-
FA :
-
Field Artillery; compare AAA; see ARTY, SPONSON.
-
FAC :
-
(fack) Forward Air Controller, also known as Forward Air
Controller Airborne (FACA), and sometimes called "Mack the FAC";
who has the responsibility for calling-in close air support (CAS)
and tactical air (TAC-AIR) strikes on enemy movements and
positions. Usually flying a low-level, low-speed spotter plane,
the FAC identified VIET CONG or North Vietnamese positions and
relayed the information to attack aircraft, helicopter GUNSHIPS,
or high-altitude bombers. On the ground, a Forward Air Controller
or Forward Observer would call in similar information. See FACP,
MISTY FAC, FO, CAS, TAC-AIR, BIRD DOG, SKYMASTER.
-
FACE :
-
reputation, dignity, prestige, as countenance or visage; to
give FACE or show deference, to lose FACE or suffer humiliation,
to save FACE or escape humiliation, FACE to FACE or confront, in
one's FACE or direct confrontation, to FACE-off or contend, to
FACE up to or show courage, to FACE the music or accept
consequences, on the FACE of it or seemingly, to set one's FACE
against or oppose, to show one's FACE or be seen, to one's FACE
or demonstrated presence. Also, a look or expression; outward
appearance, show or pretense, as to put on one's FACE, as to make
a mask. Also, the surFACE, characteristics, or general appearance
of something, such as land. Also, either of the two outer sides
that form the salient of a bastion, or the exposed projections of
a rampart or fortification. Also, the most frequent, important,
outer, front, upper, or "right" side of something, for view or
utility. Also, the end or bounds of something. See QUARTERDECK
FACE, FLINT FACE.
[nb: an adage addressing the unanticipated consequences of
"right" or "proper" action: "The breeze from the flutter of a
butterfly's wings will create a storm in the next valley."; cf:
BIG PICTURE]
-
FACE FUZZ :
-
as in the "cultivation of facial foliage", any military style
mustache/mustachio (moustache) or beard. Because a serviceman's
appearance had to match his identity photo, NCOs and officers
needed authorization to grow FACE FUZZ before a replacement ID
card would be approved; and the interpretation of "proper"
military appearance varied among unit commanders. In a "Zgram"
message, ADM Elmo Zumwalt endorsed the "tradition" of shipboard
beards, as were worn, in marked contrast to shorter haircuts, by
sailors and soldiers on various vessels. French officers
historically wore a tuft of hair below their lower lip, above the
chin, without a goatee or beard but sometimes with a moustache,
as an adornment denoting their military status; and although this
embellishment has gone out of fashion with soldiers, it remains
popular, and is known as a "royale", "impériale", "mouche
/ mosca" (fly), "small beard", "soul patch", "dab", "barnacle",
"tickler", "honey mop", or "flavour-saver". Sideburns
(burnsides), muttonchops, lambchops, and other side whiskers have
been restricted to mid-ear length since the end of the 19th
century. By regulation, mustaches in the modern era could not
extend below the upper-lip; so the drooping gunfighter and
mandarin styles worn OFF-DUTY were waxed upwards into handlebar
style for duty display. A mustache of any style was commonly
called a "cookie duster", a "soup strainer", a "snot mop", or a
"womb broom".
-
FACE THE MUSIC :
-
being obliged to encounter the unavoidable, to confront the
inevitable, to own up to one's responsibilities, to answer for
the consequences of one's actions, to accept the (usually
unpleasant) consequences of some act or event, to brave the
outcome of an unpleasant situation, or to put on a bold front in
a disagreeable circumstance; probably derived from the process of
drumming a disgraced soldier out of their regiment [nb: a
civilian phrase for 'take what's coming', '...owed', or '...due'
is "pay the piper" (ie: Pied Piper of Hamelin); cf: "just
deserts"]. Also, to turn troops toward the sounds of battle, as
to FACE THE MUSIC of cannon and trumpet, of shots and drums.
Also, to face in the direction of the trumpet and cannon during
the flag-raising ceremony known as REVEILLE or the flag-lowering
ceremony known as RETREAT while rendering a respectful SALUTE to
the COLORS.
-
FACE TIME :
-
an opportunity to confront a person, entity, or concept, as in
face-to-face, face-off, face-down or show-down opposition;
compare FACE, SHOW THE FLAG. Also, a brief personal and private
meeting with someone important or influential. Also, a personal
meeting with someone who is normally dealt with remotely or
impersonally. Also, the occasion of an appearance of a secondary
or supportive subordinate before superiors at a briefing,
meeting, or other presentation, as to be seen or become known by
the right people; see AIDE, DOG ROBBER, DOGSBODY, MAN FRIDAY,
GOFER.
-
FACP :
-
Forward Air Control Post; see FAC.
-
FAE :
-
(f-a-ee) Fuel Air Explosive, using dispersed gas (ie: ethylene
oxide) and/or particulate to cause the targeted structure to
become the container of the bomb, such that a secondary explosion
creates a kinetic force that exceeds MACH 6; see CHARGE, SATCHEL
CHARGE, IRON BOMB, CBU, GBU.
-
FAG :
-
slang for Field Artillery Guy, an ARTILLERYMAN or artillerist;
see BULLET HEAD, TUBE MONKEY, REDLEG. Also, slang for Fighter
Attack Guy, a JET JOCKEY or FUF; see GOOD STICK, BIRDMAN, PILOT.
Also, slang for a cigarette, especially the unfinished remnant or
BUTT; also called "fag-end", as derived from weary or exhausted;
see GASPER, PIGTAIL, SOLDIER'S BREAKFAST, FIELD STRIP, POLICE
CALL. [nb: a brand of cigarettes called "Windsor Castle Fags" was
first produced in 1918 by the P. Lorillard Company for the
British military; they were advertised as "Extra Long Fags", and
included a poem about the comfort of smoking when conditions are
miserable: "When the cold is making ice cream of the morrow of
your bones, / When you're shaking like a jelly and your feet are
dead as stones, / When your clothes and boots and blankets, and
your rifle and your kit, / Are soaked from Hell to Breakfast, and
the dugout where you sit / Is leaking like a basket, and upon the
muddy floor / The water lies in filthy pools, six inches deep or
more; / Tho' life seems cold and mis'rable and all the world is
wet, / You'll always get thro' somehow if you've got a
cigarette."] Also, slang for a homosexual, which activity is
prohibited under the UCMJ despite a 1993 "don't ask, don't tell"
recruitment policy; see INVERT, PREVERT, FIRING LINE, CANDY-ASS,
POGUE, POGY BAIT, SPUNK, PECKER TRACKS.
[aka: faggot, nance, Nancy boy, pantywaist, friend of Dorothy,
limp wrist, pansy, poof, sissy, swish, queen/queenie, closet
queen, drag queen, gay, flit, fairy, fay, fruit, fruit loop,
girlyboy, ponce, queer, $3 Bill, cocksucker, baloney smoker,
bug-eyed cumsucker, big-lipped cumsucker, brown-tailed cumsucker,
spunk monkey, knob jockey, sausage jockey, cock jockey, bone
smuggler, fudge packer, chocolate puncher, rump romper, rump
rider, rump wrangler, rump rustler, backdoor burglar, cornholer,
rectum ranger, anal assassin, anal astronaut, booty buffer, butt
bandit, bum chum, bugger, sod, sodomite, pervert, invert, shirt
lifter, chicken hawk, queer bait, boy toy, punk, pederast, homo,
homophile; lesbian, lez, lezzie, lezbo, sapphist, sapphomorph,
morphodite, morphodyke, tribads/tribades, fricatrice,
confricatrice, rubster, clitty kitty, femme, lipstick, dillydally
dolly, dildo darling, dyke, bulldike, bulldagger, butch]
[nb: the mutilation of enemy corpses, wherein the excised
genitals are lodged in the victim's mouth, is a sexual metaphor
more than a symbolic sex act; such placement denigrates the
enemy's prowess and disparages him as a "cocksucker", a ponce or
nance, not a "real man"; if the victim of torture, such
mutilation indicates contempt, declaring that he did not die
well, bravely or manfully]
-
FAIL-SAFE :
-
the final control point for a reactive or retaliatory mission,
also known as the "point of no return", beyond which military
action is sanctioned; a "go / no-go" WAY POINT under the
discretion of the supervening command. Compare HOT PURSUIT, see
GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG STICK DIPLOMACY, SABER-RATTLING, GUNPOINT,
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE), LAWS OF WAR.
-
FAIRING :
-
an exterior structure that reduces drag or resistance on a boat
or aircraft, or deflects wind and weather on any type of vehicle;
see SPINNER, compare COWLING.
-
FAIRLEAD :
-
a rigging guide or fitting for pulley, thimble, BLOCK, or CAPSTAN
which prevents chafing of the LINE; compare CHOCK, CRAB; see
WHIP, TACKLE.
[nb: a "sheet" is a thin LINE or CORD used in reeving TACKLE and
the rigging of sails; and like a HAWSER, it is never called a
ROPE]
-
FAIRWATER :
-
a hydrodynamic structure on a ship designed to direct or deflect
the flow of water; being the modern name for the CONNING TOWER of
a SUBMARINE.
-
FAIRWAY :
-
an unobstructed passage or area, being the navigable portion of a
waterway.
-
FAITH :
-
NICKNAME for Lai Xa (geo: 21 04 01N 105 43 23E;
UTM: 48QWJ75102953), site of major NVN prison camp for captive
allied population; also known as Don Hoi. Dates US POWs
present: 14 Jun 70 to 24 Nov 70. This was a PAVN radio
communications center during the VIETNAM WAR. It is an isolated
installation, surrounded by farm land, about 10 miles west of
Hanoi, on the north side of National Route 11; which is the main
route between Hanoi and Son Tay. PAVN's Enemy Proselyting
Department housed a number of American POWs in one section of
this installation for a brief period. It is not clear why the
PAVN held American POWs here for such a brief time, however one
possibility was to protect the PAVN communications center by
prisoner hostage, and another is the recognition of the
vulnerability of isolated installations in the region west of
Hanoi. See POW.
-
FAL :
-
Forces de Armee Laos, the Royal Armed Forces of Laos; see RLA.
-
FALL GUY :
-
the person blamed for a mistake or misdeed, and rightfully or
wrongfully designated to accept the punishment; a dupe, gudgeon,
or a scapegoat ["Azazel"], who's also known as a "patsy",
"sacrificial lamb", or "whipping boy". See CAT'S-PAW, CAT AND
MOUSE, SANDBAG, HACK, GOAT. [v: Palamedes]
-
FALL-IN / FALL-OUT :
-
to fall into or out of formation; the
military command for assemble and dismissed. See MUSTER.
-
FALLOUT :
-
the settling to the ground of airborne particles ejected into the
atmosphere by explosions or other propulsions, especially from
nuclear blasts; also spelled "fall-out"; compare RAINOUT, see
NUKE, EMP, BOMB, ZERO POINT, GROUND ZERO, WMD, CBR, SCRAM,
CONTAINMENT, NEST. Also, the descending particles themselves;
ejecta, particulate. Also, a consequence or incidental effect, an
outcome, outgrowth, upshot, offshoot, aftereffect, side-effect,
aftermath, or by-product.
-
FALSE FLAG :
-
to decoy or deceive, as by DISINFORMATION, GHOST UNITs,
artificial movements, PHANTOM OPERATIONS, DECEPTION or
misrepresentation. See RED HERRING, TROJAN HORSE, STALKING HORSE,
DARK HORSE, CAT'S-PAW, DECOY, CAMO, WHITE FLAG, RED FLAG, BLACK
FLAG, SHOW THE FLAG, PROPAGANDA, BIG LIE, RUMOR, CONTROLLED
INFORMATION, WHITE PROPAGANDA, TRUTH.
[nb: the neologism "pollaganda" / "polloganda" (poll +
propaganda) has been coined to identify the representation of
biased samples, slanted surveys, special pleading arguments, and
ex-parte news depicted as authentic or authoritative]
-
FALSE INSERTION :
-
a heliborne technique for small unit operations of multiple
touch-downs to deceive enemy observers on the exact location of
the dispatched team. See SHELL GAME, TRAIL WATCHER, FLIP-FLOP.
[nb: despite conceptual similarity, this should not be confused
with "prick teaser" or "coitus interruptus"!]
-
FANFARE :
-
a towed noisemaker, that's capable of simulating a torpedo and
other decoys, which is used to distract or confuse an enemy
SUBMARINE so it will disclose its position or intention, inviting
its own destruction; compare FISH, MINE, MUSIC, NOISE. Also, any
ostentatious display or elaborate flourish; see BUGLE CALL,
TATTOO, SALUTE, RUFFLES 'n' FLOURISHES, MUSIC.
-
FANG :
-
to scold, rebuke, upbraid, censure, reproach, chastise,
disparage, denounce, or vehemently criticize; to speak or write
ill of someone or something, as "That fanging burst his dream
bubble!" or "He got fanged and is still spotted with
toothmarks!"; compare CALL ON THE CARPET, NASTY-GRAM, HAWK,
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, GIG, RIOT ACT; see BAYONET SHEET, BACK
CHANNEL. Also, slang for teeth; also called PEARLY WHITES and
"snaggles"; see FANG MECHANIC.
-
FANG MECHANIC :
-
informal slang for a military dentist, usually ham-handed and
slipshod; from the rotation of new graduates who are in service
only long enough to repay their educational obligations; also
called "tooth fairy". See PEARLY WHITES.
-
FANTAIL :
-
the open area near a vessel's STERN, also called the
afterdeck, may have bulwarks; see TAFFRAIL, DECK.
-
FANY :
-
(fannie) First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, a volunteer British women's
auxiliary during WWII, which also served as a COVER assignment
(LEGEND) for female SOE agents; together with the British WAAC,
these organizations persuaded Americans to adopt similar staffs.
See OSS, SKIRT.
-
FARK :
-
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces; see KHMER SEREI, KKK.
-
THE FARM :
-
the post-WWII training center at Camp Perry Virginia that's used
for teaching all essential TRADECRAFT to Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) field operatives; compare COUNTRY CLUB, SHANGRI-LA,
THE PICKLE FACTORY.
-
FARMGATE :
-
advisory project of USAF Detachment 2A from the 440th Combat Crew
Training Squadron, with the mission to advise, train, and support
the Republic of Vietnam Air Force counterinsurgency operations,
from 13 October 1961, based at Bien Hoa; also spelled "Farm
Gate". See AIR COMMANDO, JUNGLE JIM, INTRUDER, SANDBAG, DIRTY
THIRTY, BLOB.
-
FARNSWORTH :
-
NICKNAME for Dao Tru, located 18 miles southwest of
Hanoi, site of major NVN prison camp for captive allied
population; also known as D-1. Dates US POWs present: Aug 68 to
Nov 70. This camp was established when 28 US POWs captured
outside North Vietnam were moved to this location. In subsequent
years, several more groups of POWs captured outside of North
Vietnam, were brought to this detention installation. In a
reaction to the SON TAY rescue effort, the U.S. POW population at
FARNSWORTH was transferred to the CITADEL / PLANTATION camp. See
POW.
-
FART SACK :
-
slang for a sleeping bag; also called "mummy bag", bedroll, or
sougan / soogan (a bedroll improvised from a quilt wrapped in a
tarp). See BIVY, HAMMOCK, SLOP, RUBBER LADY, RACK, BERTH, BILLET.
-
FAST MOVER :
-
any jet aircraft, such as the F-4 PHANTOM, by contrast with
prop-jet attack aircraft known as a SLOW MOVER; see JET JOCKEY,
SONIC BOOM, MACH. Also, any successfully talented or aggressively
ambitious MIL-PERS, also called "fast burner"; see HARD CHARGER,
SWEAT HOG, SUPER-TROOPER, HOT DOG, HOT SHOT, BOY WONDER, GOLDEN
BOY, UP OR OUT, BALLS TO THE WALL, DEEP DIP.
-
FAST TRACK :
-
the career modality for ambitious and aggressive TICKET-PUNCHERs
and RING-KNOCKERs who are privileged or successful enough to be
consistently promoted "above the zone"; see FAST MOVER, HARD
CHARGER, SWEAT HOG, SUPER-TROOPER, HOT DOG, HOT SHOT, BOY WONDER,
GOLDEN BOY, UP OR OUT, BALLS TO THE WALL, KHAKI MAFIA, MIL-PERS.
-
FAT :
-
Field Advisory Training division; see CA, ADV. Also, a positive
informal response confirming status as good, satisfied, replete,
needing nothing, often expressed as "fat and happy" or "fat,
dumb, and happy"; not an acronym. Later slang was "solid" or
"tight"; see GOOD TO GO, COMBAT LOADED, MISSION READY, SADDLE-UP,
MOVE OUT, BATTAILOUS.
-
FAT ALBERT :
-
NICKNAME for the C-5A aircraft.
-
FATHOM :
-
a nautical unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.8 m), as derived
from "span of arms" or embrace; see CABLE, SHOT, NAUTICAL MILE,
KNOT, KLICK. Also, to measure depth by means of a sounding line;
to sound. Also, to penetrate to the truth, to comprehend or
understand; see TWIG.
[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]
-
FATIGUE :
-
necessary work that must be performed regularly or frequently,
such as KP, POLICE CALL, LATRINE or BARRACKs cleaning, hence is
seemingly never finished; also known as "fatigue duty". See GI
PARTY, SQUARED AWAY, SHIPSHAPE, HOUSECLEANING.
-
FATIGUES :
-
standard work/combat uniform, green in color; called UTILITIES by
Marines. The Vietnam-era saw many uniform changes, from
button-fly to zipper, from side-pockets to none and back to cargo
pockets again, from tucked shirt to four-pocket untucked BLOUSE,
from twill to tropical weight, from solid to pattern cloth.
Sometimes called "jungle bags", "fattiguus" or "fatikees"; these
are the equivalent of Naval DUNGAREES. See DRESS.
[nb: the first summer-weight uniform was issued in 1883 as brown
canvas FATIGUES, but were changed in 1898 for the
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR to lighter-weight cotton KHAKI twill, in
imitation of earlier British usage]
-
FAV :
-
Fast Attack Vehicle, being a small, lightweight, skeletonized
vehicle transporting 2-5 soldiers with weapons and gear for
surveillance and raids in desert or tundra regions; this is the
military version of the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) as derived from
the "dune buggy", and its MULE predecessor, also known as Light
Surveillance Vehicle (LSV). Compare CHAPARRAL, GAMMA GOAT.
-
FBI :
-
(f-b-i) Federal Bureau of Investigation; reorganized from the
corrupt and incompetent Federal Office of Investigation (1908)
into the Division of Investigation (1933), then renamed FBI in
1935 as a subdivision of the Department of Justice; also called
"G-Men", "Feds", "Feebs", "Suits", "gumshoes", "Shoes", "Fumbling
Bumbling Incompetents", "Fools Becoming Idiots", "Foiled By
Intelligence", and so forth. The FBI is charged with enforcement
of federal statutes, including espionage, sabotage, kidnapping,
extortion, bank robbery, civil rights violations, interstate
transportation of stolen property, interstate gambling
violations, and fraud against the government. The FBI has
jurisdiction on federal installations, and performs background
checks for security clearances; although the Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center is a separate facility, the FBI
Academy (sometimes called "Club Fed") is colocated with the
Marine installation at Quantico Virginia. The post-9/11
enlargement of the FBI and its expansion into ANTI-TERRORISM has
earned them the designation of the "Grand Army of Northern
Virginia" as a deliberate parody of General Lee's confederate
troops by operational MIL-PERS who must cooperate with them in
the field. The motto of the FBI, taken from its initials, is:
Fidelity Bravery Integrity. See POLICE; compare DEA, REVENUER,
DIS, DHS, CIA.
-
FBIS :
-
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
-
FC :
-
Forward Controller; being the air or surface officer who has
tactical command of all planes and artillery at the scene of an
attack against enemy ground forces.
-
FCSL :
-
Fire Control Support Line, being a hypothetical line beyond the
FLOT or FEBA which ostensibly assures no friendly casualties from
mortar, artillery, or air support. See FDC, FO, CAS, NO FLY ZONE.
-
FDC :
-
Fire Direction Center, or Fire Direction Control Center (FDCC);
also known as "Fire Support Control Center" (FSCC) by USMC. The
FDC concept was instituted during WWII to prevent a lack of
coordination in combined arms, such as during screen or barrage
firing, being a lesson learned from WWI. See FCSL, FIRE MISSION,
ARTY.
-
FEAF :
-
Far East Air Forces, subordinated to Army Forces in the Far East
(USAFFE) during WWII.
-
FEATHER :
-
a propeller adjusted in pitch so that it will neither pull nor
push air (if it must be shut down, the prop will be "feathered"
so as not to 'windmill'). Also, a token or talisman, actual or
symbolic, of courage or cowardice, victory or defeat, that's also
represented by laurel leaves ("laurels"); see BAY, GONG, TRASH,
STREAMER, ATTABOY, BRAVO ZULU, COUNT COUP, BRAGGING RIGHTS, POWER
WALL, FEATHERS, WHITE FEATHER, LILY-LIVERED, FRENCH FLU.
[cf: warrior practice of adding a feather to his hairdo or
headdress for each battle honor]
-
FEATHER MERCHANT :
-
anyone not carrying their fair share, their full load, or anyone
who exaggerates their workload; as derived from a quantity of
feathers appearing to be larger and thus heavier than a regular
load. See REMF, DUD, GOLDBRICK, GHOST, REST ON OARS, BARRACKS/SEA
LAWYER; compare SWEAT HOG.
-
FEATHERS :
-
the Class-A or dress uniform worn like a peacock in full plumage,
whenever it's necessary to "show the colors"; being any gaudy or
ostentatious display. See DRESS, MESS DRESS, PARTY SUIT, WAR
PAINT, MUFTI, POWER WALL, BRAGGING RIGHTS. [v: glad rags]
[cf: warrior practice of adding a feather to his hairdo or
headdress for each battle honor] [nb: "Fine feathers don't make
fine birds." by Aesop]
-
FEBA :
-
Forward Edge of the Battle Area; standard term from
conventional tactics used sporadically to mean FRONT LINE or FLOT
in a counterinsurgency combat zone lacking static lines of
defense. See MLR, FCSL, PHASE LINE, WAY POINT, DOWN RANGE,
SANDBOX, UW, COUNTERINSURGENCY.
-
FEET WET :
-
expression used by PILOTs to indicate they are over water
(eg: South China Sea or Gulf of Thailand); most common for
aircraft returning to base (RTB) on-board FLATTOP (reciprocal of
outward bound announcement of "feet dry" when over land for
target approach). See POOPIE SUIT, SPLASH, THE DRINK, SPLASH
DOWN, HIGH 'n' DRY.
-
FEST :
-
acronym for Field Epidemiological Survey Team, being an
investigative body seeking to detect and analyze the incidence
and prevalence of epidemic diseases in Southeast Asia, conducted
by US Army Special Forces MEDICs detached from Walter Reed Army
Medical Center; see DOC, CORPSMAN, BONE CUTTER, SAWBONES, CRACKER
BOX, BAND-AID, CHOP SHOP, SICK CALL, AID STATION, HOSPITAL,
USAMRIID, SGO.
[cf: Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS, 1951), which studied
polio, small pox, malaria, tuberculosis, etc, as part of the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)]
-
FETCH :
-
an area where ocean waves are being generated by the wind; see
CAT'S-PAW. Also, to move or maneuver nautically; to arrive or
reach by water.
-
FFM :
-
Flight Facilities Mobile
-
FFV / FFVN :
-
Field Force Vietnam, also abbreviated "FForceV" or "FForceVN";
designating corps-level commands headquartered at Nha Trang
(IFFV) and at Bien Hoa / Long Binh (IIFFV).
-
F-HOUR :
-
the term used to designate the unnamed effective time to mobilize
Reserve units, as per a decision announced to the military
Departments by the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF). See TIME.
-
FIBUA :
-
Fighting In Built-Up Areas; see MOUT, MOUSE HOLE, HOUSEWARMING.
-
FICTIONAL CHARACTER :
-
the prototypical or stereotypical creation of an artist or author
that's used to represent social, political, or ethical
perspectives in an entertaining context, often comedic, bathetic,
or satiric; see GI JOE, SAD SACK, BEETLE BAILEY, BILTMORE OSWALD,
MICKEY MOUSE, TUNNEL RAT, ROADRUNNER, STEVE CANYON, SGT FURY, SGT
ROCK, BAT MAN, BOY WONDER, CAPTAIN AMERICA, WONDER WOMAN, WINNIE
THE WAC, "Miss Lace" @ MALE CALL, CUTHBERT, "Colonel Blimp" @
BLIMP / MOSSBACK, "Tony the Tiger" @ LLDB / VNSF, "Eugene the
Jeep" @ JEEP, "Alice the Goon" @ GOONEY BIRD, "Puff the Magic
Dragon" @ PUFF / DRAGON SHIP, MURPHY's LAW. [v: Colonel Philip G.
Cochran, commander of 1st Air Commando Force, was the model for
"Flip Corkin" in Milton Caniff's "Terry and the Pirates" comic
strip] [cf: fictitious]
-
FID :
-
abbreviation for Foreign Internal Defense, being one of the
SPECIAL FORCES or SPECIAL OPERATIONS missions; see UW, DA,
PSYOPS, CA, SF, SOF.
-
FIDO :
-
Fuck It, Drive On; being a GI's sardonic acknowledgement of a
problem or mistake, and the requirement to ignore or overcome
that delay or defect, so as to continue the mission. Such a
situation might entail the accidental injury of some unit members
who diminish resources when they must be removed to the rear area
as "combat ineffective", or may involve damaged vehicles which
reduce effectiveness when they must be abandoned as "battle loss"
(DX) property items. Compare XIN LOI, SHIT HAPPENS, AMF, HOOAH,
OORAH, GUNG-HO, DIEHARD, ROOT HOG OR DIE, WETSU, GUSTO.
[nb: various phrases have been used by 20th Century combatants
for protective disassociation from epiphenomena, including:
"There it is.", "It don't mean nuthin'.", "It ain't nuthin'.",
"It's just a thing."; the latter appears in "The Rescue" by
Joseph Conrad (1920)]
-
FIELD ALLOWANCE :
-
originally a supplement paid to officers on campaign; later
extended to all RANKs serving in the affected area, and variously
called "field allotment", "combat pay", "hostile fire pay",
"hazardous duty pay", and the like.
-
FIELD CAP :
-
a flat-topped fabric hat, with brim and pull-down back-flap, worn
with FATIGUES after WWII, which many early ADVISORs to INDOCHINA
wore (even including the protective "pugree" or HAVELOCK
associated with the similar French "kepi"); the FIELD CAP was
displaced by the baseball-style cap for regular troops during the
VIETNAM WAR, and was restored with the change to Battle Dress
Uniforms (BDU). It was issued to students in the U.S. Army Ranger
School for wear while patrolling before the bush or BOONIE HAT
was adopted. The starched and stiffened version worn in GARRISON
by PARATROOPERs was sometimes called a "Ridgeway cap", after LTG
Matthew Ridgeway, who favored it. The FIELD CAP is also known as
a "patrol cap" or "Ranger cap"; see HEADGEAR.
-
FIELD CARRIER LANDING :
-
US Navy aviation expression for practice landings on an airstrip
that's simulating the size, shape, and markings of an aircraft
carrier (CV) RUNWAY, including TAILHOOK arresting wires, as
required preparation for an actual qualification landing on a
FLATTOP; commonly known as BOUNCE. This exercise is similar to
the "touch and go" landing practice of ground-based PILOTs. See
TOUCHDOWN, SPLASHDOWN, THRESHOLD, WINDSOCK.
-
FIELD EXPEDIENT :
-
an alternative means or improvised method used to achieve the
desired end when the right or proper men or materiel are not
available, such as a timely but temporary improvisation from
available resources; to stopgap, makeshift, jury-rig, ad-lib [ad
libitum], postfix, Afro-engineer. See PLAN B, AD HOC,
CROSS-DECKING, COMMANDEER, DRUMHEAD.
-
FIELD EXPEDIENT FACIAL :
-
euphemism for the physical beating of a captive or the corporal
punishment of a prisoner, short of TORTURE; such as "roughing-up"
or "third-degree" interrogation. This practice is, of course,
illegal but not unknown. See ROPE TRICK, PLAYING THE XYLOPHONE,
BRAINWASHING, PAIN, CODE OF CONDUCT.
-
FIELD OF FIRE :
-
area that a weapon or group of weapons can cover effectively with
fire from a given position.
-
FIELD FIRST :
-
the "First Sergeant in the Field", or senior NCO out of garrison;
usually the senior Drill Sergeant/DI, who directs the unit's
training. See COMMAND ELEMENT; compare FIRST SHIRT, TOP KICK.
-
FIELD GLASSES :
-
binoculars designed for use outdoors, usually padded for impact
resistance, with a gradated ranging reticle etched in one lens,
especially waterproof models; sized from 4X - 10X with a 20mm -
50mm objective lens. Before night vision devices (NVD), lookouts
and other observers used "night glasses", which were binoculars
with larger lenses at midrange power to increase their light
gathering capacity, such that someone could actually see better
in low light with binoculars than without them. See PEEPERS,
VIPER, NOD, NVG, SCREEN, LRSP, HAWKS.
[nb: despite terminological similarity, not to be confused with
the sturdy tumblers used for imbibing adult beverages in rough
terrain during military excursions and campaigns; v: CANTEEN CUP]
-
FIELD HOSP :
-
a field hospital in support of military actions at Corps level or
higher, offering complete acute services. The FIELD HOSP does not
normally provide the chronic, convalescent, and rehabilitative
care available at a "Medical Center" facility. See SICK CALL, AID
STATION, DISPENSARY, MASH, EVAC, CSH, FST, MEDEVAC, CHOP SHOP.
[cf: lazaretto]
-
FIELD HOUSE :
-
a building housing the dressing and storage
facilities for an adjacent athletic field. Also, a building used
for indoor athletic events; a sports center, gym, gymnasium.
-
FIELD JACKET :
-
a thigh-length light-weight coat or jacket with four cargo
pockets and removable liner; introduced during WWII as a
practical alternative to the overcoat or "great coat". Has been
re-styled several times since its inception (collar, epaulets,
gussets, closures, etc), and is now waterproof. See BATTLE
JACKET, DRESS.
-
FIELD SCARF :
-
Marine term for a necktie worn with a service uniform; also known
as "choke rag", "four-in-hand tie", "windsor tie". Compare NECK
SCARF. [v: cravat, ascot, foulard; cf: old school tie]
-
FIELD STRIP :
-
to disassemble a weapon into its major components for general
cleaning or maintenance; compare DETAIL STRIP. Also, to tear a
cigarette apart and scatter its remains, so as not to leave
filters or BUTTs as obvious signs of passage. [nb: contrary to
the torrid imaginations of sex-starved troopers, "field strip"
has nothing to do with lascivious exhibitions or lewd dancing in
the BOONIES!]
-
FIELD REJECT :
-
any incompetent or malingerer who is returned to a rear area
BILLET because they are a liability to themselves and others; a
DUD or GOLDBRICK. Contrary to myth, anyone refusing (RING THE
BELL) a combat assignment is not rewarded with a safe and secure
BOMB-PROOF job; but is either court martialed or discharged for
the "good of the service". See GHOST, POGUE, FEATHER MERCHANT,
SOS, SHIT MAGNET, DODGE THE BULLET, COG, CHAPTER TEN, SECTION
EIGHT.
-
FIFTH COLUMN :
-
a group of people (ie: "Fifth Columnists") who act
traitorously out of a secret or subversive sympathy with an enemy
of their country; also called "fellow traveler". Originally
derived from the Spanish CIVIL WAR (1936-9) during which the
insurgents had four columns marching on Madrid and a FIFTH COLUMN
of supporting sympathizers already in the city. See PROTESTOR,
NEW MOBE, NCC, BLACK BLOC, BULLSHITVIK, YIPPIE, FRUIT FLY,
DISINFORMATION, RUMOR, APOCALYPSE. [v: Myths of the
Vietnam War]
-
FIFTY :
-
informal designation for the 1919 Browning M-2 .5O-caliber
machinegun with heavy-barrel (@84#), being a belt-fed,
recoil-operated, and air-cooled automatic weapon, 65" long,
tripod or pedestal mounted, firing with a "butterfly" TRIGGER
from the open-bolt position at a rate of 450-555rpm at a range of
7460 yards. See HEAVY MG, QUAD 50, MG, CREW-SERVED WEAPONS.
-
FIGHTING FALCON :
-
the General Dynamics F-16 fighter aircraft
-
FIGHTING MAD :
-
used in both the sense of a crazed frenzy or mania and an angry
fury or wrath, being either a form of temporary insanity or of
calculated rage. In the one sense being a style of brutal combat
and in the other being compelled by some transgression to fight
savagely; as in a "free-for-all" (without rules or sides), a
BATTLE ROYAL (involving two or more combatants), a "donnybrook"
(re: Donnybrook Fair), an "amuck" / "amok", a "melee" /
"mêlée", a "berserk" / "berserker", a "brawl", a
"fracas", a "fray", an "affray", an "imbroglio", a "fight", a
CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE or a BATTLE.
-
FIGHTING WORDS :
-
a profane incitement or insulting provocation, as language that
arouses rage in an antagonist, adversary, or opponent; see BLOODY
SHIRT, WAR POWERS ACT, GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG STICK DIPLOMACY,
SABER-RATTLING, GUNPOINT, SILENT INSOLENCE, BATTLE, WAR, PEACE,
APPEASE. [v: casus belli; lese / lèse majesté]
-
FIGHT LIKE KILKENNY CATS :
-
to fight until both sides have lost or are destroyed; a PYRRHIC
VICTORY. During the Irish rebellion of 1798, Kilkenny was
garrisoned by a troop of Hessian soldiers, who amused themselves
by tying two cats together by their tails and throwing them
across a clothesline to fight. When an officer began approaching,
a trooper interrupted the "sport" by cutting off their tails with
his sword, allowing the cats to bolt. When the officer noticed
the bloody tails, he asked for an explanation, and was told that
two cats had been fighting and devoured each other ... all but
their tails! See BITTER END, SNOWBALL, BELL THE CAT, TAR BABY.
-
FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT :
-
the psycho-physical response of the sympathetic nervous system to
a stressful event, preparing the body to fight or flee, to
survive injury or exhaustion, associated with the adrenal
secretion of epinephrine and characterized by increased heart
rate, increased blood flow to the brain and muscles, raised sugar
levels, sweaty palms and soles, dilated pupils, and erect hairs;
also called "fight-or-flight reaction" or "fight-or-flight
response". The primitive reaction of the body to stress is
characterized as emotional arousal or the startle reflex, a major
component of which is the tensing of the skeletal musculature for
FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT. Chronic states of excess tension throughout the
skeletal musculature can result in two classes of bodily
malfunctions: psychiatric difficulties, such as anxiety states,
phobias, and depression; and psychosomatic maladies, such as
ulcers, headaches, spastic colon, and elevated blood pressure.
See TELESCOPING, PTSD, BLACKOUT, FLASHBACK, THOUSAND-YARD STARE,
FUO.
-
FIGMO :
-
literally means "Fuck-it, I Got My Orders!" or "Finally, I Got My
Orders!", being that state of blissful abandon, achieved after
receiving transfer orders away from an unpleasant posting or out
of the combat zone.
[nb: when clerks at McGuire AFB went on an escapade of providing
counterfeit orders in 1973, the false orders posted on the unit
bulletin board were boldly marked with the reverse of the FIGMO
acronym: OMGIF ... meaning "Oh My God I'm Fucked!"]
-
FILE :
-
in formation, arranged one behind another, front to back; in
field operations, also called INDIAN FILE, "Ranger file", or
"Conga line". See COLUMN, STACK; compare RANK.
-
FILE 13 :
-
slang for the desk or office trash can, with the particular
implication of disposing of useless, meaningless, or surplus
paperwork; also called "circular file" or "round file". This
expression seems to have originated in 1941 with reference to the
separation papers assembled for discharging an unsatisfactory
soldier (AR 635-200 section 13 Active Duty Enlisted
Administrative Separations for Unsatisfactory Performance), with
that expulsion filing later extended to the discarding of
anything. The USAF has adopted this phrase for the garbage can
on-board an aircraft. See SNOWFLAKE, PAPER BULLET, RED TAPE.
-
FILS :
-
a monetary unit of currency in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait
that's equal to 1/1000 of a DINAR. Also, a monetary unit of
currency in the United Arab Emirates that's equal to 1/100 of a
DIRHAM. See LEGAL TENDER.
-
FIN :
-
any of certain small subsidiary structures on an aircraft that
are designed to increase directional stability; also called
"vertical stabilizer"; see TAB, RUDDER, TAILBOOM, STANCHION.
Also, a horizontal winglike appendage to the underwater portion
of a HULL, often adjustable, as the planes for controlling the
dive of a SUBMARINE, or the fin keel for damping the roll of a
surface vessel. Also, slang for one of a pair of paddlelike
devices, usually made of rubber, that are worn on the feet as an
aid in swimming and underwater diving; imitative of the broad
flat limbs or the membranous organs of aquatic animals that are
used for steering and propulsion; also called "flipper". Also,
slang for the human hand [ety: phalange]; see DAP, HAND SIGN,
HAND, FINGER FOUR. Also, slang for the U.S. five-dollar bill,
earlier as "finnup" for a five-pound note, both derived from
Yiddish for 'five'; see LEGAL TENDER.
-
FINDING :
-
a presidential authorization that defines an action, especially
covert. Also, a decision or verdict after judicial inquiry. See
REPORT, WHITE PAPER, PAPER BULLET, RED TAPE. [nb: "If it isn't
documented then it doesn't exist!"]
-
FINGER FOUR :
-
an offset-V alignment of aircraft in flight, being a combat
formation developed by German aviators and soon adopted by all
sides in WWII, wherein the flight leader is at the point of the
arrowhead, with each wingman staggered, and the trail making one
leg longer; so called due to its resemblance to the fingertips of
the left (or right) hand, also known as "finger-four formation",
"fingertip formation", "fingertip" or "parade". See MISSING MAN
FORMATION, BIRD. [ety: phalanx (soldiers) to phalanges (fingers),
not vice versa]
-
FINI FLIGHT :
-
an Air Force pilot's last mission in Vietnam; see WAKE-UP.
-
FIREARM :
-
a weapon from which a projectile is discharged by the explosive
force of gunpowder; see BULLET, DUMDUM, SIM-AMMO, TRACER,
CARTRIDGE, CALIBER, AMMO, CLIP, BANDOLEER, MAG, BANANA CLIP,
DRUM, LINK AMMO, SIDEARM, PISTOL, TUPPERWARE, JOHN WAYNE RIFLE,
GYROJET, SMG, GREASE GUN, TOMMY-GUN, CAR, STONER, RIFLE, BLACK
MAGIC, WIDOW MAKER, LONG RIFLE, BAR, LMG, SAW, MG, NUMBER SIXTY,
QUAD 50, HEAVY MG, OVER 'n' UNDER, BLOOPER, THUMPER, MGL, SMALL
ARMS, CREW-SERVED WEAPONS.
[v: Firearms Glossary]
-
FIREBALLING :
-
a heavy barrage of artillery (ARTY) fire concentrated upon a
single area. Also, the rapid movement of vehicles in CONVOY, with
emphasis upon the high speed delivery of transport, as in seige
relief or battle reinforcement, rather than safety and security.
-
FIRE BRIGADE :
-
a highly mobile light infantry unit employed for rapid response
and reinforcement; military application probably analogized from
specialized fire departments that are sent to extinguish fires
that are getting out of control. See BDE, BCT, STRIKE FORCE, RRF,
LIGHT, SMU, SOF.
-
FIRECRACKER :
-
artillery round (M-449) incorporating many small bomblets which
are ejected over a target area, and explode in CBU or BOUNCING
BETTY fashion almost simultaneously. The name comes from the fast
popping sound (best heard at a distance!).
-
FIREFIGHT :
-
the exchange of SMALL ARMS fire between opposing elements; a
skirmish, engagement. See CONTACT, CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE; compare
SPOILING ATTACK, MEETING ENGAGEMENT, BATTLE.
-
FIREFLY :
-
an aerial team consisting of one searchlight or arc lamp
equipped helicopter operating with two GUNSHIPS; also called
"Lightning Bug"; see MOONSHINE, SMOKY BEAR; compare SNOOPY. Also,
slang for a nuisance that attracts attention, so has the
potential to get worse if not resolved; as derived from a
"lightning bug" being an irritant or attractant with its own
broadcast beacon.
-
FIRE FOR EFFECT :
-
when all ordnance is aimed at the enemy target in
continuous firing; abbreviated "FFE".
-
FIRE IN THE HOLE :
-
warning called to comrades when initiating an explosive device,
from a breaching shape-charge to a grenade down a tunnel
entrance. Originated with the practice of tamping black powder
into an auger-hole, and igniting the charge with a lighted spill
or spile ... literally, dropping fire in the hole.
-
FIRE MISSION :
-
a "call for fire" or "call fire" message containing target
specifications and range data so that the gunner, weapon's team,
or battery element can lay the gun for effective fire support;
also called "fire message". Also, a specific assignment given to
a fire unit or battery as part of a defined firing plan. See FDC,
SHOT OUT, FSB, CREW-SERVED WEAPONS, ARTY, REDLEG, TANK, MORTAR.
-
FIRE QUARTERS :
-
the damage-control station assigned to MIL-PERS during emergency
situations, signaled by fire alarm or alert TOCSIN; the most
dangerous situation on-board a vessel is fire. Although everyone
has an assigned post during "battle stations", not everyone is
detailed during FIRE QUARTERS. Compare GQ, COLLISION QUARTERS,
STAND-TO.
-
FIRE SCOUT :
-
a tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system configured as a
helicopter, a vertical take-off and landing DRONE (MQ-8B)
manufactured by Northrop-Grumman, that can hover at 20,000 feet
over the battlefield for more than eight hours, transmitting
infrared (IR) and electro-optical imagery to ground commanders.
The FIRE SCOUT, which is based on the manned Schweizer 333
helicopter, will be configured with anti-mine and anti-armor
capabilities, as well as its intelligence gathering functions;
and the Navy version will include anti-sub and anti-ship
capabilities.
-
FIRE TEAM :
-
the smallest ground force,consisting of four to six infantrymen
under the command of a FIRE TEAM leader; two FIRE TEAMS normally
comprise a SQUAD. See STACK, COMMAND ELEMENT.
-
FIREWORKS :
-
slang expression, used since WWII, for the amazing display of
indirect and automatic firepower that the modern military can
effectively bring to bear upon a target, especially awesome when
viewed at night; also called "Fourth of July show", "sound and
light show", and "shock and awe". Compare FLOWER WAR; see
WATERWORKS, BATTLE, WAR.
-
FIRING LINE :
-
the position at which ranked troops or vehicles abreast are
stationed to shoot individual (SMALL ARMS) or CREW-SERVED WEAPONS
at one or more targets, set at measured distances, upon command
("commence firing"). Also, the troops or vehicles so arrayed in
line abreast that are shooting from this fixed position. Also,
the forefront of any action or activity, especially a
controversy; see FRONT LINE. Also, a perverted or homosexual
variant of the proverbial PISSING CONTEST wherein competitors vie
for the dubious distinction of ejaculating farthest; see CIRCLE
JERK, TURN IN THE BARREL, FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP, CLUSTER FUCK,
POGUE, FAG, SPUNK.
-
FIRING SQUAD :
-
a military detachment assigned to fire a SALUTE at the burial of
an honored person; see SALVO, FACE THE MUSIC; compare FIRING
LINE. Also, a military DETAIL or detachment (DET) assigned to
execute a condemned person by shooting; the last execution of a
MIL-PERS by this method occurred during WWII; see DESERTER,
TRAITOR, TREASON, TURNCOAT, UCMJ.
-
THE FIRST BLOW IS HALF THE BATTLE :
-
a catch-phrase meaning whatever is well begun is already half
done; not strike quickly or "strike while the iron is hot".
-
FIRST FLIGHT :
-
designation given the Civil Air Transport Service (CATS)
contingent, detached from Taiwan to Vietnam, before being
redesignated the CIA's PROPRIETARY AIRLINE, Air America. The
FIRST FLIGHT C-123 STERILE transports were flown in support of
CAS and early SOG missions by CHINAT crews. Contract aircrews and
support personnel were called "sky people" by the HMONG
tribesmen. See SHEEP-DIPPED.
-
FIRST LUFF :
-
Naval slang for the First Officer, by analogy to a noisy flapping
sail (alternatively, by analogy with a sail shaking from strain
when brought into the wind, an officer who is unsteady or
uncertain when confronted with action); also cited as "1st Luff".
-
FIRST SHIRT :
-
First Sergeant (1SG), also known as TOP, TOP DOG, or "Top-Kick",
who is the ranking NCO at the COMPANY level. Until the RANK
system was reorganized at the beginning of the VIETNAM WAR, a
Drill Sergeant, First Sergeant, and Sergeant Major were duty
assignments open to anyone with a qualifying RATING ... similar
to officer eligibility for command. The "diamond" chevrons worn
by the FIRST SHIRT were duty specific, like the commander's GREEN
TABs, and were removed when no longer assigned that posting.
-
FIRST-STRIKE RATION :
-
an all-in-one ration, containing about 3000 calories, that's
designed for troops on the move, and is intended to replace the
multi-component Meals Ready to Eat (MRE). Each FIRST-STRIKE
RATION will feed an active warfighter for one day. Everything
contained in the FIRST-STRIKE RATION enables it to be consumed
without halting for preparation, where even the beverage pouches
are ergonomically designed so that there is no fumbling with a
CANTEEN or CANTEEN CUP. See RATIONS.
-
FISA :
-
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 has been
incorporated into the PATRIOT Act.
-
FISH :
-
slang for torpedo, also called "tin fish" or "screamer"; being an
underwater MISSILE or MINE using high-explosives against surface
vessels; torpedo malfunctions include "circle-runner" and
"surface-runner"; see GOOSE, FANFARE, compare SKIP BOMBING. Also,
a long piece of wood or metal used to reinforce a joint or SPAR.
-
FISHBOWL :
-
an interrogation room with third-party observation or
monitoring features; compare BUBBLE, ISOFAC.
-
FISHHOOK :
-
distinctive Cambodia/SVN border feature near Loc Ninh;
see COSVN, PARROT'S BEAK, DOG'S FACE, ANGEL'S WING, ELEPHANT'S
FOOT, BLACK LADY MOUNTAIN.
-
FITREP :
-
a contraction of FITness REPort, being the Navy and Marine form
for the evaluation of personal skills and performance of
officers, as required for retention in service; see EER, NCOER,
OER.
-
FIVE FINGERS :
-
a quantity of hashish, measured by scraping a large block of hash
with fingernails, and priced according to the number of
fingernails used for marketing; see CAN SA, STONED, STICK, TAR,
DOPE. Also, slang for stop or halt, as when a policeman regulates
traffic, and used to imply that the designated person, act, or
thing is unwelcome, is unacceptable, is unaffiliated.
-
FIVE O'CLOCK FOLLIES :
-
daily briefing session at MACV, or any other major command
headquarters, characterized by the extreme optimism of LIFERS and
TICKET-PUNCHERS; includes both military and civil (ie: USAID,
USIA, USIS) activities. During the GULF WAR, this briefing on the
current military situation was called "Evening Prayers" by a
press corps that had grown more than four times larger than the
attendants during Vietnam. See WIEU, TAP-DANCER, DOG 'n' PONY
SHOW, SMOKE 'n' MIRRORS.
-
FIX :
-
a person to be compromised by coercion or extortion into
performing certain ESPIONAGE acts at the bidding of a SECRET
AGENT or HANDLER; also called "fixer", being the object perceived
as the solution to a problem. See SPOOK, CRYPTO, THROW-AWAY,
SWEEPER, PROVOCATEUR, TRADECRAFT.
-
FLAG :
-
a rectangular cloth bearing marks and/or colors in a distinctive
design that's used symbolically or as a signal; if representing a
nation or organization, it's called a "flag" when mounted on a
building, a "standard" when mounted on a vehicle, an "ensign"
when mounted on a vessel, and the "colors" when borne by
marchers. See BADGE, COLORS, STARS 'n' STRIPES, ENSIGN, STREAMER,
GUIDON, COLOR GUARD, COLORBEARER, BLOCK THE COLORS, SHIFT COLORS,
FLAG DAY, HALF-MAST, HOIST, HALYARD, FLAGSTAFF, BLACK FLAG, RED
FLAG, YELLOW JACK, WHITE FLAG, FALSE FLAG, BLOOD CHIT, SHOW THE
FLAG, FACE THE MUSIC.
-
FLAG DAY :
-
on 14 June 1777, the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress
adopted a resolution: "Resolved that the Flag of the United
States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, that
the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing
a new constellation." General George Washington explained: "We
take the stars from heaven, the red from our mother country,
separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have
separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to
posterity representing liberty." Then on 30 May 1916, President
Woodrow Wilson announced during his Memorial Day address, that 14
June of each year would be celebrated as Flag Day; saying: "This
flag, which we honor and under which we serve, is the emblem of
our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has
no other character than that which we give it from generation to
generation .... Though silent, it speaks to us - speaks to us of
the past, of the men and women who went before us, and of the
records they wrote upon it. Today, our flag is a beacon for
liberty, a symbol of hope for all people who 'hold these truths
to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'" See
COLORS, STARS 'n' STRIPES, GUIDON, ENSIGN, STREAMER, HALF-MAST,
SHIFT COLORS, BLOCK THE COLORS, HOIST, FLAGSTAFF, HALYARD, COLOR
GUARD, COLORBEARER, TAPS, TROPHY, BUGLE CALL, TOMB OF THE
UNKNOWNS, MEMORIAL DAY, POW-MIA DAY, VETERANS' DAY.
[nb: when the American flag is folded into a triangle,
representative of the Colonial tricorne, the red and white
stripes representing the blood and bones of sacrifice are buried
within the blue constellation of heaven; which is the traditional
configuration for funeral and retreat ceremonies]
-
FLAG OFFICER :
-
any officer RANKed GENERAL or ADMIRAL, pay-grades O-7 to O-11;
derived from entitlement to display a placard or flag of such
RANK. The senior rank in the Colonial Army from the REVOLUTIONARY
WAR was a 2-star MG, which was elevated to a 3-star LTG for the
Federal Army during the CIVIL WAR, raised to 4-star GEN during
WWII, with grades O-9/LTG and O-10/GEN formalized in 1958, but
O-11 has not been utilized since 1980. Except for the Surgeon
General of each service, FLAG OFFICERs do not wear branch
insignia ... "generalists" have been promoted out of their branch
specialty, and are expected to be capable of serving anywhere. It
has been said that promotion to FLAG OFFICER is more about
politics than skill, more of "Are you one of us?" than "Can you
do it?"; and that despite the jealousies and rivalries amongst
FLAG OFFICERS, when criticized from outside, the "Flag Protection
Circuit" closes to form an impenetrable barrier. See WHITE WAY,
FLAGSHIP, LIGHTER, USA (AUS), USAF, USCG, USMC, USN, SKIPPER,
OFFICER. [v: generalissimo, nabob; nb: not to be confused with
the senior COLORBEARER, nor the COLOR GUARD commander]
-
FLAG PLOT :
-
U.S. Navy command center at Washington Navy Yard; see NAVOP.
-
FLAGSHIP :
-
the ship carrying the commander of a fleet, flotilla, squadron,
or other group of vessels, and therefore privileged to display
the commanding officer's flag; see FLAG OFFICER. Also, the main
or leading vessel, or the best or superior of the line.
-
FLAGSTAFF :
-
a flagpole for the mounting or display of a flag, GUIDON, ENSIGN,
jack, STREAMER, pennant, burgee, or other COLORS; also called
pole, staff, stave, jackstaff, or mast. See STARS 'n' STRIPES,
HALF-MAST, SHIFT COLORS, BLOCK THE COLORS, HOIST, HALYARD, COLOR
GUARD, COLORBEARER.
-
FLAK :
-
the SHRAPNEL from an exploded antiaircraft (AA) shell. Also, the
munitions or weapons used in antiaircraft (AA) fire; also known
as "archy" / "archie" being WWI British slang that probably
derives from the pattern of its trajectory; see ACK-ACK, POM-POM.
[nb: term is condensed from the German word (c1935) for an
antiaircraft gun: "fliegerabwehrkanone" (FLieger = aircraft +
Abwehr = defense + Kanone = gun)] [nb: another proposed
derivation for "archy" / "archie" is the hindrance caused by
German antiaircraft fire which supposedly reminded some WWI
airmen of the refrain in a popular 1915 music hall song:
"Archibald, Certainly Not!"]
-
FLAK BAIT :
-
slang for GLIDER, also called "canvas coffin", "flying coffin",
and "puke ship"; see WACO, SUICIDE JOCKEY, BIRD, PILOT.
-
FLAK JACKET :
-
heavy fiberglass-filled vest worn for protection from shrapnel;
also spelled "flack jacket", and also called FLAK VEST. Later
(1969-70) incorporated pyroceramic plates to protect back and
chest from rifle-fire. Compare CHICKEN PLATE, HAPPY SUIT, OTV,
IOTV, ESAPI, SAPI.
[nb: during the ninth century, China replaced lacquered leather,
cloth bound rattan, and iron body protection with a superior
pleated-paper body armor, which could reputedly stop an arrow;
during the American CIVIL WAR, some Federal troops privately
purchased bulletproof vests (cuirass) made of steel, but most
were abandoned due to their excessive weight] [cf: flexible
'mail'; v: doublet]
-
FLAK VEST :
-
a high-necked, sleeveless, fiberglass-filled FLAK JACKET with
chest pockets worn for protection against shrapnel; see HAPPY
SUIT, CHICKEN PLATE, OTV, IOTV, ESAPI, SAPI, DRESS. [cf: flexible
'mail'; v: doublet]
-
FLAMING DART :
-
designation given to air operations against North Vietnam during
February 1965 as reprisal for Camp Holloway (Pleiku) and QuiNhon
barracks attacks by PAVN; superseded by ROLLING THUNDER.
-
FLANK :
-
the side of a military element, as a formation or battle array;
see REFUSE. Also, to attack the side of a military element so as
to turn or penetrate it; compare PINCER. Also, to change the
direction of march of an entire unit, from forward to the side,
such that COLUMNs become LINEs, FILEs become RANKs; and the same
(or opposite) march command will restore the original alignment.
-
FLAP :
-
a moveable surface (often "flaps"; aileron, elevator, etc) used
for increasing the lift or drag of an airplane. Also, an informal
expression for a chaotic situation or nervous predicament (or
"flapdoodle"), as a state of flustered confusion, an excited
dither, a disorderly tumult, a commotion, turmoil, ado,
pandemonium, muddle, pother, hubbub, hullabaloo, tizzy, mess,
mare's nest, or dog's breakfast; see SHIT HIT THE FAN, CLUSTER
FUCK, GOAT ROPE, SEAT OF THE PANTS, compare FLAK, NOISE,
CONFETTI, litter, FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP.
-
FLAPS 'n' SEALS :
-
the course of training that instructs military intelligence (MI)
specialists, counter intelligence (CIC) operatives, and criminal
investigation (CID) agents in clandestine methods of survey,
interception, and penetration of documents and communications,
and their undetected resumption, restoration, or replacement,
together with surveillance and reproduction, evasion and
concealment, safeguards and countermeasures; including secret
writing and data tracking, electronic wiretapping and other
technical eavesdropping, dead-drop messaging and covert
signaling, manual lockpicking and mechanized safecracking, and
many other nefarious skills [eg: a frozen envelope can be
unsealed and resealed without trace or detection].
-
FLARE :
-
a pyrotechnic illumination projectile, such as MORTAR or ARTY
round, "parachute flare" or PEN FLARE; see SLAP-FLARE, VERY
PISTOL, BASKETBALL.
[nb: a hand-held signal flare, of the type used in highway and
railroad emergencies, is also called a "fusee/fuzee"]
[nb: in WWII, during the fall of 1944 and the winter of 1945,
when the Allies were advancing into Germany, spotlights aimed at
the underside of low cloud cover were used to bounce off light
beams that created "artificial moonlight", being a diffuse
ambient illumination similar to that produced during a full moon,
which supplemental light was adequate to sustain night operations
without exposing or highlighting the ploy, as does a flare]
Also, the sudden air-braking of a helicopter in ground effect
("bounce") preparatory to hover or landing; also called
"flare-out". Also, a similar air-braking stall of a parachutist
preparatory to landing.
-
FLAREBACK :
-
a blast of flame that sometimes issues from the opened breech of
a large gun after firing.
-
FLARESHIP :
-
an aircraft, such as DAKOTA or PROVIDER, that deploys pyrotechnic
illumination for night incidents and operations while flying
high-cover. See BASKETBALL, UMBRELLA, CAP, HIGH 'n' DRY,
RACETRACK, TANKER.
-
FLASH :
-
distinctive unit PATCH worn on a beret, often with matching OVAL,
upon which EM/NCO personnel wear the unit CREST and officers wear
RANK insignia. The distinctive FLASH and OVAL patches are
collectively known as "FLASHing". The FLASH was originally worn
on the GREEN BERET as an SF qualification badge (which did not
match the SF blue and gold OVAL), it was cut to shape from wool
felt in basic colors (Trng Gp = white, 10th SFGAbn = green,
77/7th SFGAbn = red, 1st SFGAbn = yellow, 5th SFGAbn = black),
and was initially worn "tombstone fashion" (flat side down).
Trainees wore "half-flashes" or unit Recognition Bars, called
CANDY BARS, until becoming "FLASH qualified". The Air Force PJs
avoided confusion on unqualified assignees by only issuing their
maroon berets at the end of "pipeline" training. After the GREEN
BERET was approved in 1961, embroidered FLASHes began replacing
the simple felt ones, including fancy quilted stitching (black /
yellow) for the provisional SFVN Gp. Later Groups (eg: 3rd
SFGAbn, 6th SFGAbn, 8th SFGAbn) would be formed from existing
units and would combine older colors into a unique pattern. When
the RANGER black berets and AIRBORNE red berets were approved,
the Institute of Heraldry established FLASHing guidelines on
designs, such that only geometric patterns would be approved. The
original parachute and glider PATCHes worn on garrison caps
during WWII initially bore the unit CREST (DI/DUI) or RANK, like
the later FLASH, but was changed to improve visibility. See
TRASH, Q-COURSE, CUNT CAP. Also, the highest priority status for
message traffic; see RADIO, TWX.
-
FLASHBACK :
-
an abnormally vivid and often recurrent recollection
of a disturbing or traumatic past event. May be called "flashback
hallucinosis" in psychiatry. The loss or repression of traumatic
memories is commonly called BLACKOUT. See PTSD, THOUSAND-YARD
STARE, TELESCOPING, FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT.
-
FLASHBANG :
-
a short-FUZEd stun GRENADE employing brilliant light and
explosive sound to disorient and disrupt enemy defenders; also
spelled "flash bang". Compare WHIZ BANG, WHISTLER.
[nb: in an effort to control costs and reduce waste, the DoD has
instituted a policy of "non-duplication" in military procurement
(Military Adaptable Commercial Item {MACI}), such that a mil-spec
contract will NOT be let whenever a commercial "off the shelf"
(COTS) product is "close enough for government work" and does not
require special features; so some name brand items are now in
logistical inventory]
-
FLASHLIGHT :
-
a small, portable, electric lamp powered by dry-cell batteries
and fitted with different lenses adapted to specific situations,
especially the free-standing angle-head model that is now a
military classic; also called "torch" or "light". Both "MagLight"
and "SureFire" (LED with 10yr battery) commercial flashlights
have been issued to active-duty MIL-PERS. See LIGHT STICK, BUD
LIGHT, NVG, BLINKER. [v: cresset] [nb: flashlight marketed 1897]
[nb: in an effort to control costs and reduce waste, the DoD has
instituted a policy of "non-duplication" in military procurement
(Military Adaptable Commercial Item {MACI}), such that a mil-spec
contract will NOT be let whenever a commercial "off the shelf"
(COTS) product is "close enough for government work" and does not
require special features; so some name brand items are now in
logistical inventory]
Also, CODENAME of a MISSILE-delivered electromagnetic pulse (EMP)
WAR NOSE; see E-WARHEAD.
-
FLASH SUPPRESSOR :
-
a device attached to the end of a rifle or gun barrel designed to
disperse the MUZZLE flash during firing, sometimes called "flash
hider" or "blast deflector"; see SUPPRESSOR.
-
FLATHEAD :
-
any MILICRAT or "organization man", so named after the close
crew-cut or FLATTOP BUZZ haircut favored by the career
MIL-PERS; as distinguished from the long-haired HIPPIE civilian.
See WHITE WALLS, LIFER, HOMESTEADER, BRASS HAT, TICKET-PUNCHER,
RING-KNOCKER. [v: glaber/glabrous]
-
FLAT LIGHT :
-
(forthcoming);
see WHITEOUT, BROWN-OUT, ZERO-ZERO, CHOPPER, BIRD.
-
FLATTOP :
-
slang for an aircraft carrier (CV), serving as the "eyes of the
fleet"; also called "carrier" or "super carrier". The crew of a
flight deck includes: "red shirts"= weaponry / ordnance; "white
shirts"= safety; "blue shirts"= un-/secure (tie, CHOCK); "purple
shirts"= fuel / POL; "green shirts"= launch / catapult; "brown
shirts"= plane captain (control); "yellow shirts"= direct
movement. A modern aircraft carrier is powered by two nuclear
reactors that can maneuver the 100,000 ton displacement at over
30 knots for more than 20 years without refueling, has 2 rudders
and 4 propellers, carries over 80 combat aircraft that launch
from a flight deck sized approximately 4.5 acres with 4
elevators, rises 20 stories above the waterline, is about as long
as the Empire State Building is tall, carries enough food and
supplies to operate for 90 days, distills 400,000 gallons of
fresh water daily for its crew of about 6000 sailors, is expected
to operate for more than 50 years at a cost of $25-million per
day when underway. See ROOF, BURBLE, BOLTER, TAILHOOK, NIGHT
TRAP, PADDLES, WAVE OFF, WIGWAG, HAND SIGN, LPH, OPIUM DEN,
BOUNCE, FIELD CARRIER LANDING.
[nb: when American aircraft carriers are sent to disaster areas
around the world, it is because each of them have three hospitals
aboard that can simultaneously treat several hundred people,
three cafeterias aboard that can simultaneously feed three meals
a day to several thousand people, a distillation plant that can
produce several thousand gallons of fresh drinking water each day
from sea water, a nuclear power plant that can supply emergency
electrical power to shore facilities, and a helicopter fleet that
can transport personnel or supplies from the flight deck to
wherever needed]
Also, slang for a close crew-cut or flattopped BUZZ haircut as
favored by career MIL-PERS; see FLATHEAD, WHITE WALLS.
[v: glaber/glabrous]
-
FLC :
-
Force Logistics Command; see LOGISTICS.
-
FLECHETTE :
-
anti-personnel (AP) SHRAPNEL in the form of 2-inch finned steel
darts comprising direct-fire ARTY rounds. See BEEHIVE, NAILS,
CANISTER.
-
FLIGHT BAG :
-
a versatile carry-all or utility bag (B4/B-4), made with snap and
zip closure, reinforced bottom, and wrap-around strap-handles;
used for flight gear or PARACHUTEs. B4 bags were often used as
soft suitcases, since they held almost as much as a DUFFEL BAG,
and were easier to access. Compare AWOL BAG, MUSETTE, WAR BAG,
DUNNAGE, BIVY, DINGLEBERRY. [nb: unlike AWOL BAG, the FLIGHT BAG
does not derive from "flee" or "take flight"]
[nb: "rucksack" = back-sack; "knapsack" = bite/snap-up/eat, food
sack; "kit-bag" = soldier's small bag/knapsack; "haversack" =
single strap over one shoulder / musette] [cf: bundle,
bindle/bindlea, swag, bluey, dilly bag, tucker-bag, bag, pouch,
tote, sack, pack, grip, gripsack, overnighter, weekender,
carpetbag, suitcase, portmanteau, Gladstone bag, traveling case,
garment bag, Val-Pack, luggage; v: "scrip" wayfarer's bag or
wallet; "viaticum" traveler's money and necessities]
-
FLIGHT JACKET :
-
a waist-length version of the FIELD JACKET in branch (eg: USAF,
USN, etc) colors for aircrew; see BATTLE JACKET, DRESS.
-
FLIGHT SUIT :
-
fabric coverall, in branch colors, with numerous zippered pockets
and front closure, to be worn with FLIGHT JACKET, FLAK VEST, CVC
helmet, gloves, BOONDOCKERS, PARACHUTE, and other flight gear;
also called "zoom bags". See G-SUIT, POOPIE SUIT, PARTY SUIT,
COLORS, DRESS, PATCH, TRASH.
-
FLINT FACE :
-
slang for the impassive, impersonal, almost inhuman countenance
adopted by every MIL-PERS on guard, on parade, or other duty
demanding execution without thought or emotion; being an opaque
and unyielding facial expression that's seemingly chiseled from
stone and capable of striking sparks. This deadpan expression is
also called a "wooden face", "official face", or "formal face".
Compare QUARTERDECK FACE, FACE.
[nb: 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]
-
FLIP :
-
syncopic slang for a Filipino, civilian or otherwise, being a
native or inhabitant of the Philippines, used as an affectionate
generalization for convenient description or identification; see
LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, INDIG, DESEGREGATION; compare GOOK.
-
FLIP-FLOP :
-
slang expression for inserting a team at the same time another
team is being extracted, or to INFIL an LRRP element when a
platoon or company EXFILs; see RECON, FALSE INSERTION, SHELL
GAME, SKYHOOK, STAY BEHIND. Also, slang for indecisive or
irresolute. Also, slang for inexpensive rubber shower-shoes, or
any backless thong sandal, based upon the Japanese zori,
huarache, or geta design; probably derived from the distinctive
sound made when walking; compare HO CHI MINH SANDALS. Also, any
bipolar or binary circuit, or any device having two conditions,
the change or alteration caused by positive input to either
stable state.
-
FLIR :
-
abbreviation for aircraft-mounted Forward-Looking InfraRed;
see IR, RED HAZE; compare LRAS3.
-
FLOAT :
-
Naval slang for a tour of duty at sea, a CRUISE; see SQUID,
SWABBY, NUGGET, CHUM, FRESH CATCH, POLLYWOG, SHELLBACK,
MOSSBACK, OLD SALT. Also, Navy slang for a group of ships
operating in mutual support, as a SQDN or flotilla; see FLT,
CONVOY.
-
FLOATER :
-
slang for a corpse that's risen by bloat to the surface; once
gases pass off (usually by venting during predation), the corpse
again sinks to the seafloor; compare CREATURE FEATURE, CRISPY
CRITTER, TADPOLE.
-
FLOATING WORLD :
-
informal reference to the insular or provincial, sometimes even
isolated, realm of seafaring vessels, their officers and crew,
moving on an independent schedule, using interior time and
separate rules, to fulfill its mission; a situation most
characteristic of tactical cruises and long voyages.
-
FLOCK SHOOT :
-
inaccurate fire; being the method used by inexperienced troops to
SPRAY or HOSE an enemy formation which produces more misses than
hits. Inexperienced soldiers only fire in the general direction
of their target, substituting quantity for quality, when aimed
fire is most effective. The kill ratio to expended AMMO during
the VIETNAM WAR was about 20,000 rounds per enemy kill. See BLIND
FIRE, MAD MINUTE, BUSTING CAPS, HAPPY FIRE, ENFILADE; compare
DOUBLE TAP.
-
FLOT :
-
Forward Line Of Troops; see FEBA, MLR, FCSL, PHASE LINE, LINE OF
DEPARTURE.
-
FLOTSAM :
-
wreckage or refuse found floating on water; as derived from
"float". See CASTOFF, DODO; compare JETSAM, LAGAN.
-
FLOWER POWER :
-
NICKNAME of the 9th Infantry Division, from the colors and
octafoil shape of its shoulder patch; also called PSYCHEDELIC
COOKIE. Formally known as "Varsity" or "Old Reliables".
-
FLOWER WAR :
-
the ceremonial or ritual display of forces and arms, as practiced
by some tribal peoples (eg: New Guinea, MesoAmerica, etc) to
avoid the destruction and death toll of actual war, and to
enhance status or prestige; featuring exaggerated postures and
bellicose slogans, so as to shame or intimidate the adversary,
and acquire a negotiating advantage or a (relatively) bloodless
victory. See SHOW THE FLAG, PLAY THE GAME, VIETNAM SYNDROME,
MACHO, BATTLE, WAR; compare FIREWORKS. [cf: potlatch]
-
FLT :
-
abbreviation for FLeeT; see SQDN, FLOAT. Also, abbreviation for
FLighT; see WING.
-
FLUTTER :
-
slang for a polygraph interrogation, whether investigating,
DEBRIEFing, or vetting a subject/suspect. See SWEAT, SQUEEZE,
TRUTH SERUM, LIE DETECTOR, TRADECRAFT.
-
FLYING BOAT :
-
Boeing B-314/-A "Clipper" (ca1938) four-engined, high-winged, and
boat-bottomed HULL passenger aircraft, with additional "sea wing"
for stability when motoring in water after SPLASHDOWN, flown
contractually by Pan American Airlines for the US and British
military during WWII. See DUMBO, CATALINA, PBY, BIRD.
-
FLYING BOXCAR :
-
Fairchild Republic C-119 aircraft, with twin TAILBOOMs and
clamshell fuselage. See SHADOW, STINGER.
-
FLYING BRAVO :
-
displaying the red burgee signifying the letter "B" in the
International Code of Signals; see BRAVO ZULU, BRAVO SIERRA,
WIGWAG. Also, displaying the "B" burgee, or any solid RED FLAG,
as a warning of combustible or EXPLOSIVE substances, especially
during fueling and loading, and on firing ranges and impact
areas; see KD RANGE, KILL HOUSE, SMALL ARMS. Also, a dismissive
reference to a presumably menstruating woman, especially one
exhibiting Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), and sometimes called
"flying MAGGIE'S DRAWERS"; it should be noted that the MAGGIE'S
DRAWERS firing range signal was white, evocative of the color of
women's panties of the era, while the FLYING BRAVO range warning
flag is solid red in color; see HELL ON WHEELS, BITCH, SQUEAK,
RUNTS 'n' CUNTS, SKIRT, GI JANE, DISTAFF, COMPRESS, TAMPON.
-
FLYING BRIDGE :
-
a small open DECK, situated above the main cabin or PILOTHOUSE of
a vessel, having duplicate BRIDGE controls.
-
FLYING COW :
-
C-123 or C-130 aircraft equipped with a rubberized
collapsible drum and 350-GPM (gallons per minute) pumps. Also
called "cow" or BLADDER BIRD; compare BLIVET.
-
FLYING CRANE :
-
CH-54 heavy helicopter, also called "sky crane".
-
FLYING FORTRESS :
-
B-17 Boeing bomber, NICKNAMEd "The Big Friend".
-
FLYING TIGERS :
-
NICKNAME of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), organized with
three squadrons in 1941 for the air defense of Nationalist forces
in China by Claire Lee Chennault, flying escort and TAC-AIR, and
was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps (23rd Fighter Group,
14th Air Force) on 4 July 1942. The symbol of the AVG was a
winged tiger leaping through the letter 'V', representing
victory, as designed by Walt Disney. See CNAC, CHINAT, POINTIE
TALKIE, BLOOD CHIT.
[v: blood chit]
-
FLYOVER :
-
a formation of aircraft arranged and flown for observation from
the ground, as the MISSING MAN FORMATION. Also, a flight of
assembled aircraft over a specified area. Also, the act of
passing or flying overhead, also known as overflight or overpass.
-
FM :
-
Field Manual; see TM, TC, CHECKING THE DICTIONARY, SCRIPTURES,
MANUAL OF ARMS, THE BIBLE. Also, frequency modulation; signal
method in which the frequency of the radio carrier wave varies;
see RADIO WAVE, RADIO.
-
FMAW :
-
Fleet Marine Air Wing
-
FMFPAC :
-
Fleet Marine Force Pacific
-
FN :
-
Foreign National; see PNG, NUNG, MONTAGNARD, RF/PF, STRIKER,
ROADRUNNER, EARTH ANGEL, HOI CHANH, INDIG, FOREIGN DEVIL,
LITTLE PEOPLE, BUDDHAHEAD, BASKET HEAD, COUNTERPART.
-
FNG :
-
(ef-en-gee) literally a Fuckin' New Guy, which is the same as a
CHERRY or NEWBEE; the most common name for a newly arrived novice
or tyro in Vietnam, being someone without any theater or combat
experience. Sometimes called "rookie", "tenderfoot", "greenhorn",
"cheechako", FRESH CATCH, "fresh meat", "new meat", or raw meat".
See TURTLE, 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]
-
FNU :
-
First Name Unknown; see NMI.
-
FO :
-
(ef-oh, not "foe") Forward Observer; responsible for calling fire
missions to supporting artillery (ARTY), naval gunfire, or
TAC-AIR support (CAS). See LOST, OP, FAC, FCSL, ANGLICO, SHOT IN,
SHOT OUT, SPLASH.
-
FOB :
-
Forward Operations Base, being a command and support facility,
ashore or afloat, that may include an airfield or anchorage,
that's established near or within a SPECIAL OPERATIONS area for
control and training of tactical operations; this advanced BASE
CAMP or launch site serves as a secure location for rapid
insertion/extraction, or reinforcement/recovery; sometimes
shortened to "Operations Base" (OB). See BIVOUAC, FSB, AOB, MOB,
CP, JUMP CP, STRONGPOINT, BASE CAMP, BASE.
[nb: allegedly the term "fobbit", a coinage obtained by combining
FOB with Hobbit (from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.
Tolkien), is a derogatory or disparaging description by Coalition
forces that refers to support personnel, both military and
contract civilians, who are confined to COMPOUNDs or BASE CAMPs
in Iraq or Afghanistan; being a euphemism for REMF]
-
FOC :
-
Flight Operations Center; see AOC, ADOC, TAOC, ASOC, OPN.
-
FOD :
-
Foreign Object Damage, designates the most common cause of
aircraft malfunction, necessitating routine cleaning of regularly
used airfields, airstrips, landing strips, or flight decks, or
employing extreme caution when utilizing unimproved or improvised
RUNWAYs. See APRON, RAMP, POLICE CALL.
-
FOE :
-
a military enemy, opponent, or adversary, being someone or
something that is harmful or destructive, eliciting enmity or
malice; term derives from enemy or hostile, and is also the basis
for the word feud, which originally meant war. See BAD GUYS,
GUERRILLA, INSURGENT, TERRORIST, BANDIT, OPFOR, ORANGE
FORCE, PURPLE FORCE, RED FORCE, BELIEVER. [cf: nemesis]
[nb: the "thin red line" was applied to the British ("Redcoats")
in the Crimean War because they did not form into a defensive
square when engaged, making their line weak, which impugned their
military prowess; likewise, the Scottish bagpipers accompanying
British troops in WWI were labeled "ladies from hell" for wearing
kilts into battle while playing an instrument instead of carrying
a weapon ... each attribution was initially offensive, but both
were later adopted as distinctions] [v: Names of
Foreigners or Foes] [nb: the dehumanization of one's enemy is
usually a preliminary (if not a prerequisite) to his
extermination] [v: vernichtungsgedanken]
-
FOGGY BOTTOM :
-
metaphoric allusion, since the KOREAN WAR era, for the national
capitol and its befuddled legerdemain, also called the "seat of
government" (SOG); being a federal district ("Federal City"),
encompassing a ten mile square on both banks of the Potomac
River, that was established by Congress in 1790-1, becoming
coextensive with Washington City and merged into a single entity
in 1878, and commonly known as "Washington", "DC", or "The
District"; see THE G, THE NATIONAL JOKE FACTORY, NGO, QUANGO,
GOCO, OGA, UNCLE SAM, THE EAGLE SHITS, RED TAPE, PETITION,
YANKEE, POLITICIAN, WISE MEN, UGLY AMERICAN, PORK BARREL, BELTWAY
BANDIT, CIVILIAN. Also, facetious reference to the State
Department (DoS) and its miasma of diplomatic intrigues; by
virtue of its location. Also, a low-lying area bordered by Rock
Creek and the Potomac River in Washington D.C., situated between
the White House and Georgetown, south of Pennsylvania Avenue to
the Capital Mall, housing the Department of State, the Department
of the Interior, the Federal Reserve, the World Bank, the Kennedy
Center, the Watergate, George Washington University, and is
served by the blue, orange, and silver (2011) lines of the
Washington Metro; so named because of the haze rising from the
swampy land ... being the American paradigm for all future
QUAGMIREs. [v: realpolitik, machtpolitik]
-
FOLLOW ME :
-
infantry motto; Vietnamese version: Theo Toi; see WATCH MY SMOKE,
LDR; compare CHARGE, STORM, MOVE OUT, SADDLE-UP.
-
FOO-GAS :
-
also spelled "fougasse" and "phu-gas"; see PHOUGAS.
-
FOOTBALL :
-
designation for the national defense contingency plans and
nuclear-weapons release codes carried by a presidential military
aide. See DEFCON, SACON, KNEE CAP, BROKEN ARROW, SCRAM.
-
FOOTLOCKER :
-
a small wooden trunk placed at the end of a bed for holding a
soldier's personal effects; formerly issued with a DUFFEL BAG to
every recruit, who moved it with emplaced contents from one duty
station to another. The FOOTLOCKER, with the interior subdivided
by a removeable tray, is derived from the campaign chest, and has
undergone minor modifications in hardware and design over the
decades, but remains about the same size (30"-32" wide by 13"-16"
deep by 15"-16" high). A new water- and airtight FOOTLOCKER of
rotationally molded construction, sized 33"X17"X17", including
two polyethylene storage trays with molded hand holds, and
configured with locking cable clasp and edge casters, is colored
either gray (US Navy) or olive drab (US Army). The FOOTLOCKER and
WALL LOCKER have been unit property since the Vietnam-era, with
their placement and display regulated by a command specific
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The Navy and Marine version
is called a SEA CHEST (qv).
-
FOOTROPE :
-
in sailing parlance, a ROPE suspended beneath a yard or spar to
give footing to a person handling sails; see RATLINE, SHROUD,
STIRRUP, HIGHLINE. Also, the portion of the BOLTROPE to which the
lower edge of a sail is sewn.
-
FOOTWEAR :
-
regulation foot covering that has been specifically designed to
be uncomfortable, unattractive, and slightly lower than the depth
of any mud the wearer is expected to walk through! All footwear
was interchangeable until 1800, when King George IV ordered that
his boots be made specifically to fit his right or left foot;
which eccentricity naturally spawned an imitative fashion. During
the VIETNAM WAR, special boot procurements had to be contracted
because Vietnamese feet were too small and MONTAGNARD feet were
too wide for regular American issue. See BROWN SHOE / BOOT, BLACK
SHOE / BOOT, LOW-QUARTERS, LPC, KICKS, BOONDOCKERS, COMBAT BOOTS,
JUMP BOOTS, JUNGLE BOOTS, TANKER BOOTS, MICKEY MOUSE BOOTS, BATA
BOOTS, HO CHI MINH SANDALS, ROUGHSHOD, DOGS, DOG TAGS, SLOP
CHEST. [cf: discalced/discalceate]
[nb: Gaelic for shoe is 'brog', from which comes the English word
"brogue" or brogan; the vent holes or decorative perforations
that are often punched in the leather represent the piercings for
drainage in the traditional deerhide footwear; Gaelic for 'my
footwear' is "mo chasan", which usage by Scottish immigrants may
have spawned the American name "moccasin" for the one-piece
AmerIndian shoe (alternatively: "maxkeseni" in Algonquian)]
-
FORAGE :
-
the seeking or obtaining of food, provisions, or provender, as
plunder; derived from "fodder". See BEANS, CHOW, C-RATIONS, IRON
RATIONS, SLOP, WASH, WAD, SLIDER, PITA, RATIONS, SPOILS OF WAR,
COMMANDEER.
[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]
-
FORCE MAJEURE :
-
an overwhelming or irresistible force, as an uncontrollable
effect, or an unanticipated event; literally derived from
"superior force", with the plural form being "forces majeures".
May be known as a frontal assault; being the principal tactic of
every brash and callow officer!
-
FORCE MARCH :
-
an extended road march involving a fully equipped unit; contrary
to misrepresentations, it is not a "forced" march. See MARCH,
COUNTERMARCH.
-
FORCE MULTIPLIER :
-
any factor that can dramatically alter the relationship between
opposing elements without otherwise affecting the ratio of
manpower or materiel, such as firepower, technology, military
intelligence, surveillance, morale, terrain (eg: CHOKE POINT),
tactic (eg: AMBUSH), deception, and so forth. Such a capacity,
when employed by a combat unit, significantly increases the
combat potential of that force, and thus enhances the probability
of successful mission accomplishment.
-
FORCE RECON :
-
elite Marine airborne infantry intended for amphibious or
waterborne operations, usually SCUBA trained; similar to Army
Airborne Rangers. Lineage includes the Marine Raider, Parachute,
and Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalions from WWII, the Amphib
Recon Co's from the KOREAN WAR, and Marine Corps Test Unit One
(MCTU#1) from the pre-VIETNAM WAR era. RECON elements, called
STINGRAY, were used in Vietnam to acquire actionable intelligence
for Marine units. As with its global counterinsurgency role from
the BANANA WARS, the post-VN era saw FORCE RECON dispatched to
quell various hot spots, from grenada and Lebanon to Bosnia and
Haiti. Although exceptions exist, USN and Marine units, such as
FORCE RECON and SEALs, are numbered odd on the West Coast and
even on the East Coast. See RAIDER, LRRP, ABN, WINGS, PARACHUTE.
[nb: early combat losses in VN compelled USMC FORCE RECON to
alter their "broken contact" doctrine inherited from RAIDER
practice: instead of individual and separate dispersion after
enemy action, the team will remain connected and act concertedly,
whether in defense or evasion, adopting the "Ranger buddy"
protocol]
-
FORECASTLE :
-
(folk-suhl) a superstructure at or immediately aft of the BOW,
STEM, or PROW of a vessel, used as a shelter for stores and
machinery, or as quarters for sailors; see PULPIT. Also, a
deckhouse or other quarters for sailors located in the forward
part of a vessel; see BRIG. Also, the part of the weather DECK
forward of the foremast, may have bulwarks; compare QUARTERDECK,
POOP DECK.
-
FOREIGN DEVIL :
-
any person not of one's own race or culture, especially an
Occidental, such as a 'firange'/'firanji' or 'infidel'; the
reciprocal of WOG. Because Asians are among the most
discriminating and status conscious peoples of the world,
dismissive characterizations are not restricted to Westerners
(eg: Chinese call Japanese "dwarf bandits"). Europeans are
generally known as "big nosed hairy monkeys", just as the French
are "frogs", the Italians are "macaroni" [affect], the Japanese
are "nips" [Nipponese], and the Americans are "flowering flag
devils". See DINK, GOOK, SLOPE, ZIP, CHINK, LITTLE PEOPLE;
compare LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, BUDDHAHEAD, MONTAGNARD, INDIG, FN,
COUNTERPART, YANKEE, UGLY AMERICAN.
[nb: the "thin red line" was applied to the British ("Redcoats")
in the Crimean War because they did not form into a defensive
square when engaged, making their line weak, which impugned their
military prowess; likewise, the Scottish bagpipers accompanying
British troops in WWI were labeled "ladies from hell" for wearing
kilts into battle while playing an instrument instead of carrying
a weapon ... each attribution was initially offensive, but both
were later adopted as distinctions] [v: Names of
Foreigners or Foes]
-
FORM :
-
the bureaucratic concept of efficiency, as represented by
Distribution Forms (DF), Requisition Forms (RF), Standard Forms
(SF); see RED TAPE, PAPER BULLET, MANIFOLD SET, MR, BUCK SLIP,
WHITE PAPER, N/A, DREAM SHEET, FILE 13, CYA, HIC,
TICKET-PUNCHING, WONK.
[nb: multiple-part form 1882] [nb: the military considers the
Morning Report to be its most important form, hence it is
designated Form 1, while the most common is Form 1049 for
requests of all kinds to senior authority; such time-consuming
FORMS and REPORTS were derisively called "paper-bullets" during
the American CIVIL WAR] [nb: "If it isn't documented then it
doesn't exist!"]
-
FORSCOM :
-
(force-kom) U.S. Army Forces Command.
-
FORTHWITH :
-
immediately, posthaste, quickly, promptly, pronto; see ASAP, PDQ,
CHOGI, CHOP CHOP, RIKI TIK, STAT, GOYA, HAUL-ASS, SCRAMBLE;
compare TOCSIN, KLAXON.
-
44TH MEDICAL BRIGADE :
-
the 44th Medical Brigade deployed to Vietnam in April 1966 and
remained there
until 1970, when it was dissolved into subordinate units. The
44th consisted of
the 32nd Medical Depot at Long Binh; the 43rd and 55th Medical
Groups in II
Corps; the 67th Medical Group in III Corps; and the 68th Medical
Group in III
and IV Corps. The 44th Medical Brigade was responsible for
medical evacuation
(see "Medevac"), evacuation hospitals, field hospitals, Mobile
Army Surgical
Hospitals (MASH), convalescent centers, and ambulance
detachments.
-
FORWARD :
-
directional, being in, at, toward, or near the BOW or
front of the craft or vessel; compare AFT.
-
FOUNDER :
-
the wrecking or sinking of a vessel; see ROLL, CAREEN,
PITCH, PITCH-POLE, ATHWART, BOW, STERN, HARD-AND-FAST, SCUTTLE,
BOAT.
-
FOUO :
-
For Official Use Only, security classification; see NEED TO
KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION. Also, alternative diagnostic
abbreviation for Fever Of Unknown/Undetermined Origin; see FUO.
-
FOUR CORNERS :
-
specifically refers to the town of Di An where the 1st Infantry
Division was stationed, but generally applied to mean any small
town near a U.S. military base; compare SIN CITY, HELL ON WHEELS,
HELL'S HALF ACRE, DODGE CITY, LITTLE AMERICA.
-
FOUR DEUCE :
-
4.2-inch (107mm) rifled MORTAR (M-30), with maximum range of
5,650 meters, used as BASE CAMP or TRACK mounted CREW-SERVED
WEAPON.
-
FOUR HORSEMEN :
-
short for the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", being four
allegorical agents of destruction, as described in Rev 6:2-8
Bible: symbolic of pestilence (white horse), war (red horse),
famine (black horse), and death (pale horse). See APOCALYPSE,
HOLOCAUST, ATROCITY, GENOCIDE, OVERKILL. [nb: the "Minotaur", a
monster in classical Greek mythology, having the head of a bull
on the body of a man and fed on human flesh, is representative of
any person or thing that devours or destroys]
-
FOURRAGERE :
-
an ornamental or ceremonial braid worn on the
shoulder. Also, such a braid, CORD, CORDON, or LANYARD awarded as
a military decoration. Compare AIGUILLETTE.
-
FOURTH ESTATE :
-
members of the journalistic profession, or the "press corps"; see
FRUIT FLY.
[nb: the neologism "pollaganda" / "polloganda" (poll +
propaganda) has been coined to identify the representation of
biased samples, slanted surveys, special pleading arguments, and
ex-parte news depicted as authentic or authoritative] [v: Myths of the Vietnam War]
-
FOXHOLE :
-
formally known as a "fighting hole", and officially known as a
"Defensive Fighting Position" (DFP) or a "Night Defensive
Position" (NDP); a one or two person fighting position, dug as a
pit with drainage and mound (BERM) along the defensive perimeter,
and improved with overhead COVER, GRENADE SUMP, and firing step
(BANQUETTE) if a prolonged stay permits embellishment. Also
called "fighting pit", and known as "funk hole" by AUSSIE or KIWI
troops from WWI German usage. See SPIDER HOLE, DEPUY FOXHOLE,
HASTY TRENCH, BUNKER, E-TOOL; compare CAT HOLE, SLIT TRENCH.
[nb: typical GRUNT/SNUFFY philosophy: "If dug-in, then harder to
be dug-out."]
-
FOXHOLE CONVERSION :
-
battlefield epiphany, religious salvation or redemption; based
upon the philosophy: "There are no atheists in foxholes!". See
ARMY CHRISTIAN, BOYDLOOP, LAW OF AVERAGES, UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE,
GOD SQUAD, SKY PILOT, PRAYER, SYMPATHY.
[nb: "God is With Us" (Gott Mit Uns) was the motto of the
Prussian Emperor, and was used by German soldiers during WWII;
v: the Edict of Milan issued by Emperor Constantine the Great
(Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) caAD313; cf: "whited
sepulcher" (Matthew 23:27)]
[nb: not MIL-SPEAK for improving fortifications, such that a
remodeled FOXHOLE in a bad neighborhood becomes an upscale BUNKER
suitable for profitable resale to REMFs]
-
FOXING :
-
to be marked by discoloration or scoring, often in a distinctive
pattern that lends itself to causal inference or forensic
interpretation (eg: angle of strike, force of impact, type of
EXPLOSIVE, kind of accelerant); compare SPALL.
-
FPL :
-
Final Protective Line, also called "Final Protective Fire" (FPF);
being an immediately available prearranged barrier of gunfire
designed to impede enemy movement across defensive areas or
lines, as by paired machineguns firing an interlocked crossing
barrier. See DEPUY FOXHOLE, LINK AMMO, MG, RANGE CARD; compare
HOSE, MAD MINUTE.
-
FPO :
-
Fleet Post Office; compare APO. [nb: 5-digit Zone Improvement
Code (ZIP) (invented by Robert A. Moon in 1944) introduced 1963;
9-digit ZIP+4 code introduced 1983]
-
FPS :
-
(ef-pee-ess) Federal Protective Service, being the force of
security guards that monitor and patrol government installations;
also known as "square-badge" or "rent-a-cop"; see SENTRY, POLICE.
-
FRAG :
-
the common term for any anti-personnel GRENADE, primarily
referring to the fragmentation GRENADE; also known as pineapple,
lemon, baseball, hand-bomb, hand-grenade, or splinter-grenade.
See CS, WP, POP SMOKE, compare GAMMON GRENADE, SHRAPNEL, BLOOPER,
RIFLE GRENADE, RPG, CBU, GUAVA BOMBS, SOUP CAN, SPOON.
[frag: fragment, fragmentization, fragmentize, frangibility,
fractionate, disintegrate, disintegration, smithereen, smither,
shard, chip, brickbat, piece, particle, atomize, atomization]
-
FRAGGING :
-
slang for the murder of unpopular leaders, strict supervisors, or
incompetent commanders by a misfit or vigilante; also called
FRATRICIDE. Compare FRIENDLY FIRE, BLANKET PARTY.
[nb: the 19th Century expression: "damage his pepper box", meant
an attempt to assassinate the master-at-arms by dropping a round
shot on his head from aloft or through an open hatchway]
-
FRAGO :
-
(forthcoming);
see FIELD EXPEDIENT, CROSS-DECKING, AD HOC
-
FRAG ORDER :
-
FRAGmentary Order; a partial movement or action order, being the
most important part(s). See WARNING ORDER, ORDER, DANCE CARD.
-
FRAG REPORT :
-
fragmentary report; a partial status report.
-
FRAISE :
-
a defense consisting of pointed stakes, in a horizontal or an
inclined position, projecting from the ramparts. See ABATIS,
PUNJI STAKE, CALTROP, HEDGEHOG, BOLLARD, DRAGON'S TEETH. [cf:
palisade]
-
FRATERNIZATION :
-
to consort or associate cordially with members of a hostile group
is strictly prohibited; as between enlisted and commissioned
RANKs, between male and female MIL-PERS, between constabulary and
civilians in occupied or pacified territory. Usually cited as
"non-FRATERNIZATION" or "anti-FRATERNIZATION" regulations; which
rules promote authority over common sense, and are absurd in
combat areas. See RIGHT ARM.
-
FRATRICIDE :
-
to intentionally cause the death of an ally in combat; also known
as FRAGGING, and distinguished from FRIENDLY FIRE or SHORT-SHOT.
-
FREE :
-
the franking mark, printed in lieu of a stamp, indicating that
"no postage is required" on letters sent from the combat zone, as
used during and after WWII as a privilege extended to MIL-PERS
serving overseas; such franking provision defrays individual
expense by inclusion in the government budget. See MAIL CALL,
SUGAR REPORT, JODY.
-
FREEBOARD :
-
the portion of the side of a vessel's HULL that's above the
water; in particular, the distance between the uppermost fully
watertight DECK and the demarcated official load-line. See DRAFT,
LOAD-LINE MARK, PLIMSOLL MARK, GUNWALE, BOARD, STRAKE.
-
FREEDOM BIRD :
-
any aircraft on which you departed Vietnam, that
returned you to America; see THE WORLD, LAND OF THE BIG PX.
-
FREEDOM FIGHTER :
-
Northrop F-5 /-5A /-5B fighter aircraft; compare TIGER II. Also,
an appellation for a partisan, GUERRILLA, or other insurgent
IRREGULARS resisting tyranny and oppression; coined in 1956
Hungarian Revolt; see CIVILIAN, compare TERRORIST. [v: 21 Apr
1862 Partisan Ranger Act by Confederate States of America; re:
John Hunt Morgan, John S. Mosby, J.H. McNeill, Harry Gilmor, and
Elijah V. White]
-
FREE FALL :
-
|
novelty Mary Poppins
HAHO para JSD
|
|
commonly called "skydiving", Military Free Fall (MFF)
parachuting is self-deployed (no STATIC LINE), self-regulated (no
JUMPMASTER), and extremely varied (including tracking, paraglide,
relative work (RW), etc) from different altitudes and aircraft.
MFF was used for special operations in Southeast Asia, and
includes HALO (High Altitude Low Opening), HAHO (High Altitude
High Opening), and LALO (Low Altitude Low Opening). See
PARACHUTE, HARP, RIGGER, PJ, GABRIEL, MISSING MAN FORMATION;
compare AIRDROP, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP.
-
FREE FIRE ZONE :
-
any area in which permission was not required prior to engaging
the enemy; later called a "kill box". See RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
(ROE), RFZ, NFZ, COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
-
FRENCH FLU :
-
an exhibition or instance of cowardice, sometimes contagious;
although nobody in combat is brave all the time, this widely used
expression exemplifies the American perception of the character
of French forces (and, by extension, any equally timorous army),
who are both arrogantly demanding and rudely ungrateful ... while
losing every war since the French Revolution, they have entangled
their allies and promoted defeatism. See WHITE FLAG, STRIKE THE
FLAG, SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT, WHITE FEATHER, LILY-LIVERED;
compare MACHO, HERO, MOXIE, GUTS, DIEHARD, WINTER SOLDIER, BATTLE
CRY, GUNG-HO, WETSU, GUSTO.
-
FRENCH LEAVE :
-
a departure without ceremony, notice, or permission, as to be
Absent WithOut Leave (AWOL); distinguished from desertion by
one's intent to return to duty.
-
FRESH CATCH / FRESH CAUGHT :
-
in NavSpeak, being newly assigned or recently promoted; see
NUGGET, CHUM, POLLYWOG, CHERRY, FNG, NEWBEE.
-
FRESNEL UNITS :
-
mobile spotlights for illuminating the base PERIMETER.
[nb: in WWII, during the fall of 1944 and the winter of 1945,
when the Allies were advancing into Germany, spotlights aimed at
the underside of low cloud cover bounced light beams off that
were used to create "artificial moonlight", being a diffuse
ambient illumination similar to that produced during a full moon,
which supplemental light was adequate to sustain night operations
without exposing or highlighting the ploy, as does a flare]
-
FREQ :
-
(freak) radio frequency, as measured in megahertz or
megacycles; see AM, FM, HF, VHF, UHF, PUSH, GUARD, SSI, SURF,
HITCHHIKE, HOPSCOTCH, RADIO.
-
FREQUENT WIND :
-
(forthcoming); compare PASSAGE TO FREEDOM.
-
FRIENDLIES :
-
U.S. troops, allies, or anyone not on the other side (FOE); see
ALLY, BLUE FORCE, GREEN FORCE; compare GRAY FORCE, PURPLE FORCE,
ORANGE FORCE, RED FORCE, OPFOR, BANDIT, BAD GUYS, BELIEVER.
-
FRIENDLY AIR ASSETS :
-
allied air support, especially US.
-
FRIENDLY FIRE :
-
a euphemism to describe air, artillery or small-arms fire from
Allied forces that is accidentally or mistakenly directed at or
impacting upon other Allied personnel or positions; also called
"misadventure" and BLUE ON BLUE. See SHORT-SHOT; compare
FRATRICIDE, FRAGGING, GREEN ON GREEN, BLANKET PARTY.
[nb: comparative casualty rates of FRIENDLY FIRE from WWI @ 3%
through VN @ 5% to GW @ 35%; attributed to deadlier weapons,
diminished reaction time, and inappropriate training methods]
-
FRIES :
-
Fast Rope Insertion / Extraction system, which uses 45mm / 1.77"
polyester rope with a tensile strength of 35,000# at 60-120'
length, having an I-beam attachment on standing end for hooking
the helicopter and six bridle attachments on the trailing end for
STABO-vest hookups, and used by sliding down as on a fireman's
pole, which is faster than RAPPELLING, offering less exposure
into HOT LZs.
-
FROCKED :
-
invested with status or RANK, which may be a temporary
appointment or preliminary to permanent promotion; see ACTING
JACK, GADGET, BREVET.
[nb: while FROCKED is the authorization to wear RANK of higher
GRADE, but without benefits and without actual authority, a
BREVET bestows the actual authority, but without the pay of a
promotion; so a frocked BG cannot legally order a COL but a
brevet BG can, however, since a frocked BG will eventually be
confirmed in GRADE, any COL who doesn't obey the order of a
frocked BG will have problems later; to anyone not privy to these
nuances, a FROCKED or BREVET RANK is indistinguishable from the
actual permanent GRADE]
-
FROGMAN / FROGMEN :
-
U.S. Navy UDT explosives specialists, originating in WWII with
SEABEE (Construction Battalion) engineers, trained for underwater
demolition, mine warfare, and salvage with the then new SCUBA
apparatus; the requirement for PARACHUTE qualification was added
later. A FROGMAN trainee is informally called a TADPOLE
-
FROGMARCH :
-
to force a person to walk in a squatting posture with the arms
firmly pinioned behind the back; this is a form of humiliating
punishment imposed upon captives and prisoners, inasmuch as the
restrained arms, unavailable for balance, tilt the body forward,
and impart a staggering or stumbling hop to their gait ... this
manner of compulsory locomotion is slow and painful and quite
exhausting. Compare DUCK-WALK, LOW-CRAWL, DITTY-BOP; see TAKE A
KNEE, SQUAT, PAIN, GAUNTLET, TORTURE.
-
FRONT LEANING REST :
-
the push-up position, being a common strength training exercise
performed with the prone body held rigidly straight from head to
heels, propped on hands and toes, while raising from and lowering
to a horizontal plane with the arms; also known as the "press-up"
or just plain "leaning rest" position. The push-up is one of the
physical training (PT) exercises performed in the DAILY DOZEN and
tested annually by the Physical Competency and Proficiency Test
(PCPT), but is most commonly utilized as a form of mild
harassment or punishment. In elite training centers, such as
AIRBORNE and RANGER, when one unit member is singled-out for
punishment with the unofficial injunction to DROP or "Hit it!",
all members of that unit will immediately join the exercise in a
voluntary expression of solidarity (v: WETSU). Variants of the
standard push-up, whether as intensifiers or torments, include:
fingertip, knuckle, elbow-tuck, uneven, one-arm, hand-stand,
diamond, bridge or Hindu, creep-dip or Chinese, clap or
plyometric, and so forth. See SQUAT, PAIN.
-
FRONT LINE :
-
the advance part of a military operation; the battle line or LINE
OF BATTLE for carrying out combat operations, also called the
"front" or FEBA, and sometimes spelled "front-line". Also, the
forefront in any field or activity; see FIRING LINE. Also, being
highly proficient in the performance of one's duties.
-
FROST CALL :
-
Fast Response On Short Transmission call, being a rapid
notification system used to send brief messages from a central
point to a large audience of military and civilian government
employees, who are often widely dispersed. FROST CALLs are sent
to persons on a preapproved TELECON list or to addressees on a
prearranged network of Global Access List (GAL). Messages
typically schedule or cancel important events, disseminate
necessary information about a crisis or emergency, or transmit
other essential broadcasts to all affected parties. These
messages are not used for routine traffic, for material that is
not urgent or time critical, for quasi- or unofficial
correspondence, and shall not be used for personal or private
communication. This is not a secure communications network for
classified material, nor a defense alert or emergency
notification network. FROST CALLs are approved by or sent in the
name of the commander. Compare TELEPHONE TREE.
-
FROZEN SMOKE :
-
(forthcoming); AeroGel
see DARPA, SOTA.
-
FRUIT FLY :
-
a reporter, journalist, photojournalist, stringer, correspondent,
or commentator; term probably related to "gadfly", implying
meaningless annoyance, and also known as "magpie" or "vulture".
With a few notable exceptions, these professional liars and
pampered poltroons fed like scavengers on the FIVE O'CLOCK
FOLLIES, and feasted like ghouls on perverted WAR STORIES, under
the majestic guise of the Fourth Estate proving its conclusions!
These self-indulgent bullyraggers, writing primarily for their
own sycophantic coterie of censors, imagine that their pontifical
pronouncements and profound prognostications have anointed them
as soothsayers of the realm. Their deliberate distortions and
misinformation, designed to pervert the facts and persuade the
public, presumes that everyone is too stupid or gullible to
detect their transparent falsehoods, since they themselves are
unable to distinguish between a "big story" and the BIG LIE. They
would rather be first than right, dead than wrong, and will
invent a story or source if nothing better exists. See BEST AND
BRIGHTEST, FIFTH COLUMN, RUMOR, DISINFORMATION, CONTROLLED
INFORMATION, PROPAGANDA, FALSE FLAG, PSYOPS; compare WHITE
PROPAGANDA. [nb: "Reporters here would like to see us lose the
war to prove they are right ...." by Marguerite Higgins, p380 in
The First Casualty by Philip Knightley (1975); "It has
long appeared to me that ... the media on Viet Nam, it has become
blatantly obvious, have enjoyed even greater advantages. Even in
the most flagrant cases, they have not been blamed. They have,
rather, been acclaimed for their errors." by Robert Elegant, "How
to Lose A War: The Press And Viet Nam" pp 73-90 in
Encounter (vol LVII no 2, August 1981)]
[nb: the neologism "pollaganda" / "polloganda" (poll +
propaganda) has been coined to identify the representation of
biased samples, slanted surveys, special pleading arguments, and
ex-parte news depicted as authentic or authoritative] [v: Myths of the Vietnam War]
-
FRUIT SALAD :
-
a display or an array of colorful ribbons, representing their
equivalent pendant medals (ie: valor, merit, service, campaign),
as worn on CLASS-A / service dress uniforms of all branches; a
rectangular section of the distinctive suspension ribbon on a
pendant medal, or a ribbon bar so designed without a matching
medal, that must be worn in a strictly hierarchal order that is
incomprehensible to the uninformed. This arrangement of ribbon
bars, also known as "ribbon candy", often includes select combat
or qualification badges (eg: CIB, CMB, CAB, PARACHUTE, PILOT,
etc). See SCRAMBLED-EGGS, BOLO BADGE, Q-TAB, GONG, TRASH, WINGS,
CORD, DEVICE.
[nb: the devices that cover the mounting prongs that attach the
insignia to the uniform, holding the two parts together, are
variously sized, and are called "fasteners", "clip fastener",
"clutch fastener", "clutch back fastener", "pinch fastener",
"butterfly fastener", or "dammits"] [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] [nb: pagan Norsemen awarded
metallic bracelets in recognition of meritorious or valorous
deeds]
-
FSB :
-
(f-s-b) Fire Support Base, sometimes called "Fire Base" (FB); a
semifixed artillery base, established to increase indirect fire
coverage of an operational area, often secured by an infantry or
cavalry unit. These FSBs dotted VN, and usually comprised three
or four HOWITZERs with crews. See BIVOUAC, FOB, STRONGPOINT,
LITTLE AMERICA.
-
FSO :
-
abbreviation for Foreign Service Officer, US Dept of State;
the Embassy staff members with the most frequent and genuine
contact with the host country's people through intermittent field
work. See CT, USDAO, ADV.
-
FSSF :
-
First Special Service Force; elite WWII Canadian-American
infantry regiment that was NICKNAMEd the "Devil's Brigade" after
the unofficial mascot and talisman adopted when their German
adversaries called them BLACK DEVILs; the lineage of this
AIRBORNE unit was passed to the U.S. Army Special Forces (USSF).
-
FST :
-
Forward Surgical Team, which has superseded the MASH as an
intermediate medical treatment facility between the AID STATION
and the Combat Support Hospital (CSH) in supporting military
actions at brigade and higher levels. See SICK CALL, EVAC, FIELD
HOSP, MEDEVAC, CHOP SHOP.
-
FTA :
-
abbreviation for Fun - Travel - Adventure, from an Army
recruiting advertisement; immediately re-interpreted into the
derogatory phrase, "Fuck the Army", as used by frustrated
soldiers. It was alternatively translated as "Fool The
Authorities", or "Future Targets of America", and was often
publically re-interpreted for polite society to mean "Fire The
Artillery" or "Farewell To Arms". Also, abbreviation of the 1st
Cavalry Division's "First Team Academy", being an introductory
program designed to inform newly assigned personnel of unit
standard operating procedures (SOP), of immediate action (IA)
practices, and of security protocols; 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 badly
chosen initials of the political action group named the
"Committee to Re-Elect the President" (CREeP) setup on behalf of
Richard M. Nixon. See CHARM SCHOOL, compare COC, ACTA.
-
FTX :
-
(ef-tee-ecks) Field Training eXercise, or Field eXercise (FX).
Repeated rehearsals made it imperative that "This is NOT a
drill." be announced when actually signaled for enemy action or
real battle stations. See GQ; compare CPX, JTFEX, MILES, OPFOR,
ROBIN SAGE.
-
FUBAR :
-
short for "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair" or "... Beyond All
Recognition", or more euphemistically as "fouled up beyond any
restoration", when referring to impossible situations, methods,
equipment, or people. Variants of "... all repair" or "... any
repair" include "... recognition", "... restoration",
"... redemption", "... reality", "... reason", or any other
appropriate substitution conveying a similar meaning. See
PVT SNAFU, FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP, CLUSTER FUCK, WTFO, SOL, BOHICA.
[nb: The Three Brothers, a 1944 U.S. Army animated short
film that was directed by Friz Freleng, portrays a character
named Fubar as being the brother of Privates Snafu and Tarfu;
computer programmers purportedly used the abbreviation "FBR"
(Fucked Beyond Repair) as shorthand to express their frustrations
with coding and compiling during the post-VIETNAM WAR era; and
according to one imaginative etymologist, FUBAR may have been
influenced by the German word "furchtbar", meaning 'terrible',
during and after WWII]
-
FUBB :
-
literally "Fucked Up Beyond Belief", and also expressed as
"FUBBed-up", or more euphemistically as "fouled up ...", with a
meaning similar to other scenarios. See FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP,
CLUSTER FUCK, WTFO, SOL, BOHICA.
-
FUCK / FUCKED / FUCKING :
-
the most notorious dysphemism for sex, sexual relations, sexual
intercourse, coitus, coition, venery, copulation, fornication,
commerce, congress, seduction, knowledge; also known as ball,
bang, bop, boink, bone dancing, buck the tiger, bury the banana,
diddle/DIDDLY, get ashes hauled, get laid, get stuffed, hide the
hotdog, HUMP, sink the salami, screw. Obscenity has been used for
every part of speech and rhetorical form, including tmesis (eg:
absoFUCKINGlutely), to the dismay of purists, and the enrichment
of our mother-tongue! See SMACK, TALK TRASH, GODDAM, CHURNING
BUTTER, BOOM-BOOM, SHORT-TIME, SHACK-JOB, BUTTERFLY, HAT TRICK,
DAISY CHAIN, TRICK, DU, STEAM 'n' CREAM, HOOKUP, HELL ON WHEELS,
ACT OF CONGRESS, CHOWING DOWN, HUMMERR, BUSH PILOT, MUFF DIVER,
LOVE HANDLES.
[nb: in his renown 1948 novel, The Naked and the Dead,
Norman Mailer coined the word "fug" as a substitute for the then
socially offensive vulgarity which is now commonplace]
[nb: according to the CounterCulture: "Fuck is a
bad word but not a bad thing; yet war is a bad
thing but not a bad word!"; which extends to: "If I can do it
then I can say it; so if I shouldn't do it then there shouldn't
be a word for it!" ... so by this fungible illogic, anything can
be re-defined into or out of existence]
-
FUCKED-UP :
-
common description or attribution of disaster, calamity,
catastrophe, ruination, misadventure, mishap, or fiasco; as in
the classic "A sucking chest wound is God's way of telling you
that you've really FUCKED-UP!". Sometimes expressed in rhyming
slang as "fucked duck", and by extension to "fuck the duck". See
SNAFU, FUBAR, FUBB, TARFU, SAPFU, MOAFU, UFU, SAFU, GFU, FUMTU,
SUSFU, CLUSTER FUCK, SCREW THE POOCH, SEAT OF THE PANTS, SHIT HIT
THE FAN, FLAP, SOL, WTFO, PYHOOYA, BOHICA, PVT SNAFU.
[nb: "If things are going really well then the military will find
a way to fuck things up!"]
-
FUCK-UP :
-
synonymous with DUD, POGUE, PUKE, DEADHEAD, LOOSE CANNON,
YARDBIRD, MAGGOT, PYHOOYA, TURD, GOLDBRICK, SOS, SMACK, SHIT
MAGNET, FIELD REJECT. Also, synonymous with FUCKED-UP; see SNAFU,
FUBAR, FUBB, TARFU, SAPFU, MOAFU, UFU, SAFU, GFU, FUMTU, SUSFU,
CLUSTER FUCK, SCREW THE POOCH, SEAT OF THE PANTS, SHIT HIT THE
FAN, FLAP, SOL, WTFO, PYHOOYA, BOHICA, PVT SNAFU.
-
FUEL LADDER :
-
a precautionary calculation of the predicted fuel usage, computed
to reference (RP) and WAY POINTs, for flying a specific mission;
a vital estimate for fixed-wing SORTIEs with few alternatives for
landing or diverting. See PETROL, POL, JUICE.
-
FUF :
-
Fella Up Front; slang for a PILOT, especially a JET JOCKEY or
FAG. Compare GIB.
-
FUGLEMAN :
-
model soldier or SUPER-TROOPER, a paradigm or archetype; someone
who leads by example. Originally derived from the specimen or
demonstrator placed before a unit for others to emulate. Compare
TOY SOLDIER, MACHO, WANNABE, HOT DOG, COWBOY; see HARD CHARGER,
BOOMER, SWEAT HOG, OLD SWEAT, BOY WONDER, TOP DOG. [v: expert,
master, virtuoso]
-
FUJITA SCALE :
-
a scale indicating the speed or force of cyclonic wind, as that
of a tornado or waterspout. The word 'tornado' is a metathetic
variant of "tronada", a violent thunderstorm; characterized as a
violent funnel-shaped windstorm occurring over localized land.
The word 'cyclone', introduced in 1848 by British meteorologist
Henry Piddington, confused "wheel" with "revolve", but has since
been accepted as the denotation for the large-scale atmospheric
wind-and-pressure system that's characterized by low pressure at
its center and by circular wind motion (ie: counterclockwise in
the northern hemisphere, clockwise in the southern hemisphere). A
'waterspout' is a tornado at sea; and a 'tempest' is a violent
windstorm with rain. See BEAUFORT SCALE, SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE,
STORM WARNING, WINDSOCK, TELLTALE.
[nb: a 'typhoon' is a tropical cyclone or hurricane occurring in
the western Pacific ocean area,including the seas of China and
India; derived from "great wind" in Chinese dialect that was
altered by association with "violent wind" in Greek; cf: "divine
wind" (kamikaze) that prevented Kublai Khan's Mongol armada from
invading Japan in 1274 and 1281]
-
FULL BATTLE RATTLE :
-
rhyming slang meaning fully equipped for combat operations;
typically being the final preparation before departure and
execution; see COMBAT LOADED, MISSION READY, UNLIMBER, LOCK 'n'
LOAD, BATTAILOUS, OP TEMPO, FAT, GOOD TO GO, SADDLE-UP, MOVE OUT.
-
FULL BIRD / FULL BULL :
-
slang for a Colonel (COL, O-6), equivalent to a Naval Captain;
also called "chicken colonel", so called by resemblance to the
RANK insignia, and to distinguish from "lieutenant colonel
(LTC/LtCol, O-5). As with lieutenants and generals, it is
customary to address both GRADEs by the same title. Compare LIGHT
BIRD; see OFFICER, RANK.
-
FULL-COURT PRESS :
-
a relentless attack or vigorous offensive against all opposing
elements or strongholds, everywhere at once; not a concentrated
focus, but simultaneously distributed massive force that's
intended to be overwhelming. This phrase, an alleged Americanism,
purportedly alludes to defensive pressure on a basketball court,
but has antecedence in chess, where pressure for checkmate is
brought upon the royalty confined within the castling court ...
in Chinese chess, the court is permanently defined as a seige
area. Compare BLITZKRIEG.
-
FULRO :
-
Front Unite pour la Liberation des Races Opprimees, or
United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Peoples, being the
MONTAGNARD separatist movement; see BAJARHAKO.
-
FUMTU :
-
literally Fucked Up More Than Usual, or more euphemistically as
"fouled up ..."; see FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP, CLUSTER FUCK, WTFO, SOL,
BOHICA.
-
FUNERAL PACE :
-
the command to march in formation at half the regular tempo, set
at the rate of 30 steps per minute; compare QUICK TIME, DOUBLE
TIME; see CADENCE, PARADE.
-
FUO :
-
diagnostic abbreviation for Fever of Unknown Origin, usually
treated symptomatically, but may be psychosomatic response to
combat stress; often an intermittent stage of MALARIA, but may be
either Yellow (YELLOW JACK), Dengue (BONE BREAK FEVER), or
CHIKUNGUNYA Fever, as vectored by the aedes mosquito. Also
interpreted as "Fever of Undetermined Origin", and sometimes
abbreviated as FOUO (qv).
[cf: mysterious psychobiomedical maladies, such as identification
of "irritable heart disease" during post-CIVIL WAR era, and "Gulf
War syndrome" diagnosed after Desert Shield / -Storm operations]
-
FUSE :
-
a tube or cord filled with combustible matter or pyrotechnic
composition, which burns at a precise and predictable
rate, used for the ignition of explosives; also called
"fusee/fuzee". See SLOW MATCH, TRAIN; compare FUZE, DETONATOR,
WAR NOSE.
-
FUSELAGE :
-
the complete central structure to which the wing, tail surfaces,
and engines are attached on an airplane, as derived from
"spindle-shaped". See COCKPIT, TAILBOOM, NOSE, COWLING; compare
NACELLE.
-
FUSILLADE :
-
a simultaneous or continuous discharge of firearms; derived from
a musket ("fusil"), focus-fire. See SALVO, BROADSIDE, ENFILADE,
VOLLEY, STORM, FPL, DRUMFIRE, AT CLOSE QUARTERS.
-
FUZE :
-
triggering mechanism attached to the nose of an artillery shell,
aerial bomb, or other explosive detonated by proximity, timing,
or impact. See PROXIMITY FUZE, WHIZ BANG, WAR NOSE, DETONATOR,
DEACTIVATE; compare FUSE, TRAIN.
-
FWF :
-
abbreviation for Free World Forces; also known as Free World
Military Forces (FWMF) and Free World Military Assistance Forces
(FWMAF). Refers to the allied military elements of Australia, New
Zealand, Korea, Philippines, and Thailand, cooperating with U.S.
forces in support of South Vietnam.
-
FWT :
-
Fixed-Wing Transport; see BIRD.
-
FWU :
-
Fixed-Wing Utility; see BIRD.
-
FY :
-
Fiscal Year, being the budget period for tax appropriation
allocations; compare CY, JULIAN DATE, see TIME.
-
FYI :
-
For Your Information; see HEADS-UP, DOPE, POOP, BULLETIN, THE
WORD, HOT-SHIT, BOATSWAIN'S PIPE, BUGLE CALL, TANNOY; compare OLD
HAT.
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