COMBAT MilTerms: F

M I L T E R M S :

F : FOXTROT

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FA :

U.S. Army Field Artillery
Center and Fort Sill

USAFACFS

Field Artillery; compare AAA; see ARTY. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phao Binh Da Chien]

FAASV :

(forthcoming); Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle (M-992)

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, WAR FACE, BEARD THE LION. [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". See LONGHAIR.

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 (ROGUE'S MARCH) [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, CANNON-COCKER, TUBE MONKEY, REDLEG. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phao Thu (cannoneer)] Also, slang for Fighter Attack Guy, a JET JOCKEY or FUF; see GOOD STICK, BIRDMAN, PILOT. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phi Cong, Phi Hanh Gia] 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, BUTT, FIELD STRIP, POLICE CALL, STICK, SMOKER. [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."] [nb: just as sports cards and redemption coupons were included in select brands of cigarettes during the post-WWII era, a morale card featuring the motto "I shall return" and a picture of General Douglas MacArthur was enclosed in packs of "Lucky Strike" cigarettes during WWII as a reminder of his promise on behalf of America's commitment] [nb: cigarettes have been widely used as money in POW CAMPs due to their limited availability, easy portability, and ready divisibility] 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", chump, "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 atomic or nuclear blasts; also spelled "fall-out"; compare RAINOUT, see NUKE, EMP, BOMB, ZERO POINT, GROUND ZERO, WMD, CBR, SCRAM, CONTAINMENT, NEST. Also, the descending radioactive particles themselves; such ejecta or particulate (eg: strontium-90, potassium-40, carbon-14, and iodine-131) can contaminate food sources, pollute water supplies, and cause disease (eg: radiation sickness, leukemia, skin or bone cancer, and genetic damage). Also, a consequence or incidental effect, an outcome, outgrowth, upshot, offshoot, aftereffect, side-effect, aftermath, or by-product; see LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

FALLOUT SHELTER :

(forthcoming); HIDE, SAFE ROOM, BOMB SHELTER, ELEPHANT HUT, BUNKER, BLOCKHOUSE [v: Anderson shelter, Morrison shelter; cf: Svalbard "Doomsday" Global Vault in Spitsbergen] [v: Military Earthworks Terms]

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, "chompers", "champers", "choppers", 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.

FANK TRAINING COMMAND :

a combined advisory training program for the Forces Armees Nationale Khmer, or Forces Armee Nationes Khmeres, which was inaugurated in April 1970 by DET B-36, 5th SFGA, for the training of a new Cambodian army at three sites in Vietnam. When SPECIAL FORCES departed Vietnam in March 1971, the training cadre was redesignated as the U.S. Army Individual Training Group (FANK-UITG); in May 1972 the program was redesignated FANK TRAINING COMMAND, and finally in December 1972 as the Field Training Command. JUNGLE EXPERTs from Australia and New Zealand also served as instructors. When the program concluded at the end of January 1973, they had trained eighty-six light infantry and marine fusilier battalions for the Khmer Republic.

FANTAIL :

the open area near a vessel's STERN, also called the afterdeck, may have bulwarks; see TAFFRAIL, TRANSOM, 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, SHAKEDOWN, SLOP, RUBBER LADY, RACK, BERTH, BILLET. [v: bolster, futon, pallet, paillasse/palliasse, tick, mat, pad, cushion]

FASHION SHOW :

a form of harassment or punishment at military training facilities wherein the student dons, in rapid succession as directed for inspection, each of his complete uniforms, fatigue or dress, summer or winter, including field gear. Such a headlong PARADE is often followed by a meticulous inspection of the student's quarters (QTRS), which usually demoralizes and frustrates the trainee further. Although it seems (at the time) to be a circus for bestowing demerits, the objective of this ordeal is to lard the student with petty stress to ascertain the level of his determination and resourcefulness. See ADY, GIG, TURD, SHIT LIST, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, BOX THE COMPASS, DROP, FRONT LEANING REST, AIRMAN ALIGNMENT TOOL, BLANKET PARTY, SQUEEZE.

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, BLOWER, JUICE, BUSTER, AFTERBURNER, SONIC BOOM, MACH. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phi Co Phan Luc] Also, any successfully talented or aggressively ambitious MIL-PERS, who's also called "fast burner"; see BOOMER, HARD CHARGER, SWEAT HOG, SUPER-TROOPER, HOT DOG, HOT SHOT, FIGJAM, 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, capable, satisfied, ready, replete, needing nothing, that was often expressed as "fat and happy" or "fat, dumb, and happy"; sometimes spelled "phat", 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, SWEAT, SCRUB, ASSHOLES 'n' ELBOWS, SQUARED AWAY, SHIPSHAPE, HOUSECLEANING. Also, an individual's recurrent work or assignment; see EVOLUTION, DUTY, DUTY ROSTER, WATCH BILL.

FATIGUE JACKET :

the shirt or blouse that was worn with pants or trousers to form the work uniform known as FATIGUES; not to be confused with the lightweight coat worn over this shirt that was known as a FIELD JACKET; both of which bore insignia of RANK, unit PATCHes, name tapes, BOLO badges and Q-TABs.

FATIGUES :

standard work/combat uniform, green in color; informally known as "battle fatigues", and 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 a 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", "Fart Barf and Itch", "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 2001 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.

FCSC :

the Fire Control Systems Coordinator in the Combat Information Center (CIC) aboard ship.

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.

FEAR :

a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, or some similar provocation, whether the threat is real or imagined; an anxious or apprehensive condition, as derived from "ambush". See FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT, TELESCOPING, THOUSAND-YARD STARE, PTSD. [nb: those adjustments, especially the mechanical and technical ones, that are intended to make risky situations safer, only result in making them more complicated and, paradoxically, more hazardous; because order and consistency are abnormal, accidents and mistakes are inherently normal, so risk management is an essential constituent of living] [nb: "A person whose courage lies in daring will meet death. A person whose courage lies in not daring will encounter life. Of the two courses, either may be beneficial or harmful." by Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching]

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, DODGE THE BULLET, TAP-DANCER, SLACKER, 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, ICE-CREAM SUIT, DRESS WHITES, WITH BELLS ON, CONTRAFOIL, 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.

FEDERAL STOCK NUMBER :

an inventory number of an item of supply that consists of the 4-digit class code, plus a sequentially assigned 7-digit item number, which is arranged as ####-###-####. Federal Stock Numbers were replaced by National Stock Numbers effective 30 September 1974. See NSN, LOG, QM, SUPPLY.

FEET DRY :

expression used by carrier-based PILOTs to indicate when over land for target approach (reciprocal of FEET WET announcement on return flight).

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, AFIP, 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.

FFE :

abbreviation for FIRE FOR EFFECT; which is a FIRE MISSION wherein all ordnance is aimed at the enemy target in continuous firing after first adjusting the POINT OF IMPACT.

FFIR :

Friendly Force Information Requirements; see CCIR, PIR, IR, MI, INTEL.

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; also known as "urban combat", "urban warfare", and "house-to-house fighting". See MOUT, MOUSE HOLE, BREACHER, STACK, HOUSEWARMING, KILL HOUSE.

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, RAMBO, 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 :

acronym meaning 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 ARMY :

8 Army

7 Army

an administrative and tactical organization composed of a headquarters, certain organic Army troops, service support troops, a variable number of corps, and a variable number of divisions. See DIV, CORPS, ARMY GROUP.

FIELD CAP :

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, LEAST RESISTANCE, 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, GLASS, 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. The FIELD HOSP is known as a "Fleet Hospital" in the Navy and Marines. 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 or gymnasium.

FIELD JACKET :

a thigh-length lightweight 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; not to be confused with the FATIGUE JACKET. 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, PUKE, POGUE, YARDBIRD, TURD, FUCK-UP, 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#), also known as "Ma Deuce", 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. [nb: in 1983, the MK19-3 40mm grenade machinegun (@72.5#), being a belt-fed, blowback-operated, and air-cooled automatic weapon for delivering decisive firepower against enemy personnel and lightly armored vehicles to an effective range of 2200m, replaced the M-2 heavy machinegun as the primary suppressive weapon in vehicle-mounted combat support operations]

FIFTY-FIRST STATER / 51ST STATER :

facetious reference to any pro-American who verbally defends the policies of the United States, typically being a citizen of a nation (such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Puerto Rico, or Israel) whose politics, economics, or culture are compatible, if not aligned, with those practiced in the USA; may be self-deprecatory or malign. See CLIENT STATE, NATION BUILDING, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, UGLY AMERICAN.

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, JUST WAR, WAR POWERS ACT, GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY, BIG STICK DIPLOMACY, SABER-RATTLING, HAIR-TRIGGER, HALF-COCKED, GUNPOINT, SILENT INSOLENCE, BATTLE, WAR, ANTEBELLUM, 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, BEARD THE LION.

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, DISSOCIATION, OBJECTIFICATION, PTSD, BLACKOUT, FLASHBACK, THOUSAND-YARD STARE, FUO.

FIGJAM :

an Australian acronym meaning Fuck I'm Good – Just Ask Me, which has been borrowed by American COUNTERPARTs associated with ASAS or NZSAS during advisory or SPECIAL OPERATIONS missions; an expression of self-confidence and accomplishment that's typical of highly talented and motivated MIL-PERS. See SWEAT HOG, DEEP DIP, GOLDEN BOY, HARD CHARGER, HOT SHOT, BALLS TO THE WALL, FAST MOVER, BOOMER, SUPER-TROOPER, FUGLEMAN, TOP DOG, BRAGGING RIGHTS.

FIGMO :

acronym literally means "Fuck It, Got My Orders!", or more politely "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; also known as the "Short-timer's Disease". See DEROS, ETS, WAKE-UP, SHORT-TIMER. [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. Compare BURN BAG; see GI CAN, 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, which authorizations are not released to the public until declassified. Also, a decision or verdict after judicial inquiry. See REPORT, WHITE PAPER, ANNEX, PAPER BULLET, RED TAPE, RAPPORTEUR. [v: dossier; cf: bout de papier, aide-memoire] [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 LOCK 'n' LOAD, BORE, BREECH, GUNLOCK, 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, or shootout. See CONTACT, CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG; 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 MOONBEAM, 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 :

after adjusting the POINT OF IMPACT, it's a FIRE MISSION wherein all ordnance is aimed at the enemy target in continuous firing; abbreviated "FFE".

FIREHOUSE :

slang for the boiler room aboard ship; also called "fire room". [nb: not a "fire station"]

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, FFE, TOT, FSB, CREW-SERVED WEAPONS, ARTY, REDLEG, TANK, MORTAR.

FIREPOWER :

the size, degree, or amount of force capable of being brought onto any specific target, as measured by military units or weapons systems; also expressed as stopping power or throw-weight, and sometimes spelled "fire-power". Also, the ability, or potential, of elements or munitions to produce certain actions or deliver probable results. [nb: the effective impact of wound ballistics has been tested since the mid-1800s on dogs, rabbits, goats, pigs, cattle, human cadavers and even condemned criminals in order to obtain the most efficient combination of projectile shape, weight, and composition propelled by the optimum charge; the use of ballistic gelatin, a uniform substance that lends itself to comparative calculations, as a determinant of lethal or non-lethal "stopping power" is not as informative but more humane]

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 'n' AWE. Compare FLOWER WAR; see WATERWORKS, LOOM, 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, ELEPHANT DANCE. 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 PIT :

a fortified place for indirect-fire CREW-SERVED WEAPONS; an EMPLACEMENT or BARBETTE.

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".

1SG :

abbreviation for First SerGeant, being the non-commissioned officer (NCO) grade (E-8) between Sergeant First Class (E-7) and Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major (E-9), and represented by three chevrons above three ROCKERs with a centered diamond (lozenge) as sleeve rank insignia. This rank is rated equal to Master Sergeant (MSG); and is commonly known as TOP, TOP DOG, or FIRST SHIRT. See SARGE, BUCK, RIGHT ARM, NCO, SUPER GRADE, RATING, GRADE, RANK. [nb: Vietnamese term: Thuong Si]

FIRST SHIRT :

Army 1SG

Marine 1SG

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 in Kampong Cham Province 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.

FIVE-TON :

any tactical TRUCK with a cargo capacity of 5-tons, such as the M-953, M-939, M-52A2; compare DEUCE-AND-A-HALF.

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, PATRIOT'S 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] Also, the birthday of the U.S. Army is coincident with FLAG DAY on 14 June (1775).

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; see AIRBURST. 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!"] Also, an informal term for interference with detection, transmission, or other signals; see NOISE, CHAFF, MUSIC. Also, opposition or resistance, such as back-talk; see STATIC.

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] [nb: like the plate armor worn by European knights, the privileged Gilbert Islanders (Kiribati) wore impregnable body armor made of twisted coconut husks that was so heavy and inflexible that the wearer was immobilized, having to be carried on and off the battlefield like a statue] [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]

FLAMETHROWER :

a device, either mounted or portable, that sprays ignited incendiary fuel for some distance toward a target; see ZIPPO, NAPALM. [v: pyromachy]

FLAMING ASSHOLE :

dysphemistic slang for full military power or AFTERBURNER due to the "lighting off" appearance of the jet exhaust, especially as seen from behind or in TRAIL position. See JUICE, BUSTER, BLOWER, SONIC BOOM, JET PROPULSION.

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.

FLANK SPEED :

the maximum possible speed of a ship; in the progression of prescribed standard speeds, an increase faster than full speed.

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] [cf: snowblink, iceblink] 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 caliber GUN TUBE 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 HOT LINE, TTY, TWX, RADIO, TELECON.

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, WATERWORKS, DISSOCIATION, OBJECTIFICATION, CONVERSION SYMPTOMS.

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, MCCM. [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 :

angle-head
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 flattopped BUZZ haircut favored by the career MIL-PERS; as distinguished from the long-haired HIPPIE civilian. See WHITE WALLS, HIGH 'n' TIGHT, FLATTOP, LIFER, HOMESTEADER, BRASS HAT, TICKET-PUNCHER, RING-KNOCKER. [v: glaber/glabrous; cf: roach, hog]

FLAT LIGHT :

(forthcoming); see WHITEOUT, BROWN-OUT, ZERO-ZERO, GOO, WEATHER EYE, MET MESSAGE, 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, CATAPULT, LPH, WARSHIP, BOUNCE, FIELD CARRIER LANDING, OPIUM DEN, ISLAND, VULTURE'S ROW. [nb: aircraft carrier islands are situated on the starboard side of the flight deck because early propeller-driven aircraft turned to the left more easily, as an effect of engine torque, so would turn more readily in that direction whenever waved-off from landing, therefore the island superstructure was more out of the way on the opposite side; once situated on the starboard side for cause, that configuration remains by convention, and even with the angled deck, there is no advantage in changing its location] [nb: a few land-based aircraft have been flown to and from aircraft carriers with minimal modification, notably the Mitchell B-25 light bomber, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, and U-2 Dragon Lady; the presence of an arresting TAILHOOK on US Air Force jets does not make them eligible for FLATTOP landings, since their airframe and landing gear are not designed to withstand the forces involved. These slow-speed and rugged land-based aircraft were successful because they were not launched by catapult nor assisted in landing by an arresting wire. Although the C-130 was modified with anti-skid brakes, it was too large to fit in a carrier's hangar deck, so the smaller Grumman C-2 Greyhound was developed instead; the U-2 already had folding wings, so the landing gear was strengthened and an arresting tailhook was added. Modified U-2s were operationally flown from aircraft carriers during the Vietnam-era (U-2G/U-2J from USS Ranger and USS Kitty Hawk in 1964, U-2R from USS America in 1969)] [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, HIGH 'n' TIGHT. [v: glaber/glabrous; cf: roach, hog]

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.

FLEET :

the largest operational unit of naval ships organized for tactical or other purposes (eg: PACFLT, LANTFLT) and grouped under the command of a single officer; see SQDN, FLOTILLA, FLAGSHIP, CHOP LINE. Also, to change or shift position; as derived from "float". Also, those active duty assignments or stations where Navy and Marine personnel serve after training; being the "real" military.

FLEET ADMIRAL :

a wartime rank given to full Admirals in command of a FLEET; the insignia consists of five silver stars arranged in a circle, it's equivalent to General of the Army. Compare COMMODORE, ADMIRAL; see SKIPPER, FLAG OFFICER, LDR, CO.

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.

FLIGHTWORTHY :

an aircraft that's equipped and maintained in proper physical and mechanical condition to fly safely; also known as "airworthy". Compare ACOOC, HANGAR QUEEN.

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 HALF-MAST, QUARTERDECK FACE, WAR FACE, FACE. [nb: the pan is the depressed part of the lock holding the priming in old guns, so a "deadpan" facial expression derives from a musket's flash-pan being empty, that is, without any primer to set-off the charged barrel when the hammer falls to strike a spark of ignition]

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 [aka: jandal]. 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, RICE KRISPIES, CRISPY CRITTER, TADPOLE; see GRAVES REGISTRATION, MORTUARY AFFAIRS.

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, WILD SHOT, MAD MINUTE, BUSTING CAPS, HAPPY FIRE, RECON BY FIRE, ENFILADE; compare DOUBLE TAP.

FLOT :

Forward Line Of Troops; see FEBA, MLR, FCSL, PHASE LINE, LINE OF DEPARTURE.

FLOTILLA :

an administrative group or operational unit of naval vessels containing two or more squadrons (SQDN); see FLEET. [nb: Vietnamese term: Hai Doi]

FLOTSAM :

wreckage or refuse found floating on water; as derived from "float". See WAVESON, 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.

FLUFF 'n' BUFF :

slang reference to the more informal wear and appearance policies adopted for the Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU) worn by TOTAL FORCE volunteers (AVF) during the post-Vietnam era; these relaxed strictures permitted CAMMIES to be washed and fluff dried (without pressing), and FOOTWEAR to be polished and buffed (without spitshining). Criticized for making MIL-PERS look sloppy, it was a well intentioned attempt to eliminate CHICKEN SHIT by reducing SPIT 'n' POLISH, permitting a renewed focus on improved MIL-CRAFTs. Also, an individual so attired, especially for an inspection.

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, BIRD.

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. Compare COCKPIT, HELM, CONNING TOWER.

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 SKYCRANE, and NICKNAMEd "superhook"; see CHOPPER.

FLYING FORTRESS :

Boeing B-17 / RB-17G / F-9 four-engined bomber, NICKNAMEd "The Big Friend"; famous for flying 40% of precision daylight raids from England over Europe during WWII; compare SUPER FORTRESS, STRATOFORTRESS; see BIRD.

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, DASH TEN, 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

FMF :

abbreviation for Fleet Marine Force ... and more crudely as "Fighting MotherFuckers".

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, CHUM, SHOWER SHOE, NUGGET; compare RETREAD. [nb: showing an astonishing sophistication, a new Russian soldier in the USSR during WWII was known as an "ingénu" [masculine form of ingénue], which is both quite accurate and very descriptive]

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, SPOTTER, WATCHER.

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, ADVANCED BASE, BASE CAMP, BASE.

FOBBIT :

a derogatory or disparaging description of Coalition support personnel, both military and contract civilians, who never venture outside COMPOUNDs or BASE CAMPs, and exist entirely within the warrens of Iraq or Afghanistan; being a euphemism for REMF, this coinage was obtained by combining FOB with Hobbit (from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien). See LITTLE AMERICA, DODGE CITY, FOUR CORNERS, GROUNDHOG DAY; compare CLERKS 'n' JERKS, CANDY-ASS, CHAIRBORNE, ACETATE COMMANDO, POG, TOCROACH.

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]

FOFA :

Follow-On Forces Attack.

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, MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, 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] [nb: "The government is huge, stupid, greedy and makes nosy, officious and dangerous intrusions into the smallest corners of life – this much we can stand. But the real problem is that government is boring. We could cure or mitigate the other ills Washington visits on us if we could only bring ourselves to pay attention to Washington itself. But we cannot." by P.J. O'Rourke (1991)] [v: Diplomatic Terms]

THE FOG OF WAR :

classic allusion to the confusions and misperceptions inherent in the chaos of battle. No one knows what is occurring across the entire battlefield, but only in his vicinity; a leader with his men knows as much or as little as any of them, but a leader who is absent issues commands out of ignorance ... the choice is not between insight or its lack, but in having a little information or in having some misinformation. The new "eye in the sky" OVERSIGHT technology does not mitigate or ameliorate this phenomenon, but exacerbates and compounds it by giving COMMANDERs the illusion of omnipresence.

FOG-M :

Fiber Optic Guided Missile.

FOLLOW ME :

Inf Sch

infantry motto; Vietnamese term: 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 :

molded 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).

FOOTPRINT :

the area on the surface of the earth within a satellite's (SAT) transmitter or sensor field of view. Also, the number of personnel or the amount of resources physically present and occupying space at a deployed location, which serves as an indication of force capability. Also, an impression of the sole of a person's shod or unshod foot, or a mark left by the passage of a person or animal, group or vehicle; see PECKER TRACKS, CASTOFF, TRACE, TRAIL, TRACK.

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, BUSKINS, COMBAT BOOTS, JUMP BOOTS, JUNGLE BOOTS, DESERT BOOTS, TANKER BOOTS, MICKEY MOUSE BOOTS, BUNNY BOOTS, BATA BOOTS, HO CHI MINH SANDALS, FLIP-FLOP, SHOWER SHOE, LEGGING, PUTTEE, 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)] [nb: "Now, you mummy's darlings, get a rift on them boots. Definitely shine 'em, my little curly-headed lambs, for in our mob, war or no war, you die with clean boots on." by Gerald Kersh (1941)]

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, RANSACK, 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; compare DEATH MARCH.

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]

FORE 'n' AFT CAP :

NavSpeak for the GARRISON CAP or garrison hat; also spelled "fore-and-aft cap", and also known as a "Go To Hell" cap, flight cap, boat cap, flat cap, envelope cap, pisscutter, CUNT CAP, or OVERSEAS CAP. Compare BILLED CAP, SAUCER CAP, CRUSHER; see CAMPAIGN HAT, HEADGEAR. [nb: a Balmoral hat, which somewhat resembles a beret, and is traditionally blue (from the campaigning dress of the Blue Bonnets), and is often accented with a surrounding "diced" pattern (called "checky" after an accounting process of the Stewarts or High Stewards, from which "exchequer" derives) that symbolizes guardianship and protection; the boat-shaped Glengarry hats are of 19th century military origin]

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; sometimes spelled "fo'c'sle"; 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 AFFAIRS :

the activities and involvements of a nation that arise from its dealings with another nation, as directed by the head of state and confirmed by the legislature; see FOREIGN POLICY. [nb: not to be confused with sexual practices engaged beyond the domestic realm]

FOREIGN DEVIL :

any person not of one's own race or culture, especially an Occidental, such as a firange/firanji/farang or an 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]

FOREIGN POLICY :

a policy pursued by a nation that's designed to achieve national objectives when dealing with other nations, as directed by POTUS and confirmed by ACTs OF CONGRESS; see FOREIGN AFFAIRS, CLIENT STATE, GARRISON STATE, NATION BUILDING, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, REALPOLITIK, INTERVENTIONISM, CONTAINMENT, ISOLATIONISM, MIGHT MAKES RIGHT, THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS, DIME, PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE.

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.

FORT :

any site occupy by troops and surrounded by defenses; as derived from fortify (strong, strengthen). Also, any permanent Army BASE or installation; these locations are often given derisive or derogatory NICKNAMEs, including: Fort Beginning, Fort Useless, Fort Rile-Me, Fort Ordinary, Fort Lost-in-the-Woods, Fort Knocks, Fort Poke, Fort Dicks, Fort Moan Mouth, Fort Lose-Us, Fort De-Trick, Fort What-Juked-Ya, and so forth. See PUZZLE PALACE, MADHOUSE, STRONGPOINT, BLOCKHOUSE, FSB, FOB, AOB, MOB, MCB, BASE CAMP, COMPOUND, GARRISON, RESERVATION, SHADOW OF THE FLAGPOLE, LITTLE AMERICA.

FORTHWITH :

immediately, posthaste, quickly, promptly, pronto; Vietnamese term: Thuong Khan (extremely urgent). See ASAP, PDQ, CHOGI, CHOP CHOP, RIKI TIK, STAT, GOYA, HAUL-ASS, SCRAMBLE; compare TOCSIN, KLAXON.

FORTIFICATION :

see BLOCKHOUSE, BUNKER, PILLBOX, REDOUBT, CASEMATE, STRONGPOINT, STOCKADE, CONCRETE BATTLESHIP, TOMB, BOMB SHELTER, FALLOUT SHELTER, BLACK HOLE, BRIDGEHEAD, BOMB-PROOF, FOXHOLE, DFP, NDP, SPIDER HOLE, DEPUY FOXHOLE, HASTY TRENCH, SLIT TRENCH, BAILEY, EMPLACEMENT, GUN MOUNT, GUN PIT, TURRET, SPONSON, BARBETTE, BARBICAN, BULWARK, OUTWORK, ZIGZAG, HIDE, DUGOUT, GRENADE SUMP, BANQUETTE, BERM, REVETMENT, BLAST WALL, HESCO BARRIER, T-WALL, STAND-OFF, SANDBAG, DEAD SPACE, DEFILADE, BUTT, PERIMETER, FACE, FLANK, REFUSE, COVER, CONCEALMENT, EMBRASURE, FORT, FSB, FOB, AOB, MOB, MCB, BASE CAMP, COMPOUND, GARRISON, RESERVATION, LITTLE AMERICA. [v: Military Earthworks Terms]

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 :

(ef-oh-you-oh) For Official Use Only, a delimiter qualifying duplication and restricting distribution of CLASSIFIED documents; see NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION. Also, alternative diagnostic abbreviation for a 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]

FOURTH POINT OF CONTACT :

an elaborate euphemism for ass, arse, fanny, derrière; keister, fundament, nates, hindquarters, hind-end, honky-donk, hunky-dunk, haunches, rump, behind, posterior, booty, bum, rear, rear end, backside, bottom, buttocks or BUTT, being derived from the parachute landing fall (PLF), as in "Get off your FOURTH POINT OF CONTACT and get to work!" The actual fourth point of contact in a PLF is the meaty flank of the pelvis (so as to avoid injury to the coccyx or spine), but that kind of consequential detail is immaterial to the intent ... similar exaggeration is also used on "first point of contact" when directing subordinates to "Get on your feet!", and the "sixth point of contact" when relating that someone "... fell on his head!" This sentiment is also expressed as "Get Off Your Ass" (GOYA). [v: RECOIL]

FOXHOLE :

formally known as a "fighting hole", and officially known as a "Defensive Fighting Position" (DFP) or a "Night Defensive Position" (NDP); it has also been known as a "shelter hole", "skirmish pit", "picket hole", "fire pit", "rifle pit", "fighting pit", and called a "funk hole" by AUSSIE or KIWI troops from WWI German usage. A FOXHOLE is 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 the occupants to enhance or embellish this most basic of earthworks. 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."] [v: Military Earthworks Terms]

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.

FOXTROT :

the word assigned to represent the letter "F" in the international phonetic alphabet; at various times in different spelling schemes, it has also been acrophonetically represented as Fox. See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [v: Alphabet Codes & Signal Flags]

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"; compare PDS, PSD, USSS, BODYGUARD; 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] [nb: the attempted murder of then-Lieutenant Braxton Bragg by rolling a ignited artillery shell into his tent during the MEXICAN WAR may be the first recorded incidence of FRAGGING in the American military]

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, BOY'S CLUB.

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, WATERLINE, 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 :

Vietnam-era novelty Mary
Poppins High-Altitude High-Opening parachute badge

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, DRYBACK, CHERRY, SHOWER SHOE, 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] [cf: snowblink, iceblink]

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 [nb: Vietnamese term: Nguoi Nhai]

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!", "Push earth!" or "Beat your face!", 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, JUMPING JACK, 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.

FROSTING :

by analogy to the often decorative confection used to fill or coat baked goods, that sweetened persuasion that makes the bitterness of battle palatable, as when an appeal to patriotism or justice enables soldiers to endure the sacrifices and privations of war; such blandishments are also known as "icing" or "flummery", and sometimes called bunkum, claptrap, humbuggery, razzle-dazzle, hokum, fustian, turgidity, pomposity, bombast, malarkey, blarney. Also, a coating of ice on the surface of an object.

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 ex-parte 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 OLC, BATTLE STAR, V-DEVICE, DEVICE, SCRAMBLED-EGGS, BOLO BADGE, Q-TAB, GONG, TRASH, WINGS, CORD. [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", "clutch grip 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.

FSG :

FSN :

Federal Stock Number (qv); see NSN, LOG, QM, SUPPLY.

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; the 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 WWII AIRBORNE unit (5 July 1942 - 6 Feb 1945) was passed to the U.S. Army Special Forces (USSF / SF).

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, STX, 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.

FUBIJAR :

literally "Fucked Up But I'm Just A Reservist", and also more euphemistically expressed as "fouled up ...", which is either the plaintive excuse offered to military regulars for a substandard or unprofessional performance by a WEEKEND WARRIOR serving on active duty, or a sarcastic retort in response to excessive or unwarranted criticism of MILITIA by regulars. See NO EXCUSE, 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, shag, 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, STROKE BOOK. [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] [nb: some etymologists attribute the phrase "buck the tiger" to faro gambling, but can not explain its usage, however the same phrase is widely associated with lusty gratification, and needs no explanation; v: "They won't drink, they won't buck the tiger, they won't even fight." Roads of Destiny; "Nothing stronger than bouillon, not a chance to buck the tiger even for one moment...." Hagar's Daughter]

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, FUBIJAR, 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, FUBIJAR, CLUSTER FUCK, SCREW THE POOCH, SEAT OF THE PANTS, SHIT HIT THE FAN, FLAP, SOL, WTFO, PYHOOYA, BOHICA, PVT SNAFU. [nb: "I'm using the term in its generally accepted sense. A flake is not only a screw-up, but someone who truly excels in making bizarre errors and creating incredibly convoluted disasters. A flake is a 'fool with energy', as the Russian proverb puts it. ("A fool is a terrible thing to have around, but a fool with energy is a nightmare.") The chief characteristic of a flake is that he makes choices that are impossible to either understand or explain. These are not the errors of the poor dope who can't grasp the essentials of a situation, or the neurotic who ruins things out of compulsion, or the man suffering chronic bad luck. The flake has a genius for discovering solutions at perfect right angles to the ordinary world. It's as if he's the product of a totally different evolutionary chain, in a universe where the laws are slightly but distinctly at variance to ours. When given a choice between left and right, the flake goes up – if not through the eighth dimension. And although there's plenty of rationalization, there's never a logical reason for any of it. After awhile, people stop asking." by Hugh Downs (2008)]

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. [nb: Vietnamese term: Phi Cong, Phi Hanh Gia]

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, BOY WONDER, COWBOY; see HARD CHARGER, BOOMER, DEEP DIP, SWEAT HOG, OLD SWEAT, GOLDEN BOY, FIGJAM, HOT SHOT, TOP DOG, QUIET PROFESSIONAL. [v: expert, master, virtuoso, bailiwick; cf: "wight" is a human being, who is defined as such by his ability to fight, hence is someone who's strong and brave in war] [nb: "No one going as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, that he may please him who has enlisted him as a soldier." 2 Timothy 2:4; "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." I Corinthians 3:13]

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 (Typhoeus / Typhon); 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, CROSS-LOADING, MISSION READY, UNLIMBER, LOCK 'n' LOAD, BATTAILOUS, OP TEMPO, FAT, GOOD TO GO, SADDLE-UP, MOVE OUT, WEB GEAR, BATTLE DRESS.

FULL BIRD / FULL BULL :

COL

slang for a Colonel (COL, O-6), equivalent to a Naval Captain (CAPT); also called "bird colonel" and "chicken colonel", so called by metonymic resemblance to the RANK insignia, and to differentiate it 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 :

FULRO flag

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.

FWMAF :