Candy is
dandy but liquor is quicker.") does not apply in this case;
compare ASA, APC; see RANGER CANDY, JUNK, DOPE, STONED, COLORS,
LSD, SMACK, TAR, STICK, GRASS, HAY, BUMMER, HUBBLE-BUBBLE.
[v: gateway drug, hard drug, soft drug, designer drug, prodrug;
cf: miracle drug, wonder drug]
[nb: a widely circulated but spurious WAR STORY alleges that
post-war criminal violence and other antisocial nonconformity by
crazed veterans is the direct result of unauthorized drug
experimentation that was secretly conducted by medical personnel,
many of whom were ignorant of this classified test, which was
designed to increase combat aggressivity in soldiers, hence the
fictitious "Rambo" account that allegedly attempted to disclose
the purported "truth" behind the CODENAME of the program;
actually, LRRP teams were only issued amphetamines, and Special
Forces teams were also issued kits containing: 12 Darvon, 24
codeine, 6 dextroamphetamines, and 4 SYRETTEs of morphine
sulfate.]
-
CANDY-ASS :
-
any wimp, wuss, or whiner who performs unsatisfactorily in the
field, or anyone who has a safe, clean, and comfortable job;
probably originated as homosexual slang, like PUNK and POGUE.
See REMF, DUD, MOAN 'n' GROAN, CLERKS 'n' JERKS, PENCIL PUSHER,
ACETATE COMMANDO, CHAIRBORNE, FOBBIT, TOCROACH, ORIFICE, BTDT,
WANNABE, THE NAM, POGY BAIT, FAG. [nb: support personnel who try
to make their jobs seem more vital or dangerous than they really
are invite ridicule; such as Special Services claiming to be
"Special Forces" and Merchant Marines claiming to be "Marines"!]
-
CANDY BAR :
-
an Overseas Service Stripe for six-months of duty; see HERSHEY
BAR. Also, a unit recognition bar or "half-flash" worn on a beret
by trainees or unqualified MIL-PERS assigned to SOF units [nb:
this practice was discontinued during the organization of US Army
Sp Opns Cmd (ARSOC) and the reorganization of the interservice US
Sp Opns Cmd (USSOC) from the Sp Opns Cmd (SOCOM)]; see FLASH.
-
CANISTER :
-
anti-personnel munition containing ball-bearings or pellets,
being the modern equivalent of "grapeshot"; also called "canister
shot" or CASE SHOT. See BIG SHOTGUN, SHOTGUN; compare BUCK,
NAILS, BEEHIVE, FLECHETTE, SHRAPNEL.
-
CANNIBALIZE :
-
to scavenge for repairs; to extract parts from a recovered
vehicle, engine, or machine for use in repairing a similar unit;
sometimes called "parting-out" or "knacker"; compare PM; see
DUMP, MOTHBALL, BONEYARD. Also, to extract people or materials
from existing resources in order to develop something similar.
Also, the eating of the flesh of an animal by another animal of
its own kind, whether for ritual or survival purposes, especially
of human flesh ("long pig") by another human being.
[nb: benchmark study on hunger was conducted on x volunteers (all
conscientious objectors who were selected for their good health
and mild temperament) by Ancel Keys at the University of
Minnesota's Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene during WWII;
subject group lost 25% of body weight on controlled regimen of
essential nutrition and regular exercise, with everyone
exhibiting "starvation neurosis" symptoms (ie: irritability,
sleeplessness, lethargy, paranoia)]
-
CANNON-COCKER :
-
an ARTILLERYMAN or artillerist; see REDLEG, FAG, TUBE MONKEY,
BULLET HEAD. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phao Thu (cannoneer)]
-
CANNON FODDER :
-
all available people considered as impersonally expendable, also
called "fresh meat", "new meat", or "raw meat" [v: enfants
perdus, forlorn hope]; see CHERRY, FNG, NEWBEE, TOY SOLDIER, ZAP,
WASTED, BITTER END, SNOWBALL, DIDDLY, RAT RACE, SUICIDE SQUAD,
SPEARHEAD, BASTARD, BELL THE CAT.
[nb: patriotism and other noble ideals will only sustain
combatants if they understand the purposes of war, and know that
their personal sacrifices won't be vaingloriously squandered by
careless commanders; but even when the objectives are clear,
troops are demoralized by criminally stupid operations ...
Passchendaele and Anzio, Heartbreak Ridge and Pork Chop Hill, Khe
Sanh and Hamburger Hill ... and this crisis of confidence over
dereliction of duty can cost the war. Confederate General James
"Pete" Longstreet, who wanted to save lives rather than test
character, said: "I would not give the life of a single soldier
of mine for a barren victory."]
-
CAN SA :
-
(kan sah) Vietnamese for marijuana, literally "water parsnip",
as to fall down from the herb making drunk/stoned; also known as
bhang, blunt, cannabis, charas, dacca/dhaka, ganja/ganjah, GRASS,
hash, hashish, HAY, hemp, herb, hydro (hydroponic), J/jay, joint,
locoweed, Mary Jane, pot (wine or brandy steeped [derived from
potiguaya or potaguaya, apparent contraction of potaci›n de
guaya, drink of grief]), reefer, rope, STICK, spliff,
tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC), THAI STICK, wacky weed, weed. See
STONED, FIVE FINGERS, TAR; compare DOPE, JUNK, SMACK,
HUBBLE-BUBBLE, PIGTAIL. [cf: chillum, bong]
-
CANTEEN :
-
a small container (from quart to gallon), as used by soldiers and
outdoorsmen, for carrying potable liquids, especially water; the
molded plastic CANTEEN, some with screen filters, and collapsible
BLADDER BAGS were introduced to replace the older aluminum
version. A small flask (flagon) was designed to fit in the
lower-leg pocket of a PILOT's FLIGHT SUIT to serve the function
of a CANTEEN. Prior to metal and plastics, the American military
issued wooden CANTEENs. See WATER PURIFICATION TABLET, CANTEEN
CUP, PISTOL BELT, WEB GEAR, MOLLE, DEUCE GEAR [v: bota,
wineskin]. [nb: the latest iteration of the humble water bag, now
labeled a "personal hydration system", is the container and
sipping tube supplied with the MOLLE gear that's commercially
marketed as CamelBak; contrived from an intravenous setup by a
competition bicyclist, its alleged benefits in specific
situations are offset by its greater defects, the greatest being
the additional care required to maintain sanitation and prevent
temperature damage. The advantage of tube-feeding water from a
backpack-mounted storage container without halting the march
tempo or removing bulky gear ignores the necessity of rest stops,
of movement paced to terrain, and of gear removal to prevent
bodily injury. all flexible containers, which are quieter and
lighter, are more prone to puncture and leakage than firm or
rigid containers, but the heaviest part of any container is its
contents, and no CANTEEN is bulletproof. Although the tubes and
valves of this demand delivery system are detachable,
replaceable, and interchangeable with an insulated type, every
complex system has a greater potential for failure than a simple
system; and when one large container holds all of a person's
water, any small problem can rapidly become a large problem that
will leave the user without water!]
Also, a snack bar or cafeteria for military personnel, where
sundries are often included for sale; see ANNEX, DIRTY SHIRT,
SLOP CHUTE, O CLUB, DINING-IN, SIGG [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].
Also, a place where free entertainment is provided for military
personnel; such as a recreation hall or social club. Also, a box
or chest for cutlery, utensils, tableware and other cooking
implements; an officer's MESS chest; compare MESS KIT, MESS,
GALLEY [cf: chuck box, grub box].
-
CANTEEN CUP :
-
a large capacity self-standing drinking cup or mug with a folding
handle that can be heated directly; may also serve as a bowl. The
CANTEEN CUP helped to shape and support the smaller BLADDER BAG.
If a GRUNT wanted to lighten his packload, he would eliminate the
MESS KIT, and carry two CANTEEN CUPs (one for food and the other
for hot drinks). The size of the CANTEEN CUP accustoms MIL-PERS
to large servings, hence normal tableware seems inadequate. See
CANTEEN, PARTISAN'S SECRET WEAPON, KFS, SPOON, GIMBAL.
[v: cup, mug, tumbler, schooner, beaker, tankard, toby / toby
jug, pilsner, stein (steinzeugkrug), seidel, growler, stoup,
thermos cup, travel mug, commuter cup, carry cup, road cup]
-
CAO DAI :
-
founded by Ngo Van Chieu, and revised by Le Van Trung,
as an evangelical universalistic religion, blending Buddhism,
Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and spirituality into an
eclectic pantheon, that was governed by the deity, Cao Dai, since
its revelation in 1926. It foresees a coming Messiah, Minh Vuong.
This congregational church of graduated mediums and liturgical
gradients was most popular in the southeastern provinces of VN.
-
CAP :
-
most commonly, a Civil Action Program, such as a MEDCAP or a
DENTCAP, during which "hearts and minds" were enticed by
government largess into military cooperation, voluntary intel
reporting, and political allegiance. Conducted by designated S-5
elements, Civil Affairs MOS branch teams (CAT), and detached
specialists, a cavalry, infantry, or military police unit usually
provided security for these charitable programs. See AID, HOPE,
PROMISE, COUNTERPART, CAG, PHIL CAG, CA, CAMG, OOTW, USAID, IVS,
WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS.
Also,
this acronym identifies the Marine Combined Action Program (CAP).
The Marine CAP units operated like reinforced advisory teams, by
living in the hamlets where they operated, patrolling the same
area regularly, and training the local RF/PF for combined unit
operations in their district. The Marine CAP was originally
designated CAC (Combined Action Company) until commanders
realized the similarity to the Vietnamese word for "shit". Marine
CAPs and CUPPs were organized under four Combined Action Groups
(CAG), which included 42 officers, 2 physicians, 126 medics, and
over 2,000 EMs; and existed from August 1965 to May 1971. [nb:
Vietnamese term of Marine CAP: Luc Luong Hon Hop]
Also,
abbreviation designates Combat Air Patrol, typically flying an
oval RACETRACK pattern "on station" to monitor or surveil a
specific area in case of air/ground action; to fly high-cover
(HIGH 'n' DRY) or UMBRELLA, as opposed to Close Air Support
(CAS); includes several distinct applications, such as TARCAP
(TARget CAP), BARCAP (BARrier CAP), SARCAP or RESCAP (REScue CAP)
on Search And Rescue operations; compare ABNCP.
-
CAPABILITY :
-
the ability to execute a specified COURSE OF ACTION. Also, the
COURSEs OF ACTION within the power of the military for
accomplishing its mission by attaining the operational objectives
assigned. Also, those COURSEs OF ACTION of which the military is
physically capable and that, if adopted and implemented, will
affect the accomplishment of the mission, which not only includes
the general COURSEs OF ACTION open to the military, such as
attack, defense, reinforcement, or withdrawal, but also all the
particular COURSEs OF ACTION possible under each situation,
including time, space, weather, terrain, force strength, force
disposition, and all other known factors affecting military
operations. See STRATEGY, TACTICS, BY THE BOOK, ABSTRACTION,
FIELD EXPEDIENT, KNOW YOUR ENEMY, OPLAN.
-
CAP-A-PIE :
-
(kapuh-pee) from head to foot, usually with reference to arming
or accoutring; also spelled "cap-à-pie". See CAMPAIGN,
RIG, DRESS, HEADGEAR, POCKET LITTER. [v: tire]
-
CAPSTONE :
-
link joint doctrine to national strategy and the contributions of
other government agencies, alliances, and coalitions
see KEYSTONE, USJFCOM.
-
CAPTAIN :
-
the junior / company-grade officer RANK (CPT/Capt) or RATING
(O-3) intermediate between First Lieutenant (1LT) and Major (MAJ)
in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and symbolized by twin
silver bars (called RAILROAD TRACKS or "First Lieutenant, Second
Award"); equivalent to a Lieutenant in the USN/USCG, intermediate
between Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) and Lieutenant Commander
(LCDR); see OLD MAN, CO, AIMING STAKES, OFFICER. [nb: a
peculiarity unique to the USMC rank insignia for captains is that
the connections between the bars are traditionally set at the
outer ends, not inset like Army and Air Force RAILROAD TRACKS]
Also, the senior officer RANK (Capt) or RATING (O-6) intermediate
between Commander (CDR) and Rear Admiral Lower-Half (RADML) in
the Navy. Also, an officer of any rank who commands a military,
naval, or merchant vessel; compare SKIPPER. Also, a person in
authority over others, as a leader (LDR), CHIEF, or boss; see
HONCHO, WALLAH, CO, OLD MAN, TOP DOG, MOTHER HEN.
-
CAPTAIN AMERICA :
-
(forthcoming); a fictional character deliberately created to
promote patriotism and to counter Nazism and Fascism at the
outset of WWII
-
CAPTAIN'S MAST :
-
summary disciplinary judgement of a sailor or Marine by his
immediate commander, which may result in fines, extra duty, or
confinement in the BRIG. See ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, KEELHAUL,
BREAK SHIP, MASTER-AT-ARMS, UCMJ.
-
CAPTURE THE FLAG :
-
an informal game, also known as "drapeau" and "dare base", used
for recreation or training, that's played by teams of children or
adults in a variety of settings by various rules, with the
objective being to win the contest by capturing the goal ... that
is, crossing from home territory into enemy territory to seize
the flag and return with it. As in chess (and actual warfare),
the objective is paramount, with territory and prisoners being
incidental ... so if the goal can be attained with few
confrontations, then the achievement is masterly. Basically, the
competition occurs on a field that's subdivided into sectors for
each team, with lines of sight obstructed such that no team can
survey the entire area. Each sector shall include places
designated for a flag mount and guardhouse. Team members are
assigned duties, such as defense or offense, and they execute
their roles within the rules of the game. Before commencing the
game, the "flag" (any appropriate object) is identified, inner
and outer boundaries are defined, time limits are established,
contingencies for recapturing the flag are set, provisions for
prisoner rescue agreed, the number of participants regulated, and
the permissible types of contact restricted. Some CAPTURE THE
FLAG games are moderated by an umpire, and some teams are
captained for coordination. The game may be varied by combining
with ORIENTEERING, or by sanctioning jailbreaks under particular
circumstances. Other variants include: urban terrain, players on
roller or ice skates, players on snowshoes or X-C skis, an indoor
or high-rise building milieu, more than two teams competing at
once ... interactive video and internet versions also exist. In
1981, CAPTURE THE FLAG engendered the paint-ball game that became
a nationwide craze among PARAMILITARY buffs. A static variant,
called 'Base Capture', uses a fixed flag that does not need to be
taken to the home territory, being more comparable to KING OF THE
HILL. See BATTLE ROYAL, CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE; compare DUCK ON
DRAKE, DUCKS AND DRAKES, TUG OF WAR, RED ROVER, PRISONER'S BASE,
WAR GAMES.
-
CAR :
-
carbine, any compact, lightweight, short-barreled rifle,
especially USAF Colt "Commando" Automatic Rifle, the XM-177E2 /
CAR-15 "Shorty-16" rifle, and the later M-4 "Scout" carbine [nb:
M-4 Scout mounts the small non-telescopic M-68 gunsight
incorporating a "red aiming dot"]. Although a carbine may be
sized about the same as an SMG, it fires the more effective RIFLE
cartridge, instead of PISTOL AMMO. The M-1 and M-2 .30cal
carbines were the only wooden stocked rifles in the US inventory
that fit the bodies of Asian allies without modification. See
SMG, ACTIV, ACOG, RIFLE, BLACK MAGIC, WIDOW MAKER, POODLE
SHOOTER, TUPPERWARE.
Also, the abbreviation for the "Combat Action Ribbon" awarded to
Naval, Marine, and Coast Guard personnel, equivalent to the
Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB); compare CAB.
-
CARBINE :
-
see CAR, ACTIV, BLACK MAGIC, WIDOW MAKER, POODLE SHOOTER,
TUPPERWARE; compare SMG, RIFLE.
-
CARE :
-
acronym of Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere,
established in 1945 to distribute food, clothing, books, and
tools to displaced persons (DP) and refugees after WWII; this
nonsectarian federation of relief agencies has since absorbed the
Medical International Cooperation Organization (MEDICO) and the
Partnership for Productivity International. Also, term widely
used to designate gifts (ie: CARE package) sent from home, as if
they were manna from heaven! See MAIL CALL.
-
CAREEN :
-
to cause a vessel to tip, lean, list, or heel over to the
side; see ROLL, compare PITCH, ATHWART. Also, to clean or repair
the HULL of a vessel by laying onto its side. Also, a headlong
rush, as rash, impetuous, or uncontrolled action.
-
CAREER TRACK :
-
MIL-SPEAK for "professional development" as a rigid
automaton; see LIFER, RIGHT ARM, TICKET-PUNCHER, RABBI, SEA
DADDY, PATRON SAINT, CYA.
-
CARGO BAY :
-
the large central area of a transport vehicle, vessel, or craft
in which PAYLOADs and support equipment are carried; also known
as "cargo area", "payload bay", or BAY.
-
CARGOMASTER :
-
Douglas C-133 aircraft.
-
CARGO NET :
-
a flexible open-weave mesh, fabricated of fiber or wire, that is
used to conveniently secure, sling-load, and/or otherwise handle
loose objects that are transported to or from a CARGO BAY, HOLD,
or other receptacle; compare CONTAINERIZATION, PLS, CONEX; see
DUNNAGE, NET, SNAKING. Also, such a mesh used when scaling, as
during INSERTION or EXTRACTION, but especially during debarkation
from or embarkation of a transport ship; see DEBARKATION NET,
JACOB'S LADDER, RATLINE, GP, NET. [v: escalade]
-
CARIBOU :
-
CV-2 or C-7A, a twin-engine, piston-driven, lightweight,
small-capacity, Short Take-Off-and-Landing (STOL) transport
aircraft; also called "BOU". See WALLABEE.
-
CARPETBAGGERS :
-
name given to the select disbursement committee which mismanages
the unit's non-appropriated SLUSH FUNDs for their own benefit;
from the looters and scalawags who plundered the spoils of the
southern states during Reconstruction. During the post-VN era,
those privileged and ambitious aspirants who exploit the trust of
their good offices to enhance their personal power and garner
other opportunities, similar to civilian social climbers, have
also been labeled as CARPETBAGGERS, or more fashionably as
"Gucci-baggers", with the implication that they are transient
(are even fly-by-night), and that their portable (and infinitely
expandable) luggage contains everything about them that's
valuable. See RHIP, KHAKI MAFIA, ROUGHSHOD, SPOILS OF WAR, WAD;
compare RING-KNOCKER, BUMMER. [cf: comprador/compradore]
-
CARPET BOMBING :
-
a saturation bombing pattern by B-52s covering an area 1km wide
by 2km long. Because these AIR STRIKEs were invisible and
inaudible to ground troops, the Vietnamese called them
"whispering death". See ARC LIGHT, BOMB 'EM BACK TO THE STONE
AGE, BOUNCE THE RUBBLE, STRATEGIC BOMBING.
[nb: this concentrated bombardment technique was developed by the
Germans flying in the Spanish CIVIL WAR (1936-9)]
-
CARRY-ON :
-
verbal command to resume or continue whatever was interrupted by
protocol; often interchangeable with AS YOU WERE. Compare
RECOVER, BELAY.
-
CARS :
-
Combat Arms Regimental System; triangular organization. Compare
PENTAGONAL; see TO&E, OB, DIV, RGT.
-
CARTE BLANCHE :
-
meaning "blank paper", being a paper with only the signature
written on it, so that the recipient may write his own terms upon
it, knowing they will be accepted, as in an "unconditional
surrender". This expression is now used figuratively as when
granting full discretionary power or absolute freedom of action.
See WAR, TRUCE, DIKTAT, ENTENTE, DETENTE, RAPPROCHEMENT, APPEASE,
PEACE. [v: Diplomatic Terms]
-
CARTER DOCTRINE :
-
in response to Soviet encroachments, the 1979 foreign policy
declared by James Earl Carter that America will actively protect
its interests in the Middle East; see EAGLE CLAW, PRESIDENTIAL
DOCTRINE, NATION BUILDING.
-
CARTOON :
-
a drawing (or series of drawings) that represents or symbolizes,
satirizes or caricatures some person, subject, or activity; also
known as "comics" or "comic strip"; see FICTIONAL CHARACTER;
compare JOURNAL, YANK, STARS AND STRIPES. [cf: animated cartoon]
-
CARTRIDGE :
-
a unit of SMALL ARMS ammunition (AMMO), consisting of a case,
primer, propellent, and BULLET; also called a "round". See ELDEST
SON, DUMDUM, SABOT, DUMMY, SRTA, CALIBER, CASING, BRASS, DROPPY,
RIFLE GRENADE; compare SHELL. [v: Firearms
Glossary]
-
CAS :
-
Close Air Support, air-to-ground missions flown perpendicular to
or parallel with the FCSL in support of friendly forces engaged
in hostile contact, requiring detailed integration of each AIR
STRIKE with the fire and movement of those forces; such ground
attack is also called TAC-AIR; see SORTIE, STRAFE, GUN RUN, BIRD.
Also, abbreviation for Combined Area Studies; a CIA program using
SF and SEAL trainers to field a covert military (ie: "Mountain
Scouts", "Sea Commandos") during 1961-1962, as authorized by
National Security Memorandum 52. Also, "Controlled American
Source" for the Saigon office of the CIA.
-
CASEMATE :
-
a vault or chamber, as in a rampart or fortification, with
openings (EMBRASUREs) for artillery; see BUNKER, PILLBOX, TOMB,
BLOCKHOUSE, CONCRETE BATTLESHIP, REDOUBT, BLACK HOLE, BOMB-PROOF.
Also, an armored enclosure for guns in a WARSHIP; see TURRET,
SPONSON, BARBETTE. [v: Military Earthworks Terms]
-
CASE SHOT :
-
a casing, formerly metal, filled with ball-bearings, pellets,
bullets, darts, grapeshot, chain, and other SHRAPNEL objects to
fire, as from cannon or rocket, at massed enemy personnel; also
known as "canister shot". See CANISTER, FLECHETTE, BEEHIVE,
BUCK, NAILS, KILLER JUNIOR, KILLER SENIOR, BIG SHOTGUN, BLOOPER,
THUMPER, SHOTGUN, SMOOTHBORE.
-
CASEVAC :
-
(kaz-ee-vack) CASualty EVACuation; see MEDEVAC, DUSTOFF, AIR
AMBULANCE, CRACKER BOX, BAND-AID, EVAC.
-
CASHIER :
-
to DISMISS someone from a position of command, responsibility or
trust, especially with disgrace; see FACE THE MUSIC, ROGUE'S
MARCH, DISCHARGE. Also, to discard or reject; as derived from
break or shatter.
-
CASING :
-
a container or housing, as for the propellent in a CARTRIDGE or
SHELL, especially those emptied or expended after firing or
DISCHARGE; also called BRASS or DROPPY.
-
CASUAL :
-
a MIL-PERS awaiting orders, transport, or some other
administrative disposition at a post or station to which that
individual is not attached or assigned; also known as a
"transient"; compare SNOWBIRD. Also, personnel, vehicles, ships,
or craft that are temporarily stopping at a post, base, station,
or port to which they are not assigned or attached, and having
destination elsewhere.
-
CASUS BELLI :
-
an event or incident that is used politically to bring about
hostilities, or is used to validate a declaration of war;
literally meaning an occasion or an occurrence of war. See
BLOODY SHIRT, JUST WAR, SABER-RATTLING, GUNPOINT, CROSS THE
RUBICON, CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, FIGHTING WORDS, FIGHTING MAD,
TONKIN GULF INCIDENT, WAR POWERS ACT, GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG
STICK DIPLOMACY, LAWS OF WAR, UCMJ, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE),
BATTLE, WAR.
[nb: historically adequate justifications include "a place in the
sun" or "lebensraum"; cf: bellicose, antagonistic, hostile,
pugnacious, Firebrand, fire-eater]
[v: Diplomatic Terms]
-
THE CASTLE :
-
slang designation for the monolithic U.S. Naval prison at
Portsmouth NH, so called by its resemblance, although Kafkaesque
influences may pertain; compare HOT HOUSE, see BRIG, CROSSBAR
HOTEL, DEADLOCK, CHL, STOCKADE, DEADLINE, CLUB FED. Also, an
informal metaphor for the ORIFICE where MILICRATs generate RED
TAPE, FORMs, REPORTs, WHITE PAPERs, SPAGHETTI and other LITTER;
after the book of the same title by Franz Kafka (1926).
-
CASTOFF :
-
to let a ship go, to loose a vessel from its mooring, or to
launch a BOAT; also spelled "cast-off", and also known as
SHOVE-OFF or simply "cast", as derived from 'throw'. Also, to
turn the head of a sailing ship away from the wind, especially
when getting underway or during departure. Also, to discard,
reject, or abandon people or things, as a castaway; see FLOTSAM,
WAVESON, JETSAM, LAGAN. Also, the characteristic blood-splatter
or droplet pattern resulting from specific weapons that are used
in particular ways; see PECKER TRACKS, TRACE, TRAIL, TRACK.
-
CAT :
-
Combat Analysis Team; see ACTIV, CDEC, CMEC, CDTCVN. Also,
abbreviation for Civil Action Team, or Civic Action Team, or
Civic Affairs Team, or Civil Affairs Team, which are typically
numbered (CAT47) and under the command of an advisory mission;
see CA, CAP, CAMG, USAID. Also, short form of CATAPULT, being a
device used to launch a missile from an emplacement, or to launch
an airplane from the deck of a ship.
-
CATAFALQUE :
-
a raised structure on which the body of a deceased person lies or
is carried in state, a bier; as derived from the wooden scaffold
used as a siege tower. See GARDEN OF STONES, BONEYARD, BOX JOB,
NATIONAL CEMETERY, MORTUARY AFFAIRS, GRAVES REGISTRATION; compare
LAID BY THE WALL.
-
CATALINA :
-
high-wing Boeing PBY (OA-10 patrol boat) seaplane, commonly
called DUMBO; see FLYING BOAT, BIRD.
-
CATALYTIC ATTACK :
-
an attack designed to bring about a war between major powers
through the disguised machinations of a third power; also called
"catalytic war", "catalystic war", or "surrogate war".
-
CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS :
-
to cause alarm, to make trouble, or to create havoc; as "to
put...", "to let...", or "to set the cat among the pigeons"; see
SABER-RATTLING, GUNPOINT, HEAD TO HEAD, CROSS THE RUBICON, BLOODY
SHIRT, ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR, JUST WAR. [cf: "when the cat's
away, the mice will play"]
-
CAT AND MOUSE :
-
to tease or mistreat someone before a final act of cruelty or
unkindness; compare CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, CAT'S-PAW, FALL GUY,
TERRORIST, TORTURE.
-
CATAPULT :
-
a structure that provides an auxiliary source of guidance and
thrust to an aircraft or MISSILE, combining the functions of
directing and accelerating the vehicle during its travel on the
platform; a CATAPULT serves the same functions for a MISSILE as
does a gun tube for a SHELL.
-
CATBIRD SEAT :
-
an advantageous situation or dominant position;
also called "sitting pretty" or "standing pat".
-
CATCH AND GRASP :
-
the GUERRILLA tactic of "grabbing your opponent by his
shirttail", also known as HUG, which inhibits the use of
artillery (ARTY) and close air support (CAS, TAC-AIR) during
CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE.
-
CATCH-22 :
-
a frustrating situation wherein contradictions paradoxically
entrap the participants in an illogical dilemma; as derived from
fictitious military regulations depicted by Joseph Heller in 1961
novel of the same name.
[nb: originally dubbed "Catch-18", but Mila 18 by Leon
Uris had already achieved success that year, so Heller changed
the number]
-
CATERPILLAR :
-
an escorted CONVOY of military and civilian vehicles moving at
irregular intervals on a secure road; see ACCORDION, INDIAN FILE,
COMBAT SPREAD, HEADWAY.
-
CATERPILLAR CLUB :
-
an unofficial association initiated during WWII comprising
aircrew who had been compelled to bail out in action and been
saved by their PARACHUTE. Begun by the Irvin Parachute Company,
survivors reported the control number of the equipment that saved
their life in exchange for a small gold caterpillar pin
representing the silkworm, which supplied the material from which
parachutes were formerly made. A similar society, called the
GOLDFISH CLUB, was formed for seafarers saved by their necessary
resort to a rubber dinghy or LIFEBOAT.
-
CAT HOLE :
-
a field LATRINE for one person; the surplus propellent from
mortar and artillery fire can be ignited to sterilize such a
cesspool, and thus maintain local sanitation. See SLIT TRENCH,
TROTS, SQUIRTS, SHIT, DUMP, HONEY BUCKET, CORK, E-TOOL, LATRINE,
BLUE CANOE, COMFORT STATION.
-
CAT'S-EYES :
-
reflective markers, usually arranged in patterns, placed on the
back of patrol caps and helmets for identification and
orientation on night operations; phrase derived from similarity
of appearance to chatoyant luster or luminous eyes glowing eerily
in the dark. Sometimes called "glow tape" or "fluorescent paint".
See LIGHT STICK, BLINKER, AIS, BUD LIGHT, GLINT TAPE, HEADGEAR,
IR MARKERS. Also, the small separate housing that replaces the
normal headlights and taillights on vehicles, used for
maintaining an appropriate COMBAT SPREAD and safe driving
intervals during night operations, especially in CONVOY.
-
CAT SKINNER :
-
slang designation for any wily or beguiling person, skilled in
DECEPTION, artifice, or stratagem, such as an innovator; derived
from the classic phrase about "more than one way to skin a cat".
See HINKY, COC, IA, BRIEF-BACK, GABRIEL, GHOST WALK, AIR CAV,
DARPA, BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK.
[cf: "There's more than one way to kill a cat than to choke it
with cream." adage]
-
CAT'S-PAW :
-
a person who is exploited for some ulterior end, a tool, pawn,
dupe, gudgeon, or foil; also spelled "catspaw"; see FALL GUY,
HACK, SANDBAG, FALSE FLAG, DECEPTION, DECOY, RED HERRING, TROJAN
HORSE, STALKING HORSE, DARK HORSE, MUSHROOM; compare CAT AND
MOUSE, CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS. Also, a light breeze that ruffles
the surface of the water over a small area; see FETCH. Also, a
retaining hitch taken in the bight of a rope or LINE.
[nb: phrase derives from the fable about a monkey using the paw
of his friend the cat to pull chestnuts from a fire; also alludes
to tampering or meddling in the "get your fingers burned" phrase]
-
CATWALK :
-
a narrow walkway mounted high on the interior walls (parapet) of
a fortification or bastion, as used for surveillance and defense;
not "cat's walk". See BANQUETTE, DEFILADE.
[cf: widow's walk, cock of the walk, DUCK-WALK, GHOST WALK,
CAKEWALK]
-
CAV :
-
contraction applied to both air cavalry (AIR CAV, AIRMOBILE)
and to armored cavalry (ACR) using lightly armored TRACK
vehicles; see HHT, TRP, SQDN, HELIBORNE, LAAGER, YELLOWLEG,
DRAGOON, LONG KNIFE, PONY SOLDIER, SPUR RIDE, ORDER OF THE SPUR,
YELLOW RIBBON.
[nb: the last U.S. Army horse-mounted cavalry attack was not the
1916 Pershing campaign into Mexico, but the 1942 defense of
Manilla against Imperial Japanese occupation]
[nb: a scrap of largely blue and red tartan, with the thread
count falling in sevens, entitled "The 7th Cavalry Tartan",
appears in a Scottish pattern book of the 19th century, which
researchers now conclude was a design commissioned by George
Armstrong Custer for outfitting a regimental marching band of
pipers and drummers, which order was interrupted by the 1876
Battle of the Little Bighorn]
-
CAVALRY STEAK :
-
slang for a cut of meat from a horse or mule (instead of
beefsteak), as used from the CIVIL WAR through WWII. It has been
said that Apaches rode a horse until it couldn't walk and then
they ate it, but during pioneer days on the American frontier,
little distinction was made in discriminating between wild game
and domestic animals for food; likewise during the period of
Japanese occupation of the Philippines, where dogs and chickens,
grubs and rats, lizards and turtles, monkeys and water buffalo
were consumed (along with the U.S. horses and mules) to prevent
starvation. See SLIDER, CHOW, BEANS, IRON RATIONS, RATIONS.
[nb: canned rations supplied to American troops during WWI
included horse meat] [cf: tube steak, cheese steak, minute steak,
Swiss steak, Salisbury steak; v: sirloin steak, porterhouse
steak, club steak, skirt steak, round steak, shell steak, T-bone
steak, cube steak]
[nb: since the era of the CIVIL WAR, American troops have
mockingly mislabeled salt pork as "Cincinnati chicken" just as
ground or smothered entrees are now called "mystery meat"]
[nb: high-muckety-muck and high-muck-a-muck are corrupt
Americanisms from Chinook jargon ("hayo makamak") meaning plenty
to eat or much food, from the layer of whale meat between blubber
and flesh]
-
THE CAVE :
-
slang for the Combat Information Center (CIC), which is also
known as "combat"; compare OPIUM DEN, see WAR ROOM, TOC.
[nb: alternatively, only the detection and tracking module within
the CIC]
-
CAYUSE :
-
the Hughes (500C) Light Observation helicopter (OH-6A); see LOH,
SILVER EAGLES, compare LITTLE BIRD.
-
CBI :
-
the China-Burma-India theater, including SEAC, during WWII; as
differentiated from Southwest Pacific theater. The abbreviation
was also interpreted as: "Confusion Beyond Imagination" and
"Confused Bastards in India". See FLYING TIGERS, OSS, CHINDIT,
HUMP, LEDO ROAD, MERRILL'S MARAUDERS, MARS.
-
CBR :
-
Chemical-Biological-Radiological warfare agents, classified as
strategic weapons, and sometimes called "Tech Weapons" or GERM
WARFARE. They have also been designated: Atomic Bacteriological
Chemical (ABC), Nuclear Bacterial Chemical (NBC), Chemical
Biological Warfare (CBW), or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
The equivalent 21st century version of this genocidal threat has
been designated Genetic-Nanotechnological-Robotic (GNR). More
than 140 nations ratified the "Biological Toxins and Weapons
Treaty of 1972", but this convention on prohibiting the
development, production, stockpile, and disposal of biological,
bacterial, and toxin weapons hasn't stopped research nor
prevented use in subsequent low-intensity conflicts, including
YELLOW RAIN in Southeast Asia. According to historians, the 18th
century was a period devoted to advanced mathematics, the 19th
century was a period devoted to chemistry, the 20th century was
devoted to physics, and the 21st century will be devoted to
biology. See CBW, CW, RANCH HAND, AGENT ORANGE, BLISTER AGENT,
COCKTAIL, YELLOWCAKE, HEAVY WATER, HOT GREASE, MANHATTAN PROJECT,
FALLOUT, EMP, GENIE, NUKE, TOMB, COFFIN, NEST, GAS MASK, BUNNY
SUIT, CPOG, JSLIST, MOPP, BOONIES; compare DEMILITARIZE, HAZMAT.
[nb: by extension from fumigating houses, the Chinese military
used bellows-driven (see ZIPPO) burned mustard, stink bombs,
poisons, and excrement against enemy tunnels and strongholds
during the seventh to the fourth centuries BC; and is known to
have used a form of "tear gas", made by burning powdered lime and
sulphur, during the second century AD. Alexamder of Macedon
hurled diseased corpses into fortifications.] [nb: "stinkpot" is
term for combustible container of suffocating vapors; now meaning
any mean or nasty person (mephitic stinkpot)]
-
CBRNE :
-
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield
Explosives; see CBR, GNR, WMD, NUKE, EXPLOSIVE, GENOCIDE,
APOCALYPSE.
-
CBT :
-
combat; see CMBT.
-
CBU :
-
Cluster Bomb Unit, or Cluster Bomb; a generic term for a
number of different CBUs: "SADEYE/BLU-26B" Cluster Bombs, later
nicknamed "guava" bombs by the Vietnamese. These one-pound,
baseball-sized bombs were usually dropped in lots of 600 or
more. The bomblets were released from a dispenser in such a way
as to spread them across a wide area. When they hit the ground,
they exploded sending out smaller, steel balls embedded in their
cases. There were also CBU-24; CBU-25; and CBU-49, a canister of
time-delayed, baseball-sized bomblets that go off randomly over a
thirty-minute period, each blasting out 250 white-hot ball
bearings. There was Clamshell CBU, which exploded in a donut
pattern, creating a circle of fire in a hollow; and Rockeye CBU,
a thermite device used for burning targets. See BUTTERFLY BOMB,
IRON BOMB, GBU.
-
CBW :
-
Chemical Biological Warfare; see CW, BLISTER AGENT, CBR, GERM
WARFARE, CBRNE, GNR, WMD, GENOCIDE, APOCALYPSE.
-
C&C / C & C / C-and-C :
-
Command and Control, or C2; sometimes called "eye in the sky" or
"eye spy", from looking over everyone's shoulder. The exercise of
authority and direction by a properly designated commander over
assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the
mission. Command and control functions are performed through an
arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities,
and procedures employed by a commander in planning, directing,
coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the
accomplishment of the mission. See ABCCC, ABNCP, C3, C4,
UMBRELLA, CROW'S NEST, OVERSIGHT.
[nb: the six SOG Forward Operation Bases were consolidated and
reorganized in 1967, and redesignated as differentiations of
Command and Control (C&C), with FOB#4 becoming Command and
Control North (CCN), FOB#2 becoming Command and Control Central
(CCC), FOB#6 becoming Command and Control South (CCS), while FOBs
#1,3,5 became launch sites; the "Hatchet Force" and "Recon Team"
designations became "Exploitation Force" and "Spike Team"]
-
CCB :
-
Command & Control Boat. A converted landing craft of the
Monitor class of riverine boats, packed with radios, designed for
forward command and communications. Traveling with the flotilla
of boats and landing craft of a typical riverine operation, it
was used for relaying communications between the commanders in
the field and the Army's Tactical Operations Center (TOC) and
Fire Support groups. By using larger antennas than would be
practical in the field, communications range could be extended 10
to 15 miles. See MRF.
-
CCF :
-
Chinese Communist Forces; see CHICOM.
-
CCIR :
-
Commander's Critical Information Requirements, being that
information that directly affects the commander's decisions and
dictates the successful execution of tactical operations; CCIR
normally requires three types of information: priority
intelligence requirements, essential elements of friendly
information, and friendly force information requirements. See
PIR, IR, MI, INTEL.
-
C-CLIP :
-
slang for a curved or extended magazine (MAG), typically 30- or
40-round type; see BANANA CLIP. Also, slang for a 100-round
magazine (MAG); see DRUM.
-
CCRAK :
-
Combined Command for Reconnaissance Activities Korea, being the
interservice precursor, along with the 8240th and 8242nd Army
Units, of the United Nations Partisan Forces Korea (UNPFK /
UNPIK). The covert techniques established by OSS, enhanced by
UNPFK and JACK, were inherited by SOG, and have since been passed
to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and US Special
Operations Command (USSOC). Compare MGF, MSF, MIKE FORCE; see
SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
CCT :
-
USAF Combat Control Team. Also, Combat Crew Training.
-
C-DAY :
-
Commencement-Day; the unnamed day on which a deployment operation
commences or is intended to commence, including movement of
troops, cargo, weapon systems, or any combination thereof, using
any type(s) of transport. See L-HOUR, TIME.
-
CDEC :
-
(see-deck, not "c-d-e-c") Combat Development and Evaluation
Command; based at Camp Hunter Liggett with testing teams detached
to RVN. See ACTIV, CAT, CDTCVN.
-
CDO :
-
Navy and Marine designation of Command Duty Officer; compare OOD,
JOOD, SOPA, SDO, DUTY DOG, DOG ROBBER, DOGSBODY.
-
CDTCVN :
-
Combat Development and Test Center Vietnam; see ACTIV,
CDEC, CAT.
-
CE :
-
Combat Engineer, sometimes called "demolition commando" and
"assault pioneer", as derived from "engine[er] of war"; see ENGR,
SEABEES, RED HORSE, PIONEER, SNIPE, SAPPER, BREACHER, EOD,
SATCHEL CHARGE, JERRV, CEV. Also, Civil Engineer, also known by
their function of repairing "Roads and Commodes"; see SMART,
PRIME BEEF, CHIPS [nb: the person who builds "targets" to be
destroyed by the mechanical engineer, who builds weapons]. Also,
abbreviation for Counter-Espionage; see ESPIONAGE. Also,
abbreviation for character and efficiency (C&E) rating; see
ER, EER, NCOER, OER, FITREP.
-
CEASE-FIRE :
-
the order to interrupt or discontinue the discharge
of firearms; sometimes "check-fire" is used, but this phrase can
be misunderstood. Also, a temporary cessation of hostilities; a
TRUCE or armistice. [v: Diplomatic
Terms]
-
CEDAR FALLS :
-
major ground operations in IRON TRIANGLE beginning Jan 1967.
-
CEDAR WALK :
-
a Direct Action (DA) project of SOG during 1969 for raid
missions in Cambodia utilizing ethnic BODEs; see SALEM HOUSE.
-
CEILING :
-
the maximum altitude at which an aircraft can operate
under specified conditions. Also, the height above ground level
of the lowest layer of clouds that cover more than half of the
sky. Also, the OVERHEAD; compare DECK, BULKHEAD.
-
CEIP :
-
Communications Electronics Implementation Plan; also, CEIPA
for Comm Electr Implement Plan Amendment.
-
CENTCOM :
-
CENTral COMmand, also represented as USCENTCOM; being one of nine
US unified military commands, headquartered at McDill Air Force
Base, Tampa, Florida; during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),
CENTCOM maintained a forward base at Doha, Qatar.
-
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS :
-
the Central Highlands region of Southeast Asia, a plateau area
at the southern edge of the Truong Son Mountains, was a
strategically important region of South Vietnam throughout the
1960s and 1970s. Nearly one million people, primarily MONTAGNARD
tribesmen, lived in the 20,000 square miles of the Central
Highlands in 1968. The region was economically known for its
production of coffee, tea, cinnamon, upland rice, and various
vegetables. See SEVEN MOUNTAINS.
-
CEV :
-
Combat Engineer Vehicle; such as the M-728 which mounts a 165mm
MAIN-GUN for demolition on an M-60A1 TANK chassis. Compare JERRV.
-
CFLCC :
-
Combined Forces Land Component Command.
-
C4 :
-
Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (CCCC = C4);
including Battle Management CCCC and Intelligence (BMC4I), CCCC
CounterMeasures (C4CM), CCCC and Intelligence (C4I), CCCC and
Intelligence for the Warrior (C4IFTW), CCCC Intelligence
Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), CCCC Systems (C4S),
Global CCCC Assessment (GC4A). See C&C, C2, C3, ABCCC. Also,
Combat Casualty Care Course. Also, designation for the
Lockheed-Martin TRIDENT submarine-launched ballistic missile
(SLBM).
-
C-4 :
-
Composition C-4, being the fourth variant in the Composition C
formulation; a very stable, malleable, and lightweight plastic
explosive, that was widely used in the VIETNAM WAR because of its
high potency, great versatility, and easy portability. As a
plastic explosive, it was not destabilized by water, which was an
important factor in that climatic region. With a semi-soft
texture similar to putty, "play dough" or modeling clay, it could
be readily formed into a SHAPED CHARGE of any configuration. C-4
would not explode without use of detonation devices, even when
dropped, beaten, shot, or burned. Because it could be safely
burned, and was more accessible than Sterno (which had to be
privately purchased on a rare trip to the PX/BX), C-4 was often
used to heat RATIONS, boil coffee, and warm FOXHOLES or BUNKERS.
Originating as a mixture of TNT [TriNitroToluene (C7H5N3O6)] with
a plasticizer, it was developed by the British during WWII as
Composition C (C3H6N6O6) or Research Department Explosive (RDX)
at Woolwich England. See HEP, COCKTAIL, SOUP, IED, EXPLOSIVE.
-
CFR :
-
Code of Federal Regulations; see ORDER.
-
CG :
-
Commanding General. Also, Civil Guard. Also, Communications
Group. Also, Coast Guard / USCG (qv).
-
CGIS :
-
(c-g-i-s) U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; see NCIS, NIS,
CID, OSI, DCIS, DIS, FBI, BUTTON, POLICE.
-
C&GS :
-
abbreviation for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
(CGSC), and currently designated the U.S. Army General Command
and Staff College (GCSC), a ten-month curriculum taught at Fort
Leavenworth Kansas; see WAR COLLEGE, JEDI KNIGHT, HUDSON HIGH,
BOAT SCHOOL, OCS, ROTC. [v: Siwash ("At Good Old Siwash" by
George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
CHAFF :
-
strips of metal foil dropped by an aircraft to confuse enemy
RADAR; this countermeasures invention by the British during WWII
was originally known by its CODENAME "window"; see MUSIC, NOISE,
ECM. Also, any worthless matter or refuse, as in processing
harvested food; compare CONFETTI, CHATTER.
-
CHAFFEE :
-
M-24 light TANK, having two gas-powered engines linked to two
separate transmissions, which were impossible to properly
synchronize; replaced in 1953 by the M-41 WALKER-BULLDOG. Served
in Vietnam as bridge pillboxes, and chassis formed body of
DUSTER. See WIDOW MAKER, TANK, TRACK.
-
CHAIN GUN :
-
a class of externally powered, link-fed , chain driven,
single-barrel, selective-fire weapons (eg: M-242 25mm;
Mk-38/Mk-46; M-230 30mm) that are mounted on vehicles and
aircraft, and capable of effectively firing 200 rounds per minute
at lightly armored, thin-skinned, and SOFT TARGETs more than a
mile distant; this term refers to the use of a roller chain that
drives the bolt back and forth when the TRIGGER is activated.
Unlike most firearms, the CHAIN GUN does not depend on blow-back
or recoil to actuate its firing system; instead, it uses a 1hp DC
motor, positioned in the receiver, to drive the chain and
dual-feed system, which uses sprockets and extractor grooves to
feed, load, fire, extract, and eject rounds. A system of clutches
provides for an alternate sprocket to engage the dual-feed system
and thus allows the gunner to remotely switch between armor
piercing and high explosive rounds without changing AMMO belts.
Ammunition options include: Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot with
Tracer (APDS-T); Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot
With Tracer (APFSDS-T ); High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer
(HEI-T); High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer and Self Destruct
(HEI-TSD); Target Practice with Tracer (TP-T); and Target
Practice Discarding Sabot with Tracer (TPDS-T). The CHAIN GUN
weapon system design was begun in 1972 by Hughes Aircraft,
further developed by McDonnell Douglas (later acquired by the
Boeing Corporation), coming to fruition in 1981, and since
manufactured by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) of Mesa, Arizona. The
latest modifications include: chrome-lined barrel,
high-efficiency muzzle brake, enhanced feeder, enhanced receiver,
quick-detachable link covers, larger breech assembly, longer
recoil, integral round counter, extended-life firing pin and
spring, and triple-spring drive clutch.
-
CHAIN LOCKER :
-
a storage compartment for the proper stowage of CABLE and HAWSER
aboard a vessel.
-
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND :
-
the sequential structure of authoritative leadership in the
military hierarchy, from Tm Ldr to ChJCS, and exclusive of
supporting service and technical staff; also referred to as the
"food chain" and "pecking order". See CO, SKIPPER, HONCHO, 10,
WALLAH, GADGET, ACTING JACK, BREVET, CHIEF, OLD MAN, MOTHER HEN,
MC, LDR, COMBAT EFFECTIVE, COMMAND RATIO, OVERSIGHT, CAPTAIN'S
MAST, OFFICE HOURS, COMMAND ELEMENT, FIRST SHIRT, TOP KICK, FIELD
FIRST, SHAKE 'n' BAKE, HIGHER, VFR DIRECT, RHIP, ROUGHSHOD,
RHIP, LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY DOWN, WO, GREEN TAB, LOOEY, BUTTER
BAR, FULL BULL, FLAG OFFICER, MILICRAT, RANK, JCS, NCA, CINC /
POTUS.
[nb: although individual commanders and separate battles during
the American CIVIL WAR demonstrated the tendency, WWI was the
first full-scale war in which commanders did not lead from the
front. Despite technological advances, this practice was reversed
during WWII combat. When the VIETNAM WAR engaged conventional
forces, command was again detached from the point of contact, and
marginal technology substituted for decisive leadership.]
-
CHAIRBORNE :
-
a STAFFer or MILICRAT who represents himself as a "desk-bound
warrior", regardless of qualifications or experience; derived by
combining CHair with AIRBORNE. Compare KICKSTANDED; see ACETATE
COMMANDO, TOCROACH, FOBBIT, BEAN-COUNTER, PENCIL PUSHER, CHAIR
FORCE, MILICRAT, HOMESTEADER, PERMANENT PARTY, PUKE, BTDT, PAY
DUES, HEADQUARTERISM, RED TAPE, ORIFICE.
[cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs; placeholder, chair
warmer; checkbook gardener, gentleman farmer, patron of the arts,
white knight, fairy godmother, benefactor] [v: 'claque' for group
or coterie of BROWN NOSERs]
-
CHAIR FORCE :
-
sardonic reference to military servicemembers who accomplish all
of their work while comfortably seated, especially the Air Force
(USAF), where the war is being won by everybody sitting down on
the job! Compare SEAT OF THE PANTS, ZOOMIE; see CHAIRBORNE,
ACETATE COMMANDO, TOCROACH, FOBBIT, BEAN-COUNTER, PENCIL PUSHER,
MILICRAT, HOMESTEADER, PERMANENT PARTY, PUKE, BTDT, PAY DUES,
HEADQUARTERISM, RED TAPE, ORIFICE.
[cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs; placeholder, chair
warmer; checkbook gardener, gentleman farmer, patron of the arts,
white knight, fairy godmother, benefactor] [v: 'claque' for group
or coterie of BROWN NOSERs]
-
CHALK :
-
the FILE of airlift infantry which conforms to the size of
the transport aircraft, regardless of regular TO&E
assignment; as derived from temporary group assignment numbers
CHALKed onto the helicopter hulls. Compare STICK; see AIRMOBILE,
AIR ASSAULT, AIR CAV, HELIBORNE, LZ, CLZ, PZ, CHOPPER, MOTHER
HEN. [nb: the team size of British commando units was changed to
conform to the carrying capacity of the landing craft during
WWII]
-
CHALK COMMANDER :
-
the qualified individual who is responsible for and in control of
the group of AIR CAV, AIR ASSAULT, or HELIBORNE troops embarked
under the same chalk number; sometimes called MOTHER HEN; see
STICK.
-
CHALK NUMBER :
-
the number designating the transport carrier and its complete
load of men and materiel.
-
CHALLENGE COIN :
-
|
reverse side of
challenge coin
|
|
some organizations, including both military units and fraternal
societies, began selling specially produced and serial numbered
coins to unofficially raise funds for unit activities and
recreation; which coins could be called forth (ie: COINING) for
comparison to settle wagers and challenges, or contested to raise
even more money. It is possible that 'unit identification' or
commemorative coins were specially made for the British officers
in the Boer War (1899-1902) or for the American volunteer pilots
flying with the RAF in WWI, but these were more mementos or
SOUVENIRs, because they weren't serial numbered, and because the
"challenge ritual" had not
yet come into existence. In a similar vein, the 10th SFGAbn
commissioned an overstrike of a German coin [nb: it's illegal to
deface, disfigure, or deform U.S. coinage] as a commemorative for
its early Bad Tolz detachment, but this too lacked the sequence
and protocol of the later CHALLENGE COINs. It is believed that
the first genuine CHALLENGE COINs (those made primarily to raise
money and settle wagers) were produced by the (then) 77th SFGAbn
at Ft Bragg around 1957, and their popularity quickly spread to
cover many other units, operations, and special events. As with
most PISSING CONTESTs, the more elaborate and involved the
competition, then the better the competitors like it, and it's
all for a "good cause". See SHORT SNORTER, SLUSH FUND, HARD TIMES
TOKEN.
[nb: after the Great War (WWI), surviving British conscripts made
a coin key chain, representative of having taken the King's
shilling, which served as a subtle recognition signal to fellow
combatants of their veteran status] [v: obverse/reverse,
cross/pile]
-
CHANCE :
-
the unpredictable and uncontrollable element of an event, being
the unplanned aspect or accidental nature of an occurrence. Also,
the possibility or probability of something happening, usually
perceived as luck, joss, fate, destiny or fortune beyond one's
ken. GRUNTs have characterized this phenomenon as "the sacred
geometry of chance", where fatalism reigns over will and skill,
and where life and death are separated by moments and
millimeters. See QUICK OR DEAD, UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE, LAW OF
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, LAW OF AVERAGES, JOSS STICK, ZOMBIE,
DISSOCIATION, OBJECTIFICATION.
-
CHANDELLE :
-
an abrupt climbing turn in which an aircraft almost STALLs while
using its momentum to gain a higher rate of climb; derived from
"candle". See AEROBATICS.
-
CHANGING TUNE :
-
refers to the switch in BUGLE CALLs from "charge" to RETREAT,
indicating withdraw or RETROGRADE; see BEAT FEET, CUT AND RUN,
HAUL-ASS, BAILOUT, ROUT; compare COUNTERMARCH, DEFEAT.
[nb: to skedaddle or scarper in a disorderly or panicked manner
is an unmilitary reversion to primaeval atavism; "Retreat, hell!
We're attacking in a different direction!" by O.P. Smith;
"Retreat, hell! We just got here!" by Lloyd Williams; "If he can
fight, he advances and takes the offensive; if he cannot fight,
he retreats and remains on the defensive. He will invariably
conquer who knows whether it is right to take the offensive or
the defensive." by Chang Yu]
-
CHANTEY :
-
a rhythmic work song, especially used by sailors; also spelled
"chanty". See HOISE, CADENCE, JODY CALL, HEP, BY THE NUMBERS,
HEAVE-HO, GUNG-HO, HOOAH, OORAH, YUT, BEATERS 'n' BLEATERS,
TOOTER. [cf: ballad, chanson, lay, air, tune, ditty, carol]
-
CHAO :
-
Vietnamese salutation used in greeting or departing; usually
combined with polite gender designation (ie: Chao Ba, Chao Co,
Chao Ong).
-
CHAPAKAO :
-
CALL-SIGN of HMONG T-28 TALON fighter pilots.
-
CHAPARRAL :
-
a mobile Surface-to-Air (SAM) MISSILE platform consisting of
STINGERs mounted on a HMMWV (HUMVEE or "Hummer"). See FAV, MULE,
JEEP.
-
CHAPLAIN :
-
a non-denominational ecclesiastic who conducts religious services
and offers pastoral counseling to interested servicemembers; such
a clergyman is commonly known as a SKY PILOT. The motto of the
Chaplain's Corps is "For God And Country" ('Pro Deo Et Patria').
See TS CARD, GOD SQUAD, SYMPATHY, FOXHOLE CONVERSION, ARMY
CHRISTIAN, PRAYER; compare HUG SQUAD, GHOUL.
-
CHAPTER TEN / CHAPTER 10 :
-
Army discharge in place of court martial, as prelude to
Undesirable Discharge; see DISCHARGE.
-
CHARGE :
-
an impetuous onslaught or attack by soldiers; Vietnamese term:
"Tien Lien"; see STORM, WATCH MY SMOKE, compare FOLLOW ME, MOVE
OUT. Also, the drum signal or BUGLE CALL for such an onset or
assault. [cf: warison] Also, a command or injunction; see ORDER.
Also, an entrusted DUTY, responsibility, or superintendence; see
NCOIC, OIC, OOD, SDO. Also, the amount of explosive, powder, or
similar substance required to perform a task, by type and
placement; see SATCHEL CHARGE, FAE, SHAPED CHARGE, DEMO,
EXPLOSIVE.
[nb: the pan is the depressed part of the lock holding the
priming in old guns, so a "deadpan" facial expression derives
from a musket's flash-pan being empty, that is, without any
primer to set-off the charged barrel when the hammer falls to
strike a spark of ignition]
Also, the power or amount of energy necessary for task
performance; see JUICE. Also, a formal and authoritative
accusation of wrongdoing, as an offense or violation; see ROCKS
'n' SHOALS, BLUE BOOK, OFFICE HOURS, CAPTAIN'S MAST, YELLOW
SHEET, ARTICLE 31, ARTICLE 15, UCMJ. Also, a fee, price, cost,
expense, or debit; see CHIT, DEAD HORSE, CHARGE SHEET. Also, any
distinctive heraldic figure borne on an escutcheon. [nb: an
insignia emblematic of the honors and lineage of a military
organization, unlike familial "coats of arms", may be
individually enhanced but not personally heritable; v: Heraldry]
-
CHARGE SHEET :
-
accounting FORM that deducts the value of wrongfully damaged or
lost property from an individual's base pay; exclusive of any
lawful penalties for "willful destruction" or "intentional
mistreatment" of accountable gear, and also exclusive of combat
loss or destruction of issue items. Misappropriation of materiel
is chargable with penalties. Accidental liability is at command
discretion. Replacement for "normal wear and tear" is not
individually charged. See DX, SALTY DOG, ADRIFT, SCROUNGE,
SOUVENIR, MIDNIGHT REQUISITION.
-
CHARGING HELL WITH A BUCKET OF WATER :
-
an allusion to a perilous or desperate enterprise, a vain or
forlorn hope (enfants perdus), a lost cause; also expressed as
"charge hell with a bucket of water" and "charging into hell with
a cup (teaspoon) of water". In another context, Matthew Arnold
said of an institution that cherishes traditional honor: "Home of
lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names, and
impossible loyalties!" (1865).
-
CHARLEY HORSE :
-
slang for a painful involuntary muscular cramp, typically of an
arm or leg, that results from excessive strain, blunt-force
trauma, or nutritional deficiency; sometimes misspelled "charlie
horse", being an Americanism of obscure origin from the 1880s.
-
CHARLIE :
-
slang for the VIET CONG (VC), being the irregular forces
operating in SVN under the direct control of NVN by the political
artifice of the NLF; from shortening the phonetic representation
of Victor Charlie. The VC was also called "Chuck", "Charles",
"Sir Charles", and "Mister Charles", with varied intonations to
imply derision or respect in recognition of the enemy or his
performance; also spelled "charley". See VIET MINH, NLF, LUKE THE
GOOK, LONGHAIR, GOOK, PRG, PLA, GOMER, BO DOI, PAVN; compare
MARVIN THE ARVN, BAD GUYS.
Also, an epithet used instead of a given name when imputing
impersonal characteristics or universal status, in the same sense
as everyman, anyone, pal, bub, buddy, gink, GUY, dude, bloke,
cove, CHUM, brother, friend, fellow, Joe Blow, John Doe, Joe
Doakes, John Q. Public, Richard Row, Tom Styles, Johna Nokes, Joe
Bloggins, Joe Bloggs, Jack Tar, Peter Collins, Tommy Atkins /
TOMMY, GI JOE; such as good-time Charlie, champagne Charlie,
christian Charlie, sorry Charlie, circus Charlie, creeping
Charlie, chainsaw Charlie, Mister Charlie, Uncle Charlie, cheap
Charlie, bed-check Charlie, washing machine Charlie, and TAIL-END
CHARLIE. See CHARLIE NOBLE.
Also, a procedure word (PROWORD) meaning 'correct' or 'alright',
'satisfactory' or 'okay' that's used in radio/telephone procedure
(RTP) to make voice communications more concise and clear; the
letter 'C' originated as the MORSE CODE abbreviation for
"correct" that later acquired the 'Charlie' designation from the
PHONETIC ALPHABET; it's used in the same way as A-OK.
Also, the word assigned to represent the letter "C" in the
international phonetic alphabet; at various times in different
spelling schemes, it has also been acrophonetically represented
as Cast. See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [v: Alphabet Codes &
Signal Flags]
-
CHARLIE NOBLE :
-
the exhaust or vent pipe from a ship's GALLEY, which duct may
debouch into a larger flue or smokestack.
-
CHARM SCHOOL :
-
slang for the introductory program setup by most major units that
was designed to acclimate newly arrived troops IN-COUNTRY, to
refresh their field/operational skills, to enable weapons
familiarization or zero, and to instruct in the latest procedural
techniques derived from "lessons learned" on the BATTLEFIELD.
Replacements were informed of unit standard operating procedures
(SOP), of immediate action (IA) practices, and of security
protocols, together with geographic orientation to the
operational area (AO). Notable examples of refresher courses
setup to improve the survivability of troops included the 1st Cav
Div "First Team Academy" (FTA) and the 101st Abn Div "Screaming
Eagle Replacement Training School" (SERTS). Such a prep-course
was also known as "cherry school". Compare COC, ACTA, RECONDO;
see Q-COURSE, BUDDY SYSTEM, CHERRY, FNG, NEWBEE, TURTLE, RETREAD,
REPL' DEPOT, AFEES.
[nb: the initials of the "First Team Academy" (FTA), widely
understood to mean "Fuck The Army", was an ironic example of the
unfortunate decisions made by otherwise sane and insightful
persons, similar to the initials of the political action group
named the "Committee to Re-Elect the President" (CREeP) setup on
behalf of Richard M. Nixon] [v: Siwash ("At Good Old Siwash" by
George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
CHART :
-
a marine or hydrographic map, as derived from "papyrus roll"; see
UTM, SIDE-SCAN SONAR, LORAN, GPS, GRID COORDINATES, GRID LINES,
AZIMUTH, CONTOUR LINES, TOPO, DEAD-RECKONING, COMICS, MOSAIC MAP,
MAP, ATLAS, NIMA. Also, an outline or graph, as a display of
diagramatic or tabular information; see PLOT.
-
CHART TABLE :
-
the desktop surface, typically horizontal, used for displaying a
marine or hydrographic MAP, a nautical CHART, which is consulted
for known hazards, and upon which an intended course is planned
or the actual course is plotted; the modern electronic version is
known as the "central navigation console". Compare PLOT, see
NAVIGATION.
-
CHASE :
-
medical corpsman or team in a trailing aircraft, such as a medic
chasing a RECON insert or PJs following a bomb run; ready to lend
immediate assistance or emergency EXFIL, including COMMO and
close combat.
-
CHATTER :
-
the overwhelming plethora of potentially useful information that
must be sorted and assessed to discern valuable intelligence;
being that inundating deluge of intercepted data that runs
constantly in the background while pertinent material is
simultaneously isolated and analyzed in the foreground; that
surfeit or excess, surplus or overage, overabundance or
superabundance of resources from which actionable INTEL is
collated. Compare NOISE, MUSIC, CROSS-TALK, STATIC, FLAK, CHAFF,
CONFETTI, DISINFORMATION, CONTROLLED INFORMATION; see CONFAB,
EAR-BANG, RUMOR, PROPAGANDA, PSYOPS.
[nb: an MI axiom states that obtaining good INTEL from CHATTER is
like "trying to sip from a fire hose"]
-
CHATTERBOX :
-
sardonic reference to the United Nations (UN) complex beside the
East River in New York City, which is seemingly devoted to
talking about problems until they no longer exist, as long as
everyone discussing the issues is polite and comfortable. Monies
are sometimes appropriated, but since nobody at the UN really
knows where money comes from, it's merely a ritual without
expectation of result. Troops are sometimes dispatched to global
HOT SPOTs to act as police or referees under the aegis of the UN,
but they aren't allowed to actually shoot anybody doing something
wrong (whatever "wrong" might mean at any particular place or
time) ... since these troops, who are attractively dressed in
bright blue berets or helmets, are enticing targets for all sides
in any of the disputes they are monitoring, the UN authorizes the
award of medals for serving in NO MAN'S LAND between the various
combatants. See DIP CO.
-
CHEAP CHARLIE :
-
the enterprising Asian merchant, being a vendor of everything
from food and fine art to gimcrack and gewgaw; most often a
peddler, packman, chapman, duffer, or cheap-jack but also a
hawker, hustler, huckster, or COWBOY. Because markets, fairs, and
shops are political extensions, most dispossessed or
disenfranchised traders operate portable businesses. Compare
HAJJI SHOP, SLICKY BOY, COWBOY; see CYCLO, JINGLE TRUCK, SLOP
CHEST. [cf: comprador/compradore] [nb: Unlike the agora, the
marketplace originated as a secure location for the sale of
particular goods or produce at specified times and prices under
governmental regulation]
Also, a critical characterization by avaricious civilians of
thrifty or stingy MIL-PERS for not being prodigal, profligate or
improvident; see BE NICE, FACE.
-
CHECKERBOARD :
-
a specific sweep technique, dividing a fixed area into blocks,
into one of which a ground element is inserted while mechanized
or armor elements operate around the periphery to completely
saturate the area and prevent enemy escape (SQUIRTER). See FIRE
'n' MANEUVER, LEAP FROG, HOPSCOTCH, BUTTERFLY, CLOVERLEAF,
BUTTONHOOK, STACK, ZIGZAG, DASH, WAY POINT, COMBAT SPREAD.
-
CHECKERS :
-
a capture game played with opposed tokens that are moved on a
checkerboard of contrasts; 'checker' derives from diversify or
variegate. Variations of the game existed in Egypt and India
before its adoption in Europe, where it has been called polis,
alquerque, demos, morris, and draughts. Reported in Homer's
"Odyssey" as a game being played in the palace of Ulysses in
Ithaca to wile away boredom during the siege of Troy; it later
spawned CHESS as a WAR GAME for more genteel or sophisticated
players.
[nb: the beret-like Balmoral hat is often accented with a
surrounding "diced" pattern (called "checky") that symbolizes
guardianship and protection]
-
CHECKING THE DICTIONARY :
-
verifying confusing instructions or questionable orders; compare
OFF THE RESERVATION. Also, verifying the proper procedure, or any
other specific detail; see SOP, FSR, FM, TM, TC, MANUAL OF ARMS,
THE BIBLE, SCRIPTURES, UNODIR, OVERSIGHT, READ-BACK, NO EXCUSE,
WIGGLE ROOM, VFR DIRECT, SALUTE. [cf: vade mecum] [nb: real life
always transcends the rule book]
-
CHECK IT OUT :
-
a slang as ubiquitous as "okay" or "ya know" during the late
Sixties, meaning to have a close look at something or someone, to
get an "eye-full"; to gaze, gawk, or gape so intently that
"eye-tracks" or "eye-prints" are left behind. The saying was
prominently featured in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Miss Saigon". See
HAIRY EYEBALL, DOUBLE-O, A-OK, GUSTO; compare EYE-BALL, STACKING
SWIVEL, VR, THOUSAND-YARD STARE, FLASHBACK. [v: "custody of the
eyes"]
-
CHECKMATE :
-
a security stop or checkpoint.
-
CHECKPOINT :
-
an Access Control Point (ACP); see CHECKMATE, BARBED WIRE;
compare CHOKE POINT, WAY POINT.
-
CHECKPOINT IN A BOX :
-
an Access Control Point (ACP) in Iraq that's been reinforced by
protective barriers against suicide bombers; see HESCO BARRIER,
T-WALL, BLAST WALL, REVETMENT.
-
CHECK RIDE :
-
an evaluation flight administered by the unit's designated
Instructor Pilot (IP) to verify the PILOT's qualification and
establish the ability of every newly reporting PILOT. If a
weakness is detected, the PILOT may be assigned as PETER PILOT
and required to remedy the deficiency; or the PILOT's rating may
be suspended. See UP CHECK; compare NICKEL RIDE.
-
CHECK OUT :
-
to die, or be killed, to be slain or croaked, a goner; as to
depart from life's metaphoric hotel without leaving a forwarding
address, or to withdraw from corporeal human affairs; most often
expressed in the context of COMMO, as to CHECK OUT of the NET ...
which is distinguished from being "log-out" or "log-off" of the
NET. Sometimes expressed as "cashing in" or "cashing out", as
from life's gambling game. See BUY THE FARM, ZAP / ZAPPED,
WASTED, BITE THE DUST, PUSHING UP DAISIES, SNOWBALL, TWEP, KIA,
DOW, SOL, BITTER END, BELIEVER.
[nb: "shuffled off this mortal coil", from the "to be or not to
be" soliloquy (Hamlet by William Shakespeare), refers not
to cyclical or inevitable death, but to the confused intrigues of
life's affairs ... "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The
slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against
a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No
more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the
thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, 'tis a
consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep; To sleep;
perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of
death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal
coil, Must give us pause...."] [cf: And we are here as on a
darkling plain / Swept with confused alarms of struggle and
flight, / Where ignorant armies clash by night" by Matthew
Arnold, Dover Beach]
-
CHEONGSAM :
-
(forthcoming);
a close-fitting, knee/floor-length dress with slitted-skirt and
an upright or mandarin collar, worn chiefly by Oriental women; as
derived from "long dress".
aka: Ch'i-P'ao / Qipao / Mandarin gown (from Manchu)
vs traditional Han Chinese clothing called Hanfu / Hanyu or
Hanzhuang / Huafu worn before 1644
The traditional Vietnamese AO DAI was derived from the CHEONGSAM;
the American fashion of imitating Chinese dress was made popular
by "The World of Suzie Wong".
compare AO DAI, KIMONO, HANBOK.
-
CHERRY :
-
a new trooper or inexperienced replacement, a novice or tyro;
being the same as FNG or NEWBEE, and sometimes called "rookie",
"tenderfoot", "greenhorn", "cheechako", FRESH CATCH, "fresh
meat", "new meat", or "raw meat". See TURTLE, CHUM, SHOWER SHOE,
NUGGET; compare RETREAD.
[nb: showing an astonishing sophistication, a new Russian soldier
in the USSR during WWII was known as an "ingénu"
(masculine form of ingénue), which is both quite accurate
and very descriptive] [nb: "One new recruit added to an old unit
is worth two added to a new unit." military maxim]
Also, slang for the burning tip of a cigarette or the plug of
burning tobacco in a pipe, especially during inhale at night so
it glows in the surrounding darkness.
-
CHERRY BLAST :
-
slang for someone's first parachute jump, whether civilian or
military; equivalent to a trainee's solo excursion after ground
school; see WINGING. Also, a PARATROOPER's first jump with an
assigned AIRBORNE unit after finishing JUMP SCHOOL training;
being the sixth jump for soldiers, and the eleventh jump for
Marines; see BLAST, PROP BLAST, HOLLYWOOD BLAST, ABN,PARACHUTE.
-
CHERRY JUICE :
-
slang for hydraulic fluid, especially in the TURRET traversing
system of TANKs, which is so called due to its color.
-
CHESS :
-
(forthcoming);
Mesopotamia 6000BC terra cotta figures thought to be chessmen
China 2nd century wei-chi/xiangqi "elephant chess"
India 6th century chaturanga/chataranga 4-player war game [cf:
origin of ZERO]
Persia 6th century shatranj
Japan 7th century shogi
Europe 9th century shah
rules, moves, pieces, number of squares varied till 15th century
"game of kings" was embellished by fantasy or fairy chess
variations that were superseded by a three-dimensional version
["strato-chess"] during the Vietnam-era, and has since been
displaced by computer games. See KING OF BATTLE, QUEEN OF BATTLE,
CHECKERS, BATRACHOMYOMACHIA, WAR GAMES.
-
CHICKASAW :
-
H-19 helicopter
-
CHICKEN PLATE :
-
slang for bulletproof chest protector (body armor) worn by
helicopter crewmembers, so called due to similarity of
resemblance to chicken-breast or pigeon-breast caused by
protective pyroceramic inserts; also known as "bullet-bouncer".
Compare FLAK JACKET, HAPPY SUIT, OTV, IOTV, ESAPI, SAPI, FLAK
VEST.
-
CHICKEN SHIT :
-
anything insignificant or inconsequential that's given import or
portent; something petty, niggling, or trivial; any picayune
enforcement of the letter (rather than the spirit) of the law;
thus making military life much more difficult and exasperating
than it needs to be in order to function properly. ELEPHANT SHIT
is an enormous quantity of CHICKEN SHIT; but both are
distinguished from "bull shit" and "horse shit", which describe
brags and lies instead of harassment. See OCS, BEAN-COUNTER, AIR
FORCE GLOVES, FLUFF 'n' BUFF; compare MICKEY MOUSE, BLOW SMOKE,
HOT AIR.
-
CHICOM :
-
(cheye-kom) a term designating a Chinese Communist (Chi-Com), or
the weapons manufactured in mainland (People's Republic of)
China, or "Red China"; their military is formally known as the
People's Liberation Army and Navy (PLAN). Compare CHINAT, PAVN;
see CHINK, GOOEY, CPVF, CCF, PRC, BAD GUYS.
[nb: due to the relatively unprepossessing appearance of their
plain green uniforms with red and gold insignia, the Chinese
communists (CHICOM) who "volunteered" for service in the KOREAN
WAR were sometimes called "laundryman" / "laundrymen" by GIs,
which appellation may be related to the stereotypic "Chinese
laundry" operated by Asian immigrants to America; during the
egalitarian era of the 1967-77 Cultural Revolution, the PLAN
abandoned the wear of rank and insignia altogether; then in 2007,
emulating the military dress of other nations, the PLAN has
adopted "07" dress, duty, and battle fatigue styles, with ground
forces in pine green, air forces in deep blue/gray, and naval
forces in dark blue, all with chest insignia]
-
CHIEF :
-
headman or boss, as of an office or department, as derived from
"head", being the basis for CAPTAIN and CADET; see HONCHO, DI,
FIRST SHIRT, TOP, TOP DOG, JCS, LDR, WONK, WIZARD, RAINMAKER,
WALLAH, PROFESSOR, POGUE, PUKE. [v: chieftain, sachem, cacique]
Also, title for master of a craft or vessel; compare PILOT, CREW
CHIEF, BOATSWAIN, SKIPPER. Also, informal address for a senior
Warrant Officer (CWO) or a Naval Chief Petty Officer (CPO); see
TOP, GUNNY, MISTER, SARGE, NCO; compare PO. Also, slang for any
ethnic AmerIndian tribesman in an integrated unit [nb: some
reserve units are racially homogeneous due to their locale] [nb:
by an ACT OF CONGRESS on 24 June 1924, all AmerIndians were
granted U.S. citizenship]; see REDBONE. [nb: the 'redskin'
description seems to have originated when Europeans first landed
on North America and initially encountered indigenous peoples who
stained their exposed flesh with an orangish red (ocher) pigment;
"Red-skin: a North American Indian, whose skin is not red -- at
least not on the outside." by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce]
-
CHIEU HOI :
-
(choo hoy) meaning "Open Arms"; the name of the program under
which SVN/GVN offered amnesty to VC defectors, who were called
HOI CHANH. See PSYOPS, DEATH CARD.
-
CHIGGIE BEAR :
-
a Korean porter who was employed by US and UN forces to deliver
resupplied military materiel in the formidable terrain of the
KOREAN WAR by using DUMMY STICK yokes and A-frames; these hired
laborers also served as litter bearers when departing the Main
Line of Resistance (MLR). Also spelled "choggie bear", this term
may be derived from the corrupt pronunciation of 'hurry bearer'
("chogi barán"). Compare DAN CONG; see LITTER, CHOGI,
COOLIE, YO-HO POLE.
[nb: according to the international LAWS OF WAR, a civilian
compelled to act as a military porter by transporting weapons or
munitions and materiel becomes a bona-fide combatant, subject to
treatment as a de-facto soldier, and forfeits the protection of
civilian noncombatant status; international law includes rules on
the treatment of prisoners of war, but only extends protection to
combatants, excluding any civilians who engage in hostilities,
and those unconventional forces that do not observe restrictions
for combatants]
-
CHIKUNGUNYA :
-
(chik-un-gunya) a febrile disease resembling Dengue Fever, caused
by an arbovirus transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, and
characterized by sudden onset, chills and fever, headache,
nausea, vomiting, arthralgia, and rash. First described in
epidemic form in 1952-1953, and seen mainly in Africa, the Indian
subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. The most prominent frequent
feature of CHIKUNGUNYA fever is severe arthritis, and the name
derives from "that which bends up", referring to the posture of
afflicted patients. See FUO, MALARIA, BONE BREAK FEVER, YELLOW
JACK, HORSE PILL; compare DAPSONE, CORK.
-
CHILDREN'S BRIGADE :
-
see BABY BRIGADE. [nb: "A child is a general without an army."
folk saying]
-
CHINA MARINE :
-
(forthcoming);
4th and 6th Mar Rgt serving embassy duty and river, coastal, and
compound patrol (1927-40)
See GYRENE, SNUFFY, SEAGOING MARINE, JARHEAD, GUNNY, THE CROTCH,
MAMELUKE SWORD, USMC.
-
CHINAT :
-
(cheye-nat) a term describing a Chinese Nationalist (Chi-Nat), or
resources derived from Taiwan (the "Little Tiger"); compare
CHICOM, CHINK.
[nb: the Republic of China (RoC) was established in 1949 by the
Nationalist Chinese leader Chiang Kai-Shek (Chiang Chung-Cheng;
called "Shanker Jack" by GIs) on the island of Formosa/Taiwan,
which had been forfeited by Imperial Japan]
[nb: the official history of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(SRV) notes that Vietnamese communist forces acted as MERCENARY
rebels across the border in southern China so as to monopolize
elements of the Kuomintang army, enabling Maoist revolutionaries
to elude the remainder, thus preventing a Nationalist Chinese
(CHINAT) victory]
-
CHINA WHITE :
-
purest form of white crystalline heroin (derived from 1895 German
trademark based on "hero" from induced euphoria) produced in
GOLDEN TRIANGLE region; see SMACK; compare DOPE, JUNK, HOT SHOT,
STICK, STONED, SILVER TRIANGLE, GOLDEN CRESCENT.
-
CHIN BUBBLE :
-
(forthcoming);
see NOSE, CHOPPER.
-
CHIN CHIN :
-
pidgin Chinese-English for talk, a discussion or conference,
purportedly originated as the polite expression "please-please"
(ch'ing-ch'ing); see BRIEFING, CONFAB, CROSS-TALK, HALF-MAST,
CHATTER, EAR-BANG, POWWOW, SUMMIT.
-
CHINDIT :
-
a corruption of the Burmese word ("chinthe") for the lion-headed
winged dragon that graces the outside of Burmese pagodas, it was
adopted as the device of the troops under MG Orde Wingate
operating behind the Japanese lines in the China-Burma-India
(CBI) theater during 1943-5 (Wingate was killed in an aircrash in
March 1944). The CHINDIT and Cachin Chinese, together with the
OSS, supported the 5307th Composite Unit (MERRILL'S MARAUDERS).
-
CHINESE WALL :
-
a ban on passing sensitive or classified information, especially
detrimental material, from one department or agency to another;
originated with confidential financial data, and alludes to the
Great Wall of China; compare STOVEPIPE; see COMPARTMENTALIZATION,
RIG. [v: D-Notice] Also, the Great Wall of China, being a 1500
mile long fortification winding across northern China, running
mostly along the southern edge of the Mongolian plain from Gansu
to Hebei provinces on the Yellow Sea, it was erected to guard
against invading nomads. An amalgamation of many walls, some
brick, others earthen, it has an average height of 25 feet, an
average base width of 23 feet, a top width of about 12 feet,
interspersed with guard stations and watchtowers. Begun in the
Ch'in dynasty, it was abandoned during the Ming dynasty because
it proved ineffective, but since 1949, a portion north of Beijing
is being restored, and is open to visitors. See MACV; compare
BAMBOO CURTAIN, STAR WARS, MAGINOT LINE, SMEZ, BERLIN WALL, IRON
CURTAIN, BAR LEV LINE, CACTUS CURTAIN, McNAMARA'S WALL, McNAMARA
LINE, DEW LINE, PHASE LINE.
[cf: Hadrian's Wall, Antonine Wall] [nb: the Dutch built Wall
Street (1652-98) as a defense against the British in New York]
[nb: "The strength of a wall is neither greater nor less than the
men who defend it." by Genghis Khan]
-
CHINH HUA :
-
Vietnamese phrase for the NVA indocrination sessions for all
party leaders; compare DAU TRANH.
-
CHINK :
-
disparaging slang for a Chinese, especially a Chinese communist
soldier during the KOREAN WAR; also called "chinkie" or "gooey";
see CHICOM, CHINAT, NUNG, DINK, GOOK, SLOPE, SLANT-EYE, RICE
BALL, ZIP, NIP, JAPE, WOG, LITTLE PEOPLE; compare BUDDHAHEAD,
BASKET HEAD, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, INDIG, DESEGREGATION.
[nb: due to the relatively unprepossessing appearance of their
plain uniforms, the Chinese communists (CHICOM) who "volunteered"
for service in the KOREAN WAR were sometimes called "laundryman"
/ "laundrymen" by GIs; this appellation may be related to the
stereotypic "Chinese laundry" operated by Asian immigrants to
America]
Also, a narrow crack, cleft, or fissure, as in an otherwise solid
and impervious surface, hence a vulnerability or weakness; a
"chink in the armor" or "chink in one's armor" is a potentially
deadly defect or fatal flaw, as derived from the gapped join or
overlap in a knight's armor-plate; see ACHILLES HEEL.
-
CHINOOK :
-
Boeing CH-47 twin-engine, large (12-ton) capacity, transport or
cargo helicopter operational since 1962; also called HOOK,
"Shit Hook", or "Flying Oscar" (after Oscar Meyer wiener). See
GO-GO SHIP, compare Naval SEA KNIGHT version.
-
CHIPS :
-
nickname for a shipwright, millworker, or other woodworker,
including artificer and armorer. See PRIME BEEF, SMART.
-
CHIT :
-
informal vouchers, often elaborately decorated, used for
promissory payment on food, drinks, and entertainment; receipts
valid only within club of issue, similar to "running a tab" for
later settlement. Shortened from India "Chitty/chitti"; see
CHARGE, compare DEAD HORSE, HARD TIMES TOKEN, MPC, BLOOD CHIT.
[nb: formerly "Orders on the Paymaster" (OPs) were accumulated by
sutlers for assigned troopers against the next pay disbursement,
as a precursor of the CHIT tabulation system of billing or
accounting] [cf: vivandière]
Also, in NavSpeak, any authoritative document or official piece
of paper, such as a "leave chit", "light duty chit", or the like.
-
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG :
-
a catch-phrase used among combatant peers, especially in an
informal atmosphere, to describe an engagement or skirmish in a
somewhat humorous or dismissive manner by employing an elaborate
pose of relaxation and using an exaggerated Texican ("Frito
Bandito") accent: "... an' all of a sudden it was a shitty shitty
bang bang!" This phrase was adopted by Vietnam vets from the then
current book and film. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a 1968
film that was based upon a 1964 children's book about a magical
car by Ian Fleming; inspiration for the fantastic car came from a
series of aero-engined racing cars built by Count Louis Zborowski
in the early 1920s at Higham Park, which had been christened
"Chitty Bang Bang" at the time. See FIREFIGHT, CONTACT, CLOSE
QUARTERS BATTLE, AMBUSH, MEETING ENGAGEMENT, WAR STORY, BEANER.
-
CHL :
-
Confinement at Hard Labor; see YARDBIRD, STOCKADE, BRIG, THE
CASTLE, CROSSBAR HOTEL, HOT HOUSE, LBJ, DEADLOCK, DEADLINE,
DEAD-TIME, PAIN, UCMJ, DISCHARGE.
-
CHOCK :
-
a wedge to fill-in a gap or a device to BRACE an object, any
support or reinforcement; also called "chock block", and derived
from "choke", as close or tight. See CLEAT, BLOCK, SHORE; compare
FAIRLEAD. [v: quoin, sprag]
-
CHOCOLATE BOMBARDIER :
-
slang for the pilots and crewmembers who flew the air transports
that delivered food and fuel into the blockaded city during the
BERLIN AIRLIFT (Jun 1948 - Sep 1949).
-
CHOCOLATE BUNNY :
-
any prostitute who charges BLACK GIs less than white GIs for the
same service; also known as "coal burner". See SHORT-TIME,
BOOM-BOOM, FUCK, CHURNING BUTTER, BUTTERFLY.
-
CHOCOLATE CHIP :
-
a distinctive GULF WAR-era variant of the DESERT camouflage
Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) that added brown splotches or blotches
to the mottled tan and green pattern; this color variant did not
alter the basic BDU, which was replaced in 2004 by the Army
Combat Uniform (ACU). See CAMMIES, CAMO, DRESS.
-
CHO DE :
-
Vietnamese term for "son-of-a-bitch"; literally 'given
birth by a dog'.
-
CHOGI :
-
to hurry or move out quickly; also spelled "chogie", and
sometimes expressed as "cut a CHOGI", "boogaloo", HUBBA-HUBBA, or
SKY. This Korean term was brought to Vietnam by soldiers who had
previously served in the KOREAN WAR. See ASAP, PDQ, STAT, GOYA,
SCRAMBLE, FORTHWITH, HAUL-ASS, SCRAM, JUICE, CHOP CHOP, RIKI TIK,
CHIGGIE BEAR; compare TOCSIN, KLAXON. [v: Japanese haiyaku
(quickly)]
-
CHOI OI :
-
Americanization of Vietnamese TROI OI (qv), an expression used as
an exclamation.
-
CHOKE :
-
C-RATION peanut butter. Compare HAM 'n' MOTHERS; see BEANS, CHOW.
[v: sample menu of C-RATIONS]
-
CHOKE POINT :
-
any natural constriction (eg: ford, defile) or tactical funnel
(eg: air corridor, artillery-fan) that constricts movement,
maneuver, or fire; also called "area of vulnerability",
"bottleneck", or "fatal funnel". Command or regulation of these
transit points is a FORCE MULTIPLIER against a superior enemy.
The classic example is Thermopylae, where Spartans delayed the
Persian INVASION, at odds of more than twenty to one, so Greece
could evacuate noncombatants and rally a defense. See SPIN DOWN,
BRIDGEHEAD, STRONGPOINT, BARBICAN, ACP, KEY TERRAIN. [cf: sally
port]
-
CHOKER :
-
a high-necked service dress jacket or BLOUSE with a "standing" or
"upright" collar, as used by US Navy ("choker whites") or USMC
("choker blues") personnel. The redesigned DIGITAL combat
uniforms (eg: ACU) also employ an "upright" collar, not for the
display of insignia, but for coverage and comfort behind the
newer high-necked FLAK VEST. The Army has not utilized a CLASS-A
uniform with a "standing" collar since WWI. See WITH BELLS ON,
DRESS.
-
CHOP :
-
pidgin Chinese-English for a document; probably derived from the
Asian stamp used to seal or the mark used to identify something,
which acquired a distinction or value (chop = good) of its own;
see PIP, ENSIGN. Also, to be detached or "seconded" for service
with some other organization; see TDY, TAD, SHEEP-DIPPED,
VULCANIZE. Also, cut or cut-off, made redundant or expendable; as
"to get the chop"; see RIF. Also, the coordination and
synchronization of timepieces or timers for the accurate
commencement of a mission or operation; also called HACK; see
TIME. Also, an irregular or turbulent wave motion, as at sea.
Also, to authorize or acknowledge by marking with one's initials.
Also, nickname of the supply and stores officer on-board ship;
probably derived from both the accountability mark and the
official paperwork.
-
CHOP CHOP :
-
pidgin Chinese-English for an urgent document; and by extension,
anything hurried or critical. See FORTHWITH, SCRAMBLE, CHOGI,
RIKI TIK; compare SKOSH, TEE-TEE. [v: Japanese haiyaku (quickly)]
-
CHOP LINE :
-
NavSpeak for a border, boundary, ambit, or PERIMETER demarcating
the operational area assigned to each command, such as the
separation between the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, or the
distinction between northern and southern commands; compare AO,
TAOR, TO, MOA, AOR, OA, UA, LINE, CORDON, BLOCKING FORCE, SCREEN.
-
CHOPPER :
-
any helicopter, sometimes called helo, 'copter, fling-wing,
WHIRLY BIRD, EGGBEATER; including APACHE, BLACKHAWK, CAYUSE,
CHICKASAW, CHINOOK, COBRA, COMANCHE, DOLPHIN, FLYING CRANE,
HUEY/IROQUOIS, HUSKY, IROQUOIS/HUEY, JAYHAWK, JOLLY GREEN GIANT,
KINGBEE, KIOWA, LITTLE BIRD, ORION, OSPREY, SEA COBRA, SEA HAWK,
SEA KING, SEA KNIGHT, SEA SPRITE, SEA STALLION, SHAWNEE, SIOUX,
SKYCRANE, SPERM.
See AIRMOBILE, HELIBORNE, AHC, FLARESHIP, GUNSHIP, ARA, HOG, LOH,
SCOUTSHIP, BIRD, WARBIRD, SLICK, LZ, GREEN LZ, RED LZ, CLZ, PZ,
HELIPAD, SHELL GAME, FALSE INSERTION, FLIP-FLOP, LIFT, EAGLE
FLIGHT, COMPANY LIFT, TIGER AIRLINE, DUSTOFF, MEDEVAC, AIR
AMBULANCE, CHASE, FIREFLY, SNOOPY, ASH 'n' TRASH, LOG BIRD, HOLY
HELO, LAAGER, IR MARKERS, BROWN-OUT, WHITEOUT, ZERO-ZERO, FLAT
LIGHT, CHIN BUBBLE, NOSE, JESUS NUT, TAILBOOM, SPOOL-UP, BLADE
TIME, PULL PITCH, FLARE, AUTO-ROTATE, AUGER-IN, PANCAKE, CHECK
RIDE, UP CHECK, NICKEL RIDE, DUNKER, GREEN PLATOON, DASH, HOT
HOIST, JUNGLE PENETRATOR, FCSL, NO FLY ZONE, PETROL, TOP-OFF,
POL, HOT-FUELING, STRIP ALERT, APRON, REVETMENT, LPH, ROTOR HEAD,
WOBBLY, WOP, PROP JOCKEY, PILOT, GOOD STICK, SILVER EAGLES.
[nb: Vietnamese term: Phi Co Len Thang, Phi Co Tuc Thang]
[v: An Aerobatics and Aviation Lexicon]
[nb: it has been said that a helicopter is a random collection of
rotating parts spinning around, and reciprocating parts thrusting
about, unable to fly, but acting so ugly in operation, that the
earth tries to immediately expel or repel them into the
atmosphere! The Chinese devised a pinwheel toy or "helicopter
top" during the fourth century AD based upon the dragonfly,
called "bamboo dragonfly", and they were sometimes added to
kites; which inspired experiments with manned-flight like a
dragonfly (ca1809-1853), after earlier(ca550-577) attempts to fly
like a bird. Igor Sikorsky flew the first prototype helicopter
(VS300) on 14 Sep 1939, and delivered a fully operational
helicopter (XR-4 Hoverfly) to the USAAF in May 1942.]
-
CHOPS :
-
CHief of OPerationS.
-
CHOP SHOP :
-
slang for a surgery / operating room (OR), or a morgue. See BONE
CUTTER, SAWBONES, DOC, SICK CALL, AID STATION, MASH, EVAC, FST,
CSH, FIELD HOSP, CRACKER BOX, BAND-AID, MEDEVAC, DUSTOFF, AIR
AMBULANCE, HOSPITAL.
-
CHOPSTICK :
-
one of a pair of Asian eating utensils, being a pair of tapered
sticks held in one hand; meaning "fast + tool". Called
"wari-bashi" (parallel sticks), "wari-kogai" (pick sticks), or
just "hashi" in Japanese. See PARTISAN'S SECRET WEAPON, SPOON,
KFS, RICE, RICE BOWL, NUOC MAM; compare BREAK CHOP. [cf: muddler,
swizzle/swizzle-stick] [nb: in Asian etiquette, leaving utensils
in the rice while dining is impolite because it represents the
traditional offering to the dead]
-
CHOW :
-
food or meal; derived Chinese "dog". Sometimes called fare, tack,
fixings, grub, tucker, hash, victuals/vittles, stew (Brunswick
Stew, Irish Stew, Hunter's Stew, Shepherd's Pie), mulligan, nosh,
scoff/scarf, fricassee, goulash, daube, carbonnade, lobscouse,
hot pot, ratatouille, blanquette, ragout, gallimaufry, burgoo,
tzimmes, cassoulet, risotto, chop suey, sukiyaki, pepper pot
(hasenpfeffer), pottage/poddidge, matelote, cioppino,
bouillabaisse, sop, hotchpotch/hodgepodge, olla podrida (olio),
mishmash, salmagundi, potpourri ("rotten pot"), slumgullion
("cesspool"). See BEANS, THREE SQUARES, C-RATIONS, CHOKE, HAM 'n'
MOTHERS, SQUARE MEAL, SOUP, DOG, GI JOE, BUG JUICE, JUICE, IRON
RATIONS, SOLDIER'S BREAKFAST, PITA, SANDWICH, SLIDER, CAVALRY
STEAK, PANCAKE, SINKER, SOS, MERMITE, EVAPORATOR, MESS, GALLEY,
COOKIE, LIP SMACKING, FORAGE, SLOP, WASH, WAD. [v: beanfeast,
wayzgoose] [v: Japanese gohan (meal, cooked rice)]
[nb: since the era of the CIVIL WAR, American troops have
mockingly mislabeled salt pork as "Cincinnati chicken", just as
ground or smothered entrees are now called "mystery meat"]
[nb: American cuisine includes chow mein ("noodle pieces") and
chop suey ("mixed bits"), a stir-fried combination of shredded
meat and diced vegetables over noodles or rice in Chinese style]
[cf: "battels" (probably a corruption of the obsolete 'battle',
to feed) meaning the expense of board and provisions, or the
board and provisions themselves; housing and meals, shelter and
rations] [v: field cookware includes MESS KIT, CANTEEN CUP,
billy/billy-pot/billy-can] [nb: it requires more time and fuel to
cook at higher altitudes because the boiling point (212F/100C) of
water is more difficult to attain as the atmospheric pressure
decreases, leaving the food desiccated and partially cooked, so a
small sealed container is needed to increase the pressure (which
also increases the boiling point) for efficient food and beverage
preparation, enabling a higher temperature to be reached before
boiling occurs (water at 15psi boils at 252F/125C); although
pressure cookers (aka: waterless cooker) reduce cooking time by a
factor of three, they also prevent the escape of air and liquids
below a preset temperature, which conserves their contents from
evaporation ... one of the earliest models was called a "steam
digester", invented by physicist Denis Papin in 1679; commercial
kitchens use large volume "pressure canners" ... WARNING: as with
boiling, the use of contaminated water in pressure cooking will
not cleanse its impurities, since distillation requires
evaporation (and condensing) to achieve potability; cf: osmotic
(or reverse osmosis) filtration] [nb: high-muckety-muck and
high-muck-a-muck are corrupt Americanisms from Chinook jargon
("hayo makamak") meaning plenty to eat or much food, from the
layer of whale meat between blubber and flesh]
-
CHOW HALL :
-
a dining room or refectory where meals are served to a group;
also called MESS / MESSHALL, GALLEY, or Dining Facility (DFAC).
See chow line, CANTEEN, ANNEX, DINING-IN, O CLUB, BEANS, CHOW,
DOG, GI JOE, COMFORT STATION, KP, DRO, COOKIE.
-
CHOWING DOWN :
-
eating, to eat a hearty meal, especially when very hungry; see
CHOW, BEANS, RATIONS, MESS, GALLEY. Also, having oral sex,
especially cunnilingus; see DAISY CHAIN, HAT TRICK, LOVE HANDLES,
BUSH PILOT, MUFF DIVER, HEAD, HUMMER, WINGS, BIB, HONG KONG
HAIRCUT, DIDDLY, STEAM 'n' CREAM, HOOKUP, CHURNING BUTTER,
BOOM-BOOM, SHORT-TIME, HELL ON WHEELS, SHACK-JOB, FUCK.
[aka: 60, 69, oral sex, oral copulation, cunnilingus,
cunny-delicious, rug / carpet muncher, eat / eating out,
lickety-splitter, cunt licker, pussy eater, pussy chewer, cunt
chomper, tongue 'n' groove, lip sucker, lick the cat, eat the
beaver, taste tuna taco, go down / -on, pearl diver, deep dive,
Aussie kiss (a French kiss down under); fellatio, head / -job,
blow job, bj, hummer, suck / -off, deep suck, deep throat,
cocksuck / -ing, gob job, gobble, go down / -on, blumpkin] [nb:
'lecher' derives from "to lick gluttonously"]
-
CHOW LINE :
-
a selection of foods, arranged buffet- or cafeteria-style (like a
smorgasbord), presented for the expeditious feeding of large
numbers of MIL-PERS at one time, whether indoors or outside.
Also, the line of MIL-PERS passing such a table, counter, or
array of containers for obtaining such foods at mealtime. See
CHOW, BEANS, C-RATIONS, MESS, GALLEY, PIPING HOT, COMFORT
STATION, CANTEEN, CHOWING DOWN.
-
CHRISTMAS TREE :
-
to turn-on or activate all navigation and/or landing lights on an
aircraft, vessel, or vehicle; used as a distress signal, as a
safety measure during midair refueling, as a diversion or
distraction, or as a dramatic display during a FLYOVER or other
PARADE; most commonly phrased as "like a ..." or "going
CHRISTMAS TREE". Compare BLACKOUT, IR MARKERS, SQUAWK, DIRTY; see
PORT, STARBOARD, BOW, PROW, STEM, AFT, STERN.
-
CHROME-DOME / CHROMED-DOME :
-
a chrome-plated helmet or argent-painted helmet liner, often with
distinctive insignia and non-standard webbing, as worn by
performance drill teams and headquarters or embassy guards. As
with other TOY SOLDIERs, "palace guards", and "glitter guards",
their "kabuki theater" costumes are usually embellished or
elaborated to the point of dysfunctional impracticality. See
MILITARY PRESS, SAM BROWNE BELT, SPIT 'n' POLISH, MILITARY TUCK;
compare SNOWDROP, BRASS HAT, FUGLEMAN, CANNON FODDER.
-
CHU LAI :
-
named in honor of Marine General Victor Krulak (later
Commandant), who was an Asian linguist and scholar, being the
Chinese version of his surname.
-
CHU LUC :
-
Vietnamese term for a MAIN FORCE (MF) element; compare LOCAL
FORCE.
-
CHUM :
-
in NavSpeak, a play on words for a novice sailor or a seaman on
his first FLOAT or initial cruise on-board a ship; term overtly
claims friendship but also refers to "waste" or "bait" which
indicates the inexperience of the tyro. May also imply variegated
color (as Chum or Chinook Salmon) from the sea sickness of new
sailors [cf: greenhorn]. See SWABBY, SQUID, NUGGET, POLLYWOG,
DRYBACK, TADPOLE, FRESH CATCH, CHERRY, SHOWER SHOE, FNG, NEWBEE;
compare GUY, CHARLIE.
-
CHURCH KEY :
-
a beverage can-opener [in the pre-Pull-Tab / pre-Pop-Top era] for
pressing neat triangular holes into the top for drinking, and/or
bottle cap lifter [in the pre-Twist-Off-Cap era], being a useful
item of personal property that could also convert, by the
addition of several triangular vents, an empty C-RATION can into
an individual cook stove fueled by some C-4 or HEAT TABS. If no
CHURCH KEY was available, a knife could make a crude opening for
drinking, and any solid object (like an AMMO case) could serve
for striking-off a bottle cap. Originally manufactured as the
"Quick & Easy Opener" by the Vaughan Novelty Company in 1935,
the term apparently derives from its large size and "fancy" ends,
which resembled (especially after numerous beers!) a large ornate
key, as for unlocking a church. Allegedly called a "B-52" by some
vets, as a contrast with the P-38 (qv) C-RATIONS can-opener. [nb:
cork disk screw cap (1856, 1889); wired mechanical cap (1875);
Crown Cork (1892); ROPP Aluminum Cap (Roll-On Pilfer Proof,
1936); Pull Tab (Pepsi, 1962; detachable, banned 1975); Tear Tab
(Iron City Beer, 1962; detachable, banned 1975); Tab Top (1962;
detachable, banned 1975); Pop-Top (1963; detachable, banned
1975); Soft Top (aluminum, 1963); Twist-Off Crown Cap (1966);
Sta-Tab (1975; non-detachable); Twist-Off (Labatt, 1984)]
-
CHURNING BUTTER :
-
having sex; see BOOM-BOOM, SHORT-TIME, FUCK, DIDDLY, TRICK,
BUTTERFLY, CHOCOLATE BUNNY, DU, STEAM 'n' CREAM, HOOKUP, HELL ON
WHEELS, ACT OF CONGRESS, CHOWING DOWN, HUMMER, BUSH PILOT, MUFF
DIVER, LOVE HANDLES.
-
CHUTING STARS :
-
(shooting stars) US Navy precision aerobatic PARACHUTE team used
for public ceremonies and demonstrations; later included US Navy
SEAL demonstration team called "Leap Frogs". Compare GOLDEN
KNIGHTS; see PDT.
-
CI :
-
CounterIntelligence; the aspect of military intelligence (MI)
activity devoted to destroying the effectiveness of hostile
foreign intelligence activities, to protection of information
against espionage, of individuals against subversion, of
installations and materials against SABOTAGE. See CIC, CE,
COUNTERESPIONAGE, INTEL, MI, OSS.
Also, abbreviation for Confidential Informant; see PROVOCATEUR,
DECOY, DANGLE, KA, THROW-AWAY, LEGEND, LIFTED SKIRT, TRADECRAFT.
Also, representation for Classified Information, which is not a
legal or formal categorization; see OPSEC, EYES ONLY, FOUO,
UNCLAS, NOFORN, NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION.
-
CIA :
-
Central Intelligence Agency; also called "The Agency", "The
Company", "Clowns In Arena", "Christians In Action", or "Culinary
Institute of America" [nb: not the legitimate one in Hyde Park].
The Central Intelligence Group was formed after the Office of
Strategic Services (OSS) was disbanded, and the CIA was organized
as an independent agency from it on 18 Sept 1947. The CIA motto
is from the Biblical book of John: "You shall know the truth, and
the truth shall set you free"; but it has been rephrased by
agency employees as: "You'll know the truth, and it'll piss you
off!". See DCI, DO, DDO, DI, DDI, CAS, CIO, SPOOK, SECRET AGENT,
SINGLETON, NOC, SACO, SHEEP-DIPPED, THE FARM, THE GARAGE, COUNTRY
CLUB, THE PICKLE FACTORY, PARASOL, SWITCHBACK, PROPRIETARY
AIRLINE, FIRST FLIGHT, TRADECRAFT, COUNTERINTELLIGENCE (CI),
COUNTERESPIONAGE; compare MERCENARY, LETTER OF MARQUE.
Also, abbreviation for Captured In Action; see POW.
-
CIB :
-
Combat Infantryman's Badge, nicknamed "Chevy Bar"; depicts an
elliptical oak wreath surmounted by a blue bar displaying a 1795
Springfield musket, which represents the Infantry Branch as the
first official Army shoulder arm. The CIB is awarded to
infantrymen engaged in ground combat while assigned to a line
unit. Only infantry MOS personnel (not Artillery FOs attached to
an infantry unit; not Engineer or Quartermaster personnel who
temporarily perform infantry roles) are eligible for award of the
CIB, making it one of the most coveted awards. Authorized on 7/27
October 1943 to recognize the unique role of the infantryman, its
award included an additional $10/month for recipients; it was
approved on 8 February 1952 for award in later conflicts with the
addition of stars ... there have been fewer two-star CIBs awarded
for participation in a third war than Medals of Honor (MOH)
bestowed. A similarly restrictive decoration for direct enemy
confrontation is awarded to Marine and Naval/Coast Guard
personnel as the "Combat Action Ribbon" (CAR). Compare EIB, GREEN
TAB; see CMB, CAB.
-
CIC :
-
Combat Information Center aboard ship, commonly called "combat"
or THE CAVE; including Engagement Controller, Ship's Weapons
Coordinator (SWC), Display and Decision module, Electronic
Warfare module, Weapons Control module, Fire Control Systems
Coordinator (FCSC). Also, Communications and Information Center,
but not aboard ship. Also, Counter Intelligence Corps; see INTEL,
MI, MIS, FLAPS 'n' SEALS; compare CINC.
-
CID :
-
Criminal Investigation Division; Army equivalent of Air Force OSI
and Navy NIS. See BUTTON, FLAPS 'n' SEALS, FBI, POLICE.
-
CIDG :
-
(sidge or c-i-d-g) Civilian Irregular Defense Group, composed of
INDIGenous tribesmen and villagers trained as security and
reaction forces, from platoon to battalion size, advised and
equipped by U.S. Army SPECIAL FORCES (USSF); initiated under
the "Tribal Area Development Program", the "Village Defense
Program", and the STRATEGIC HAMLET program. See SWITCHBACK,
PARASOL, STRIKER, MIKE FORCE, BORDER DEFENSE RANGER,
VIETNAMIZATION.
[nb: not to be confused with RVN's Civillian Defense Force ("Nhan
Dan Tu Ve") which was only a part-time MILITIA]
-
CIGARETTE DECK :
-
(forthcoming); compare HURRICANE DECK, FLYING BRIDGE; see
FAIRWATER, CONNING TOWER, DECK.
-
CINC :
-
Commander-IN-Chief, or President of the United States (POTUS),
being the chief executive officer of the armed forces, and Head
of State; see OLYMPUS, compare CIC. [nb: the military
discontinued its use of "cinc-" prefixed abbreviations to avoid
any confusion with POTUS] [nb: the word 'emperor' (derived
"impera") originally meant "one who gives orders"] [nb:
"Executive: an officer of the Government, whose duty it is to
enforce the wishes of the legislative power until such time as
the judicial department shall be pleased to pronounce them
invalid and of no effect." by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce]
-
CINCAD :
-
commander-in-Chief Aerospace Defense command; compare CINCNORAD.
-
CINCLANT :
-
Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Forces
-
CINCLANTFLT :
-
Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet
-
CINCMAC :
-
Commander-in-Chief, Military Airlift Command.
-
CINCNORAD :
-
Commander-in-Chief North American Aerospace Defense command;
compare CINCAD.
-
CINCPAC :
-
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, properly known as USCINCPAC; see
PACOM.
-
CINCPACAF :
-
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Air Force.
-
CINCPACFLT :
-
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet.
-
CINCSAC :
-
Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command; see SAC.
-
CINCUSARPAC :
-
Commander-in-Chief, US Army Pacific; see USARPAC.
-
CINDERELLA PASS :
-
a shorter range and more limited time period for being OFF-DUTY,
which expires at midnight; also called "Cinderella Liberty" by
Naval and Marine personnel ... "sign-in before midnight or turn
into a pumpkin!".
-
CIO :
-
Central Intelligence Organization, the Vietnamese form of
the American CIA.
-
CIPHER :
-
a secret method of writing, as by CODE; see ENCODE, ENCRYPT,
DECODE, DECRYPT, ALPHABET SOUP, KAK, SHACKLE, SCRAMBLE, NULLITY,
BURST, 10-CODES, TAP CODE, DUNGEON, CRYPER, INTEL. Also, the key
to a secret method of writing. [nb: Kerckhoffs' Principle of
Secure Cryptography states that a cryptosystem should be secure
even if everything about the system, except the key, is public
knowledge; Schneier's Law states that "Any person can invent a
security system so clever that s/he can't think of how to break
it."] Also, a combination of letters, as the initials of a name,
forming a monogram or ACRONYM; see CODE, BREVITY CODE, PROWORD,
INTERCO, CODEWORD, CODENAME, NICKNAME, ALPHABET SOUP,
ABBREVIATION. Also, a person or thing of no value or import,
something worthless, as naught, rush, zilch; see ZERO, ZIP,
NULLITY, SQUAT, DIDDLY. Also, any Arabic numeral or figure.
Also, to use figures or numerals arithmetically; to calculate
numerically.
-
CIRCLE JERK :
-
a cooperative perversion, analogically based upon the homosexual
act of masturbating one's nearest companion (instead of oneself);
as a situation with beneficial consequences only for those who
participate, such as cover-up, Black Marketing, boondoggle,
RING-KNOCKING, etc. Compare FIRING LINE, PISSING CONTEST,
FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP, CLUSTER FUCK, WTFO, SOL, BOHICA, SEAT OF THE
PANTS, TURN IN THE BARREL, CHICKEN SHIT, MICKEY MOUSE; see POGUE.
-
CIRCLE OF FIRE :
-
see RING OF FIRE.
-
CISO :
-
Counter Insurgency Support Office, the logistical support
depot for SOG; being a quartermaster unit located on Okinawa
under nominal command of US Army Pacific. Among numerous other
items, the CISO provided Asian-sized BODY BAGS, imitation NVN
GEAR, replica NVN uniforms, PIR meals, SOG BOWIE knives, and
"gift packs". One "gift pack" freely distributed to NVN contained
a yard of fabric with sewing needle and thread (HOUSEWIFE), in
colors and design reminiscent of the SVN flag. Another "gift
pack" included a toy rubber ball in colors or pattern resembling
the SVN flag.
-
CITADEL :
-
any strongly fortified place, especially a fortress that commands
a city and its inhabitants, which is used in defense during an
attack or siege; see STRONGPOINT, FORTIFICATION. [eg: the Citadel
in Hue Vietnam] Also, a heavily armored structure formerly found
on a WARSHIP that's used for protecting the engines or magazines;
see SPONSON, TURRET, BARBETTE, GUNDECK, SPLINTER SHIELD. Also,
the name of the Military College of South Carolina, established
in Charleston during 1842; see CADET, TRADE SCHOOL.
Also, nickname for 17 Pho Ly Nam De (geo: 21 02 09N 105 51
02E; UTM: 48QWJ88362615), site of major NVN prison camp for
captive allied population; also known as [nb: some names only
refer to sections within this prison] Plantation, Country Club,
Camp Four, Funny Farm, Holiday Inn, Lows or Lowes Camp. Dates US
POWs present: 6 Jun 67 to 30 Jul 70, and 25 Nov 70 to 16 Mar 73.
The villa at the north end of this COMPOUND was the family
residence of a French military officer during the French era.
After the French departed, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN)
motion picture department took over the COMPOUND. The PAVN film
department was subordinate to PAVN's General Political
Directorate, one of the PAVN's three principle staff components
(the others were the General Staff Directorate and the General
Directorate for Rear Services). In 1967, the Enemy Proselyting
Department (another component of the General Political
Directorate) took control of the COMPOUND and used it to detain
American POWs. The Enemy Proselyting Department was the principle
PAVN element responsible for administering American POWs, and
administered this camp until, in about April 1972, the newly
formed Office 22 of PAVN Group 875 assumed responsibility for
administration of this and other American POW camps in North
Vietnam. (The Enemy Proselyting Department apparently retained
responsibility for interrogation, indoctrination, and records
keeping.) After 1973 the COMPOUND was returned to the PAVN motion
picture department. The building on the east side of the COMPOUND
that housed American POWs was demolished in about 1992 and
replaced by a three or four story building that houses offices of
the PAVN motion picture institute. See POW.
-
CIVCAS :
-
abbreviation for CIVilian CASualty; being noncombatants who are
unavoidably victimized when military targets are neutralized;
sometimes called COLLATERAL DAMAGE. See MUSHROOM, CIVILIAN, SOFT
TARGET. [cf: "kindermorde" (slaughter of the innocent); nb: "When
the elephants fight, the ants get crushed." Hindu proverb]
[nb: it is an irony of war that more civilians die during combat
than do soldiers, sailors, and airmen; not just COLLATERAL DAMAGE
from inadvertent propinquity, but due to starvation, disease,
exposure and other mortal adversities] [nb: calculated rate of
non-combat civilian casualties (except disease deaths) for WWII @
1 civ KIA / 4 tons of munitions, for VN @ 1 civ KIA / 15 tons of
munitions, and for GULF WAR @ 1 civ KIA / 38 tons of munitions]
-
CIVIL AFFAIRS AGREEMENT :
-
an agreement governing the relationship between allied armed
forces located in a friendly country and the civil authorities
and people of that country; compare SOFA, DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY.
[cf: extraterritoriality]
-
CIVILIAN :
-
a nonprofessional or outsider, as anyone regarded by members of a
profession, institution, group, society, or the like, as not
belonging; derived from "student of civil law". Term particularly
applies to a person who is not on active duty with a military,
naval, police, or fire fighting organization; used in the same
sense as "layman" and "lay figure" [nb: discharged or ex-military
persons may be identified as CIVILIANs (eg: sardonic USN usage of
CIVPAC, for Pacific-area Civilian, or CIVLANT, for Atlantic-area
Civilian), but retirees are never CIVILIANs!]. Also, a person
employed by the government who is not authorized to wear a
uniform, such as a civil servant, a civilian defense worker, a
contractor or consultant; see ADVISOR. Also, a citizen, derived
by combining city+denizen, being an inhabitant of a place,
entitled to its privileges or protections, and owing allegiance
to its government. Also, the "support structure" that aids and
assists partisan, GUERRILLA, INSURGENT, TERRORIST, or any other
IRREGULAR force operating counter to the government; being the
protective and deceptive "sea of people" in which the FREEDOM
FIGHTER or Maoist revolutionary "swims".
[cf: "kindermorde" (slaughter of the innocent); nb: it is an
irony of war that more civilians die during combat than do
soldiers, sailors, and airmen; not just COLLATERAL DAMAGE from
inadvertent propinquity, but due to starvation, disease, exposure
and other mortal adversities] [nb: calculated rate of non-combat
civilian casualties (except disease deaths) for WWII @ 1 civ KIA
/ 4 tons of munitions, for VN @ 1 civ KIA / 15 tons of munitions,
and for GULF WAR @ 1 civ KIA / 38 tons of munitions] [nb:
according to the international LAWS OF WAR, a civilian compelled
to act as a military porter by transporting weapons or munitions
and materiel becomes a bona-fide combatant, subject to treatment
as a de-facto soldier, and forfeits the protection of civilian
noncombatant status]
-
CIVILIAN SERVICE IN VIET NAM MEDAL / CSVN :
-
authorized by U.S. Department of State to be awarded for one year
of aggregate service in country, or any part thereof if tour
interrupted by injury or disability due to hostile action;
equivalent to Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) presented to military
personnel.
-
CIVIL WAR :
-
any war between political factions or regions within the same
country; see INSURGENCY, GUERRILLA WARFARE. Also, an American war
from 12 April 1861 to 23 June 1865, initially disputing the right
of 11 Southern states to secede from their constitutional union
with the remaining 22 Northern states, which states' rights and
tariff impositions evolved (after the Emancipation Proclamation)
into a righteous crusade against slavery ... a political dispute
that became a moral campaign; also called the "War Between the
States", the "War of Southern Rebellion", and the "War of
Northern Aggression", it remains the bloodiest encounter in
American history. See MEDAL OF HONOR, H&I, "seine hauling" at
SNATCH, WHISTLIN' DIXIE, "rebel yell" at BATTLE CRY, WHITE TRASH.
[v: Frémont's Emancipation Proclamation (30 Aug 1861); cf:
Afrikaner Great Trek, Boer War, apartheid]
[nb: although more than 1000 Union officers accepted Confederate
commissions, only 26 enlisted men changed sides at the outset of
the Civil War; later, more than 1500 Irish draftees agreed to
serve in the Confederate Army to escape confinement in Southern
POW camps]
[nb: "Among the rank and file, [in] both armies [in the Civil
War], it was very general to speak of the different States they
came from by their slang names. Those from Maine were call'd
Foxes; New Hampshire, Granite Boys; Massachusetts, Bay Staters;
Vermont, Green Mountain Boys; Rhode Island, Gun Flints;
Connecticut, Wooden Nutmegs; New York, Knickerbockers; New
Jersey, Clam Catchers; Pennsylvania, Logher Heads; Delaware,
Muskrats; Maryland, Claw Thumpers; Virginia, Beagles; North
Carolina, Tar Boilers; South Carolina, Weasels; Georgia,
Buzzards; Louisiana, Creoles; Alabama, Lizards; Kentucky, Corn
Crackers; Ohio, Buckeyes; Michigan, Wolverines; Indiana,
Hoosiers; Illinois, Suckers; Missouri, Pukes; Mississippi, Tad
Poles; Florida, Fly Up the Creeks; Wisconsin, Badgers; Iowa,
Hawkeyes; Oregon, Hard Cases." by Walt Whitman,
"Slang in America" in North American Review (Nov
1885; plagiarized from an unsigned list published 3 May 1845 in
Broadway Journal]
-
CIVVIES :
-
civilian clothes, also spelled "civies", as distinguished from
military uniforms; probably derived from skivvy-shirt or SKIVVIES
(underwear), with the implication of being "out of uniform". See
T-SHIRT, SINGLET, PARTY SUIT, MUFTI, GIG, DOG ROBBER.
[v: dishevel, dishabille, disorderly]
-
CJSOTF-A :
-
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan.
-
CJSOTF-AP :
-
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula,
a multinational interservice project headquartered in Balad Iraq,
with a month-long RECONDO School setup at the K1 training base in
Kirkuk Iraq.
-
CL :
-
designates a U.S. Navy light cruiser, a type of WARSHIP; compare
CA.
-
CLA :
-
Cambodian Liberation Army, Communist; Khmer Libra Armie. See
KHMER ROUGE.
-
CLACKER :
-
a small hand-held firing device used for TRIGGERing CLAYMORE
mines and other electrically initiated demolitions; slang term
derives from sound made during use, that's also called 'exploder'
or DETONATOR.
-
CLAMP :
-
security restrictions or operating restraints, as to
"clamp down"; see NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION, CLASSIFIED.
Also, an adjustable support or fastener; derived from CLEAT;
compare PAD EYE, DEADEYE.
-
CLAMSHELL :
-
doughnut-pattern CBU (qv).
-
CLANDESTINE OPERATION :
-
an operation sponsored by governmental departments or agencies
and conducted by specially trained personnel to function in such
a way as to assure secrecy or concealment. In SPECIAL OPERATIONS,
an activity may be both covert (where the identity of the sponsor
is concealed) and clandestine (where the operation itself is
concealed), and may focus equally on operational considerations
and intelligence-related activities. Compare COVERT OPERATION,
see SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
CLAP :
-
generalization for any venereal disease (VD) or sexually
transmitted disease (STD), especially gonorrhea, being expressed
as "a dose of the clap"; term derived from "brothel". See PRO
KIT, SHORT ARM, ARC, ANTIBIOTIC. [re: syphilis, genital herpes,
chlamydia, lymphogranuloma venereum, trichomoniasis,
nongonococcal urethritis]
[nb: before blatant sexuality abrogated etiquette, a polite
inquiry into one's well-being could receive the jocular reply of
"Passing well.", which meant micturating without difficulty, or
being free from venereal infection, having the same amusing
effect among friends as the modern query "How they hanging?" ...
"passing well" could be interpreted as "fair to middling", and so
was socially inoffensive]
-
CLASS-A :
-
the Army and Air Force uniform intermediate between DRESS MESS
and FATIGUES, being either Army green or Air Force blue, tropical
white or sun-tan KHAKI, as worn for inspection, PARADE, PASS, and
the like; being equivalent to the Navy and Marine Corps "service
dress" uniforms in blue, white, or tan. If the CLASS-A / service
dress uniform is not "high neck" (CHOKER) or "open throat", a
necktie or neckerchief is worn. See DRESS, CREST, PATCH, FRUIT
SALAD, HERSHEY BAR, GREEN TAB, HEADGEAR, BRASS, FOOTWEAR,
LOW-QUARTERS.
[nb: sailors used to also have "undress blues" (and "undress
whites") as a semi-work uniform without neckerchief or piping;
but in 2006 the Navy exchanged its service dress blues and whites
for a year around tan, and its DUNGAREES for digitized multicolor
work utilities with an 8-point COVER, abolishing their
traditional bell-bottoms and DIXIE CUPs]
[nb: the human eye can discern more shades of green than any
other hue; see AG, OG, OD, compare ASU] [nb: except for rifle
regiments separate from infantry and dragoons from before the War
of 1812, the U.S. Army wore blue uniforms until the adoption of
KHAKIS and FATIGUES, so when the CLASS-A uniform was redesigned
in 1954, the color Army Green (AG44) was selected for its
historical link to the early riflemen and SHARPSHOOTERs; then in
2008, the traditional Continental Army blue color was restored]
-
CLASS-B DEPENDENT :
-
the strictly informal and unofficial designation for an
extramarital lover living off-base stateside with a servicemember
in shared civilian accommodations, and therefore eligible for the
SEPARATE RATionS subsidy; being the polite form of SHACK-JOB,
which cohabitation would not be tolerated in the SHADOW OF THE
FLAGPOLE. Compare SLEEPING DICTIONARY, CAMPAIGN WIFE, DRAG, COW,
OFFICER'S WIFE, CAMP FOLLOWER, SKIRT.
-
CLASSIFIED :
-
arranged, divided, or containing classes or categories. Also,
information or data assigned to a classification so as to control
its access or use to authorized persons only; see EYES ONLY, NEED
TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION, RIG, CHINESE WALL, STOVEPIPE,
OPSEC, FOUO, NOFORN, PASSWORD, UNDER LOCK 'n' KEY, SOI, SSI,
CODENAME, CLAMP, TRADECRAFT, SHELL GAME, BUBBLE, CLEAN, LEGEND,
PROPAGANDA, MUSHROOM, DEBRIEF, BURN BAG, DEMILITARIZE, UNCLAS.
[nb: the color code for classified cover sheets is: UNCLASsified
= white, For Official Use Only (FOUO) = green, Confidential =
blue, Secret = red, Top Secret = orange, Eyes Only = yellow]
[nb: "hush-hush" and "mum" mean 'silent' (don't talk about it),
rather than 'secret'] [nb: "If I told you, I'd have to kill
you!"; "My job is so highly classified that I don't know what I'm
doing!"]
-
CLASS SIX :
-
euphemism for a liquor store, sometimes called "package store" or
"bottle shop"; based upon the resupply priority rating system,
from essential Class One (eg: food, ammo, medicine, fuel) to
non-essential Class Six (eg: clothing, reference manuals,
furniture, spare parts). See BYOB, BREW, HOOCH, GROG, GROUP
TIGHTENER, JUICE, THE DRINK, SUNDOWNER, DEAD-SOLDIER, O CLUB.
[v: Alcohol Beverage Control, Liquor Control Board]
[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]
-
CLAYMORE :
-
fan-shaped anti-personnel land mine (M-18A1); as derived from
broadsword (Gaelic "claidheamh mor"). The CLAYMORE used a curved
block of C-4 explosive, shaped to blow all its embedded fragments
outward in a 60-degree semicircular arc pattern, having an effect
similar to an oversized SHOTGUN to a distance of 250 meters
(effective 50-100m). With their directional pattern, CLAYMOREs
were well-suited for perimeter-defense. Due to electric ignition
of the firing device, CLAYMOREs could be selectively, serially,
or cluster discharged by passive (TRIPWIRE) or active (manual or
command detonate) triggers. Enemy sappers and infiltrators would
reverse the direction of the perimeter CLAYMOREs, rather than
disable them, in hopes of injuring the defenders. Some FNG troops
pried the CLAYMORE casing open so as to steal C-4 to heat their
rations, but always regretted it when the CLAYMORE was needed for
defense. A "less than lethal" version (M-5 Modular Crowd Control
Munition) that shoots rubber balls has been used for riot control
at American embassies since 2006. See ALPHA-ALPHA, CLACKER, DET
CORD, MCCM.
-
CLEAN :
-
the outfitting of an investigator or operative with the necessary
weapons, tools, gear, and other effects that confirm (or will not
contradict) the identity assumed for a particular mission. In
covert operations, not being betrayed by clothing or equipment,
by speech or mannerisms, including TATTOOs and dental work, is
crucial for role performance. See SPOOK, CRYPTO, SLEEPER, MOLE,
SWEEPER, STOOGE, DECOY, BABY 007, LEGEND, POCKET LITTER, LIFTED
SKIRT, TRADECRAFT; compare STERILE.
-
CLEAR AND HOLD :
-
clearing an area of enemy activity, and holding
it temporarily; compare SEARCH AND CLEAR, CORDON AND SEARCH,
SEARCH AND DESTROY.
-
CLEAT :
-
a strong device, usually metal with one or more projections,
that's used to secure tie-downs, as on a pier or DECK for
mooring; see CLAMP, PAD EYE, DEADEYE, HARDPOINT, BOLLARD. Also, a
wedge-shaped block or strip of resistant material fastened to a
surface to serve as a check or support; also called a CHOCK.
Also, a resistant strip fastened across a surface, as on a RAMP,
to provide sure footing.
-
CLERKS 'n' JERKS :
-
rhyming phrase to show disregard or contempt for noncombatant
support personnel; see REMF, BEAN-COUNTER, PENCIL PUSHER, GO TO
GUY, RED TAPE, ORIFICE, MILICRAT, CANDY-ASS, ACETATE COMMANDO,
CHAIRBORNE, FOBBIT, TOCROACH, POG, BTDT, THE NAM, WANNABE.
-
CLIENT STATE :
-
any country that's dependent on a richer or more powerful country
for its political, economic, or military welfare; a PROTECTORATE
or SATELLITE. See NATION BUILDING, GARRISON STATE, BUFFER STATE,
FIFTY-FIRST STATER, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, GOOD NEIGHBOR
POLICY, PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE, PROXY WAR, CONTAINMENT,
REALPOLITIK, INTERVENTIONISM; compare ISOLATIONISM.
[nb: called "dollar diplomacy" during the William Howard Taft
administration to characterize the policies of Secretary of State
Philander C. Knox] [nb: "He may be a son-of-a-bitch, but he's our
son-of-a-bitch." by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (referring to
Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza); "He's a bastard, but he's
our bastard." by William Casey (referring to Panamanian dictator
Manuel Noriega)]
-
CLINTON DOCTRINE :
-
(forthcoming); see PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE.
-
CLIP :
-
a narrow, slightly curved piece of metal that holds several rifle
CARTRIDGEs in a row for conveniently loading a magazine (MAG)
when fitted into a removable adapter [nb: with practice, the
rounds could be inserted into a magazine without the bracket, or
stripped from the CLIP and inserted singly]; also known as a
"stripper clip". Rifle ammunition (AMMO) is manufactured for
military service by placing CARTRIDGEs in a CLIP, two clips in a
cardboard sleeve (enough for one magazine reload), paired CLIPs
in a cloth BANDOLEER, and several BANDOLEERs in an
air-/water-tight container (AMMO CAN) with a carrying handle. The
term CLIP is widely but improperly used as a synonym for
magazine, probably derived from the earlier use of internal
magazines, which were reloaded from a "stripper clip" fitted into
a built-in bracket on the rear-sight while the rifle bolt was
locked open. Compare BANANA CLIP, C-CLIP, DRUM, LINK AMMO.
-
CLOAK-AND-DAGGER :
-
the use of subterfuge, guile, or intrigue in DECEPTION or
CONCEALMENT operations; originating as a style of swashbuckling
comedies called "cloak and sword" in Spanish and "cape and foil"
in French theatricals from the 16th century. See SPOOK, CRYPTO,
FIX, PROVOCATEUR, DANGLE, HANDLER, SWEEPER, DECOY, STOOGE,
TRADECRAFT, PSYOPS, INTEL, ESPIONAGE.
-
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT :
-
see CAS.
-
CLOSE ORDER :
-
a formation of men or vehicles at near interval, primarily for
drill or PARADE, but formerly used to concentrate force (mass) or
increase power (including firepower) before advanced weaponry
altered battlefield tactics; see CLOSE RANKS, THE BIBLE, MANUAL
OF ARMS, SCRIPTURES; compare COMBAT SPREAD.
[nb: "to close in" has the sense of approaching as well as
constricting, but firepower cannot substitute for either ...
"close with and destroy the enemy" is not a metaphor]
-
AT CLOSE QUARTERS :
-
generally fighting in close proximity, as when ships engage each
other alongside, or when combatants engage in hand-to-hand
fighting; also called CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE (CQB), "close
combat", and "close battle". See SALVO, VOLLEY, FUSILLADE,
ENFILADE, DRUMFIRE, BAYONET, ON GUARD, BUTT STROKE, DOUBLE TAP,
BEARD THE LION, GABRIEL, MARTIAL ART, JAP SLAPPER, UP-CLOSE 'n'
PERSONAL, BATTLE, WAR.
-
CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE / CQB :
-
phrase referring to the tactical propinquity, sometimes intimate,
of opposition forces when engaged, like the Maoist metaphor of
"fishes swimming together in the sea" [cf: COUNTER-GUERRILLA /
ASYMMETRIC WARFARE], and sometimes represented by the slang
expression UP-CLOSE 'n' PERSONAL, but especially referring to
combat encounters experienced by individuals or small units (ie:
SQUAD and TEAM level). See BATTLE ROYAL, CATCH AND GRASP, HUG,
KING OF THE HILL, DOGFIGHT, FIREFIGHT, CONTACT, CHITTY CHITTY
BANG BANG, MEETING ENGAGEMENT, BEARD THE LION, FIGHTING MAD,
MARTIAL ART, JAP SLAPPER, KNUCKLE SANDWICH, BAYONET, ON GUARD,
BUTT STROKE, DOUBLE TAP, BATTLE, WAR.
-
CLOSE RANKS :
-
the lending of mutual support in anticipation of attack, physical
or verbal, literal or figurative, by "standing fast" or "staying
the course", by "manning the barricades" or "defending the
ramparts" whenever assailed by opposition; see CLOSE ORDER.
-
CLOSE SHAVE :
-
a narrow escape from danger or trouble, as an encounter, strait,
dilemma, predicament, difficulty, plight, imbroglio, extremity,
affliction, trial or tribulation; also known as "close call" or
narrow SQUEAK.
-
CLOUD-CUCKOO-LAND :
-
slang for senior Headquarters (HQ) and its operations, with the
implication of impractical, foolish, crazy, or fantastic missions
originating from leaders who are out-of-touch with reality;
derived from the ancient Greek play, "The Birds" by Aristophanes,
depicting an imaginary city (Nephelokokkygia / Nephelococcygia)
built in the air between the gods and the mortals. See BELL THE
CAT, PUZZLE PALACE, MADHOUSE, HEADSHED, HEADQUARTERISM.
-
CLOVERLEAF :
-
a method of patrolling in which subordinate elements
move out from a central area and "loop" back to the vicinity of
the main advance's direction or starting point. Used as a
technique of advance by units in unknown terrain. Also called
BUTTERFLY; see CHECKERBOARD, LEAP FROG, HOPSCOTCH, BUTTONHOOK,
STACK, ZIGZAG, DASH, FIRE 'n' MANEUVER, WAY POINT, COMBAT SPREAD.
-
CLS :
-
Combat Life Saving/Saver, a first aid kit; see MED BAG.
-
CLU :
-
Command Launch Unit for portable missiles; can also be used as a
stand-alone day/night sighting device.
-
CLUB FED :
-
phrase was ostensibly made popular by television's "Miami Vice"
program, it refers to any minimum security federal prison,
especially one with inmate facilities rivaling a resort (ie:
tennis, golf, gymnasium, game room, auditorium, etc); patterned
on the model of "Club Med" vacations. This phrase has also been
applied to military detention or disciplinary barracks, such as
those setup overseas, as at Abu Ghraib and Camp Bucca, Bagram Air
Base and Guantanamo; see BRIG, STOCKADE, GUARDHOUSE, THE CASTLE,
CROSSBAR HOTEL, HOT HOUSE, USDB, DEADLOCK, DEADLINE.
Also, the nickname for the FBI Academy, which is colocated with
the Marine installation at Quantico Virginia, and is a separate
facility from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Also, that coterie or clique of consultants (the inner circle or
insiders) who are periodically employed as federal executives by
one or another political administration to render guidance and to
coordinate policy by virtue of their ostensible expertise, but
actually due to their incestuous associations; see MANDARIN, BEST
AND BRIGHTEST, POLITICIAN, BOY'S CLUB, KHAKI MAFIA, RING-KNOCKER.
[cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs] [v: bailiwick]
[v: 'claque' for group or coterie of BROWN NOSERs]
-
CLUSTER FUCK :
-
a combination or series of mistakes and failures, if not averted,
halted, or reversed, culminating in disaster; being an
inadvertent situation complicated by good intentions and
compounded by inefficient persons promoted to their level of
incompetence! Drill formation examples include "Mill Around
Mill", "High Diddle Diddle, File From The Middle", "Accordion
March", "Rear Ripple March", "Stagger-Step March", STUTTER-STEP,
and "Convulsion By Columns". Also known as a "charlie foxtrot",
"mix-up", "mess-up", "goof-up", "foul-up", "screw-up", "flub",
"botch", "bungle", "blunder", "muddle", "pother", "Chinese fire
drill", "goat fuck", GOAT ROPE, or FLAP; and related to BOHICA,
FUCKED-UP, FUCK-UP, SHIT HIT THE FAN, WTFO, SOL, SEAT OF THE
PANTS, CIRCLE JERK, TURN IN THE BARREL; compare CHICKEN SHIT,
MICKEY MOUSE.
-
CLUTCH BELT :
-
term for ammunition belt worn by Marines, the same as Army PISTOL
BELT; see WEB GEAR, LBE, DEUCE GEAR.
-
CLUTCH-UP / CLUTCHED-UP :
-
Navy slang for hesitate or falter, to be irresolute or
indecisive; also known as seize-up, freeze-up, or "brain lock".
Although this is a "normal" response to high stress and great
confusion, the training solution of "do something even if it's
wrong" can be worse than inaction in a combat scenario ... and
the emotional aftermath for inexperienced leaders can be
devastating. See TRAIN HARD - FIGHT EASY, DON'T DO NOTHING, PIG
LOOKING AT A WRISTWATCH, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, WAR GAMES,
OPTEMPO, OP 'TIL YOU DROP, COMBAT EFFECTIVE. [nb: the dilemma of
the centipede is that it walks perfectly until it's required to
explain how it walks; v: Zen mind]
-
CLZ :
-
(c-l-z) Contingency Landing Zone, being the fallback alternative
or tertiary reserve site to be utilized after discovering that
the primary and secondary areas are unavailable or unusable; see
LZ, PZ; compare FALSE INSERTION, SHELL GAME, FLIP-FLOP.
-
CMAA :
-
Chief Master-At-Arms in the US Navy, being the senior petty
officer (PO) aboard ship who's responsible for discipline and
accountability; supervises a parttime staff of deputy
Masters-At-Arms (MAA) in each department; commonly called
SHERIFF. See SP, POLICE, CAPTAIN'S MAST, ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, BRIG.
-
CMAC :
-
Capital Military Advisory (Assistance) Command.
-
CMB :
-
Combat Medical Badge, sometimes called "Combat Medic's Badge",
and originating as the "Medical Badge", it was authorized 29
January / 1 March 1945 for actions from 7 December 1941, with a
$10/month bonus payment being approved in July 1945. The CMB is
awarded to Army, Navy, or Air Force corpsmen who serve in the
field with line-troops actively engaged in ground combat (as
distinguished from AID STATION and EVAC / FIELD HOSPital medics).
The CMB is similar in appearance to the Expert Field Medical
Badge (EFMB) surrounded by an oval wreath, and stars added for
awards resulting from subsequent combat actions authorized in
February 1951. See CIB, CAB.
-
CMBT :
-
combat; see CBT.
-
CMC :
-
Commandant of the US Marine Corps.
-
CMEC :
-
Combat Materiel Exploitation Center, commissioned to
evaluate new enemy weapons; see ACTIV, CAT, CDEC, CDTCVN.
-
CMOC :
-
Civil Military Operations Center, a command and control base for
coordinating civil affairs (CA) and humanitarian relief, often
interservice and multinational. See OPN.
-
CMR :
-
Court of Military Review.
-
CNAC :
-
(see-knack) China National Aviation Corporation, being the
commercial airline ferrying passengers and cargo from India to
China across the HUMP in support of the Nationalist Chinese
(CHINAT) under PROPRIETARY contract to the Allies during WWII;
also known as the "Flying Tigers Airline". See AVG, FLYING
TIGERS.
-
CNO :
-
Chief of Naval Operations; instituted in 1916 to replace the
Naval War Board, which existed to analyze opposing forces, assess
situations, and advise SQDN COs, SECNAV, and POTUS on appropriate
actions. See DNI, NIS.
-
CO :
-
abbreviation for Commanding Officer, being the designated leader
and the highest ranking person in the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND of a
particular unit; see COMMANDER, COMMAND ELEMENT, DOR, OLD MAN,
SKIPPER, MC, TOP DOG, HONCHO, EXTRAORDINARY POWERS, OVERSIGHT.
[nb: Vietnamese term: Chi Huy Truong]
Also, abbreviation for COMPANY (qv). Also, the abbreviation for
Conscientious Objector; see CORB, PACIFIST, NEUTRAL, PROTESTOR.
Also, Vietnamese term for an unmarried adult woman, equivalent to
Miss, Senorita, Senhorita, Fraulein, or Mademoiselle; compare BA,
MAMA-SAN. [v: girl, lass, maiden, damsel, demoiselle,
bachelorette, spinster]
-
COA :
-
see COURSE OF ACTION.
-
COASTIES :
-
nickname used to identify the servicemen and women (v: SPAR at
SKIRT) of the United States Coast Guard (USCG); also known as
"shallow water sailor". The USCG originated as the Revenue Cutter
Service in 1790, was combined with the U.S. Life Saving Service
in 1915, subsumed the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1939, and the
Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation in 1942. To enhance
rescue and recovery modalities, the USCG developed the "rescue
swimmer" program in the post-VN era, but, unlike USAF PJs and
other SAR team members, these rescuers are not PARACHUTE or SCUBA
qualified. During peacetime, the USCG was a branch of the
Department of Transportation (DoT) until the establishment of the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but during wartime, at the
direction of the president, is under the jurisdiction of the U.S.
Navy. Compare MERCHANT MARINE; see BROWN WATER SAILOR, MUD DUCK,
USN, TRADE SCHOOL. [nb: Vietnamese term: Linh Phong Ve Duyen
Hai, Phong Ve Duyen Hai]
-
COAX :
-
(ko-ax) shortened form of coaxial, having a common or coincident
axis, as a multiplex cable (MUX) or a machinegun (MG) slaved to a
MAIN-GUN.
-
COBRA :
-
Bell AH-1 series of attack helicopter; nicknamed by some as the
"Shark" or "Snake" (Hindu symbol of eternal life) as represented
in nose art. The COBRA carried 2.75s, MINIGUNs, and a 40mm gun
mounted in a SPONSON under the nose of the aircraft. Other
configurations, such as the SEA COBRA (AH-1J), also existed. The
old "B" model HUEY gunships were fazed out, and the COBRAs used
in greater strength, around 1968. Most of the COBRAs were painted
with eyes and big, scary teeth like a shark (nose art similar to
FLYING TIGERS of WWII) for psychological impact during Close Air
Support (CAS). The COBRA evolved into the "Super Cobra" (AH-1W),
and has been succeeded by the APACHE (AH-64).
-
COC :
-
Combat Orientation Course; established April 1968, and
colocated with the MACV Recondo School on Hon Tre Island, this
8-day supplemental training program was designed to acclimate
newly arrived troops, to refresh their field/operational skills,
to enable weapons familiarization or zero, and to instruct in the
latest procedural techniques derived from "lessons learned" on
the BATTLEFIELD. Most of the major units established a similar
introductory program designed to inform newly assigned personnel
of unit standard operating procedures (SOP), of immediate action
(IA) practices, and of security protocols; such as the 1st Cav
Div "First Team Academy" (FTA) and the 101st Abn Div "Screaming
Eagle Replacement Training School" (SERTS). See CHARM SCHOOL,
BUDDY SYSTEM, CHERRY, FNG, NEWBEE, RETREAD, Q-COURSE, ACTA,
RECONDO.
[nb: the initials of the "First Team Academy" (FTA), widely
understood to mean "Fuck The Army", was an ironic example of the
unfortunate decisions made by otherwise sane and insightful
persons, similar to the initials of the political action group
named the "Committee to Re-Elect the President" (CREeP) setup on
behalf of Richard M. Nixon]
Also, abbreviation for "Combat Operations Center"; see CIC.
-
COCHIN CHINA :
-
name for the southern section of Vietnam under the French
INDOCHINA Protectorate; compare ANNAM, TONKIN. [nb: 'China'
suffix was added (ca1720) to 'Cochin' to distinguish region in
Vietnam from region in India]
-
COCKPIT :
-
a forward space, usually enclosed, in the FUSELAGE of an airplane
that contains the flight controls, instrument panel, and crew
seats necessary for flight operations. Also, a sunken, open
space, generally in the after part of a small boat, that provides
access to the controls and instruments needed by the crew when
operating a vessel at sea; compare BRIDGE, PILOTHOUSE, FLYING
BRIDGE, HELM. Also, the space, including the seat, controls and
instrumentation, surrounding the driver of a motor vehicle. Also,
a place where a contest is fought, or a place which has been the
scene of many contests or battles; as derived from the enclosed
pit for cockfights (alectryomachy) [cf: Welsh Main]; see BATTLE
ROYAL, WHITE FEATHER. Also, a space below the water line in a
warship, that was formerly occupied by the junior officers as
quarters, and used as a dressing station for those wounded in
action; see AID STATION, DISPENSARY, BAND-AID, CHOP SHOP.
-
COCKTAIL :
-
a solution concocted of various ingredients, especially a
chemical contaminant or biological agent for use as a weapon;
also called "poison gas", and classified under Chemical Warfare
(CW) or Chemical Biological Warfare (CBW) agents. The chemical
agent color code includes: white for irritants [v: sternutator]
(eg: tear gas); yellow for BLISTER AGENTs (eg: mustard gas);
green for suffocation agents (eg: phosgene gas); blue for
molecular inhibitors (eg: arsine gas); black for nerve agents
(eg: sarin). See CBR, TOMB, GAS MASK, MOPP; compare HAZMAT, SOUP,
MOLOTOV COCKTAIL, IED, YELLOWCAKE, HEAVY WATER, HOT GREASE, NUKE,
RANCH HAND, AGENT ORANGE.
-
COD :
-
Carrier On-board Delivery aircraft, such as the C-2 GREYHOUND.
-
CODE :
-
to ENCODE or CIPHER, to make obscure or unintelligible, as for
security or secrecy; see ALPHABET SOUP, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, KAK,
SHACKLE, SCRAMBLE, RTP, PROWORD, INTERCO, CODEWORD, CODENAME,
WILLIE PETE, ALFA, ZERO, NULLITY, BURST, BREVITY CODE, 10-CODES,
ACRONYM, RTO, RADIO, MORSE CODE, TAP CODE, DUNGEON, CRYPER,
INTEL, ASA, MI, CIC, ICAP, IR, COMICS.
[v: Alphabet Codes &
Signal Flags]
Also, CREED, PROMISE, OATH, HONOR CODE, LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY
DOWN, CODE OF CONDUCT, DUTY, BRASS-COLLAR
-
CODEL :
-
acronym for COngressional DELegation, junketers; see IG.
-
CODENAME :
-
a classified COVER name or secure blind designation that
specifies a project or operation without revealing its function,
as a CODEWORD that's assigned a classified meaning and is used to
safeguard plans and operations; see NEED TO KNOW, OPSEC,
PASSWORD, compare NICKNAME, PROWORD, BREVITY CODE, INTERCO,
ACRONYM. Also, a unique personal identifier assigned to many
officers and most ADVISORs, as distinct from a radio CALL-SIGN
duty station assignment; most often used when reporting status,
or passing BACK CHANNEL personal messages.
-
CODE OF CONDUCT :
-
a clear and concise set of guidelines for personal behavior while
serving in the Armed Forces, instituted after the KOREAN WAR in
response to POW collaboration resulting from privation and
BRAINWASHING. Just as MAAG and MACV ADVISORs were issued
wallet-sized cultural "helpful hints" cards, the CODE OF CONDUCT
cards were issued to everyone for personal use; see E&E, POW,
DUTY, DELEGATE, BEARING, CREED, HONOR CODE, ABOVE BOARD, PROMISE,
BRASS-COLLAR, WINTER SOLDIER, UCMJ.
[v: Code of Conduct and Armed Forces Honor Code of Ethics]
[nb: the modern military has now mandated the carry of "Ethics
Cards" by all servicemembers. During the Crusades, if a captive
was compelled to vow belief or disavow allegiance, upon his
repatriation he would be excommunicated]
-
CODE TALKER :
-
an AmerIndian radio messenger ("Combat Communication Specialist")
serving with forward elements of Army and Marine infantry,
artillery, and aviation during WWII; consisting of enlisted
members of Navajo, Hopi, Choctaw, Comanche, Muskogee, Creek,
Ojibwa, Chippewa, Menominee, Zuni, Apache, and Cherokee tribes
who were trained to communicate military information in their
native languages, which were indecipherable to the Axis enemy, by
expanding their vocabulary with the introduction of code words
and phrases (eg: mortar = squatting gun, machinegun = fast
shooter, barrage = iron rain, grenade = potato, bomb = egg,
observation airplane = owl, fighter airplane = hummingbird,
bomber = buzzard, patrol airplane = crow, submarine = iron fish,
destroyer = shark, battleship = whale, amphibious craft = frog,
corps = clan, section = beads, officer = headman, commander = war
chief, etc). This technique was much faster and more reliable
than the typical encode/decode method of secure transmission, but
the practice was abandoned after the war and has not been
subsequently revived. In the National Guard divisions activated
for WWI with substantial AmerIndian populations, such as the 36th
"Lone Star" Infantry, the 90th "Alamo" Infantry, and the 91st
"Wild West" Infantry, the Signal Corps units employed Choctaw,
Zuni, Apache, and other tribesmen as radio operators, who spoke
in their own native dialect (without the code words and phrases
later introduced during WWII) for rapid and secure transmissions.
See CRYPER, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, ALPHABET SOUP, PROWORD, INTERCO,
CODEWORD, CODENAME, RTP, RTO, RADIO, TELEPHONE.
[v: Alphabet Codes &
Signal Flags]
-
CODEWORD :
-
a classified COVER name or secure blind designation that
specifies a project or operation without revealing its character
or function, as a CODENAME that's assigned a classified meaning
and is used to safeguard plans and operations; see NEED TO KNOW,
OPSEC, PASSWORD, compare NICKNAME, PROWORD, INTERCO, BREVITY
CODE, ACRONYM.
-
COFFIN :
-
slang for the environmentally secure container that's used to
safely transport HAZMAT toxins and other deadly CBR munitions for
storage, use, or disposal; term alludes to their lethal contents;
compare TOMB, DUMP; see MOPP, BUNNY SUIT, DEMILITARIZE.
-
COFRAM :
-
Army high-fragmentation shell [nb: not to be confused
with "Corfam" (see LOW-QUARTERS)].
-
COG :
-
Convenience Of the Government; an administrative discharge
for the "good of the service". See CHAPTER 10, SECTION EIGHT,
BOARD, DISCHARGE. Also, to activate reservists or DRAFT civilians
onto active duty military service at the Convenience Of the
Government.
-
COI :
-
Coordinator Of Intelligence/Information; the Office of the
Coordinator Of Intelligence/Information (OCOI) was the
predecessor, along with the JCS Office of War Information (OWI),
of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII.
-
COIGN OF VANTAGE :
-
a favorable position for observation or action, a "vantage
point"; informally known as "catbird seat" or "inside track"; see
ESPY, TRAIL WATCHER, RECON, WATCHER, WEATHER EYE, ARGUS, GROUND
OBSERVER CORPS, SPOTTER, PEEPERS.
-
COIN :
-
abbreviation for COUNTERINSURGENCY / COUNTER-INSURGENCY, which is
a coordinated military and civic action (CA) program combating
subversion and guerrilla warfare; See UW, CAAT, CAP, SF, SEAL,
SOF, ASYMMETRIC WARFARE GROUP, DImE; compare COUNTER-GUERRILLA,
ANTI-TERRORISM.
[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")]
-
COINCIDENCE :
-
(forthcoming); compare STRUCTURALISM [cf: simultaneity,
synchronicity, synchronism, synchrony]
-
COINING :
-
the challenge of matching unit or operational coins as a gesture
of fellowship or as a means of raising funds, often at a bar or
other social event, using somewhat elaborate or esoteric rules; see CHALLENGE
COIN, SHORT SNORTER, HARD TIMES TOKEN, PISSING CONTEST, SOUVENIR.
Also, the presentation of a unit, operational, or special event
coin as a token of comradeship or recognition; such coins are
usually not serial numbered or otherwise personalized. Allegedly
derived from the practice of stealing the pendant medal from the
uniform of the British Army officer who was awarded a decoration
for the distinguishing act of a subordinate, being the only way
for NCOs to recognize the deeds of their troops [cf: ranks of the
recipients of the Victoria Cross]. During the GULF WAR,
possession of a regional SOUVENIR coin (the higher the
denomination the better) from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Iraq
served to signify that "I was there", and can also serve as a
CHALLENGE COIN. With the increased popularity of novelty coins,
both authentic and imitative, they have lately been presented as
'calling cards' by high-ranking military members (ie: SUPER
GRADEs and FLAG OFFICERs) and senior government officials (eg:
POTUS) since the beginning of the Global War On Terror (GWOT).
Coins have now been minted for every military occupation and
qualification, course and school, unit and assignment, including
"wife of ..." and "mother of ..." proclamations, making their
superabundance a commercial windfall for vendors, and a petty
distraction (if not a preoccupation) for MIL-PERS with better
things to do! Compare EARRING, BRACELET, TATTOO, MEAT MARKER,
CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES OF THE SERVICE.
[nb: Desert Storm POWs SGT Troy Dunlap and MAJ Rhonda Cornum
("She Went To War") have been credited with initiating the
practice of using local coins as campaign medallions for the GULF
WAR] [nb: it's illegal to deface, disfigure, or deform U.S.
currency; furthermore, the size and weight of commemorative
medallions or commercial tokens (slugs) must be other than that
of U.S. coinage] [v: obverse/reverse, cross/pile]
-
COLD CAMP :
-
a night position, usually RT or SQUAD sized, which is tactically
prohibited from the usual amenities of hot food, fresh water, and
secure sanitation; also known as a "fly camp". A similar rough
base or camp for Marine or Naval personnel is called a "cold
harbor"; compare "harbor site" at RON. See PERIMETER, NDP, RON,
LAAGER, SPIKE, FOB, OB, CP, JUMP CP, BASE CAMP. [cf: line camp]
-
COLD WAR :
-
intense political, military, and ideological rivalry between
nations, factions, or peoples that is just short of armed
conflict, especially such rivalry after WWII between the Soviet
Union and the USA, and their respective allies, until the 1989
demolition of the BERLIN WALL and 1991 collapse of the Soviet
Union (USSR); this expression was first used in a 1947 speech
given to Congress by financier Bernard Baruch that was written by
journalist Herbert Bayard Swope. Compare SHOOTING WAR, PROXY WAR,
FLOWER WAR; see CONTAINMENT, BATTLE, WAR.
-
COLLAPSE DEPTH :
-
the design depth beyond which the HULL structure of a submersible
is presumed to suffer catastrophic failure to the point of total
collapse; such "crush depth" is referenced to the axis of the
PRESSURE HULL, and is affected by material defect or decline, by
hull penetrations, or by other relevant factors. The "test depth"
is the maximum safe depth rating to which a submarine is tested
by actual or simulated submergence, as based upon design and
manufacturing limits. The "maximum operating depth" is the lowest
safe depth at which a submarine is not to exceed during normal
operations; this "never exceed depth" is a determination made by
naval authority in consideration of design and manufacturing
limits, and has been specified as two-thirds (USN) of the test
depth. See GIGGLES 'n' BANGS, PRESSURE HULL, CRASH-DIVE,
SUBMARINE.
[nb: the crush depth of WWII SUBMARINEs was estimated at 280m,
while the COLLAPSE DEPTH of modern nuclear-powered BOOMERs has
been calculated at 730m]
-
COLLATERAL DAMAGE :
-
the necessary and unavoidable harm done to noncombatants and
non-military structures in order to effectively neutralize or
eliminate a hostile target; as derived from accompanying,
accessory, or auxiliary. When TERRORISTs, GUERRILLAs, and
INSURGENTs have sought to limit COUNTERTERROR, COUNTERGUERRILLA,
and COUNTERINSURGENT responses by increasing the moral and
political criticism of OVERKILL and "over-reaction", this
expression became a catch-phrase for "civilian casualties"
(CIVCAS) [nb: also called MUSHROOMs, for their tendency to pop-up
anywhere, and "lambs", as "to the slaughter"] ... with the blame
always laid upon the ignoble military, and never upon the
so-called "noble rebels". Also, any damage incidental and
inferior to a predominant activity. See RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
(ROE), RFZ, NFZ, FREE FIRE ZONE, BDA, SOFT TARGET, HARD TARGET;
compare TWEP.
[cf: "kindermorde" (slaughter of the innocent); nb: "When the
elephants fight, the ants get crushed." Hindu proverb]
[nb: it is an irony of war that more civilians die during combat
than do soldiers, sailors, and airmen; not just COLLATERAL DAMAGE
from inadvertent propinquity, but due to starvation, disease,
exposure and other mortal adversities] [nb: calculated rate of
non-combat civilian casualties (except disease deaths) for WWII @
1 civ KIA / 4 tons of munitions, for VN @ 1 civ KIA / 15 tons of
munitions, and for GULF WAR @ 1 civ KIA / 38 tons of munitions]
-
COLLEGE EYE :
-
designation applied to airborne radar project; see
BIG EYE.
-
COLLISION QUARTERS :
-
the damage-control station assigned to MIL-PERS during emergency
situations, signaled by fire alarm or alert TOCSIN. Although not
everyone is detailed during FIRE QUARTERS, everyone has an
assigned post during "battle stations" and COLLISION QUARTERS,
which may involve lifesaving or abandon ship routines. Compare
GQ, FIRE QUARTERS, STAND-TO.
-
COLORBEARER :
-
the person who carries the standard, flag, or COLORS
in a military formation; see GUIDON, STARS 'n' STRIPES.
-
COLOR GUARD :
-
military personnel who carry and escort the national
standard, flag, or COLORS during PARADE or review; also called
"flag guard". See GUIDON, STARS 'n' STRIPES, CLOSE ORDER.
-
COLORS :
-
a flag or ENSIGN, particularly the national standard [nb: called
"flag" on a building, "standard" when mounted on a moving horse
or vehicle, and COLORS when hand-carried by marching
COLORBEARERs]; see GUIDON, STARS 'n' STRIPES, HALF-MAST,
STREAMER, SHIFT COLORS, BLOCK THE COLORS, HOIST, HALYARD, COLOR
GUARD, COLORBEARER, SHOW THE FLAG, FACE THE MUSIC, BLACK FLAG,
WHITE FLAG, FALSE FLAG, BLOOD CHIT. [v: Flag Terms]
[nb: In a 1751 "Pennsylvania Gazette" commentary, Benjamin
Franklin satirically proposed that colonists thank England for
her practice of deporting convicts to America by reciprocating
with rattlesnakes sent to Great Britain. Then in 1754, reflecting
on the Albany Congress, Franklin published America's first
political cartoon; depicting a segmented rattlesnake, severed
into eight colonial sections, curved to resemble the coastline,
and captioned with the legend "Join or Die". This cartoon
exploited the then popular superstition about a dismembered snake
being brought back to life if reunited before sundown ... leaving
America vulnerable during the French and Indian War (1754-60).
The rattlesnake became a popular symbol for Americans, being
widely reprinted and adapted by many newspapers. In 1774, Paul
Revere added it to the masthead of "The Massachusetts Spy", and
showed the snake fighting a British dragon. By 1775, the snake
symbol, no longer severed or generic but now a rattlesnake, had
migrated from newspapers to paper money, uniform buttons, banners
and flags. The Franklin legend became a motto, such as "Nemo me
impune lacesset." ("No one will provoke me with impunity."),
which would continue to evolve. The Second Continental Congress
authorized the formation of the Continental Navy in 1775 to seize
British arms and materiel for the revolution. At the same time,
five companies of Marines were mustered for this mission, and
they bore drums painted yellow with a coiled rattlesnake and the
motto: "Don't Tread On Me". Observing this scene, Benjamin
Franklin expressed, in December 1775 under the pseudonym "An
American Guesser" to the "Pennsylvania Journal", the advantages
of the rattlesnake as a suitable device on the armorial seal of
this new country. Christopher Gadsden, an activist with the Sons
of Liberty (nb: phrase coined by Isaac Barre, a veteran of the
French and Indian War, when referring to colonists in rebutting
Charles Townshend and the establishment of the 1765 Stamp Act), a
South Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress, and a
commander in the Continental Army, was one of three men
responsible for outfitting and manning the ships assigned to raid
British shipping. Colonel Gadsden presented a rattlesnake flag to
Commodore Esek Hopkins as a distinctive standard; also giving a
copy to the South Carolina legislature, which description
survives in their legislative journal as the flag now known as
the "Gadsden Flag" ... bearing a coiled rattlesnake on a yellow
field with the motto "Don't Tread On Me!". Throughout most of the
Revolutionary War, there was no single banner (nb: as later with
the Confederacy, the last flag would be projected toward the
beginning), and numerous state and unit flags employed some
variation of the rattlesnake symbol. The flag used by the
Virginia Minutemen of Culpeper County generally resembles the
Gadsden flag with the addition of Patrick Henry's famous
declaration: "Liberty Or Death".] [nb: the U.S. Army mandates
(AR670-1: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia) the
wear of an American flag patch on each sleeve of the field
uniform (ie: ACU, BDU) 0.5" below the shoulder sleeve insignia
(SSI), with the patches oriented to the viewer "as if the flag
were flying", that is with the starred union forward, which
causes the flag on the right sleeve (identified as the 'reverse
side flag') to be displayed "backwards" according to the federal
flag code; to compound this long-standing (since Bosnia and
Kosovo) controversy, the Army is the only service branch doing
so, and such wear was not so improperly directed in previous wars
(eg: WWII) ... quibbles over a 'patch' not being a 'flying flag'
are irrelevant, since the federal flag code cites "depictions"
and "representations" in various passages about respectful
display; and the Army can be responsive, as when changing the
full-color patch to subdued on desert camouflage, but it declines
to emend this heraldic error: a sinister
imputation of our national symbol]
Also, any colored badge or uniform which signifies allegiance or
membership, as "to show one's true colors"; see FEATHERS, LITMUS
TEST, DRESS. Also, the temporary hallucinogenic visions or
psychotic "trip" induced by psychedelic or psychotropic drugs,
such as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD); see STONED, JUNK, DOPE,
SMACK, TAR, STICK, GRASS, HAY, BUMMER, HUBBLE-BUBBLE.
[v: gateway drug, hard drug, soft drug, designer drug, prodrug;
cf: miracle drug, wonder drug]
[nb: a widely circulated but spurious WAR STORY alleges that
post-war criminal violence and other antisocial nonconformity by
crazed veterans is the direct result of unauthorized drug
experimentation that was secretly conducted by medical personnel,
many of whom were ignorant of this classified test, which was
designed to increase combat aggressivity in soldiers, hence the
fictitious "Rambo" account that allegedly attempted to disclose
the purported "truth" behind the CODENAME of the program;
actually, LRRP teams were only issued amphetamines, and Special
Forces teams were also issued kits containing: 12 Darvon, 24
codeine, 6 dextroamphetamines, and 4 SYRETTEs of morphine
sulfate.]
-
COLUMN :
-
a formation, comprising one or more files, functioning as a
single longitudinal unit; compare FLANK, OBLIQUE, RANK, LINE; see
STACK, LONG GREEN LINE, HERRINGBONE, RGT, FIFTH COLUMN, GAGGLE,
CLUSTER FUCK. Also, a formation of ships in single FILE.
-
COMANCHE :
-
Y/RAH-66 helicopter
-
COMBATANT :
-
any person prepared for and actively engaged in fighting against
an enemy, who is regulated by pertinent laws and directed by
sovereign authority. Also, a group, nation, or other entity so
directed and engaged with opposing forces.
[nb: persons or groups engaged in violent conduct against a duly
constituted authority or its designated adherents are not
entitled to the protective provisions of domestic or
international laws; see MILITIA, MINUTEMAN, PARAMILITARY,
MERCENARY, GUERRILLA, INSURGENT, TERRORIST]
[nb: the difference between a TERRORIST and a FREEDOM FIGHTER, a
GUERRILLA and an IRREGULAR, a "militiaman" and a "defense
warden", a "revolutionary" and a "criminal", a "Death Squad" and
a "SWAT Team" has more to do with one's perspective and
allegiance than with the il-/legality of the violent acts
themselves; synonyms include: rebel, dissident, insurgent,
raider, marauder, jayhawker, bushwhacker, scallywag / scalawag,
firebrand, fire-eater, redneck, cracker, reaver / reiver, rascal,
ruffian, brigand, outlaw, desperado, villain / villein,
freebooter, pirate, buccaneer, privateer]
[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")]
-
COMBAT BOOTS :
-
sturdy FOOTWEAR with a reinforced sole, Achilles tendon
protector, and above-the-ankle leg-support upper; made of
unitized manufacture in cloth and leather since the Vietnam-era,
wear of all leather models is no longer authorized after 30 April
2008. See BROWN SHOE / BOOT, BLACK SHOE / BOOT, LPC, BOONDOCKERS,
JUMP BOOTS, JUNGLE BOOTS, BATA BOOTS, TANKER BOOTS, DESERT BOOTS,
FOOTWEAR.
-
COMBAT BUM :
-
a MIL-PERS, usually highly trained (eg: PILOT, RANGER, MEDIC,
etc), who persistently extends his tour of duty to retain an
operational assignment or combat posting; being a serviceman said
to have GONE NATIVE or be "combat crazed", such as an
"adrenalin addict" or "danger junkie". Rather than being admired
or respected, these people are often viewed with suspicion, and
given a compulsory transfer out of the combat zone after three
contiguous tours. See SHADOW WARRIOR, BUSHMASTER, BODYGUARD,
SNIPER, DECAPITATION, KILLER KANE, TWEP, STROLLER, SWEEPER,
MERCENARY, SINGLETON, HACK, WHITE VC, TOUR BABY, HOMESTEADER,
TWO-FISTED, SANDWICH.
-
COMBAT EFFECTIVE :
-
the ability of a military organization to achieve its assigned
missions with the least expenditure of resources, both material
and human, in the shortest amount of time; subtended by human,
technical, and organizational factors. See CHAIN-OF-COMMAND, LDR,
LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY DOWN, WIGGLE ROOM, OPTEMPO, OP 'TIL YOU
DROP, DON'T DO NOTHING, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, CLUTCH-UP,
TRAIN HARD - FIGHT EASY, FORCE MULTIPLIER, command ratio,
TOOTH-TO-TAIL RATIO.
["The GI Offensive in Europe: The Triumph of American Infantry
Divisions 1941-1945" by Peter R. Mansoor (1999)]
-
COMBAT FATIGUE :
-
formerly known as battle fatigue, combat exhaustion, or shell
shock, and formally known as Acute Environmental Reaction, which
is related to "survivor guilt" syndrome; see PTSD, FLASHBACK,
TELESCOPING, THOUSAND-YARD STARE, BLACKOUT, FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT, FUO,
JUNGLE ROT, ZOMBIE.
[nb: "basket-case" is term for multiple amputee; now meaning an
incapacitated or dysfunctional person, anyone or anything totally
impaired]
-
COMBAT FATIGUES :
-
see FATIGUES, FATIGUE JACKET, UTILITIES, CAMMIES, BDU, ACU,
DIGITALS, DRESS.
-
COMBAT JACKET :
-
see BATTLE JACKET, FIELD JACKET, FLIGHT JACKET, BATTLE DRESS,
BLUE JACKET, FATIGUE JACKET, BLOUSE, DRESS.
-
COMBAT LIGHTNING :
-
designation given to TACS automation project.
-
COMBAT LOADED :
-
arrangement of supplies and equipment by combat classification,
so off-loading can expedite delivery of the most urgent items to
troops in, or going into combat. Because this is a more time
consuming and less efficient way to pack, it is only done when
necessary. See LOGISTICS, RED BALL, MSR, AIRDROP, BB STACKER.
[nb: "The essence of 'combat loading' is not to put the toilet
paper on top of the ammunition -- but if you do, you'll probably
need it!"] [nb: derivation of lade/laden, as in "bill of lading",
is load or burden; not carry or transport; v: fardel]
Also, slang for "ready to fight", as a GRUNT with a full combat
load of arms, ammo, medical supplies, food, water, technical
gear, and clothing; as distinguished from prepared for training
or GARRISON. See MISSION READY, CROSS-CHECK, CROSS-LOADING,
UNLIMBER, FULL BATTLE RATTLE, LOCK 'n' LOAD, GOOD TO GO, FAT,
SADDLE-UP, OP TEMPO, HOOPLA, MOVE OUT, BATTAILOUS.
-
COMBAT NAP :
-
a short, light doze; to lightly rest in place; also called
catnap, power nap, and forty winks. It's a way to temporarily
relieve stress, or to recover from fatigue or exhaustion, without
abandoning one's assigned position, which doze can even be
performed while standing in formation or marching with eyes open;
the COMBAT NAP is an acquired knack.
-
COMBAT READY :
-
also spelled "combat-ready"; see GOOD TO GO, MISSION READY, LOCK
'n' LOAD, OP TEMPO, FAT, SADDLE-UP, HOOPLA, MOVE OUT, JUMP-START,
UNLIMBER, COMBAT LOADED, FULL BATTLE RATTLE, CROSS-CHECK,
CROSS-LOADING, BATTAILOUS.
-
COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT :
-
the segment of the military that indirectly supports combat
forces, including: medicine, logistics, transportation,
maintenance, administration, finance, and the like; abbreviated
CSS. Compare COMBAT SUPPORT (CS); see TOOTH-TO-TAIL RATIO.
[nb: About 92% of IN-COUNTRY personnel served in non-combat
support or administrative roles (including service, supply, and
transportation occupations) during Vietnam, keeping the 8% combat
element functional. Although similar ratios exist for WWII
(@13%/87%) and Korea (@11%/89%), Vietnam showcased the success of
support; later improved during the GULF WARs to a 7%/93% ratio.]
-
COMBAT SKYSPOT :
-
designation given to radar bombing project.
-
COMBAT SPREAD :
-
the optimal interval of troops, vehicles, or craft for security
during movement or maneuver, or for maximum coverage of the
target area during an assault or sweep; compare CLOSE ORDER, see
HEADWAY, FIRE 'n' MANEUVER, ZIGZAG, STACK, FILE, INDIAN FILE,
COLUMN, CONVOY, TRAIN, ACCORDION, CATERPILLAR, ROMPER, STRAGGLER,
FIREBALLING, CAT'S-EYES, IDENTIFICATION PANEL, TRON, EVOLUTION.
-
COMBAT SUPPORT :
-
the segment of the military that directly supports combat forces,
without involvement in enemy contact, including: signal, military
intelligence, military police, ordnance, and the like;
abbreviated CS. Compare COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT (CSS); see
TOOTH-TO-TAIL RATIO.
[nb: About 92% of IN-COUNTRY personnel served in non-combat
support or administrative roles (including service, supply, and
transportation occupations) during Vietnam, keeping the 8% combat
element functional. Although similar ratios exist for WWII
(@13%/87%) and Korea (@11%/89%), Vietnam showcased the success of
support; later improved during the GULF WARs to a 7%/93% ratio.]
-
COMBAT TEAM :
-
this concept of self-supporting combined-action units that could
operate autonomously was conceived by George C. Marshall (then
Chief of Staff) at the beginning of WWII; these separate units
employed integral infantry, artillery, armor, cavalry, engineer,
quartermaster, signal, and medical elements together in a single
command structure. Also, a combination of military units, usually
of different types, as infantry and artillery, temporarily under
one command while assigned to perform a special combat mission.
See TEAM, RCT, BCT, SBCT, FIRE BRIGADE, MTT, A TEAM, FIRE TEAM,
SQUAD, STACK; compare ADVANCE GUARD, ADVANCE PARTY.
-
COMBAT TOUR :
-
in an attempt to improve MORALE, especially among DRAFTEEs, the
military instituted a policy of individual rotation within units
that remained perpetually on DUTY in the COMBAT ZONE; the effect
of this policy was to isolate individuals from their COMRADEs and
to disintegrate unit cohesion. Due to a paucity of manpower
during WWII, some units were unable to be withdrawn from action
in a timely manner, necessitating piecemeal replacements during
ongoing operations; but the normal policy was full unit rotation,
refit, and retraining before reassignment. This policy was based
upon an analysis of soldier effectiveness, which indicated that
troops became most efficient after three months of exposure and
less effective after six months in combat. Irrespective of these
findings, a COMBAT TOUR in the KOREAN WAR was set at 9 months,
and a COMBAT TOUR in the VIETNAM WAR was set at 12 months (6
months for Navy, 13 months for USMC). The military has resumed
the practice of rotating entire units (often one brigade
replacing another within a division) during the GULF WARs.
-
COMBAT ZONE :
-
that designated area where COMBATANTs engage in CONFLICT, BATTLE,
or WAR; the place where BAD GUYS try to kill GOOD PEOPLE; see
FEBA, MLR, FLOT, FRONT LINE, INDIAN COUNTRY, IN COUNTRY, SANDBOX,
DOWN RANGE, BOONDOCKS / BOONIES, THULE, FIELD ALLOWANCE.
-
COMBINED :
-
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. See MERRILL'S MARAUDERS,
MARS, DOUBLE FORCE, ALLY, SEATIC, SEATO, NATO, UN.
-
COMFORT STATION :
-
a refitment and personal hygiene facility containing showers,
laundry, and barbershop, usually colocated with a field CHOW
LINE, AID STATION, and resupply DEPOT in a rear area; also called
a "delousing station", and being a euphemism for a toilet or
lavatory in modern civilian usage. See LATRINE, HEAD, RAINROOM,
PT SHOWER, GI SHOWER, DOUCHE BAG, MONKEY BUTT, HEAD CALL, BLUE
CANOE, PISS TUBE, CAT HOLE, SLIT TRENCH, SHIT, DUMP, HONEY
BUCKET, WATERWORKS, GRAYBACK, COOTIE, CRAB; compare SUDS ROW,
PRIME RIBS, SIN CITY, HELL ON WHEELS.
[nb: the "comfort girls" who were employed as contract
prostitutes to serve the sexual needs (TRICKs) of Imperial
Japanese troops in the field, usually at a COMFORT STATION or SIN
CITY, were called "shock absorbers" by the Allied POWs who
happened to observe their (mis-)treatment]
-
COMICS :
-
slang for military maps, especially ones plotted with military
intelligence (MI) symbols from INTEL reports (IR); also called
"funny papers" and "comic books"; see AZIMUTH, GRID COORDINATES,
GRID LINES, CONTOUR LINES, DEAD-RECKONING, SLANT DISTANCE, TOPO,
CHART, MOSAIC MAP, ATLAS, MAP.
[nb: the Army Corps of Engineers was assigned the responsibility
for surveying America's borders and features in 1831, resulting
in a separate Topographic Corps in 1838] [nb: during WWII, the
OSS issued a playing card deck to some teams that, when laid out
in a particular order, formed an operational map detailing the
assignments for a specific mission; furthermore, escape maps
hidden on playing cards in a deck were also provided to assist
downed crewmembers evade capture in select areas] [nb: the source
for military maps was changed from US Geologic Survey to Nat'l
Imaging and Mapping Agency in Oct 1996 due to downlink satellite
profiles, then renamed National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
(NGA)]
Also, a drawing (or series of drawings) that represents or
symbolizes, satirizes or caricatures some person, subject, or
activity; also known as "cartoon" or "comic strip"; see FICTIONAL
CHARACTER; compare JOURNAL, YANK, STARS AND STRIPES. [cf:
animated cartoon]
-
COMINT :
-
COMmunications INTelligence; later redesignated signals
intelligence (SIGINT). Compare ELINT, see INTEL.
-
COMMAND :
-
the office or mantle of hierarchical authority and responsibility
employed for implementing and executing an assigned task; the
authority that a commander in the military service lawfully
exercises over subordinates by virtue of rank or assignment; may
be designated "C1". These command functions are performed through
an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications,
facilities, and procedures employed by a commander and his
subordinates in planning, directing, coordinating, leading and
controlling all assigned and attached forces in operations that
will accomplish their designated mission. Command not only
includes the authority for the effective use of available
resources, but it also includes responsibility for the health,
welfare, morale, and discipline of assigned personnel. See ABCCC,
C&C, C2, C3, C4, LDR, COMMANDER, COMMAND PRESENCE, COMMAND
ELEMENT, CHAIN-OF-COMMAND, DELEGATE. Also, an authoritative
directive, injunction, or requirement; an SOP or ORDER, RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT (ROE) or LAWS OF WAR. Also, a superior perspective or
elevated viewpoint, as from a lookout; see CROW'S NEST, OP, FO,
FAC, UMBRELLA, ORBIT, RACETRACK, STACK.
-
COMMANDEER :
-
to force people or things into military service, as the
prerogative of sequestration or impressment (qv). Also, to seize
private property for military or other public use, as of vehicles
or housing, provisions or provender; as the privilege of
expropriation, requisition, or appropriation. This practice is
also known as "eminent domain" and "purveyance"; and is
distinguished from confiscation, preemption, and impoundment,
which are penalty forfeitures. See PRESS-GANG, FORAGE, RANSACK,
SPOILS OF WAR, DETAIL, DET, AD HOC, FIELD EXPEDIENT, SHANGHAI,
DRAGOON, HEADQUARTERISM, UCMJ.
-
COMMAND ELEMENT :
-
consisting of unit commander, his deputy or vice commander, his
Chief of Staff or Chief of Operations, and any designated
assistants. Sometimes called "command group", "cmd grp", or
"headquarters element". See CO, OLD MAN, HONCHO, TOP DOG, MOTHER
HEN, MC, 10, LDR, DCO, SECOND BANANA, XO, EXTRAORDINARY POWERS,
OVERSIGHT, HEADQUARTERISM.
-
COMMANDER :
-
informal reference to the Commanding Officer (CO), being the
designated leader and the highest ranking (DOR) person in the
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND of a particular unit; see OLD MAN, HONCHO, TOP
DOG, WALLAH, MOTHER HEN, MC, FLAG OFFICER, COMMAND ELEMENT,
COMMAND PRESENCE, COMMAND RATIO. Also, the senior officer RANK
(CDR) or RATING (O-5) intermediate between Lieutenant Commander
(LCDR) and Captain (Capt) in the Navy, and equivalent to
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in the Army, Air Force, and Marine
Corps; compare CAPTAIN, see SKIPPER, OFFICER.
-
COMMANDO :
-
Curtis-Wright twin-engined C-46 heavy cargo transport aircraft,
nicknamed DUMBO, and also called "StratoLiner" when used as a
passenger airliner; this reliable airplane was used like the C-47
DAKOTA from WWII through the Vietnam-era, including FARMGATE and
JUNGLE JIM; see BIRD. Also, AIR COMMANDO; see PJ, USAFSOC. Also,
by extension of the British designation for special operations
forces (SOF), any specially trained combatant, typically covert
or clandestine. Also, the absence of underpants (drawers, shorts,
boxers, briefs, whity-tidy, smalls, codpiece, g-string,
loincloth, breechcloth / breechclout) under the uniform, commonly
called GOING COMMANDO; see SKIVVIES, T-SHIRT, SINGLET, DRESS.
-
COMMANDO DAGGER :
-
a classic design derived from the artillery bodkin and left-hand
dagger that was primarily intended for stabbing and only
secondarily for slashing, used single handed in either the
cross-palm or ice-pick grip, being a haft heavy construction that
will tend to "fall into the hand" (instead of blade heavy that
falls out of the grasp). The first pattern (ca1938) was dull
edged with square ricasso, having a checkered grip with S-guard;
which pattern proved too expensive for mass production. The
changes (ie: no ricasso, straight crossguard, etc) to subsequent
patterns account for the "defects" of this model: such as the
inability to quickly orient the blade in the dark. A lower
quality of wartime steel caused many blades to fracture in use.
Despite these defects, the COMMANDO DAGGER (also known as F-S or
Fairbairn-Sykes) inspired the OSS stiletto, Marine Raider
stiletto, V-42 stiletto, Randall #2, Gerber Mk-II, and many other
designs. See KNIFE.
[v: Knife Terms; The Language of
Swordplay]
-
COMMANDO HUNT :
-
the CODENAME designation given to air interdiction operations of
infiltration routes through Laos using ARC LIGHT and GUNSHIP
missions by USAF, USN, and USMC aircraft, from the assumption of
STEEL TIGER and TIGER HOUND operations in 1968 until its
termination in January 1973. See HO CHI MINH TRAIL.
-
COMMANDO INDIAN :
-
designation given to airspace control facility project for
military forces in the Pacific Ocean area; see AOC, FOC, TAOC;
compare OPIUM DEN.
-
COMMAND PRESENCE :
-
the exhibition of personal magnetism or charisma in a leader, the
acquisition or development of which tends to promote an aura or
mystique that encourages loyalty and discipline in others, making
them more enthusiastic and effective, for the betterment of the
entire unit and the success of its mission; to paraphrase Thomas
Alva Edison: talent is more perspiration than inspiration. See
LDR, COMMANDER, RESPECT, BEARING.
-
COMMAND RATIO :
-
the proportion of subordinates to their COMMANDER, also called
the "leadership equation", which is typically calculated on the
basis of indirect authority, instead of direct responsibility, in
the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND ... that is, a division CG, who has about
20,000 subordinates at his disposal, only has personal contact
with his brigade COMMANDERs and his divisional STAFF officers, a
group totaling about SQUAD size; on the other hand, a platoon
leader exercises his command presence directly upon the 45 (or
so) members comprising his unit, giving the LT quadruple the
leadership role. Alternatively, the LT is only a figurehead, just
like the MG, directing only the platoon sergeant and section
leaders, with the "lowly" SQUAD leader taking the greatest direct
supervisory role. The military is a reluctant bureaucracy,
shuffling paperwork out of necessity, but responding vigorously
to demonstrated charisma. It should be noted that, however the
COMMAND RATIO is calculated, the military is becoming more and
more "top heavy" with an inflation of both higher RANKs and more
supervisory or administrative positions. In the U.S. Navy, for
example, the officer to enlisted ratio has been: 1:11 in 1785,
1:11 in 1812, 1:23 in 1861, 1:14 in 1898, 1:23 in 1917, 1:9 in
1942, 1:9 in 1951, 1:8 in 1966, 1:7 in 1990; or, a ratio of 1
USMC general for every 5802 Marines in 1945 versus 1 USMC general
per 2190 Marines during the GULF WAR. As a contrast between upper
and lower ranking officers in the U.S. Army, there was 1 2LT for
every 76 EMs in WWII (1945), 1 2LT for every 45 EMs in Korea
(1953), and 1 2LT for every 71 EMs in Vietnam (1971); with 1LTs
similarly distributed at 1:35, 1:44, and 1:41 for the same
periods; but general officers had ratios of 1:4916 in WWII,
1:2953 in Korea, and 1:1952 in Vietnam! Compare TOOTH-TO-TAIL
RATIO; see GUSTO, HOOAH, OORAH, WETSU, GUNG-HO, FIDO, FORCE
MULTIPLIER.
-
COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR / CSM :
-
being a SUPER GRADE non-commissioned officer (NCO) rated (E-9)
between Master Sergeant (MSG) or First Sergeant (1SG) and
Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA), and represented by three
chevrons above three ROCKERs with a wreath enclosed star centered
as sleeve rank insignia; this rank is rated equal to Sergeant
Major (SGM). See SARGE, RIGHT ARM, FIRST SHIRT, TOP, TOP DOG,
NCO, RATING, GRADE, RANK.
-
COMMISSARIAT :
-
the organized method by which food, equipment, and other supplies
are delivered to armies. Also, the department of an army charged
with supplying provisions; see QM, LOGISTICS.
-
COMMISSARY :
-
a store that sells food and other commodities on a military
installation; a grocery concession for servicemembers and their
dependents. Also, a dining room or cafeteria for employees; see
CANTEEN. Also, a deputy, being a person to whom some role or
level of responsibility is delegated by a superior authority; as
derived from 'entrust' (committere).
-
COMMISSION :
-
authority granted for a particular action or function. Also,
an authoritative order, directive, or charge, as an official
assignment; a task or matter committed to one's charge. Also, a
document granting authority; a document conferring authoritative
rank or position to an officer in the Armed Forces or other
public service. Also, the authority to act as agent for another
or others in a binding transaction; the fee allotted to such a
representative for services rendered. Also, to place in proper
order or operating condition (ie: "out of commission"); to ready
for service.
-
COMMO :
-
communications or signal capacity, personnel and equipment;
being the proverbial "6 shop", as the section designated
S-6/G-6/J-6 (v: J-CODES), and also known as "comm". See RADIO,
CW, TWX, TELEPHONE, SATCOM, COMSEC, SIGINT, SOTA, RDF, LISTENING
WATCH, EARS, RTP, RTO, COMM OP, WIGWAG, COMM SHACK, RRD, TROPO,
TACAN, STACK, WHIP, ANTENNA FARM, SAT, NET, TRI-TAC, LANDLINE,
PIGTAIL, COAX, SPAGHETTI, AFRTN, FBIS, BACK CHANNEL, BAMBOO
TELEGRAPH.
-
COMMO CHECK :
-
when all elements report sequentially to their base station; or
when a station on the comm net requests a reception evaluation.
Evaluations of "loud" and "clear" are rated on a scale from one
to five resulting in 25 permutations, including loud and unclear
("5 by 1"), weak and clear ("1 by 5"), weak and unclear ("1 by
1"), loud and clear ("5 by 5"). Operational units performed COMMO
CHECKS hourly, if no other transmission was needed; except for
recon units, which linked much less often.
-
COMMODORE :
-
the senior commander of a Naval squadron, FLOTILLA, or CONVOY
during wartime, being a duty position and not a RATING. Also, a
former RANK equivalent to Brigadier General (O-7), situated
between Naval CAPTAIN and Rear Admiral, but now designated Rear
Admiral Lower-Half (RADML). See FLAG OFFICER, ADMIRAL, FLEET
ADMIRAL, LDR, CO, SKIPPER, USN, USCG.
-
COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS :
-
a voluntary association among Great Britain and its dependencies,
certain former British dependencies, and some associated states,
as founded under a charter entitled the "Statute of Westminster"
in 1931, which declared that autonomous dominions, bound only by
common allegiance, might specify legislation as assenting equals;
composed of Great Britain, Canada, Newfoundland (Canadian since
1949), Australia, New Zealand, the Irish Free State (Republic of
Ireland withdrew in 1949), and South Africa (withdrew in 1961).
The other sovereign members of the COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS were:
India, Pakistan, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Ghana, Federation of Malaya
(Malaysia), Nigeria, Cyprus, Sierra Leone, Tanganyika (Tanzania),
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia,
Malta, Gambia, Singapore, Guyana, Botswana, Lesotho, Barbados,
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Mauritius, Swaziland, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Western Samoa, Tonga, Bangladesh, Bahamas, Grenada, Kiribati,
Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe,
Belize, Brunei, Maldives, Namibia, Nauru, and Tuvalu. Members
(except Canada) are part of the sterling monetary exchange, with
other economic ties shared in the fields of trade, investment,
and development; but Britain's 1973 entry into the European
Common Market (European Community) has redirected their economic
relations. The periodic meetings of the COMMONWEALTH, made for
the purpose of consultation and cooperation, issue no collective
decisions that are binding. The COMMONWEALTH, also known as the
British Commonwealth of Nations, has maintained a Secretariat in
London since 1965. See UN, NATO, LEAGUE OF NATIONS, NAM, ASEAN,
SEATO, PENTALATERAL AGREEMENT, ANZUS, KANZUS, HAGUE TRIBUNAL,
NGO, QUANGO, GOCO, OGA, BELTWAY BANDIT; compare G10, G15, G20,
G24, G77, ARAB LEAGUE.
-
COMM OP :
-
COMMunications OPerator, being the proper designation for a
communications specialist, whether of RADIO or TWX or any other
device, who's commonly nicknamed EARS or DITTY-BOP; sometimes
spelled "com op", "comm-op", or "com-op". Compare RUNNER, RADIO
PUKE, RTO; see COMMO.
-
COMMSEC :
-
see COMSEC.
-
COMM SHACK :
-
COMMunications building or BUNKER, typically being a clean and
cool area established to protect transcievers and transmitters,
often including the message and mail center, and is therefore a
popular place to visit for conversation or companionship at any
time of the day or night; also known as "comm shed", "comm pit",
"commo bunker", "commo shack", "commo shed", or "commo pit". See
COMMO, NET, RADIO, CW, TWX, SAT, RRD, ANTENNA FARM, TROPO, CODE,
COMSEC, SOTA, SIGINT, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH.
-
COMMZ :
-
COMMunications Zone.
-
COMNAVFORV :
-
COMmander of U.S. NAVal FORces Vietnam.
-
COMPANY :
-
a company, abbreviated CO, is a military unit commanded by a
captain (CPT/O-3), consisting of two or more platoons (PLT), and
varies widely in size according to its mission. An artillery
company is called a battery (BTY), and a cavalry company is a
troop (TRP). The COMMAND ELEMENT of a company consists of its
commander (CO), executive officer (XO), platoon leaders (Plt
Ldr), first sergeant (FSG), and platoon sergeants (Plt Sgts); but
does not include a STAFF. [nb: Vietnamese term: Dai Doi] [nb: on
14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the formation
of the first ten companies of the Continental Army]
-
COMPANY LIFT :
-
a flight of helicopters sufficient to carry the
assault elements of a rifle COMPANY in a single LIFT; see EAGLE
FLIGHT, PZ, LZ, CLZ.
-
COMPANY STREET :
-
the access lane for unit formations, instruction, practice,
arrival/departure; also used as unit "commons" for promenade or
recreation. Before and during the VIETNAM WAR, most informal
socializing was conducted on or around the COMPANY STREET, with
individuals at windows and doorways, on BARRACK stoops, roving
from MESSHALL and DAYROOM, checking the ORDERLY ROOM bulletin
board. Some "tent city" BASE CAMPs simulated this arrangement
IN-COUNTRY, but piecemeal rotations and replacements compromised
the sense of "home" offered by COMPANY STREETS. Dormitories
replaced WWII-style barracks during and after Vietnam, and
bachelor NCOs no longer resided with their troops. See GRINDER,
BIVOUAC.
-
COMPARTMENT :
-
a separated part, section, or division, as a group or department;
see COMMAND ELEMENT, CHAIN-OF-COMMAND. Also, a partitioned area
or space, as a cabin or HOLD on a vessel; see BILLET, SMACK,
BOATSWAIN'S LOCKER, CHAIN LOCKER, BULKHEAD.
[nb: water-tight COMPARTMENTS were first used on sea-going JUNKS
as containers for adjustable liquid ballast, as well as for
damage safety; such construction was inspired by imitation of
bamboo]
-
COMPARTMENTALIZATION :
-
operational classification into NEED TO KNOW cutouts; discrete
subdivision and discreet categorization so that isolated parts
cannot jeopardize others or compromise the objective. Intricacy
and complexity increases when assignments are double-cutout or
double-blind, so neither the SECRET AGENT nor the HANDLER knows
all of the important details ... unfortunately, this is also an
instance of executive micromanagement that virtually assures
failure whenever anything goes wrong, because the field operative
cannot improvise a viable alternative. Concept also expressed as
"compartmentation" and "compartmented". See RIG, HANDLER, NEED TO
KNOW, CHINESE WALL, STOVEPIPE, BRIEF-BACK, TRADECRAFT.
-
COMPASS :
-
an instrument used for determining directions and taking
measurements, as by means of a freely rotating magnetized needle
that indicates magnetic north, by a graduated mil-scale rotating
bezel, and by a demarcated rule or protractor; with a sighting
mechanism, it's known as a "lensatic compass", a "hand bearing
compass", a "sighting baseplate compass", a circumferento or a
"transit" (theodolite). A vehicle or vessel mounted compass must
be adjusted for the distortion of its surroundings, as bearing
compasses are affected by stray magnetic fields, nearby
electrical power circuits, or nearby large masses of ferrous
metals. Some military compasses use tritium, a radioactive
material, in combination with phosphorus to illumine the pointer
and direction indicators for nighttime navigation. See COMPASS
CARD, COMPASS ROSE, BOX THE COMPASS, AZIMUTH, BEARING, DEVIATION,
AIMPOINT, HEADING, DEAD-RECKONING, SLANT DISTANCE, GIMBAL, MAP,
CHART, GPS. [v: back-bearing, declination, foresight, latitude,
longitude, mercator projection, meridian, minutes, rhumb,
vernier, lubber line, pelorus, marching lines, cardinal points,
compass points, binnacle] [nb: the 4 cardinal points are
subtended by 32 compass points, which are equivalent to 360
degrees or 6400 mils; as a rule of thumb: 1 mil subtends 1 meter
at 1 kilometer] [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] [nb: north derives from a
Proto-Germanic root meaning "to the left of the rising sun"; east
derives from a word meaning "dawn"; south derives as a
root-cognate of sun, meaning "the region of the sun"; west
derives as a root-cognate of Latin vesper meaning "evening"] [nb:
from ancient times in various cultures, different colors have
been assigned to the cardinal directions, such as Oriental (5: N
E S W C) or AmerIndian (6: N E S W A B), but the meaning of each
color is interpreted differently by different subcultures (eg:
green / wood / Spring = east, red / fire / Summer = south, white
/ metal / Autumn = west, black / water / Winter = north, yellow /
earth = center); however, in the modern era, color associations
are purely aesthetic]
-
COMPASS CARD :
-
a circular card that displays the points of the compass beneath
the directional pointer, and either rotates freely on a pivot or
can be manually aligned so as to point to magnetic north. Compare
COMPASS ROSE.
-
COMPASS LINK :
-
designation given to satellite service project.
-
COMPASS ROSE :
-
|
cardinal directions on compass rose
|
|
a circle divided into 32 points (360 degrees or 6400 mils), and
numbered clockwise from true or magnetic north, that's printed on
a MAP or CHART as a means of determining the course of a vessel
or aircraft; compare COMPASS CARD. Also, a similar design, often
ornamented, used on maps to indicate the points of the compass.
[nb: north derives from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to the
left of the rising sun"; east derives from a word meaning "dawn";
south derives as a root-cognate of sun, meaning "the region of
the sun"; west derives as a root-cognate of Latin vesper meaning
"evening"] [nb: from ancient times in various cultures, different
colors have been assigned to the cardinal directions, such as
Oriental (5: N E S W C) or AmerIndian (6: N E S W A B), but the
meaning of each color is interpreted differently by different
subcultures (eg: green / wood / Spring = east, red / fire /
Summer = south, white / metal / Autumn = west, black / water /
Winter = north, yellow / earth = center); however, in the modern
era, color associations are purely aesthetic]
Also, such a design, symbolic of "true direction", used as a
referent for leadership; see LDR, LPC. [nb: the "universal"
meaning of this symbol represents 'knowledge' in the same manner
as the burning torch or lamp used by most schools]
-
COMPOSITION C :
-
originating as a mixture of TNT [TriNitroToluene (C7H5N3O6)] with
a plasticizer, this explosive compound was developed by the
British during WWII as Composition C (C3H6N6O6) or Research
Department Explosive (RDX) at Woolwich England; this is a very
stable, malleable, and lightweight plastic explosive that has
high potency, great versatility, and easy portability. Plastic
explosives are not destabilized by water, and have a semi-soft
texture similar to putty, "play dough" or modeling clay, so it
can be readily formed into a SHAPED CHARGE of any configuration.
Composition C will not explode without use of detonation devices,
even when dropped, beaten, shot, or burned. See HEP, COCKTAIL,
SOUP, IED, EXPLOSIVE.
-
COMPOUND :
-
a separate area, usually fenced or walled, containing structures
utilized for business or residence, such as offices and barracks;
being a camp or installation, as derived from the Malay term for
"village" (kampong / kampung). See VILLE, XA, AP, XOM, DODGE
CITY, PERIMETER, GARRISON, POST, FORT, RESERVATION, PUZZLE
PALACE, MADHOUSE, CLOUD-CUCKOO-LAND, SHANGRI-LA, GHOST UNIT, HQ,
GODOWN, LSA, DEPOT, STOCKADE, CONCENTRATION CAMP, BASE, BASE
CAMP, FOB, OB, STRONGPOINT, FSB, CP, JUMP CP, COMPANY STREET,
COLD CAMP, BIVOUAC, NDP, RON, SPIKE, OP, LP, LAAGER, TANK PARK,
AID STATION, DISPENSARY, HOSPITAL, COMFORT STATION, PUP TENT,
TENT, BUTLER BUILDING, SEA HUT, QUONSET HUT, HANGAR, BILLET,
HUTMENT, HOOCH, BOHIO, SHEBANG, HIDE, BOLT HOLE, SAFE HOUSE, SAFE
ROOM, GLORY HOLE.
-
COMPRESS :
-
a sterile pressure bandage for direct application in dressing a
wound (the non-sterile or backside marked to face outwards),
furnished with integral ties but may be taped into place. The
rule is to always use the victim's COMPRESS, but experienced
soldiers know that they should carry two or more bandages,
because many wounds require more than one dressing, and the
victim's bandage may not be easy to find, or may not even
exist. Sterile COMPRESS bandages, which were first manufactured
on a large scale during WWI, inspired the creation of "sanitary
napkins" for use during menstruation. Compare TAMPON, BAND-AID;
see MED BAG, DOG BITE, BLOOD EXPANDER, SPILL THE GROCERIES,
STRETCHER, MEDIC, TENT.
-
COMPTROLLER :
-
the finance officer, or chief government accountant, who
supervises financial transactions and superintends the fiscal
budget for the installation and its assigned units; derived from
"compt" for count or accounting. The civilian equivalent in
business finance is a "controller" [v: ADVISOR / "adviser"]
[nb: in the military, a 'controller' is a person charged with the
control of a sequence or process, such as systems manager or
air-traffic controller, (ATC) with responsibilities not unlike a
COMPTROLLER; cf: HANDLER]
-
COMRADE :
-
someone who shares activities, especially risk in the profession
of arms, as a companion in mutual camaraderie; term of reference
is reserved and discriminate, as differentiated from associate or
acquaintance. Comradeship is a bond, based upon a shared
commitment, that transcends stratification, that persists long
after the fact, and that can only be broken by betrayal or death.
Like colleague or confrere, it's similar to SHIPMATE or MESSMATE,
and used with the same reliance as "swim buddy" or "ranger
buddy". Originally referred to a group of soldiers BILLETed
("kamara": room, vault, chamber) together. Vietnamese term:
"Tuong Huu", for kindred spirit, close companion. German version:
"gemeinschaft" for 'community-ship' [nb: "gesellschaft"
(companionship) is a formal partnership]. See ASSHOLE BUDDY,
BAND OF BROTHERS, BUDDY SYSTEM, TRADE ENVELOPES. [nb: 'compadre'
derived from "godfather"] [nb: as with "swim buddy" and "Ranger
buddy", the military BUDDY SYSTEM is not a codependency
relationship, but a dyadic mutuality of cooperation, such that a
pair does not redouble but reinforces; cf: Damon and Pythias
(Phintias), Pylades and Orestes, David and Jonathan]
-
COMSAT :
-
a COMmunications SATellite, as produced by Communications
Satellite Corporation. Compare SATCOM; see SYNCOM, NRO, ANTENNA
FARM, SAT.
-
COMSEC :
-
COMmunications SECurity; sometimes spelled "commsec", "com-sec",
or "comm-sec"; being the protection resulting from all measures
designed to deny unauthorized persons information of value which
might be derived from the improper possession and study of
telecommunications, or those measures intended to mislead
unauthorized persons in their interpretation of the results of
such possession and study. See SIGINT, SOTA, RDF, COMMO, RADIO.
-
COM7FLT :
-
Commander, Seventh Fleet.
-
COMUSMACTHAI :
-
Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Thailand.
-
COMUSMACV :
-
Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.
-
CONAP :
-
CONcurrent Admissions Program; a cooperative program between the
military and participating colleges which admit eligible soldiers
while serving their enlistment. See ROTC, ACASP, DEP, NESEP,
BOOTSTRAP, USAFI, SOC.
-
CONARC :
-
CONtinental ARmy Command.
-
CONCEALMENT :
-
to veil, mask, SCREEN, HIDE, or obscure from view; compare COVER,
see MASK, CAMO, DECEPTION, COUNTERSHADING.
-
CONCENTRATION CAMP :
-
a guarded COMPOUND for the summary confinement of political
prisoners, racial or ethnic minorities, or other social outcasts,
such as the Scottish or AmerIndian clearances and the Romany or
Jewish ghettos; also called "internment camp". Term originally
applied to camps where noncombatants were confined during the
Boer War (1899-1902). See GULAG, REEDUCATION, BRAINWASHING, PAIN,
DP, POW, KEELHAUL. [v: dungeon, keep, oubliette, hock (sty or
prison as a miserable place to live)]
[v: U.S. removal of Eastern tribes of AmerIndians to Indian
Territory west of the Mississippi River (eg: "Trail of Tears"),
or the exile of Western tribes onto Pan-Indian reservations or
into prison camps on remote Army posts (eg: "The Long Walk");
cf: American persecution of Japanese (ie: Neisei, Kibei, Sansei)
residents versus Nazi extermination of non-Aryan inhabitants]
-
CONCERTINA :
-
a BARBED WIRE or RAZOR WIRE coil, used to quickly emplace a
temporary barrier which is easily retrieved and conveniently
stowed; although derived from the musical instrument having a
similar design, smooth or barbed wire that's stored on a spool
tends to loop into entanglements unless stretched taut between
posts. See BANGALORE TORPEDO.
-
CONCESSION :
-
a franchise conceded by the government for a concessionaire to
operate a subsidiary business or service within a military
installation, granting privileged access to servicemembers and
their dependents; see PX, BX, NEX, COMMISSARY.
-
CONCRETE BATTLESHIP :
-
slang for the coast artillery or a shore battery, often heavily
fortified; also called a "cement tank". A military truism states:
guns on shore are always more effective than guns off-shore (ie:
afloat, at sea). See CASEMATE, BUNKER, BLOCKHOUSE. [v: Military Earthworks Terms]
-
CONEX :
-
(kone-ecks) CONtainer EXpress, a large corrugated-steel container
used for sealed self-contained transshipments of goods since its
development in 1952 during the KOREAN WAR. Often re-used for
protected or secure storage, or emplaced for intermediate
resupply; the CONEX was often collected into clusters for working
or living quarters when empty, becoming clinics or offices or
clubs, because the theater of operations (TO) lacked such
facilities. Sometimes used as a command post (CP) or BUNKER when
modified and insulated against SPALLing. See CONTAINERIZATION,
PLS, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP, DAISY CHAIN; compare CARGO NET.
-
CONFAB :
-
contraction of CONFABulation, being an informal and private
conversation; to talk, converse, palaver, discuss, consult,
confer, discourse, council, parley. See CALL ON THE CARPET,
OFFICER'S CALL, BRIEFING, EAR-BANG, CROSS-TALK, CHATTER,
HALF-MAST, CHIN CHIN, POWWOW, SUMMIT.
-
CONFESSION BOX :
-
during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), an intelligence gathering
"suggestion box" was setup at various locations where local
people could voluntarily report sightings or suspicions that
would be of interest to the police or military; due to a need to
make these "suggestion boxes" accessible to all, literate or not,
they were arranged as a secluded alcove that would offer
anonymity, somewhat resembling a confessional, hence the informal
name. See CHATTER, INTEL.
-
CONFETTI :
-
polite slang referring to lies and tales told by TAP-DANCERs to
conceal their activity or intent, being a form of rigmarole SNOW
or BLOW SMOKE malarkey (malarky); also called "fairy dust", and
commonly known as bullshit. See TALK TRASH, COVER, NOC, LEGEND,
LIFTED SKIRT, BRAVO SIERRA, SEA STORY, WAR STORY, SMACK, VERBAL
DIARRHEA, HOT AIR, WASHINGTON WALTZ, SHOOT THE SHIT, GODDAM;
compare SNOWFLAKE, CHAFF.
-
CONFIDENTIAL :
-
a delimiter qualifying duplication and restricting distribution
of CLASSIFIED documents; see NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION.
-
CONFLICT :
-
a temporary or prolonged condition of opposition, being a state
of struggle or strife, rivalry or enmity, incompatibility or
discordance; as a dispute, argument, disagreement, breach,
dissension, contention, discord, clash, dissidence, controversy,
quarrel, squabble, wrangle, spat, scrap, tiff, fuss, rhubarb,
row, hassle, misunderstanding, falling-out, open variance,
difference, contradiction, discrepancy, or disparity. Also, a
contention or collision, as an agonal or paroxysmal fight, being
true combat; derived from "to strike together". See FIGHTING MAD,
FIGHTING WORDS, DUEL, SIEGE MENTALITY, GANTLET, BLOODY SHIRT,
JUST WAR, GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG STICK DIPLOMACY, SABER-RATTLING,
GUNPOINT, HEAD TO HEAD, CROSS THE RUBICON, WAR POWERS ACT,
BATTLE, HOT, SHOOTING WAR, WAR, COLD WAR, FLOWER WAR, INSURGENCY,
LOW-INTENSITY CONFLICT, STRUGGLE, DIME, DODGE THE BULLET,
ANTEBELLUM, TRUCE, DETENTE, RAPPROCHEMENT, PEACE.
[nb: while fight and battle are subsumed by war, which is of
indeterminate but finite duration, conflict and struggle have the
potential of being persistent and relentless, with such an
inexorable contumacy best represented by the concepts of "long
struggle", "ceaseless struggle", "prolonged struggle", and
manifest in endless war, perpetual revolution, continuous
fighting, the long fight, everlasting resistance, perennial
strife, and the long defeat; although struggle has marked human
existence from the sustenance of life to the adoption of
contending rationales, as a philosophical tenet, the struggle
between realism and determinism has been best represented by
Immanuel Kant, Ludwig Feuerbach, Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur
Schopenhauer, and Karl Marx]
[v: gage; casus belli; lese / lèse majesté]
-
CONFLICT RESOLUTION :
-
a catch-phrase referring to the process of permanently resolving
a dispute by adequately addressing the interests and needs of
both opposing sides, or of all disputant parties, so that they
are satisfied with the outcome; also known as "dispute
resolution". This practice is juxtaposed to "conflict
transformation", which refers to techniques or modalities for
de-escalating or de-intensifying a long-term conflict by use of
alleviating measures or crisis abatements, and to "conflict
management", which refers to a long-term strategy for preventing
the escalation or disintegration of intractable conflicts. See
CONFLICT, STRUGGLE, WAR, PEACE.
[cf: the conflict, a matter of conscience, in the empire of
Lilliput between the Big-Endian and the Little-Endian parties;
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)]
-
CONFIDENCE COURSE :
-
a training course consisting of a series of staged challenges
which are designed to develop problem solving skills, teamwork,
trust, confidence, and reliance during their resolution or
accomplishment. CONFIDENCE COURSEs are often compared to the
"challenge courses" of Outward Bound, National Outdoor
Leadership, White Stag Leadership Development, Scouts, and
similar organizations, including corporate team-building
workshops. Sometimes mistakenly called an OBSTACLE COURSE (qv);
the completion of an OBSTACLE COURSE is an individual effort,
while satisfying the requirements of a CONFIDENCE COURSE is a
team or group effort.
-
CONFUSION :
-
disorder, disorganization, shambles, mess, muddle, chaos,
upheaval, ferment, uproar, tumult, disorientation, perplexity,
bewilderment, bafflement, stupefaction; originally meaning
defeat, overthrow, or ruin. A classic military maxim states: "If
you're not confused then you're misinformed." See PLAN B,
CHECKING THE DICTIONARY, SMOKE 'n' MIRRORS, SEAT OF THE PANTS,
HELMET FIRE, EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, ALPHABET SOUP, FLAK, STATIC,
NOISE, CONFETTI, SNOW, BLOW SMOKE, HOT AIR, TALK TRASH, FLAP,
FUCK-UP, CLUSTER FUCK, FUCKED-UP, SHIT HIT THE FAN, SOL, WTFO,
BOHICA, STOOGE. [nb: "When in trouble or in doubt, run in
circles, scream and shout!"] [v: anomie]
-
CONNING TOWER :
-
the housing over the main entrance to the interior of a
SUBMARINE, accommodating its periscope and antennas, and used as
an observation platform; also called the "sail" or FAIRWATER.
Compare COCKPIT, BRIDGE, FLYING BRIDGE, HELM, PILOTHOUSE.
-
CONSTABULARY :
-
regular military personnel assigned the duty of law enforcement
or peacekeeping; compare PROVOST GUARD, see PM, MP, SNOWDROP, AP,
SP, QC, BUTTON, CID, OSI, NIS, FBI. Also, the body of POLICE
officers or government agents, called "constables", organized in
a military manner, and responsible for keeping the peace; see
ANTI-TERRORISM, PATRIOT ACT, POSSE COMITATUS, WE DON'T NEED NO
STINKIN' BADGES. [nb: "squad room" is an archaism retained by
police forces for a PARAMILITARY structure no longer utilized]
-
CONSTELLATION :
-
Lockheed C-121 transport is a high-speed,
low-wing, monoplane, powered by four reciprocating engines. The
EC-121K is a special search plane with bottom and top radar
antennas. The EC-121D/EC-121M is an electronic countermeasures
configuration aircraft. Name originally designated the C-54 (or
DC-4) transport aircraft.
-
CONTACT :
-
an engagement with enemy forces, as a skirmish, FIREFIGHT, or
AMBUSH; being "in the shit" or CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG; compare
SPOILING ATTACK, MEETING ENGAGEMENT, CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE,
FRONTAL ASSAULT, PITCHED BATTLE; see BATTLE. Also, to
communicate, or to be a source of communication; derived from
"touch"; see POC.
-
CONTAINERIZATION :
-
the use of transport containers (ie: CONEX, MILVAN, SEAVAN, RO/RO
trailers) to unitize cargo for secure transport, supply, and
storage, without intermediate handling of the contents during
airlift, sealift, or roll-on/roll-off conveyance. A MILVAN is a
DoD-owned 20-foot shipping container (20'L X 8'H X 8'W), which is
the most commonly used container size for military deployments.
Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU) include TRICON (3=20'L),
QUADCON (4=20'L), and the older CONEX for storage. These
containers require special container handling equipment and
vehicles. CONTAINERIZATION provides convenient accountability,
security, centralization, specificity, damage control, and
weather protection. CONTAINERIZATION aids strategic lift and
military prepositioning missions. From the palletized load
systems (PLS) of WWII, the Army's Transportation Corps began
experimenting with CONTAINERIZATION in 1948 using the
"Transporter" (Transporter, Household Goods, Shipboard), which
was a rigid steel box (8'6"L X 6'3"W X 6'10"H) mounted on
elevated skids, with a double door on one end and lifting rings
on the top four corners. The "Transporter" immediately proved
itself so valuable during the KOREAN WAR, where 90% of shipments
were delayed by mishandling and 10% were lost to pilferage, that
the Transportation Corps developed the Container Express (CONEX)
in 1952. With CONEX delivery of cargo, efficiency halved transit
time, and loss was markedly reduced ... making it possible to
double the tonage transshipped to Korea over that shipped to
Europe during WWII. During the VIETNAM WAR, container ships were
first developed by Sea-Land Container Services, which led to the
development of Inter-modal containers for conveyance by truck,
rail, air, or ship. Military considerations for container
selection include: cargo characteristics, container dimensions,
payload restrictions, materiel accessibility, handling
requirements, movement capabilities, and serviceability prior to
packing. The unit movement officer must develop a loading plan to
avoid deployment delays and equipment damage. With the exception
of "dense cargo", like AMMO, the cubic area of the equipment is
more important than its weight ("cube out before weigh out"). See
CONEX, PLS, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP, DAISY CHAIN; compare CARGO
NET.
-
CONTAINMENT :
-
to restrict the growth or expansion of hostile powers by
economically, diplomatically, ideologically, or militarily
intervening in their ambitions for influence or territory; so
named in 1947 by George Kennan, a policy director in the State
Department, which concept will guide U.S. foreign policy
throughout the COLD WAR. Also, a restrictive enclosure that's
designed to prevent the accidental release of radioactive
material from a nuclear reactor; see FALLOUT, RAINOUT, SCRAM,
GENIE, NEST, BROKEN ARROW, FOOTBALL.
-
CONTEL :
-
CONsulate TELegram; see TWX, TTY, HOT LINE, TELECON, TELEPHONE,
BACK CHANNEL, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH.
-
CONTINUATION TATTOO :
-
among combat veterans with a pre-existing TATTOO who have
suffered an amputation that either interrupted or removed their
body art, it's an indelible design decorating their prosthesis;
such designs may continue an interrupted pattern or motif,
replace a lost one, or add one that complements, supplements, or
augments one on another part of the body; compare MEAT MARKER.
[nb: among non-amputees, a 'continuation tat' carries a design or
extends a pattern from one part of the body to another, making
the person's skin into a unified canvas for a thematic continuum]
-
CONTOUR FLYING :
-
following terrain features and land outlines, aircraft flight as
close to the earth's surface as vegetation and obstacles will
permit; also called "nap of the earth" (NOE) flight. See GRASS,
UNDER THE RADAR.
-
CONTOUR LINES :
-
lines representing terrain features and gradients on topographic
maps, such as saddle, draw, pinnacle, depression. See TOPO,
AZIMUTH, GRID COORDINATES, GRID LINES, DEAD-RECKONING, MILITARY
CREST, MAP, COMICS.
[nb: clay relief maps were used in Mesopotamia around 3000BC. The
first carved stone relief map of a Chinese district was sent to
the Emperor in 210BC, and it was so impressive as to scale and
detail that all administrators were commissioned to similarly
survey and map their districts, until the entire Empire was
represented. To offset the inconvenience of stone and wooden
maps, China began making silk maps around 266BC. Chinese archives
document terrain modeling with rice, sawdust, and melted wax by
various military commands in AD32. Scale-model relief maps were
made portable by hinged folding and by segmental disassembly
ca421-466 ... which inspired the creation of "jigsaw puzzles".]
-
CONTRABAND :
-
anything prohibited by law from being imported or exported, as
illegal trade in prohibited goods, smuggling; term derived from
against + proclamation (contrabando). A "contraband of war" is
anything, such as arms or munitions, that a neutral may not
supply to a belligerent except at the risk of seizure and
confiscation; and "conditional contraband" is anything that may
become a "contraband of war", such as food or medicine, if
supplied by a neutral to a belligerent. During the American CIVIL
WAR, a slave who escaped to, or was brought within the Union
lines, was deemed to be "contraband". [v: malum prohibitum, malum
in se]
-
CONTRAFOIL :
-
the decorative trimming or braid that ornaments a hat or sleeve;
its size and complexity of placement are a function of the
wearer's rank; see MESS DRESS, DRESS WHITES, DRESS, HEADGEAR,
CORD, CORDON, WITH BELLS ON, FEATHERS.
-
CONTROLLED INFORMATION :
-
information or other indicators deliberately conveyed or denied
to an adversary in a DECEPTION operation so as to evoke desired
inferences, or generate invalid estimates, that result in actions
advantageous to US or allied interests and objectives. See BIG
LIE, RUMOR, HOOPLA, FALSE FLAG, DISINFORMATION, PROPAGANDA,
PSYOPS, UW, SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
CONTROL STICK :
-
a lever (JOYSTICK, STICK) by which a pilot controls the ailerons
and elevator of an aircraft; see DEAD STICK, VOLPLANE. Also, the
control or steering lever of a computer or conveyance.
-
CONUS :
-
(ko-nus) the CONtinental United States; see ZI, compare OCONUS.
-
CONVERSION SYMPTOMS :
-
any stress related sensory or physical impairments; such
"performance anxiety" disabilities, both combat and non-combat
in origin, may be persistent or recurrent. See FUO, JUNGLE ROT,
PTSD, WATERWORKS, DISSOCIATION, OBJECTIFICATION, STRESS OF SOUL,
BROKEN-WING SYNDROME, LINE OF DUTY, RIGHT STUFF.
-
CONVERTER :
-
slang designation for the Cessna T-37 TWEET, a twin-seat trainer,
for its remarkable capacity to convert fuel into noise! The TWEET
is also known as a "dog whistle"; compare SUPER TWEET, see BIRD.
-
CONVOY :
-
a fleet, flight, or group of vehicles accompanied by a protective
escort; as derived from convey, conveier. Also, an armed force,
warship, or the like that protectively escorts other vehicles or
elements. Also, any group of military vehicles traveling together
under the same orders, as a caravan or cavalcade; see TRAIN, LINE
HAUL, FIREBALLING, K-DAY, HEADWAY, CAT'S-EYES, COMBAT SPREAD,
ACCORDION, CATERPILLAR, EVOLUTION, ZIGZAG, ROMPER, STRAGGLER.
-
COOKIE :
-
nickname for a cook, baker, mess sergeant, or steward, sometimes
called "pot-walloper" or "slops-server"; see CHOW, BEANS,
C-RATIONS, KP, DRO, ORDERLY, MESS, GALLEY. [nb: Vietnamese term:
Nguoi Lam Bep]
-
COOK-OFF :
-
spontaneous or "runaway" firing, such as an automatic weapon that
has been fired enough to continue firing without the trigger
mechanism; an overheated machinegun (MG) can only be stopped by
breaking the belt of LINK AMMO. Also, the unguided and
uncontrolled discharge of burning ammunition, as when a DUMP is
exploded or when a soldier is consumed by phosphorous (WP) or
NAPALM.
-
COOLIE :
-
any Asian subsistence laborer, a civilian worker; as derived
from pidgin Chinese-English for hireling. See CHIGGIE BEAR, DAN
CONG, HACK.
-
COOTIE :
-
slang for a louse, as one affecting humans (eg: body louse, head
louse, or pubic louse); also spelled "cooty", probably derived
from Malay 'kutu' (biting body louse). Term first documented
during WWI but plausibly introduced to the American vocabulary
from the Philippines during the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. See
GRAYBACK, CRAB, COMFORT STATION.
-
CORB :
-
Conscientious Objector Review Board. [nb: a common belief among
professional MIL-PERS is that PACIFISTs should command the
military, since they would be the most reluctant to commit them
to senseless missions, and that warriors should set the terms of
every peace treaty, since they would be the most reluctant to
create the excuse for another conflict ... "Cursed be the
peacemakers, for they make the next war harder than the last!"]
-
CORD :
-
a woven or braided device worn at or around the shoulder as
a badge or decoration, as FOURRAGERE, AIGUILLETTE, or SHOULDER
KNOT; see LANYARD, CORDON, CONTRAFOIL. Also, a distinctive
edge-trimming (often called "edge-cord") on the cuff or curtain
of the garrison cap to signify unit, branch, or rank. [nb: an
insignia emblematic of the honors and lineage of a military
organization, unlike familial "coats of arms", may be
individually enhanced but not personally heritable; v: Heraldry]
Also, cordage; see PARA-CORD, SPAGHETTI, GUY, LINE, ROPE,
BOLTROPE, RATLINE, LET-DOWN ROPE, SHROUD, HAWSER.
-
CORDITE :
-
a slow-burning, smokeless explosive powder that was invented in
1889 by Sir Frederick Augustus Abel and Sir James Dewar; composed
of nitroglycerin and cellulose nitrate blended by acetone, with a
mineral jelly lubricant; named for the cord-like form it takes
when treated with certain chemicals. See GUNCOTTON.
-
CORDON :
-
a military line of sentinels, as posts or warships, enclosing
(PERIMETER, ambit) or guarding (DMZ, YANKEE STATION) an area;
compare BLOCKING FORCE, SCREEN, CHOP LINE. Also, a CORD, braid,
or ribbon worn as an ornament, fastening, or badge; fourragere,
LANYARD, CONTRAFOIL.
-
CORDON SANITAIRE :
-
a guarded line acting as a barrier when surrounding a quarantined
hazard. Also, a buffer formed by a protective barrier between
adversaries; as a group of neighboring states forming a
geographical barrier between hostile states. [cf: lazaretto]
-
CORDON AND SEARCH :
-
operation to seal-off and search an area or village; also called
"C&S". See COUNTY FAIR; compare SEARCH AND CLEAR, CLEAR AND
HOLD, SEARCH AND DESTROY.
-
CORDS :
-
Civil Operations and Revolutionary (Rural) Development Support; a
joint US military and USAID civil program that directed
assistance, by providing assigned staff and contract civilian
technical instruction and professional ADVISORs to the Government
of Vietnam in support of its revolutionary (rural) development.
Some program aspects were informally called "Rev-Dev"
(Revolutionary Development) operations. See PHOENIX, PRU.
-
CORK :
-
slang for the drug (polymagnol) used in the field as an
operational expedient to prevent defecation, especially in the
treatment of diarrhea or dysentery; see TROTS, SQUIRTS, SHIT,
DUMP, HORSE PILL, MALARIA, YELLOW JACK. [nb: diarrhea, with its
associated dehydration, is the condition most responsible for
human death worldwide] Also, "burnt cork" was used for facial
camouflage before cosmetic grease paint was developed; see WAR
FACE, WAR PAINT, CAMO.
-
CORKSCREW :
-
slang for the distinctive flight pattern of a heat-seeking enemy
shoulder-fired SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile), as is most acutely
shown in the spiral, helical, or ZIGZAG pattern of trailing
exhaust marking the sky as it locates its flying TARGET.
-
CORONA HARVEST :
-
designation given to Air Force project to evaluate airpower
effectiveness in Southeast Asia.
-
CORPORAL / CPL :
-
the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank, equivalent to
Specialist (SP4), and is commonly called MATING MOSQUITOES; this
term derives from 'head of a body of men' ("caporale"), and not
from 'body' (as in "corporal punishment). See SWINE LOG, MOSQUITO
WING, MOSQUITO SMILE, EM, RANK, GRADE, RATING.
-
CORPORAL'S GUARD :
-
any small military detachment (DET) or DETAIL; see AD HOC.
-
CORPS :
-
The term "corps" has a dual meaning in the armed services. It can
be used to designate a skill branch, such as any group of
military personnel performing a similar function, like the Signal
Corps or the Medical Corps. It's also a tactical unit that's
larger than a division but smaller than a field army, which
usually consists of two or more divisions, together with
auxiliary arms and services. As an organizational element in the
military hierarchy, a corps is a unit made up of at least two
divisions that's responsible for the defense of a Military
Region. The corps commander, typically a lieutenant general,
controls combat operations by issuing directives to division
commanders and coordinating the supporting elements. There were
several corps operating in Vietnam during the war, including III
Marine Amphibious Force, XXIV Corps, I Field Force Vietnam, II
Field Force Vietnam, and USARV.
-
CORPSMAN / CORPSMEN :
-
medical aidman serving in Navy or Marine units, also designated
"hospital corpsman" or "pharmacist mate", and commonly called DOC
or MEDIC; a "shank mechanic" or "pill pusher". See BAND-AID, BABY
DOC, BAC-SI, Y-SI, BONE CUTTER, ANGEL, RAMP TRAMP, ORDERLY.
[nb: Marines perform police functions for the Navy, and the Navy
performs medical functions for the Marines] [nb: Vietnamese term:
Quan Y Vien (military hospital / medical corpsman)]
[nb: the field occupations most often targeted in combat, because
their loss so immediately influences unit effectiveness and
morale, are the leader, signalman, machinegunner, and medic]
-
CORSAIR :
-
the swept wing Vought F4U fighter, nicknamed BENTWING. Also, the
Chance Vought F4U/AU series of fighter aircraft. Also, the Vought
O2U observation/attack aircraft used by USMC during the BANANA
WARs of the 1920s.
-
CORSAIR II :
-
Vought/LTV A-7 single-engined subsonic fighter-bomber aircraft,
as flown from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers during both the VIETNAM
WAR and Persian GULF WAR.
-
COSVN :
-
(koz-vin) Central Office for South Viet Nam; the communist
regional headquarters from 1961, being a forward field command
post situated along the Cambodian border, in or near Tay Ninh
province; being the objective of the MENU air campaign, and the
May-June 1970 Cambodian INCURSION.
-
COUGAR :
-
the Grumman F9F-8/F-9H/TF-9 Navy jet fighter.
Also, a landmine- or bomb-resistant vehicle that's larger than
the HUMVEE but less flexible and more expensive, utilizing a
capsule design that was imported from South Africa in 1998, which
protects passengers and key vehicle components from explosions,
shrapnel, and small arms fire; the 4-wheel 7-ton COUGAR carries
ten passengers, and the 6-wheel 12-ton COUGAR carries sixteen
fully equipped troops; compare BUFFALO; see JERRV, TRUCK.
-
COUNT COUP :
-
to recount acts of courage, or recall deeds that defy combat
injury or war death; as derived from the AmerIndian practice of
performing death-defying battle honors, which achievements would
be worthy of descriptive recounting as remembrances in tribal
councils. See COUP, COUP STICK, BTDT, PAY DUES, ATFU, PISSING
CONTEST, BRAGGING RIGHTS, MACHO, WATCH MY SMOKE, DIEHARD, BITE
THE BULLET, GUTS, MOXIE, SHOOT THE SHIT, SEA STORY, WAR STORY.
[cf: warrior practice of adding FEATHERS to his hairdo or
headdress for each battle honor] [v: bragging song, bragging
dance (Algonquian, Narragansett, etc)]
-
COUNTERATTACK :
-
an attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy
attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining ground
lost, or cutting off, or destroying enemy advance units, and with
the general objective of denying to the enemy the attainment of
the enemy's purpose in attacking. In sustained defensive
operations, it is undertaken to restore the battle position and
is directed at limited objectives. Compare COUNTERFORCE,
COUNTEROFFENSIVE.
-
COUNTERCULTURE :
-
the lifestyle of those persons who reject the values and behavior
prevailing in the dominant society; also spelled counter-culture
or counter culture. See BEST AND BRIGHTEST, PACIFIST, HIPPIE,
PREEVERT, GONE NATIVE, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, AMERIKA, THE
PILL, KUM BA YAH, WE SHALL OVERCOME, PROTESTOR, PROVOCATEUR,
FIFTH COLUMN, NEW MOBE, YIPPIE, BLACK BLOC, BULLSHITVIK, EVERY
MAN FOR HIMSELF, CONFUSION, DISINFORMATION, SUPPORT THE TROOPS,
VIETNAM IS FOREVER, THEY'LL GIVE A WAR AN' NOBODY'LL COME, SILENT
MAJORITY, TUG OF WAR, RAT BAIT. [v: kultur, anomie]
-
COUNTERDECEPTION :
-
those efforts intended to negate, neutralize, diminish the
effects of, or gain advantage from a foreign deception operation;
which does not include the intelligence function of identifying
foreign deception operations. See DECEPTION.
-
COUNTERESPIONAGE :
-
the detection and frustration of enemy ESPIONAGE, foreign or
domestic; a subspecialty of COUNTERINTELLIGENCE (CI). That aspect
of COUNTERINTELLIGENCE designed to detect, destroy, neutralize,
exploit, or prevent espionage activities through identification,
penetration, manipulation, deception, and repression of
individuals, groups, or organizations conducting or suspected of
conducting espionage activities.
-
COUNTERFIRE :
-
fire that's intended to destroy or neutralize enemy weapons,
including counterbattery, counterbombardment, and countermortar
fire.
-
COUNTERFORCE :
-
the strategic employment of air and missile forces in an effort
to destroy, or render impotent, selected military capabilities of
an enemy force under any of the circumstances by which
hostilities may be initiated. Compare COUNTERATTACK,
COUNTEROFFENSIVE, COUNTERMEASURES.
-
COUNTER-GUERRILLA / COUNTERGUERRILLA :
-
the use of guerrilla tactics against GUERRILLA forces; also known
as "anti-guerrilla". See GUERRILLA WARFARE, LOW-INTENSITY
CONFLICT, UW, CAP, MIKE FORCE, CIDG, RF/PF, STRIKER, SEA
SWALLOWS, MILITIA, IRREGULARS, ASYMMETRIC WARFARE.
[nb: during the INDIAN WARS, an Army LT returning from campaign
sent the War Department this message: "Out on patrol 3 months.
Killed 1 hostile. Took 44 casualties. At this rate, war will last
500 years, will cost $100,000,000, and they will win."]
-
COUNTERINSURGENCY / COUNTER-INSURGENCY :
-
a coordinated military and civic action (CA) program combating
subversion and guerrilla warfare; abbreviated COIN. The U.S.
military exported COUNTERINSURGENCY techniques to match the
global communist threat posed by proliferating guerrilla
revolutions in Africa, MesoAmerica, Mid-East, as well as
Southeast Asia. Overt communist attacks against the U.S. included
the Cuban Missile Crisis (22 Oct - 20 Nov 1962), the USS Pueblo
incident (23 Jan - 22 Dec 1968; 1 KIA, 3 WIA of 83), and the USS
Scorpion submarine sinking (27 May 1968). See LOW-INTENSITY
CONFLICT, UW, CAP, CAAT, SF, SEAL, SOF, ASYMMETRIC WARFARE GROUP,
DImE; compare COUNTER-GUERRILLA, ANTI-TERRORISM.
[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")]
-
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE :
-
information gathered and activities conducted to protect against
espionage, other intelligence activities, sabotage, or
assassinations conducted by or on behalf of foreign governments
or elements thereof, foreign persons or agents, foreign
organizations or international terrorist activities; the four
functions of COUNTERINTELLIGENCE are operations, investigations,
collection, analysis and production, including counterespionage,
countersabotage, countersubversion, security and security
intelligence. See CI, CIC, CE, COUNTERESPIONAGE, SABOTAGE, INTEL,
MI, OSS.
-
COUNTERINTUITIVE :
-
although conventional wisdom argues in favor of the obvious
conclusions of "common sense", one of the most important aspects
of military instruction is teaching COUNTERINTUITIVE lessons and
reactions to trainees, such as the fact that aimed shots (not
BLIND FIRE) are more effective in a FIREFIGHT, that moving into
(not away from) an AMBUSH improves survivability, that clearing a
PARACHUTE malfunction with a CUT-AWAY before deploying the
reserve will prevent a STREAMER, that exhaling before inhaling
when "buddy breathing" is essential while SCUBA diving, and so
forth. Some COUNTERINTUITIVE principles influence judgement or
bear upon decision making, such as the fact that a rifleman needs
to aim low when shooting at targets uphill, or that it takes more
(not less) power to land a helicopter than to lift it off.
-
COUNTERMARCH :
-
a return march over the same ground, a "re-march"; not to be
confused with RETREAT (eg: ROUT, BEAT FEET, CHANGING TUNE,
BAILOUT, DEFEAT). See FORCE MARCH, MARCH.
-
COUNTERMEASURES :
-
that form of military science that, by the employment of devices
and/ or techniques, has as its objective the impairment of the
operational effectiveness of enemy activity; see ECM, EW, ELINT;
compare COUNTERFORCE.
-
COUNTER-MINE / COUNTERMINE :
-
(forthcoming) (eg: aerial bombing of emplacement, depth charge of
torpedo) see MINE
-
COUNTEROFFENSIVE :
-
any large scale offensive undertaken by a defending force to
seize the initiative from the attacking force; compare
COUNTERATTACK, COUNTERFORCE.
-
COUNTERPART :
-
in advisory or joint service elements, the complementary or
opposite number of any person serving in a skill or command
position, with the purpose of exchanging knowledge and increasing
function while producing a mutually benefitial tutorial. Although
the ADVISOR and advisee usually learned from each other, the dual
or parallel organizational structure often creates as many
problems as it solves. See ADV, CAP, MATA, MATS, CO VAN MY, OUC
DA LOI, TAN TAY LAN, GONE NATIVE, INDIG, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER.
-
COUNTERRECONNAISSANCE :
-
all measures taken to prevent hostile observation of an
operational force, a maneuver area, or a tactical location; also
known as COUNTERSURVEILLANCE.
-
COUNTER-ROTATE :
-
a neutral pivot-turn of zero radius that's performed by a
TRACK-propelled vehicle so as to reverse its direction in the
least possible area; this "turn in place" turnabout is
accomplished by driving the vehicle's TRACKs in opposite
directions using a controlled differential transmission, a
mechanism employed on German armor late in WWII. Counter-rotation
improved upon the short radius turns accomplished by locking one
TRACK while driving the other forward or back in a tight arc or
circle. The proper HAND SIGN to direct this maneuver is: arms
crossed at the wrists across the chest with hands closed into
fists. Compare CRASH-BACK.
-
COUNTERSHADING :
-
a method of reverse coloration for CONCEALMENT, as darkening
areas exposed to the light and lightening areas exposed to the
dark; compare CAMO, WAR PAINT, DAZZLE, GRAYBACK, PLIMSOLL MARK,
LOAD-LINE MARK.
-
COUNTERSIGN :
-
an exchange of a secret challenge CODEWORD and its PASSWORD
reply, usually called "sign/counter-sign"; see SIGN.
-
COUNTERSURVEILLANCE :
-
all measures, active or passive, taken to counteract hostile
surveillance; also known as COUNTERRECONNAISSANCE.
-
COUNTER-TERRORISM :
-
the use of offensive and defensive stratagems, including terror
tactics against TERRORISTs, revolutionaries, religious fanatics,
and other sociopolitical radicals; also known as ANTI-TERRORISM.
See UW, COUNTER-GUERRILLA, COUNTERINSURGENCY, ICEX, PRU, PHOENIX,
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")]
-
COUNT-OFF :
-
the command to either tabulate or enumerate a unit, as for
accountability or partition; see BY THE NUMBERS, SOUND-OFF.
-
COUNTRY CLUB :
-
the WWII training center for the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS) personnel, formerly the Congressional country club; see
TRADECRAFT, SHANGRI-LA, THE FARM, THE GARAGE, THE PICKLE FACTORY.
Also, nickname for a section or annex within some North
Vietnamese prison camps; see CITADEL, BRIARPATCH, ALCATRAZ, POW
[v: dungeon, keep, oubliette, hock (sty or prison as a miserable
place to live)].
-
COUNTRY TEAM :
-
the senior US coordinating and supervising body in-country,
headed by the chief of the US diplomatic mission, and composed of
the senior member of each US department or agency represented;
abbreviated CT. See DOS, DIP CO, FSO, LO, L&L, DA, USDAO.
[v: Diplomatic Terms]
-
COUNTY FAIR :
-
nickname for CORDON AND SEARCH methodology, in which
a surrounded village would be "entertained" by CAP or social
services while their property was searched for enemy materiel.
-
COUP :
-
a highly successful and unexpected act or move; contraction
of COUP D'ETAT. Also, among North American Plains Indians, a
daring deed performed by a warrior in battle; also called "count
coup", as derived from stroke or blow; see COUP STICK.
-
COUP DE GRACE :
-
a death blow, especially one delivered mercifully
to end suffering; literally a "blow of mercy" [coup de
grâce]; also known as "mercy killing". Also, any finishing
or decisive stroke; see DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS, DOUBLE TAP.
-
COUP DE MAIN :
-
a surprise attack or sudden development; literally a "blow from
the hand".
-
COUP D'ETAT :
-
a sudden and decisive political act resulting in a compulsory
change of government; literally a "stroke concerning the state".
An unsuccessful revolt is called a "putsch". Compare HEADHUNTING,
DECAPITATION; see RAPPROCHEMENT, DETENTE, ENTENTE, APPEASE,
TRUCE, RAISON D'ETAT.
[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")]
-
COUP STICK :
-
a totemic stick (not a weapon) that was used by some North
American Indian warriors who sought to touch their enemies in
battle as a sign of courage; see COUP, COUNT COUP; compare
SWAGGER STICK, WARDER, BATON, BATS 'n' HATS, SANDBAG.
[cf: warrior practice of adding FEATHERS to his hairdo or
headdress for each battle honor] [v: bragging song, bragging
dance (Algonquian, Narragansett, etc)]
-
COURAGE :
-
the mental or spiritual ability to face danger or pain; as
derived from "heart" [cf: cordial]; see V-DEVICE, IMPACT AWARD,
GUTS, MOXIE, ONIONS, DIEHARD, VETERAN, WINTER SOLDIER, NOBLE
SAVAGE, COUNT COUP, BRAGGING RIGHTS, QUIET PROFESSIONAL, HERO,
MACHO. [nb: "That which valor has joined cannot be parted by
death, and that which has been ennobled by courage shall not be
diminished by passing, even out of remembrance."; "The bravest
are the tenderest, and the loving are the most daring."]
-
COURSE OF ACTION :
-
any line of conduct or sequence of military activities that an
individual or unit may direct or follow in an effort to
accomplish a job or mission; may be abbreviated "COA". Also, the
plan or scheme devised for the accomplishment of a job or
mission. Also, a STAFF product of contingency planning and
response development that's intended for later adoption,
implementation, or execution; compare OPLAN. See CAPABILITY, BY
THE BOOK, LEAST RESISTANCE, FIELD EXPEDIENT, KNOW YOUR ENEMY,
PLAN B, RUN IT UP THE FLAGPOLE, WIGGLE ROOM, WHITE ELEPHANT, MIND
CANDY, HOUSE OF CARDS, DIVIDE AND CONQUER, RAIN ON PARADE,
TACTICS, STRATEGY, BATTLE, WAR.
[nb: Frederick the Great's mule attended many battles but learned
nothing about war from them!; the difference between the OLD MAN
and the TOP KICK is the same in war as it is in sex: officers
need to talk about it in great detail for a long time before it
happens, but sergeants need to talk about it in great detail for
a long time after it happens!]
-
COURT MARTIAL :
-
a military tribunal appointed by a commander for the trial of
Armed Forces personnel who have been charged and arraigned for
infractions of military law. Also, the trial of military
personnel by military personnel proceeding from arraignment on
violations of military law. See UCMJ, ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, CAPTAIN'S
MAST, JAG, DRUMHEAD, ARTICLE 15, RIOT ACT, SILENT INSOLENCE,
SOFA, YELLOW SHEET, WAR CRIMES TRIAL, POSSE COMITATUS.
[cf: kangaroo court, tribunal, sanhedrim]
-
COUSIN :
-
informal reference to someone from an allied nation, especially a
person from a member nation in the United Kingdom (eg: Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Great Britain, etc). Also, a
gullible person who is taken advantage of, or an innocent person
who is easily duped.
-
CO VAN MY :
-
Vietnamese phrase for "American ADVISOR"; compare OUC DA LOI, TAN
TAY LAN; see ADV, COUNTERPART.
-
COVER :
-
defensive protection; compare CONCEALMENT, EMPLACEMENT. Also, the
threat or action of land, sea, or air forces to protect by
offense or defense. Also, support or reinforcement, including
aerial monitor; see CAP. Also, a mask, SCREEN, subterfuge, or
substitute, usually secret, as used to obscure or misdirect;
compare CODENAME, CODEWORD, PASSWORD, NICKNAME; see CIA, NOC,
LEGEND. Also, those measures necessary to guard against enemy
intelligence, its surveillance or penetration of persons, plans,
operations, formations, or installations; see BACKSTOP. Also,
a top, cap, lid, or envelope; see HATCH, SCUTTLE. Also, Marine
term for a hat, a hard or soft head covering; see HEADGEAR. Also,
the complete set of eating utensils or the entire dining service
for one person; see MESS KIT, MESS TRAY, CANTEEN CUP, SPOON,
PARTISAN'S SECRET WEAPON, KFS, P-38, CHURCH KEY, CHOPSTICK.
-
COVER NAME :
-
see CODEWORD, CODENAME, NEED TO KNOW, OPSEC, PASSWORD; compare
NICKNAME, PROWORD, BREVITY CODE, INTERCO, ACRONYM.
-
COVERT OPERATION :
-
a military action that's planned so as to be executed in a manner
that will conceal the identity of its sponsor, or will permit
plausible deniability by its sponsor; an "overt operation" is not
its opposite; compare CLANDESTINE OPERATION, see SPECIAL
OPERATIONS.
[nb: civilians pronounce 'covert' as "kuv-uhrt", while the
MIL-SPEAK pronunciation is "ko-vuhrt", by analogy with 'overt';
v: PINTLE; cf: adviser versus ADVISOR]
-
COW :
-
abbreviation for Commanding Officer's Wife; see OFFICER'S WIFE,
DISTAFF, PETTICOAT COMMAND, HOOKUP, RING THE BELL, THE
MOTHER-IN-LAW OF THE ARMY, CLASS-B DEPENDENT, SLEEPING
DICTIONARY, CAMPAIGN WIFE, DRAG, SHACK-JOB, CAMP FOLLOWER, BITCH,
SKIRT, BRAT, ARMY SOUP. Also, West Point slang for a member of
the second class, ranked as a college junior; see CADET, HUDSON
HIGH, TRADE SCHOOL.
-
COWBOY :
-
any careless HOT-SHOT or reckless show-off, usually a hazard to
everyone around him; sometimes applied to a wheeler-dealer,
trader, pimp, or TRIGGER-HAPPY HOT DOG. Vietnamese term:
Cao-Boy (cao = bad); compare BUDDHAHEAD.
[nb: known as "show pony" by AUSSIE and KIWI troops] [nb:
following the Wild West motif prevalent in LBJ's "little pissant
war", numerous allusions to a mythic frontier adventurism were
utilized; including DODGE CITY, INDIAN COUNTRY, and GUNSLINGER.
The term "cow-boy" was originally (Feb 1840) used by Texas
Rangers to signify a cattle thief or "rustler" (worker), which
changed its meaning after the CIVIL WAR. Before "rustler"
acquired its illicit implications, the term for a marauding thief
or outlaw was "reaver", which is also used for vigilantes and
"night rider" TERRORISTs. Before the word COWBOY became
acceptable, the respectable term for someone who works with
cattle was either "drover", a driver or herder of livestock, or
"buckaroo", being an Anglicized variant of "vaquero", which
derives from the Spanish word (vaca) for cow. A "cowhand" is a
'hand' (manual laborer) employed to work with cattle, and a
"cowpoke" is the person who loads livestock (by poking with a
long pole) onto cattle cars for railroad transshipment. A
"wrangler" is a 'cowboy' who works with horses (horseman), which
is similarly a corruption of the Spanish word (caballerango) for
groom or stable boy; as caballero has been expanded from groom or
horseman and extended to mean cavalier, knight, and cavalryman]
-
COWIN HUT :
-
see STEELDROME.
-
COWLING :
-
a streamlined housing or removable covering for an engine, often
made of metal and forming a continuum with the body of the
vehicle, as becoming a part of the wing or fuselage when
shielding an aircraft engine; compare FAIRING, NACELLE.
-
COXSWAIN :
-
the person, generally a Boatswain's Mate, who's in charge of
steering and/or directing the crew of a boat. A boat is defined
as a vessel smaller than a ship.
-
CP :
-
Command Post; see OPN, TOC, ACV. Also, Check-Point; see WAY
POINT, CHECKMATE. [nb: Vietnamese term: Bo Chi Huy] Also,
Communist Party.
-
CPL :
-
abbreviation for CorPoraL, which E-4 rating is the lowest
non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank, equivalent to Specialist
(SP4), and is commonly called MATING MOSQUITOES; this term
derives from 'head of a body of men' ("caporale"), and not from
'body' (as in "corporal punishment). See SWINE LOG, MOSQUITO
WING, MOSQUITO SMILE, EM, RANK, GRADE, RATING.
-
CPO :
-
(see-pee-oh) Chief Petty Officer, rated E-7 and above in the
Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine; also called CHIEF.
Because the CPO wears a different hat than lower ranking EMs and
NCOs, there is a special promotion ceremony conducted by other
CHIEFs, usually involving high jinks, skylarking, and consumption
of adult beverages. See GUNNY, BLOOD STRIPE, TOP GUN, TOP, SARGE,
NCO, MISTER, BUZZARD; compare PO.
-
CPOG :
-
Chemical Protective Over-Garment, used with HAZMAT or CBR; see
MOPP, JSLIST, BUNNY SUIT, BLUE SUIT, GAS MASK.
[cf: remote mechanical agents or servo-manipulation systems for
use in sterile, hazardous, or contaminated environments began
during WWII with the handling of radioactive materials; initially
in the form of insulated gripper arms named "Waldo" (being a
cognate of 'rule' or 'command', after the 1942 novel by Robert A.
Heinlein), later known as the "Waldo F. Jones Synchronous
Reduplicating Pantograph", and now as a telefactoring device,
useful in bomb disposal and extraterrestrial maintenance]
-
CPVF :
-
Chinese People's Volunteer Force, the communist Chinese (CCF,
CHICOM) in the KOREAN WAR; also known as Chinese People's
Volunteers (CPV); see GOOEY, GOOK.
-
CPX :
-
(see-pee-ecks) Command Post eXercise, a simulated training
exercise for headquarter's (HQ) staff using prepared plans and
reduced-distance radio broadcasts; compare FTX, STX, JTFEX, NTC,
OPFOR, GQ, GHOST WALK.
[nb: under the Double Cross system of Operation Fortitude
preliminary to the WWII D-Day INVASION, a procedure similar to
CPX was used to create "ghost" and "phantom" units as a
deception]
-
CQ :
-
(see-cue) Charge of Quarters, an NCO duty assignment equivalent
to OD or OOD; similar to Navy "Chief of Watch"; see BRASSARD,
ORDERLY ROOM, PARADE, DETAIL, compare SDO, SOPA. Also, an
abbreviation meaning Call to Quarters.
-
CQB :
-
see CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE.
-
CRAB :
-
a maneuver in which an aircraft is headed partly into the wind to
compensate for drift; see CAREEN, PITCH, YAW, ROLL, ATHWART,
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. Also, a mechanical contrivance for hoisting
or pulling heavy weights, a truckle; see BLOCK, TACKLE, FAIRLEAD,
FALL, WHIP, BOOM. Also, the crab louse or "crabs"; see GRAYBACK,
COOTIE, COMFORT STATION.
-
CRAB-WALK :
-
to scurry or scuttle in a crouched or hunkered posture,
especially while under fire; see DUCK-WALK.
-
CRACKER BOX :
-
a motorized wheeled ambulance used on roadways and in the field;
also called "meat wagon"; so-called due to the similarity of
box-style ambulance with a box of crackers, but also attributed
to a container (box) for injured or broken (cracked) patients, as
a variant of the German 'kranken'. See BAND-AID, MEDEVAC,
DUSTOFF, AIR AMBULANCE.
-
CRASH-BACK :
-
a sharp high-speed turn performed by a ship with at least two
propellers, such that one pushes while the other pulls with the
rudder; also spelled "crashback" or "crash back", this greatly
reduced turning radius consists of reversing the direction of one
"screw" after disengaging its drive shaft so that the engine is
not ruined by the torque in this maneuver. Compare
COUNTER-ROTATE.
-
CRASH-DIVE :
-
to dive rapidly at a steep angle, as when a SUBMARINE submerges
to avoid attack from a surface vessel or airplane; also spelled
"crash dive". See GIGGLES 'n' BANGS, PRESSURE HULL, COLLAPSE
DEPTH.
-
CRASH LOCATOR BEACON :
-
an emergency radio locator beacon that automatically activates to
help search and rescue (SAR) forces find a crashed aircraft. See
ELT, HOMER, LOCATOR BEACON.
-
C-RATIONS :
-
packaged meal fOR hot or cold consumption in the field; also
called "combat rations", "C-rats", "Charlie rats", "C's", or just
"rats". C-RATIONS, being canned meals that evolved (C-1 to C-3)
from a 1938 experiment into their final form in 1958, were used
in military operations, required little or no preparation, and
were moist or fluid packed, making them a convenient packaged
food. Moisture content and prepreparation were benefits compared
to dehydrated LRRP-RATIONS and PIRations. During WWII, the "meal
in a can" comprising several complete menu offerings replaced the
previous single food concept. The letter designation was both a
category label (such as D or K rations) and an abbreviation for
"combat". A C-RATION container (meal box, case, or carton) was
also called a "rat pack". See CHOKE, HAM 'n' MOTHERS, BEANS,
CHOW, SOUP, IRON RATIONS, SOLDIER'S BREAKFAST, GI JOE, BUG JUICE,
MERMITE, P-38, HEAT TABS.
[v: sample menu of C-RATIONS]
-
CRC :
-
Control and Reporting Center (also Command and Reporting Center
or Combat Reporting Center); see DRESSY LADY, PANAMA, PUIS;
compare CRP.
-
CREATURE FEATURE :
-
slang for a submerged corpse, typically a gruesome one beginning
to suffer the ravages of immersion and marine predation but
either insufficiently bloated to float, or one too decomposed for
gaseous accumulation, but not yet unrecognizable or skeletal;
compare FLOATER, RICE KRISPIES, CRISPY CRITTER, TADPOLE; see
GRAVES REGISTRATION, MORTUARY AFFAIRS.
-
CREATURE COMFORTS :
-
all non-essential (CLASS SIX) ancillary items that make military
service more comfortable and tolerable, often purchased for unit
members with non-appropriated (SLUSH FUND) monies; these "nice to
have" items include privately purchased products as well as
"goodies" sent by loved ones at home, and run the gamut from
"comfort food" and games to reading matter and sports equipment
... called SNIVEL GEAR in the post-Vietnam era. See GEDUNK, POGY
BAIT, DOG, SINKER, SANDWICH, SLIDER, JUICE, BREW, HOOCH, GROG,
SNAKE SKIN, SPLICE THE MAINBRACE, SUNDOWNER, GUSTO, DAYROOM,
SWAMP COOLER, SAFE ROOM, POWER WALL, COMPANY STREET, CANTEEN,
FOUR CORNERS, SIN CITY, LITTLE AMERICA, R&R, STEEL BEACH,
USO, SHANGRI-LA, FIELD HOUSE, SMOKER, ORIENTEERING, WAR GAMES,
PLAYING CARDS, CHALLENGE COIN, BATRACHOMYOMACHIA, PLAY THE GAME,
TRAIN HARD - FIGHT EASY.
-
CREED :
-
an authoritative formulation stating the principal articles or
essential tenets of belief, an explicit espousal of an accepted
system of belief; as derived from "I believe" (credo). See DUTY,
CODE OF CONDUCT, OATH, HONOR CODE, PROMISE, LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY
DOWN, UP OR OUT, DUE DILIGENCE, HOLD ONE'S FEET TO THE FIRE,
CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES OF THE SERVICE.
[v: numinous, deontology, eudemonism; cf: meliorism]
-
CREOLE :
-
a syntactic pidgin that has become the native language of a
distinct subculture or discrete speech community; derived from
"to bring up", create, native (criollo). A pidgin evolves into
a creole when it acquires syntax (eg: Austronesian, Bislama,
Chinook Jargon, Gullah, Kongo/Kikongo, Krio, Sango, Island Carib,
Cajun, Rhenish, Rock English, Pochismo, Spanglish, Texican,
Franglais, Yinglish, Hiberno-English, Anglicism). See PIG LATIN,
PIDGIN, LINGUA FRANCA, GOOKANESE, JARGON, BAMBOO ENGLISH,
VERNACULAR, POLYGLOT. [v: calque, bilingualism]
Also, a member of any of several French-speaking communities of
Louisiana of mixed BLACK and French or Spanish ancestry; also
called "creole of color" [cf: criollo, Acadian]; see REDBONE.
-
CREST :
-
distinctive unit insignia (DUI); being a metallic badge denoting
each Brigade/Regimental sized unit or larger, and worn on the
EPAULETs of the CLASS-A uniform; also worn on some HEADGEAR in
lieu of RANK by EMs and NCOs. These heraldic "coats of arms",
approved for wear on 18 March 1922, are also called distinctive
insignia (DI), BADGE, or blazon. See GREEN TAB, BRASS, BEERCAN,
TRASH, BATTLE CRY, TOAST, SIGNATURE; compare BRANCH.
[nb: an insignia emblematic of the honors and lineage of a
military organization, unlike familial "coats of arms", may be
individually enhanced but not personally heritable; v: Heraldry]
-
CREW CHIEF :
-
senior crewmember who is responsible for the care and maintenance
of the aircraft. See CHIEF, BAILOUT; compare LOADMASTER,
DROPMASTER, KICKER, BB STACKER, JUMPMASTER.
-
CREW DOG :
-
aircraft crewmember, a "crew mate". See BIRDMAN, LOADMASTER,
DROPMASTER, CREW CHIEF, KICKER, JUMPMASTER, CHOCOLATE BOMBARDIER;
compare PENGUIN, WING WIPER, GROUND HOG, GROUNDED.
-
CREW-SERVED WEAPONS :
-
the category of large-bore and vehicle-mounted weapons, which
normally require more than one person to operate (eg: aim, load,
shoot, transport); including mortar, rocket, machinegun, etc. The
belt-fed M-60 light machinegun, commonly called a PIG, was
classified as CREW-SERVED, having a gunner and loader assigned,
but was normally operated on a bipod by one person; in
consequence of which, and in consideration of the terrain, the
barrel was shortened (eliminating the bipod) to increase its
effective manipulation. See MG, LMG, PIG, HEAVY MG, FIFTY, MA
DEUCE, QUAD 50, MINIGUN, VULCAN, DOVER DOG, RR, SCORPION, ONTOS,
DRAGON, TOW, MORTAR, FOUR DEUCE, HOWITZER, ARTY, TUBE MONKEY,
LOADER, RAIL GUN, RUNNING FIRE, SMALL ARMS, FIRING LINE,
BARBETTE.
-
CRICKET :
-
designation given to an ABCCC orbit.
-
CRID :
-
(crid, not "c-r-i-d") Republic of Korea Capitol Infantry
Division; designated the "Tiger" Division by Americans.
-
CRIMP :
-
Consolidated Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Improvement and
Modernization Program; see PROVN, CSMO, ACTOV, VIETNAMIZATION,
KEYSTONE.
-
CRISPY CRITTER :
-
slang for a burn casualty; a victim of NAPALM or phosphorous (WP)
burns, due to typical exterior appearance and to characteristic
pugilist's contracted body posture. See PHOUGAS, THERMITE,
PETROL; compare CREATURE FEATURE, FLOATER, TADPOLE; see GRAVES
REGISTRATION, MORTUARY AFFAIRS.
-
CROSSBAR HOTEL :
-
|
U.S. Army Corrections Command
|
|
slang for a jail or prison, a BRIG, STOCKADE, or GUARDHOUSE; see
LBJ, TANK, DEAD-TIME, THE CASTLE, HOT HOUSE, DEADLOCK, CHL, PAIN,
REEDUCATION, POW, CONCENTRATION CAMP, GULAG, YARDBIRD, DEADLINE,
CLUB FED, UCMJ.
[v: dog house, poky, clink, nick, slam, slammer, cooler, jug,
can, joint, cage, glasshouse, big house, house of many doors,
graystone college, up the river, hoosegow, gaol, bagnio, lockup,
pen, reformatory, jailhouse, penal institution, penitentiary,
panopticon, keep, calaboose, dungeon, oubliette, hock (sty or
prison as a miserable place to live)]
-
CROSS-BORDER :
-
also called "across the fence", "cross the line" (or "line
crossing"), "over the wall", and "hop the fence"; see OVER THE
FENCE, HOT PURSUIT. [nb: Vietnamese term: Hanh Quan Vuot Bien]
[nb: unlike the CIA and similar agencies, the military operates
in foreign territory only under Department of Defense (DoD) and
Department of State (DoS) sanctions, with operational security
(OPSEC) providing "plausible deniability" for any classified
operations]
-
CROSS-CHECK :
-
everyone checks everyone else for things that are loose, that
make noise, reflect or light up, smell bad, etc; because not only
is everyone on an operation at risk from everyone else (v: SHIT
MAGNET), but everyone must know where everyone else's GEAR is
positioned in case of emergency or replacement. Also spelled
"crosscheck"; and also known as "check and double check". See
CROSS-LOADING, MISSION READY, COMBAT LOADED, FULL BATTLE RATTLE.
-
CROSS-DECKING :
-
a Navspeak term for the sharing of resources, including assets
and material, between two or more vessels, especially in an
impromptu or AD HOC manner; also spelled "cross decking". See
FIELD EXPEDIENT, FRAGO. [v: Chechen]
-
CROSSED IDIOT STICKS :
-
slang for the branch insignia of the infantry (INF).
-
CROSSING THE T :
-
a Naval warfare tactic wherein the attacking ship passes
perpendicular to the target ship, such that the passing ship has
an extended time and full range for attacking with all its guns,
while the target ship has a limited period and restricted range
for defensive fire, being primarily frontal; the difference is
essentially between SALVO and serial when the gun bears on the
target. This arrangement has been made relatively obsolete by
rotating turrets, improved armaments, enhanced guidance, and
Naval aviation. This tactic may be utilized by single vessels or
ships in battle formation (eg: line astern), which are arranged
to fire in sectors without shooting over or across friendly
vessels. The accurate ranging of shots by a ship CROSSING THE T
is not as critical as the adjustments of the target ship. The
CROSSING THE T tactic was used in the following sea battles:
Tsushima (1905), Jutland (1916), Surigao Strait (1944), and
Lingayen Gulf (1945), among others.
-
CROSS-LOADING :
-
the small unit practice of distributing all mission critical
items among the several members of a section or team so that no
single loss or destruction will jeopardize the unit's capability
to perform its assigned task(s); see CROSS-CHECK, COMBAT LOADED,
MISSION READY, FULL BATTLE RATTLE, WEB GEAR.
-
CROSS OF GALLANTRY / CoG :
-
medal awarded by the Republic of Vietnam to individuals (with
gold, silver, bronze star) or to units (with palm) for
conspicuous gallantry; see V-DEVICE, IMPACT AWARD, UNIT CITATION,
GONG.
-
CROSS OF LORRAINE :
-
an iconic representation of the 79th Infantry Division, in the
form of a cross on a shield having two crosspieces, the upper
shorter than the lower, which originated as the symbol of a
medieval kingdom in western Europe along the Moselle, Meuse, and
Rhine rivers, which is now confined to a historic region in
northeastern France (cf: Alsace-Lorraine). The 79th Infantry
Division was activated for WWI in August 1917 and deactivated in
June 1919 after ten months of overseas service in France; again
activated for WWII in June 1942 and deactivated in December 1945
after twenty months of overseas service in Europe; then it was
reactivated in November 1946 as a reserve unit. The CROSS OF
LORRAINE, or the patriarchal cross, was also adopted as the
emblem of the Free French Forces (FFL) in June 1940, which became
the Fighting French in July 1942, during their WWII cooperation
with the Allies.
-
CROSSROADS :
-
an intersection, literal or figurative, as a place of gathering
or interaction; a reference to "where paths cross" implies a
meeting, but "to cross someone's path" is to confront or thwart
them. Such an intersection also represents a crisis point
necessitating a decision before further progress can be made, and
this bifurcation or plexus is symbolic of a positive or negative
turning point. Because ancient Germanic peoples used such
intersections as places for sacrifices, and later for executions,
and persons excluded from holy rites, such as suicides, were also
buried at crossroads, this allusion to foul play or nefarious
activity gave rise to the expression: "dirty work at the
crossroads".
-
CROSS-TALK :
-
interference on RADIO or TELEPHONE transmissions by unintentional
coupling or bleeding resulting in mixed or garbled messages; see
NOISE, STATIC, SQUELCH, COMMO. Also, by analogy with the
telecommunications hindrance, resistance or opposition, such as
obfuscation from being at odds; see FLAK, DISINFORMATION,
CONTROLLED INFORMATION. Also, byplay, repartee, back-talk; see
CONFETTI, SNOW, CHAFF. Also, to confer or discuss, usually at
cross-purposes; see CONFAB, BRIEFING, HALF-MAST, POWWOW, CHIN
CHIN, SUMMIT.
-
CROSS THE RUBICON :
-
to take a decisive step, or make an irrevocable move; also known
as "pass the Rubicon". The Rubicon, flowing 15 miles into the
Adriatic Sea, separated ancient Italy from Cisalpine Gaul, which
was the province allotted to Julius Caesar; so when he crossed
this stream in 49BC, he precipitated a civil war with Pompey and
the Roman senate. In August 1914, the Belgian frontier proved to
be a symbolic Rubicon when crossed by Germany, leading to war
with Great Britain. Likewise, when Iraq invaded Kuwait in August
1990, this casus belli led to war with America. See BLOODY SHIRT,
JUST WAR, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE), GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG STICK
DIPLOMACY, SABER-RATTLING, GUNPOINT, CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS, WAR
POWERS ACT, LAWS OF WAR.
-
CROSS-TRAINING :
-
each member of a team becomes proficient in the MOS duties of one
other unit specialist, so that work is more readily accomplished,
and so no single combat loss will be able to compromise the
mission; as practiced by elite units. This method of training is
more expensive, time-consuming, and requires a higher level of
aptitude or dedication than regular units can stipulate.
Conventional units resent the loss of high achievers from their
manpower pool. See ASI, SQI, OJT, Q-COURSE, RANGER, FORCE RECON,
SPECIAL FORCES, SEAL.
-
THE CROTCH :
-
derogatory slang for the US Marine Corps, from a play-on-words
saying "fuck the crotch and eat the core" [cf: "He was loyal to
the regiment but rotten to the core!"]; also known as "The
Corps", "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children", "Unlimited Shit and
Mass Confusion", and "seagoing bellhop". See GUNNY, SNUFFY, CHINA
MARINE, SEAGOING MARINE, HORSE MARINE, GI (GIrine/gyrene),
JARHEAD, MAMELUKE SWORD, USMC.
-
CROUTON :
-
slang for the lowest grade of Warrant Officer (WO1 / WOJG), after
its classic definition of a "toasted garnish", from the
appearance of the RANK insignia, which shows a single black
square centered on a silver bar; also called "spot". See WOC, WO,
WOBBLY.
-
CROW'S NEST :
-
originally a lookout platform high atop a ship's main mast,
later altered to any observation point with a commanding view,
hence adoption by surveillance aircraft ("eye in the sky"). See
OP, C&C, ABNCP, UMBRELLA, ORBIT, RACETRACK, STACK, OVERSIGHT.
-
CRP :
-
Control and Reporting Post; see DORA, INVERT, LION, PADDY,
PEACOCK, PORTCALL, PYRAMID, VIKING, WATERBOY; compare CRC.
-
CRRC :
-
Combat Rubber Raiding Craft, large inflatable BOAT; see
IBS, RIB, ZODIAC, BOAT.
-
CRUISE :
-
Naval slang for a tour of duty at sea, a FLOAT; see SQUID,
SWABBY, NUGGET, CHUM, FRESH CATCH, POLLYWOG, SHELLBACK,
MOSSBACK, OLD SALT.
[nb: military vessels "cruise" an assigned area, but merchant and
civilian vessels (ie: ocean liner, steamship, tanker, freighter,
packet, etc) make a "crossing" from station to station, port to
port]
Also, a guided MISSILE, the major portion of whose flight path to
its target occurs at an approximately constant velocity; it
depends on the dynamic reaction of air for lift, and upon
propulsion forces to balance drag; this class of MISSILEs,
includes Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), Advanced Cruise
Missile (AGM-129), and TOMAHAWK or Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
(TLAM).
-
CRUISE BOOK :
-
see SEA BOOK; compare AIRBORNE ALBUM.
-
CRUISER :
-
one of the classes of naval WARSHIPs, as designed for high speed
and long range at medium tonnage; including light cruiser (CL),
armored heavy cruiser (CA), and the like.
-
CRUIT :
-
contraction of recruit, as the term of reference applied to a
trainee (novice, tyro, abecedarian) not yet eligible for address
as soldier or trooper; formerly the lowest military RANK
(eg: Seaman Recruit, Airman Recruit). See BOOT, EM, SLICK SLEEVE,
TRAIN, MAGGOT, YARDBIRD, BCT, MISTER, GOTCHA.
[nb: it's a well established fact that a good Drill Sergeant will
take the raw material of a civilian and turn him into a soldier
in the same way that he would take a tangled mess of steel wool
and knit it into a tank!]
-
CRUNCHY :
-
slang for infantryman; also spelled "Crunchie" and also called
"Cruncher"; term purportedly derived from the sound of marching
feet, but also alleged to be the sound of overloaded infantrymen
crushed by armored vehicles. See LEG, BOONIE RAT, GRUNT, BLUELEG,
INF, 03, SNUFFY.
-
CRUSADER :
-
Vought A-8/F-8 attack/fighter aircraft. The US Navy F-8U, made
by LTV Aerospace, is a high-wing fighter used in fleet air
defense.
-
CRUSHER :
-
the PILOTs (especially those flying bombers and transports) in
WWII wore the service cap because its visor was a practical
advantage over the soft leather helmet, but they had to remove
the stiffeners to accommodate the wearing of headphones (headset)
over the hat, which gave aircrews a distinctive appearance that
was widely admired and imitated ... General MacArthur affected
the same crumpled or drooped look with his encrusted cap. Since
this broken-down shape couldn't be immediately acquired, the Air
Corps' service cap was also known as the "fifty mission crush"
... an appearance that distinguished the veteran from the tyro
when successfully completing fifty missions finished a tour of
duty, rotating the crewmember back to the states for
reassignment. See BILLED CAP, SAUCER CAP, SCRAMBLED-EGGS,
HEADGEAR.
-
CRYPER :
-
(cripper) a person working with codes and ciphers, also
"crypter", originally an "intelligencer"; a cryptographer or
cryptanalyst, as derived from crypto for hidden, concealed,
secret. See CODE TALKER, ALPHABET SOUP, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, KAK,
SHACKLE, SCRAMBLE, BURST, RTO, RADIO, TAP CODE, DUNGEON, INTEL,
ASA, MI, CIC, ICAP, IR, COMICS; compare CRYPTO.
[nb: Vietnamese term: Mat Ma Vien (cryptologist)] [v: the
"handwriting on the wall", which represents any prophesy of
calamity or doom, was a cryptic message on Belshazzar's palace
that predicted the end of the Babylonian kingdom, as correctly
interpreted by Daniel (Daniel 5:5)]
[nb: after WWII, the cryptographers and cryptanalysts at
Bletchley Park wanted to maintain the established "brain trust",
so in 1946, Roland Berrill and Lance Ware established a society
for "bright people" called Mensa, named after the altar stone and
symbolic of equality, so as to promote intellectual fellowship
around the world]
-
CRYPTO :
-
a person who's motives or conduct is concealed, hidden, or
obscured; see SECRET AGENT, SPOOK, NIGHTCRAWLER, PROVOCATEUR,
SLEEPER, MOLE, FIX, SWEEPER, RABBIT, STOOGE, TRADECRAFT. [v:
intelligencer]
-
CS :
-
Chief of Staff (or "CoS"), also Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS);
see JCS. Also, Combat Support (CS); compare COMBAT SERVICE
SUPPORT. Also, Composite Service. Also, riot control or tear gas
agent, such as a CS-GRENADE (CN-1), used widely to clear-out
enemy dwellings and tunnel works.
-
CSAR :
-
Combat Search And Rescue; see SAR, CSARTF, JSARC, PJ, BRIGHT
LIGHT, JPRC, JPRA, HOT HOIST, JUNGLE PENETRATOR, TRAP, RESCAP,
SARCAP, JOLLY GREEN GIANT, HUSKY, SANDY, RECOVERY.
[nb: during the VIETNAM WAR, more than 4000 MIL-PERS were saved
in aggressive CSAR operations, which cost 71 rescuemen their
lives]
-
CSARTF :
-
Combat Search and Rescue Task Force; being all elements committed
to a specific search, identification, and recovery operation of
isolated personnel during wartime, including control and security
forces. See SAR, CSAR, JSARC, PJ, BRIGHT LIGHT, JPRC, JPRA, HOT
HOIST, JUNGLE PENETRATOR, TRAP.
[nb: Locate, Assess, Stabilize, Transport (LAST)]
-
CSD :
-
Combined Studies Division, a combined CIA/military covert
operation. See CAS, SOG.
-
CSEL :
-
(c-sell or see-cell) Combat Survivor Evader Locator, a
short-range emergency radio and beacon transmitter; successor to
URC-10 survival radio. See MAYDAY, SOS, GUARD, RADIO.
-
CSF :
-
Camp Strike Force, known as STRIKERs; see MIKE FORCE, MGF,
MSF, BLACKJACK.
-
CSGP :
-
Combat Support GrouP.
-
CSH :
-
(cash or c-s-h) Combat Support Hospital, being the intermediate
level medical facility which replaces the functions of an
evacuation hospital. See SICK CALL, AID STATION, MASH, EVAC, FST,
FIELD HOSP, MEDEVAC, CHOP SHOP.
-
CSLS :
-
Component Services Liaison Section.
-
CSM :
-
abbreviation for Command Sergeant Major, being a SUPER GRADE
non-commissioned officer (NCO) rated (E-9) between Master
Sergeant (MSG) or First Sergeant (1SG) and Sergeant Major of the
Army (SMA), and represented by three chevrons above three ROCKERs
with a wreath enclosed star centered as sleeve rank insignia;
this rank is rated equal to Sergeant Major (SGM). See SARGE,
RIGHT ARM, FIRST SHIRT, TOP, TOP DOG, NCO, RATING, GRADE, RANK.
-
CSMO :
-
Close-Station March Order, equipment movement preparation
order; see PROVN, CRIMP, ACTOV, VIETNAMIZATION, KEYSTONE.
-
CSS :
-
Combat Service Support; compare COMBAT SUPPORT (CS).
-
CT :
-
Country Team, an advisory team under auspices of MAAG, MACV,
MACTHAI, USDAO, USAID, or other department; see SHEEP-DIPPED.
Alternatively, a council of senior US Embassy officials
(ie: Ambassador, military attache, CIA station chief, USAID
chief) who are responsible for directing field advisory teams.
Also, abbreviation for COUNTER-TERRORISM.
-
C TEAM :
-
the senior-level SPECIAL FORCES unit, also known as "Operational
Detachment Charlie" (ODC) and sometimes spelled C-Team; superior
to the A TEAM and B 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)]
-
CTF :
-
Carrier Task Force; see YANKEE STATION, CV, TF.
-
C3 :
-
Command, Control, and Communications (CCC = C3); including CCC
Advisory Group (C3AG), CCC CounterMeasures (C3CM), CCC and
Intelligence (C3I), Coalition Coordination Communications and
Integration Center (C3IC), CCC Systems Master Plan (C3SMP),
Counter CCC (CC3), Global CCC Assessment (GC3A), Integrated CCC
(IC3), Initial Joint CCC (IJC3), Nuclear CCC Assessment (NC3),
Strategic CCC Master Plan (SC3MP). See C&C, C2, C4, ABCCC.
-
CTOC :
-
Corps Tactical Operations Center; see TOC, JOC, JDOC, CMOC, OPN.
-
CT-O :
-
Communications Technician - Operation branch.
-
CTR :
-
center; sometimes abbreviated "CEN" (but this properly
refers to 'central').
-
C2 :
-
Command and Control (CC = C2), also called C&C; including
Army Airspace Command and Control (A2C2), Command and Control
Element (C2E), Command and Control Initiatives Program (C2IP),
Command and Control Information Processing System (C2IPS),
Command and Control Protection (C2P), Command and Control Support
(C2S), Command and Control Warfare (C2W), Joint Command and
Control (JC2), Joint Command and Control Warfare Center (JC2WC).
See C3, C4, ABCCC.
-
CTZ :
-
Corps Tactical Zone (I, II, III, IV), and usually shortened
to Corps; later redesignated Military Region (MR1 - MR4). See I
CORPS, II CORPS, III CORPS, IV CORPS.
-
CU :
-
Vietnamese word for "dick" or "cock", not clinical 'penis'; see
PRICK, SHORT ARM, JOYSTICK, STICK, SPAR, YARDARM, HOT DOG, HOSE,
BAYONET, BIRD, DIPPER, POGUE, POGY BAIT; compare LITTLE PRICK,
ONIONS. [aka: phallus, peter, Saint Peter, Lord Upright, Mister
Happy, Mister Frisky, schlong, schwanz, pud, putz, pizzle,
dauber, tallywhacker, wang, wanker, Johnny jump-up, Johnny on the
spot, dickey bird, pecker, bipper, zipper snake, pants python,
lizard, worm, boy toy, clown, trickster, pocket rocket, skin
flute, lollipop, creamcicle, banana, snap bean, string bean, pole
bean, pickle, wiener, salami, sausage, baloney, bone, boner,
ramrod, ding-dong, Simple Simon, dong, dork, dingus, dipstick,
crank, shaft, drill, knob, tool, equipment, organ, root, pipe,
pole, ridgepole, rod, Captain Winkie, winking wizard, magic wand,
scepter, pencil, and so forth]
[nb: 'hooey', allegedly an Americanism used as an interjection
for nonsense or tripe, is actually a corruption of the Russian
vulgarity ("khuy") for penis, and is commonly used alone (eg:
dick, dickhead, dick-wad) or in phrases (eg: dumber than dick; he
doesn't know dick; don't dick around; don't stir your tea with
your dick)] [cf: migration of "putz" from shine through ornament
to penis and dolt; as sexual lure] [v: lucky stiff]
-
CUMSHAW :
-
gift, present, gratuity, tip, douceur, baksheesh, consideration;
derived from Chinese expression for "grateful thanks". See
SOUVENIR, TRENCH ART, BEGGING BOWL, WAD, SLUSH FUND, CANDY,
CARPETBAGGERS, JUICE, MPC.
-
CUNT CAP :
-
slang for the GARRISON or OVERSEAS CAP, also called "fore 'n'
aft" and "Go To Hell" cap, flight cap, boat cap, flat cap,
envelope cap, pisscutter, and OVERSEAS CAP, as worn by all
branches and grades with variations of color, fabric, style, and
insignia; so called from the flat-fell pleat (or labial
vent-seam) at the crown, which permitted expansion for an
improved fit. During WWII, the envelope-style GARRISON CAP was
introduced due to productivity requirements, reserving the
pleated version for the women's auxiliary corps. The cuff or
curtain of the garrison cap was edge-trimmed with branch or rank
specific CORD (called "edge-cord"); with EMs/NCOs wearing their
unit CREST (DI/DUI), and officers wearing their RANK on the left
side of the cap. Until the introduction of the red berets, the
AIRBORNE wore a "para-glider" PATCH (originally separate patches
for paratroops and gliders, infantry and artillery, but merged
after WWII) sewn to their caps. Compare BILLED CAP, SAUCER CAP,
CRUSHER; see CAMPAIGN HAT, HEADGEAR.
[nb: a Balmoral hat, which somewhat resembles a beret, and is
traditionally blue (from the campaigning dress of the Blue
Bonnets), and is often accented with a surrounding "diced"
pattern (called "checky" after an accounting process of the
Stewarts or High Stewards, from which "exchequer" derives) that
symbolizes guardianship and protection; the boat-shaped Glengarry
hats are of 19th century military origin]
-
CUPID :
-
altitude expressed in hundreds of feet above ground level (AGL);
called "cherub" in NavSpeak. Compare ANGEL.
-
CUPOLA :
-
the domed section on a TURRET, such as mounted with a machinegun
for the tank commander, or any domed section, such as on some
airplanes and ships, so as to afford a better (or different)
view; term derived from (inverted) cup, cap, dome, or bell, as in
belvedere. Compare TURRET, SPONSON, RING MOUNT; see HATCH.
-
CUPP :
-
the Marine Combined Unit Pacification Program; see CAC, CAP, CAG.
-
CUSTOMER :
-
the Air America euphemism for the CIA; also called "client". See
PROPRIETARY AIRLINE.
-
CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES OF THE SERVICE :
-
(forthcoming); formal and informal traditions; see CREED, DUTY,
ORDER, SOP, SCRIPTURES, CHECKING THE DICTIONARY;
galoshes / overshoes, umbrella, perambulator / stroller, PDA,
MOURNING BAND, calling card (see COINING), SALUTE, LOYALTY UP -
LOYALTY DOWN, RHIP, ROUGHSHOD, HEADQUARTERISM;
re: AR670-1: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
[nb: the British War Office decreed during WWII that the kilt,
worn to parade and battle for over a thousand years, was not a
suitable garment for combat, causing outrage in the Scottish
regiments; the last kilted unit that operated as an organised
body was a platoon of the Cameron Highlanders, which fought an
heroic rearguard action at Dunkirk in 1940]
-
CUT :
-
slang for the relative location of an enemy broadcast that's
based upon only two measures in the Radio Direction Finding (RDF)
triangulation method, which approximation is accurate to a range
between 500m - 3000m. While a CUT reading is insufficient for an
artillery barrage or AIR STRIKE, it can provide other valuable
SIGINT, such as unit identification or operational movement. See
DITTY-BOP, RADIO, COMMO. [v: goniometry]
-
CUT AND RUN :
-
a catch-phrase meaning to flee, run away, or make a hasty
departure; seemingly originated as a naval expression dating from
1740: to cut the cable and make sail instantly, without waiting
to weigh anchor ... as having been shortened from "to cut and run
away" or "to cut and run off". See RETREAT, RETROGRADE, CHANGING
TUNE, BEAT FEET, BAILOUT, DECAMP, PULL PITCH, SCRAM, SPLIT.
[nb: not to be confused with parachuting CUT-AWAY; cf:
cut-and-dried, cut-and-fill, cut-and-try, cut-and-paste]
-
CUT-AWAY :
-
in the event of a total main canopy malfunction, a parachutist
must eliminate the obstruction before deploying the reserve
parachute, or the new canopy will become entangled with the old,
and the parachutist will fall to his death. This release process
may involve the mechanical release of the "cape well" link
housings, or may involve actual slicing of suspension lines; but
in either case, the practice is always called "cut-away". See
PARACHUTE, STREAMER, MAE WEST.
-
CUTHBERT :
-
the rabbit-like character that was invented by Poy, the
cartoonist for the "Evening News", to represent all the
eligible DRAFT DODGERs avoiding combat during WWI with sinecures
and deferments; see DRAFT DODGER. [nb: not to be confused with
Saint Cuthbert]
-
CUTLASS :
-
see LONG KNIFE, OLD WRIST BREAKER, MAMELUKE SWORD. [v: Knife Terms; The Language of
Swordplay]
-
CUTTER :
-
a lightly armed vessel that's 65-feet or more in length, provided
with crew accommodations, and equipped with either a motor surf
boat or rigid-hull inflatable boat on-board; variously serving as
a Patrol Boat, Construction TENDER, Icebreaking Tug, or the like.
The CUTTER originated as a single-masted sailing vessel, similar
to a sloop but having its mast farther astern [cf: bark, barque].
See WPB, MOSQUITO FLEET, BOAT.
-
CUTTHROAT :
-
anyone or anything murderous, whether literal or figurative;
sometimes spelled "cut-throat"; compare MARATHON. Also, any
ruthless act or circumstance. Also, to engage in an action
without allies, as a three handed card game played without
partners; see EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, BATTLE ROYAL, DOGFIGHT.
-
CUTWATER :
-
the forward edge of the STEM of a ship; see BOW, PROW, ROSTRUM,
SHARP END. Also, an upstream face of a BRIDGE pier or piling,
sharp edged or sharply pointed, arranged for resisting the
effects of moving water or ice.
-
CV :
-
USN abbreviation for an aircraft carrier, also known as FLATTOP,
first made by erecting a flight deck over a cruiser; see WARSHIP.
-
CVTC :
-
Vietnamese Confederation of Christian Workers; also,
Confederation of Vietnamese Trade Congress.
-
CW :
-
abbreviation for Continuous Wave, or morse code; see EOT, GA,
HAND, II, R, SOS, RADIO, ALDIS LAMP, TWX, SALTING, BAMBOO
TELEGRAPH. Also, abbreviation for Chemical Warfare; see COCKTAIL,
SOUP, HAZMAT, CBW, BLISTER AGENT, CBR.
-
CWI :
-
Continuous Wave Illumination; a MISSILE guidance BEAM.
-
CY :
-
calendar year; compare FY, JULIAN DATE, see DATE LINE, TIME.
[nb: Olmec, Maya, Toltec, Aztec, and Inca peoples used a "great
cycle" calendar of 5130 years, which marked significant changes
or new creations in the world, with the current "great cycle"
beginning in 3114BC and scheduled to end 23 December 2012; v:
Gregorian calendar, Julian calendar] [nb: a pack of playing cards
represents a year: 4 suits = seasons; 12 face cards = zodiacal /
calendar months; 13 values (ace - king) = lunar months; 52 cards
= weeks; value of cards in deck added together with 1 joker = 365
days, then add second joker for leap year]
-
CYA :
-
abbreviation for Cover Your Ass, meaning either to avoid blame
(roorback) or to shift liability, which may be an obsession with
RED TAPE, an expression of the finer bureaucratic arts, or the
cowardice of irresponsible cover-up; may also be represented as
"Cover Your Anatomy" or "Conceal Your Assets". See DODGE THE
BULLET, TICKET-PUNCHER, MFR, PING-PONG, HIC, SMOKE 'n' MIRRORS,
TAP-DANCER, WANGLE, BEAN-COUNTER, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY,
PAPER TRAIL, SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT, VULCANIZE, CHOP, BOHICA,
MILICRAT; compare PYHOOYA.
-
CYCLO :
-
a motorized RICKSHA or motorscooter taxi in a variety of
configurations, including a covered four passenger train trailing
behind the operator; also called an "auto-rickshaw", or a
"tuk-tuk", especially in India and Thailand, due to the sound of
its two-stroke engine. Compare PEDICAB, HACK, RICE-BURNER,
LITTER. [v: chariot, hansom, hackney, fiacre, jingle, tonga,
gharry, gig, dogcart, calash, growler, runabout,
palanquin/palankeen, jiao, gama, sedan chair] [v: Japanese
takushii (taxi)]
-
CZAR :
-
someone appointed by the president (POTUS), without congressional
review, to implement policy as the chief executive's agent, or to
exercise authority in a specified sociopolitical area, such as
drug-abuse or governmental reorganization; a powerful lieutenant
or autocratic henchman, from the Russian word (tsar/tzar) for
emperor or king, kaiser or caesar. See NSC, NSPG, TIWG, XCOM,
MANDARIN, POLITICIAN. [cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob,
nibs]
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