COMBAT MilTerms: I

M I L T E R M S :

I : INDIA

IA :

abbreviation for Immediate Action, a rehearsed drill of rapid reactions or optimal responses to anticipated incidents from "lessons learned" in field experience; routines are practiced until they're automatic, unconscious, or intuitive. See OJT, POI, CROSS-TRAINING.

IBS :

Inflatable Boat Small; see CRRC, RIB, ZODIAC, BOAT.

ICAP :

Intelligence Civic Action Program, INTEL or PROPAGANDA sponsored by Civil Affairs (CA) in conjunction with DENTCAP or MEDCAP activities.

ICBM :

InterContinental Ballistic Missile, initially controlled by SAC; see MINUTEMAN, MISSILE.

ICC :

International Control Commission, established by the Geneva Accords of 1954, and made up of representatives from Canada, India, and Poland; see ICCS. Also, the International Criminal Court, which was established in July 1998 as a permanent tribunal for war crimes and crimes against humanity; see IMT, IMTFE, UNWCC, WAR CRIMES TRIAL, HAGUE TRIBUNAL, LAWS OF WAR, ROE; compare UCMJ. Also, abbreviation for Installation Coordinating Center.

ICCS :

the International Commission of Control and Supervision was setup in 1973 by the Paris Accords as the successor agency to the ICC, and included representatives from Poland, Indonesia, Hungary, and Iran. The ICCS had no enforcement powers, and was a diplomatic travesty. Americans said the abbreviation stood for: "I Can't Control Shit"; while the Vietnamese cynically interpreted it: "Im Cho Coi Sao" (wait quietly and see how things turn out).

ICE-CREAM SUIT :

slang for any all white uniform, from Tropical Whites to MESS DRESS (also called "snow suit" or "blizzard blazer"), especially the Navy service dress (CLASS-A) uniform worn with white shoes. See WITH BELLS ON, DRESS. [cf: whitewing] [nb: when the Navy specifies a sidearm and cape ("boat cloak") with formal evening wear, officers wear swords and petty officers wear cutlasses; v: Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and Surface Warfare Officer (aka: WATER WINGS)]

ICEX :

Intelligence Coordination and EXploitation, or Intelligence Collection and EXploitation, a joint MACV and CIA/CIO project sponsored by CORDS in 1967, as a combined collaboration with Vietnamese National Police and Special Branch for military intelligence and civil surveillance. As COMUSMACV in 1968, GEN Creighton W. Abrams took control of the ICEX program away from the CIA, making it the precursor of PHOENIX / PHUNG HOANG.

ICM :

the Iraq Campaign Medal; participants are authorized to wear a bronze campaign star (BATTLE STAR) on the pendant medal and ribbon for each of four phases: Liberation of Iraq (19 Mar 2003 - 1 May 2003); Transition of Iraq (2 May 2003 - 28 Jun 2004); Iraqi Governance (29 Jun 2004 - 15 Dec 2005); National Resolution (from 16 Dec 2005). See CAMPAIGN MEDAL, FRUIT SALAD, GONG.

I CORPS / I CTZ :

(eye corps, eye C-T-Z) northernmost military region in South Vietnam. I Corps was one of the four major military and administrative units of the Vietnamese government in the 1960s and early 1970s. In particular, I Corps was the Central Vietnam Lowlands administrative unit and consisted of the five northernmost provinces: Quang Tri, Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and Quang Ngai. The headquarters of I Corps was located in Da Nang. The major cities in I Corps were Hue, Quang Tri City, Da Nang, and Chu Lai. I Corps was also known as I Corps Tactical Zone (I CTZ) and Military Region 1 (MR1). The following U.S. military units fought in I Corps: 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force, 1st Marine Division, 23rd Americal Division, XXIV Corps, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), 5th Infantry Division, and 82nd Airborne Division.

IDA :

Institute for Defense Analysis.

ID CARD :

(eye-dee card) informal name of the military IDentification CARD, also called "AGO card" and now known as a "smart card"; originating during WWII as a trifold document with individual photographs and fingerprints for positive recognition due to the counterfeiting of DOG TAGS after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Formerly branch specific, they are now universal in appearance with military and medical data barcoded onto the back for servicemembers, with dependent cards scheduled for renewal every three years. See SERVICE NUMBER, AGO, DOG TAGS, STERILE. [nb: Vietnamese term: can cuoc] [nb: in 1796, under the auspices of the Seaman's Protection Act, the United States began issuing identification certificates to sailors to prevent impressment, which certificates included the bearer's name, date of birth, place of birth, height, complexion, and any distinguishing marks, such as scars, TATTOOs, or deformities; the WWII-era trifold officer ID CARD was AGO WD Form 65-1, the EM ID CARD was AGO WD Form 65-4, and the Medic ID CARD was AGO WD Form 65-10] [v: Index of Social Security Numbers (eg: AFSN, ASSN, SSAN)]

IDCSS :

Initial Defense Communications Satellite System; see DSCS.

IDENTIFICATION PANEL :

a reversible cloth, sized 2'X2' or 4'X4' with ties and grommeted eyelets, used for identification of friendly vehicles and personnel; also called "combat identification panel". These panels are colored orange on the daytime face, and either tan or green on the nighttime face, which displays a "cold" square for thermal imagery. Large panels are mounted on TRUCKs and HUMVEEs, TANKs and CHOPPERs, while the small panels are mounted on RUCKSACKs to help regulate COMBAT SPREAD and prevent FRIENDLY FIRE incidents, especially among SOF personnel. Compare SIGNAL PANEL, AIS, BLINKER.

IDT :

see INACTIVE DUTY TRAINING, RESERVE.

IED :

Improvised Explosive Device, being the category for any low-yield or alternatively detonated devices that incorporate pyrotechnics or munitions, which are intended to destroy, incapacitate, harass or distract; the TRIGGER for such devices include garage-door openers, remote-controlled toys, and cellphones. IEDs are the primary weapon used by insurgents because their lethality is effective, being simple, cheap, abundant, and difficult to detect or disarm. See EFP, MOLOTOV COCKTAIL, SOUP, COCKTAIL, BOOBY-TRAP, TOE-POPPER, JIEDDO, HME, C-4, EXPLOSIVE, MINE, SYMPHONY, DEACTIVATE, EOD, UXO, SABOTAGE.

IFF :

Identification Friend or Foe, a confirmation transponder code; see SQUAWK, PIPSQUEAK, WEFT, LOCATOR BEACON, IR MARKERS, VISUAL.

IFFV :

(eye-eff-eff-vee) First Field Force Vietnam, originating as Task Force Alpha to provide corps level support to the South Vietnamese in the Central Highlands from 1 August 1965 to 30 April 1971; headquartered in NhaTrang, it was redesignated IFFV in March 1966.

IG :

(eye-gee) Inspector General; also called The Inspector General (TIG) by USAF. See VFR DIRECT.

II :

morse code abbreviation for "I'm ready" or transmit; compare EOT, GA; see CW.

I&I :

Intelligence and Interdiction, or I & I / I-and-I FIRE, being planned night artillery fire aimed at suspected enemy locations, disturbing their sleep, curtailing their movement and lowering their morale through threat of losses. See H&I, HARASSMENT FIRE, DUFFEL BAG. Also, intoxication and intercourse, as an ironic abbreviation used in lieu of R&R; see STEEL BEACH.

II CORPS / II CTZ :

(two corps, two C-T-Z) Central Highlands military region in South Vietnam. II Corps was also known as II Corps Tactical Zone (II CTZ) and Military Region 2 (MR2).

IIFFV :

(eye-eye-eff-eff-vee) Second Field Force Vietnam, providing corps level support for the South Vietnamese in the Mekong delta region; established at Bien Hoa and Long Binh in March 1966, it was disbanded in May 1971.

III CORPS / III CTZ :

(three corps, three C-T-Z) military region between Saigon and the Highlands, including WAR ZONEs C and D. Major cities included Da Lat, Cam Ranh, Cu Chi, Nha Trang. III Corps was also known as III Corps Tactical Zone (III CTZ) and Military Region 3 (MR3). [Three Corps, Three etc]

III MAF :

III MAF

(three maff) Third Marine Amphibious Force, the senior corps-level command for USMC units in VN; including 1st Mar Div, 3rd Mar Div, RLTms, CAG, and Spt BDEs. Created 6 May 1965 as III Marine Expeditionary Force, then renamed on 7 May 1965 due to connotations with French "expeditions" by the Vietnamese. See MAB, MEB, CAP; compare LONELY HEARTS.

IIMC :

Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions, being an alternative description of Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), due to the fact that aircraft should not be flying if the weather requires mechanical navigation. Commonly called POPEYE; compare VFR, VOR, VECTOR.

ILLEGITIMIS NIL CARBORUNDUM :

this counterfeit Latin phrase, which has also been concocted as "illegitimi non carborundum", "noli illegitimi carborundorum", and "illegitimatum uncarborundum", has been widely used to express, in a falsely pretentious or fake pontifical manner, the positive encouragement: "don't let the bastards grind you down". Aside from the fact that the Latin word for 'bastard' is "nothus" and that carborundum (trademark for a compound of fused abrasives) wasn't manufactured until 1891, this phrase seems to be a misunderstanding of a passage in the Commentarium in Leviticum of Evagrius Ponticus, which apparent corruption is traceable in English to a line of John Donne; the original text should probably be "Ne illegitimi carbunculi tibi in facie sint" (now idiomatically: "Don't let the bastards grind you down!"). The first attested modern employment of this euphemism was in a 4 April 1920 sermon delivered at Fort Bragg NC; its almost immediate widespread dissemination was due to it being reported by H.L. Mencken in an article (p4 Baltimore Sun Monday 5 April 1920) titled "Nursing as a Profession". [v: mottoes and nicknames of military units]

ILLUM :

illumination; primarily being flares dropped by aircraft and fired from the ground by hand, artillery or mortars, but not to exclude tower- or vehicle-mounted searchlights; see FLASHLIGHT, LIGHT STICK, FLARE, MOONBEAM, FIREFLY, MOONLIGHT, LOOM, PINK TIME.

IMC :

Instrument Meteorological Conditions, also known as "Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions" (IIMC), and commonly called POPEYE; compare VFR, VOR, VECTOR.

IMINT :

IMage INTelligence, information developed from various imaging techniques.

IMJIN SCOUT :

(forthcoming); see ACTA; compare RECONDO, Q-COURSE, COC, CHARM SCHOOL.

IMMELMANN :

a controlled maneuver in which an airplane makes a half loop followed by a half roll, used to gain altitude while reversing the direction of flight; eponymously derived from technique developed by Max Immelmann, a WWI Imperial German PILOT. See AEROBATICS.

IMPACT AREA :

the area bounded by the designated fall limits of the ordnance employed, whether inert or explosive, on or off target; see POINT OF IMPACT, DEFLECTION, ZONE OF FIRE, KILL ZONE.

IMPACT AWARD :

an award presented by a senior officer to an individual for conspicuous valor or outstanding achievement, as soon after the action or event as possible, often on the battlefield or in the hospital; criteria specifically excludes such impromptu awards for merit and to units. See V-DEVICE, GONG. [nb: pagan Norsemen awarded metallic bracelets in recognition of meritorious or valorous deeds]

IMT :

International Military Tribunal. The London Agreement between the Allied representatives of the Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, and America on 8 August 1945 sponsored Law Ten of the Allied Control Council, which instruments authorized the Charter of the International Military Tribunal, and established its methodology. The Charter of the IMTribunal authorized the trial of wartime suspects whose acts crossed national boundaries; while suspects whose acts were localized were to be tried separately by the Occupation Zone nation having jurisdiction. All four of these war crimes' courts operated according to its own national procedures, but each was governed by the IMT Charter. The IMT was based in Berlin, located in the USSR Occupation Zone, and the IMT trials were convened in November 1945 at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, situated in the US Occupation Zone. Each Occupation force appointed a judge, a judicial alternate, a prosecutor, and a prosecutorial staff, while the defendants chose their own legal counsel. The charges brought were: conspiracy to wage aggressive war; waging of aggressive war in violation of treaties; war crimes; and crimes against humanity. Twenty-two defendants and eight organizations were charged, resulting in guilty verdicts for nineteen convicts (12 hanged, 7 incarcerated, 3 acquitted), and four organizations. The IMT heard appeals after sentencing, and disbanded on 16 October 1946 as soon as the sentences were executed. See IMTFE, ICC, UNWCC, ROE, WAR CRIMES TRIAL, HAGUE TRIBUNAL, LAWS OF WAR; compare UCMJ. [nb: "That four great nations, flushed with victory and stung with injury, stay the hand of vengeance and voluntarily submit their captive enemies to the judgement of the law, is one of the most significant tributes that power has ever paid to reason." by Robert D. Jackson in an opening statement at Nuremberg] [nb: the prosecutors in the 1942 "Pastorius" Nazi saboteurs' trial respectively became the chief justices of the WWII war crimes trials of Axis defendants: Attorney General Francis Biddle was senior US judge at Nuremberg, and Army Judge Advocate General Myron C. Cramer was the US judge at Tokyo] [v: mittimus]

IMTFE :

International Military Tribunal for the Far East. The IMTFE was conducted in Tokyo from 3 May 1946 to 12 November 1948 by judges and prosecutors from each of the eleven Allied nations: Australia, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America. The IMTFE Charter was written by General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Allied Commander, and Joseph Keenan, the US chief prosecutor. The indictment accused the defendants of promoting a scheme of conquest that "contemplated and carried out ... murdering, maiming and ill-treating prisoners of war [and] civilian internees ... forcing them to labor under inhumane conditions ... plundering public and private property, wantonly destroying cities, towns and villages beyond any justification of military necessity; [perpetrating] mass murder, rape, pillage, brigandage, TORTURE and other barbaric cruelties upon the helpless civilian population of the over-run countries." Of the eighty Class-A war criminal suspects detained in Sugamo prison after 1945, twenty-eight were brought to trial before the IMTFE. The accused included nine civilians and nineteen military professionals. Unlike the IMT, all the defendants were found guilty; with two defendants dying of natural causes, seven executed by hanging, sixteen sentenced to life imprisonment, two to lesser sentences, and one incarcerated in a mental institution ... all survivors had been paroled by 1956. In a separate trial, conducted 25-30 December 1949, twelve Japanese from the top-secret TAMA Detachment, who had been accused of bacteriological experiments on prisoners in Manchuria, were convicted by the USSR. See ICC, IMT, UNWCC, WAR CRIMES TRIAL, HAGUE TRIBUNAL, LAWS OF WAR, ROE; compare UCMJ. [nb: the prosecutors in the 1942 "Pastorius" Nazi saboteurs' trial respectively became the chief justices of the WWII war crimes trials of Axis defendants: Attorney General Francis Biddle was senior US judge at Nuremberg, and Army Judge Advocate General Myron C. Cramer was the US judge at Tokyo] [v: mittimus]

INACTIVE DUTY TRAINING :

authorized training performed by a member of a RESERVE COMPONENT who's not on active duty or active duty for training, which consists of regularly scheduled unit training assemblies, additional training assemblies, periods of appropriate duty or equivalent training, and any special additional duties authorized for these reservists by the Secretary concerned, and performed by them in connection with the prescribed activities of the organization in which they are assigned, with or without pay; IDT does not include work or study associated with correspondence courses. See ACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAINING, RESERVE.

INACTIVE NATIONAL GUARD :

(forthcoming);

IN-BATTERY :

ready, ready to work, ready to fire; see UNLIMBER, ARTY; compare LOCK 'n' LOAD, GOOD TO GO, MISSION READY, COMBAT LOADED, OP TEMPO, FAT, SADDLE-UP, MOVE OUT, BATTAILOUS.

INCOC :

(in-cock) Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer's Course, being a Division-level training course established to promote leadership skills among promising junior Non-Coms, especially in combat theaters; see LPC, NCOCC, NCOA, SHAKE 'n' BAKE, LDR, UP OR OUT.

IN-COMING :

an alert notice or description of receiving enemy MORTAR or ROCKET fire; also called "in-coming mail". See HIGH ANGLE HELL, TURN TURTLE, WHIZ BANG. [cf: bombard as the earliest type of indirect cannon launching stones, from "noise" (bomb) and "stone-throwing engine" (bombarda)]

IN COUNTRY :

the designated hostile area, specifically Vietnam, but not the geographic limit of the war; also spelled "in-country". Compare OUT COUNTRY; see INDOCHINA. Also, by extension of earlier VIETNAM usage, any combat zone or hazardous duty assignment overseas; see FEBA, MLR, FLOT, FRONT LINE, INDIAN COUNTRY, SANDBOX, DOWN RANGE, BOONDOCKS / BOONIES, THULE, FIELD ALLOWANCE.

INCURSION :

the hostile entry of a place, or the military penetration of a territory, as an expeditionary raid or inroad for defined or limited objectives; as distinguished from an INVASION for enduring conquest or perpetual occupation. [v: anabasis; cf: katabasis, excursion] [nb: the Cambodian INCURSION (30 April - 30 June 1970) was limited to 30kn from the SVN border; as SOG missions were restricted to 20km inside Laos and Cambodia]

INDEPENDENCE DAY :

a national holiday, recurring on 4 July each year, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 by the Continental Congress on behalf of the American colonies; American independence was actually declared on 2 July by the Second Continental Congress, but the document was not signed until 4 July 1776. Compare MEMORIAL DAY, VETERANS' DAY, PATRIOT'S DAY, FLAG DAY, ARMED FORCES DAY, POW-MIA DAY. [nb: many civilians confuse the meaning of the principal national holidays, combining each and commemorating all together at each date; instead of according honors to military servicemembers on Armed Forces Day, honors to veterans on Veterans' Day, and honors to the war dead on Memorial Day]

INDIA :

the word assigned to represent the letter "I" in the international phonetic alphabet; at various times in different spelling schemes, it has also been acrophonetically represented as Item and Inter. This is a "governing flag" in US Navy signals that also represents "interrogatory". See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [v: Alphabet Codes & Signal Flags]

INDIAN COUNTRY :

hostile territory, especially in the field or jungle, as any areas contested by the enemy remote from BASE CAMPs or cities; see FEBA, MLR, FLOT, FRONT LINE, IN-COUNTRY, SANDBOX, DOWN RANGE, BOONDOCKS / BOONIES, THULE, FIELD ALLOWANCE. [nb: following the Wild West motif prevalent in LBJ's "little pissant war", numerous allusions to a mythic frontier adventurism were utilized; including COWBOY, DODGE CITY, and GUNSLINGER.]

INDIAN FILE :

informal designation for the alignment of a small unit, from platoon (PLT) to SQUAD size, when operating in a hostile area and arranged in single FILE (one behind another), with proper interval, and exclusive of flank security; also called "Ranger file" or "Conga line". See STACK, COMBAT SPREAD, ACCORDION, CATERPILLAR, HEADWAY; compare COLUMN.

INDIAN WARS :

Indian Wars
service medal

a general term referring to the series of conflicts, under the tenets of Manifest Destiny, between European immigrants and the indigenous peoples of North America; ranging from the 1680 Pueblo Uprising, the 1637 Pequot War, the 1675-7 Wampanoag and Narragansett Uprising (King Philip's War), Pontiac's Rebellion in 1763, the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, defeat of the Shawnee prophecy at Tippecanoe in 1811 (and the demise of the Shawnee Confederacy with the death of Tecumseh in the 1813 Battle of the Thames, and the defeat of their British ally in the WAR OF 1812), the 1814 defeat of the Creek Confederation, the 1832 Black Hawk War (caused by the forced removal of the Sac and Fox to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River), but most especially the battles fought after 1860 on the Frontier (Great Plains and Far West) against the Sioux, Apache, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Ute, Blackfoot, Shoshone, Nez Percé, and Bannock tribes. Hostilities reached their peak between 1869-78 when more than 200 battles were fought; notable incidents include the Siege of Tucson, the Massacre at Sand Creek, the Modoc War, the Fetterman Massacre, the Battle at Little Bighorn, and the Battle of Wounded Knee. The 1890 Battle of Wounded Knee is usually considered to be the closing encounter of the INDIAN WARS, although there was an expedition against the Ojibwa in Minnesota in 1898. At the end of this era, the AmerIndian was confined on reservations. [v: after the surrender of the Apaches, the surviving tribesmen, including women and children, all classified as POWs, endured a 30-year imprisonment on various remote Army posts (eg: "The Long Walk")] [nb: in an effort to economize after the CIVIL WAR, Congress mandated that each Spencer repeater be retrofitted with the Stabler Cut-off Device, which modification converted the 7-shot carbine into a single-shot firearm, until combat losses in the INDIAN WARS forced its abandonment, and later succession of the Spencer by the trapdoor Springfield having even more firepower] [nb: during the INDIAN WARS, an Army LT returning from campaign sent the War Department this message: "Out on patrol 3 months. Killed 1 hostile. Took 44 casualties. At this rate, war will last 500 years, will cost $100,000,000, and they will win."]

INDIA RUBBER :

a polymerized elastic substance that's formed into many products, from tires and electrical insulation to erasers and condoms; a resilient material (light cream or dark amber in color) made by chemically treating and toughening the dried and coagulated milky juice (latex) exuded from rubber trees (especially the Hevea and Ficus species); also called "natural rubber". See GUTTA-PERCHA, PARA RUBBER. [cf: synthetic rubber]

INDIG :

(indidge) contracted form of INDIGenous, as a reference to the native peoples of a region or locale who may be divided in their loyalties by race, creed, religion, and other criteria. In Southeast Asia during the VIETNAM WAR, numerous partisan factions and ethnic tribes participated in Allied operations, including Bahnar, Bru, Cao Dai, Cham, Chinese, Cua, Halang, Hmong/Meo, Hoa Hao, Hre, Hroi, Jarai, Jeh, Katu, Kha, Khmer, Koho, Ma, M'nong, Muong, Nung, Raglai, Rengao, Rhade, Sedang, Stieng. See RF/PF, STRIKER, BODE, KKK, ROADRUNNER, EARTH ANGEL, FOREIGN DEVIL, FN, COUNTERPART, GONE NATIVE, BUDDHAHEAD, BASKET HEAD, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, YARD, RICE BALL, CHINDIT, CHINK, RICE CHRISTIAN, WHITE ELEPHANT, LITTLE PEOPLE, FLIP, BEANER, REDBONE, MUJ, RAGHEAD; compare BAD GUYS. [cf: aborigine, autochthon, native, denizen, inhabitant, countryman, compatriot, citizen, CIVILIAN, ALLY]

INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE :

a manpower pool consisting of individuals who have had some training, who have served previously (PS) in the Active Component or in the Selected Reserve, and have some period of their military service obligation remaining; these IRR members may voluntarily participate in training for retirement points and promotion, with or without pay. See RESERVE.

INDOCHINA :

the region of Southeast Asia (SEA), between the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea, comprising Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, western Malaysia, and boundary islands (eg: Paracels). Scottish poet and Orientalist John Leyden proposed the referent INDOCHINA during the early 19th century, because the region lay between India and China, and its history was tied to both dominant influences. Popularized by Bernard Fall, who is also credited with designating the native rebellion against British, French, and American forces as the Second Indochina War. Also, the name of the former (1862-1954) French colonial federation, French INDOCHINA (Indo-Chine = Extreme Orient) or "Union Indochinoise", now comprised of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam; Vietnamese term : "Dong Nam A". Compare ANNAM, COCHIN CHINA, TONKIN. [nb: During the first through fifth centuries, most of southeast Asia was dominated by Funan, which included most of present Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and the Mekong delta region of Vietnam. Funan was supplanted around the sixth century by Chenla. Annam was a small coastal strip in north VN and southern China, and south of it Champa controlled a coastal strip in central VN. Pressure from China pushed Annam southwards, and in turn Annam pushed Champa south to what is now roughly central South Vietnam. In 1284, Kublai Khan leads a 500,000-man Chinese army into Vietnam, but guerrillas organized by Tran Hung Dao virtually destroy the INVASION force. Around the twelfth century the Khmers emerged as a great empire controlling all the lower Mekong, leaving Sukhothai as a small version of modern Siam and Laos. From 1407 to 1428, China seized control of Dai Co Viet, but resistance forces led by Le Loi drove the Chinese from the country, and established the kingdom of Dai Viet; so that by 1428, Vietnam regained her independence from China's Ming Empire. The Khmer Khmer Empire collapsed after Siam seized Ankor in 1431. Thereafter, Cambodia found itself pinched between its more powerful neighbours: Siam and Annam. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, much of Cambodia was partitioned between Siam and Annam. In 1844, what was left of Cambodia became a protectorate of Siam. Around the 15th century the Kingdom of Luang Prabang emerged along the upper and middle Mekong River. Vientiane and the middle Mekong broke away in 1707. Both Luang Prabang and Vientiane came under Siamese suzerainty in 1778. During most of its existence, Laos was disputed over by Siam and Annam. Laos did not reemerge as a distinct and separate entity until the French declared this region a protectorate in 1893. Annam expanded farther southward into Champa in the 16th century, and into the Mekong Delta in the 18th century. With its capital at Hue, Annam seized Saigon in 1776. With French advice and assistance, Annam defeated the Tay Son triumvirate, and united the Tongking and Cochinchina regions into the Vietnamese Empire in 1802; but the Cochin, Annam, and Tongking regions were administered separately. Following religious persecutions, France seized Saigon in 1861, and annexed Cochin in 1862. Cambodia became a French protectorate in 1863, and Siam gave up its claims to the area in 1867. The French then made protectorates of Annam and Tongking in 1884, and unified the protectorate into the "Union Indochinoise" in 1887, retaining the capital at Saigon. Laos was added to this union when it became a French protectorate in 1893. After further confrontations, Siam ceded more territory, which France added to Cambodia and Laos in 1907. After the Nationalist Chinese and British reinstated the French protectorate on 19 Dec 1946, with Bao Dai as nominal emperor, the Second Indochina War began.]

INF :

INF

abbreviation for INFantry, being the "Queen of Battle"; derived from 'infant' or youth. In modern times, the "foot soldier" has evolved from axman and spearman, through swordsman and halberdier, into musketeer and rifleman. Branch insignia is represented by crossed rifles, often called "crossed idiot sticks", for the arduous nature of the infantry role. The traditional color of the infantry is blue, from the uniform of the Continental Army uniform. See BLUELEG, GRUNT, SNUFFY, GI, 03, GROUND POUNDER, BOONIE RAT, BUSHMASTER, CRUNCHY, LEG, DOUGHBOY, DOZER INF, HHC; compare ARTY, CAV. [cf: infantry (infant= child too young to speak)] [nb: Vietnamese term: Bo Binh]

INFIL :

INFILtrate or INFILtration; a stealthy entry or an inconspicuous arrival into any operational area; may involve deceptive FALSE INSERTIONs. See FLIP-FLOP, SHELL GAME; compare EXFIL. [nb: unlike sex, getting into an operational area is the easy part; getting back out with the INTEL after the mission is much more difficult, and sometimes impossible]

INFUSION :

a program for transfer of personnel within or between commands to reduce "rotational hump"; see HUMP.

ING :

see INACTIVE NATIONAL GUARD, NG, RESERVE.

INITIATION :

the ceremonies or rites of formal admission for fraternal acceptance into a group or organization; see PROP BLAST, SHELLBACK, GOLDEN DRAGON, DOLPHIN DIVE, WINGING, SPUR RIDE, SALTING, "wetting down" at CAMPAIGN HAT, BOY'S CLUB, EARRING, RING-KNOCKER, TATTOO, MEAT MARKER, BLOODING, CHALLENGE COIN. [v: 'bora' of Australian Aborigines]

INS :

Inertial Navigation System, an aircraft coordinate locator used for plotting position relative to underlying surface; works from known point of departure through all WAY POINTs plotted for each air mission. See HOMER, SQUAWK, LOCATOR BEACON; compare LORAN, AIS, GPS, SRTM, UTM.

INSERT / INSERTION :

to place or advance a unit or element in any operational area, often by air-assault; contrasted with EXTRACTION. See FALSE INSERTION, JACOB'S LADDER, RAPPEL, DEBARKATION NET.

INSIGNIA :

a distinguishing mark, as an emblem of office, a badge of honor, or a sign of distinction, being a symbolic figure or decoration; formally a plural of "insigne", but began to be used as a singular in the 18th century, with "insignias" adopted as the new plural shortly thereafter, such that INSIGNIA is now standard usage for both singular and plural forms. See BADGE, CREST, DUI, DI, BEERCAN, CHARGE, GREEN TAB, BRASS HAT, BAY, HEADGEAR, SCRAMBLED-EGGS, SPAGHETTI, PIP, CHOP, RATING, RANK, BRANCH, ENSIGN, WIGWAG, BRACELET, CORD, TRASH, PATCH, SANDWICH, SCROLL, HERSHEY BAR, FLASH, OVAL, TAB, Q-TAB, TRIPLE CANOPY, JUNGLE EXPERT, RECONDO, BOLO BADGE, EOD, SAPPER, PATHFINDER, WINGS, PARACHUTE, MFF, AIR ASSAULT, GLIDER, RIGGER, PILOT, DOLPHIN, WATER WINGS, DIVER, SCUBA, HARD HAT, UDT, BUDS, BUDWEISER, CIB, CMB, CAB, GONG, FRUIT SALAD, DEVICE, OLC, V-DEVICE, BATTLE STAR, IMPACT AWARD, HERO, BATTLE CRY, SIGNATURE, TOAST. [v: seal, sign, signet, sigil] [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"]

INSURGENCY :

domestic rebellion within a group or state without achieving the condition of revolution or CIVIL WAR. Also, rebellion against an existing government by a group not recognized as a belligerent; see GUERRILLA WARFARE, LOW-INTENSITY CONFLICT, UW, STRUGGLE, CONFLICT; compare COUNTERINSURGENCY.

INSURGENT :

a person who participates in forcible opposition or armed resistance to an established authority or a duly constituted government; a rebel or revolutionary, as derived from "to rise up" or "ascend". See COUNTERINSURGENCY, UW.

INTEL :

intelligence; the proverbial "2 shop", being S-2/G-2/J-2 (v: J-CODES). See ELINT, HUMINT, IMINT, SIGINT, TECHINT, 2DD, PIR, DECEPTION, CHATTER, CONTROLLED INFORMATION, NEED TO KNOW, FLAPS 'n' SEALS, DESK MAPPING, TRADECRAFT, ASA, CIC, MI, ICAP, CCIR, IR, DOC EX; compare RUMOR. [v: Joseph Hooker's Bureau of Military Information] ["Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge [of the enemy's disposition and intentions]. Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be [predicted] obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation. Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men." by Sun-Tzu (ca490BC)]

INTELLIGENCER :

a person working with codes and ciphers; a cryptographer, cryptanalyst, cryptologist, or crypter; Vietnamese term: Mat Ma Vien. See ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, CRYPER.

INTERCO :

the acronym for the International Code of Signals, being a standardized system for sending clear and concise messages, without resorting to translation of foreign languages; many of which do not involve an exchange or require a response. INTERCO messages are signaled by sight (ie: lights, flags, smoke) or by sound (ie: whistle, bell, siren, foghorn, MORSE CODE). Specific phrases are represented by letter codes from 1 to 3 characters in length (eg: MAA = I need medical advice; AN = I need a physician; AC = I am abandoning my vessel). See CIPHER, CODE, PROWORD, BREVITY CODE, CODENAME, CODEWORD, NICKNAME, 10-CODES, ACRONYM, ABBREVIATION, FREQ, GUARD, MAYDAY, PAN, SECURITE.

INTERDICTION FIRE :

direct and/or indirect fire placed at a point or brought to bear on an area so as to deny enemy access, use, or occupation.

INTERVALOMETER :

cockpit equipment used for selecting weapon system or rate of fire / bombing; see PICKLE.

INTERVENTIONISM :

the policy or practice of government interference in the political or economic affairs of another state, ostensibly for its benefit; see BANANA WARS, GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY, CLIENT STATE, CONTAINMENT, DIVIDE AND CONQUER, PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE, PROXY WAR, REALPOLITIK; compare ISOLATIONISM.

INTERWAR :

occurring during a period of PEACE between two WARs, especially the interval between World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII); compare ANTEBELLUM.

IN THE FIELD :

any forward combat area, or any area outside of a town or BASE CAMP. See BOONDOCKS / BOONIES.

IN THE SADDLE :

(forthcoming); see COMMAND, C&C, LDR, COMMANDER, COMMAND ELEMENT, CHAIN-OF-COMMAND, COMMAND PRESENCE.

INTRUDER :

Grumman A-6 twin-engined subsonic fighter-bomber aircraft, operated by PILOT and weapons officer (WSO), with flight characteristics sufficiently sluggish and awkward to have earned it the NICKNAME of "cement truck"; this all-weather low-level MUD MOVER carried up to 22 500# bombs. See GIB, BIRD.

INVADER :

Douglas A-26, B-26/RB-26 aircraft. Used during USAF "Farmgate" project, the vintage B-26 carries eight nose-mounted .50-caliber machineguns (350 rounds each), delivers a 4,000 pound bombload, plus extra ordnance hung on external racks under its WINGS, and is powered by two reciprocating engines.

INVASION :

the entrance or advent of something, especially by force or hostile intent, as to injuriously or destructively take possession or overrun; as distinguished from an INCURSION for defined or limited objectives. [v: anabasis; cf: katabasis]

INVERT :

designation given to Nakhon Phanom CRP; see NKP, NAKED FANNY. Also, slang for homosexual; see FAG, PREVERT.

IOTA :

mock designation (i/IOTA = very small) given to so-called "one man death teams" or "suicide missions" as purported by phonies and poseurs, as being similar to other Greek-letter special project names; see GREEKS, SUICIDE SQUAD, CAM TU, LAST MAN STANDING, WANNABE, BTDT, WAR STORY.

IOTV :

Improved Outer Tactical Vest; individual body armor introduced in 2007 to replace the "Interceptor" Outer Tactical Vest from the late 1990s. The Improved Outer Tactical Vest is an over-the-head entry FLAK VEST, with a mesh liner for wicking and an inner cummerbund for weight distribution, available in eleven sizes that incorporate a lower back flap to increase ballistic coverage. The IOTV has integrated side ballistic plate carriers to accommodate currently-issued Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert plates in the front, back, and sides, obviating the need for the Deltoid Axillary Protector set. Soldier survivability is enhanced by a single-point quick release tab on the front of the vest that pulls it apart into several pieces with one tug, as well as tear-away access points for medical treatment. The 27 pound IOTV (weighing 3#s less than the "Interceptor" Outer Tactical Vest) offers a reduced profile for increased mobility during operations. Compare OTV; see HAPPY SUIT, CHICKEN PLATE, FLAK JACKET, ESAPI, SAPI. [cf: flexible 'mail'; v: doublet]

IP :

(eye-pee) Instructor Pilot; see PILOT, CHECK RIDE, UP CHECK. Also, Initial Point, as reference location for mission commencement or troop movement; see POD, RALLY POINT, WAY POINT, PHASE LINE, LINE OF DEPARTURE, AIMPOINT, INS.

IR :

(eye-ar) InfraRed, the part of the invisible spectrum that comprises electromagnetic radiation wavelengths of from 800 nm to 1 mm, and is contiguous to the red end of the visible spectrum. Infrared radiation is distinguished from ultraviolet (wavelengths from 5 nm to 400 nm), x-ray (wavelengths from 0.1 nm to 10 nm), and gamma ray (high-frequency photon from 1019 Hz). A gunner or weapons officer (WSO) must develop a refined sense of chiaroscuro interpretation in order to discern a viable target from the variety of available heat SIGNATUREs down range. See FLIR, RED HAZE, LRAS3, BLACK, IR MARKERS, WEFT, SCRAM, IFF, SQUAWK, BLINKER, LIGHT STICK. Also, acronym for Intelligence Reports; see INTEL. Also, the abbreviation for information requirements, being those items of information regarding the enemy and his environment which need to be collected and processed in order to meet the intelligence requirements of a commander; see CCIR, PIR, MI, INTEL.

I&R / I & R / I-and-R :

Intelligence and Reconnaissance, being a battalion or regimental S-2 integral surveillance or special mission element; sometimes known as "Tigers" or "Raiders", WOLF or HAWKS, were usually superseded by LRRP/LRSP unit. Also, US Air Force abbreviation for Inspection and Repair.

IRAQI FREEDOM :

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); compare Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), see GULF WAR, WAR ON TERROR.

IRC :

the International Rescue Committee was setup during 1933 by a group of 51 concerned Americans (including John Dewey, Charles A. Beard, Morris Cohen, Roger Baldwin, John Dos Passos, Abba Hillel Silver, Oswald Garrison Villard, Reinhold Niebuhr, and William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan) who responded to a plea for action by Albert Einstein. Established in imitation of the Europe-based International Relief Association, the objective of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was to save anti-Nazi leaders targeted by the Gestapo by guiding them to safety in free countries. The refugee tide grew in 1938 as thousands escaped from Fascist Italy and Franco's Spain, then surged in 1939 when the infamous Nazi/Soviet pact led to the invasion and partition of Poland, and the beginning of WWII. When France fell, the refugees had to flee again, so a new American organization, called the "Emergency Rescue Committee", sent volunteers to establish escape routes, many of whom later joined the underground resistance. The end of the war left a devastated continent with millions of uprooted people on the move: prisoners of war, displaced persons (DP), forced laborers, expellees, concentration camp survivors, and refugees. In order to provide the most effective assistance for them, the International Relief Association and the Emergency Rescue Committee joined forces to become the International Rescue Committee, serving refugees of all religions, races, and nationalities. With the onset of the Iron Curtain, the IRC's relief and resettlement efforts shifted, establishing hospitals and children's centers funded by a combination of public and private monies. The IRC has served the emergency relief needs, as well as some extended health and education goals ("One doctor can save a thousand lives and one teacher can save a thousand minds."), of refugees and exiles from "hot spots" scattered around the world. Its resettlement methodology for Indochinese BOAT PEOPLE has become the model for other agencies and organizations. [nb: "There is so much injustice and suffering crying out for our attention: Victims of hunger, racism and political oppression, prisoners of so many lands, governed by the Left and Right. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone: that we are not forgetting them; that when their voices are stifled, we shall lend them ours; that while their freedom depends on ours, our quality of freedom depends on theirs." by Elie Wiesel; "Support of the principle of asylum, and assistance for refugees, are fundamental principles of American foreign policy." by Dwight David Eisenhower] See PEACE CORPS, IVS, SPARTAN, CA, ADV, E&E, BRIGHT LIGHT, SAFE, BLOOD CHIT, DP, BOAT PEOPLE, YELLOW BIRD. [nb: the parent organization of the American Red Cross, being the International Red Cross based in Geneva Switzerland, should not be confused with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), despite their cooperation]

IR MARKERS :

American and NATO military rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft are marked with infrared (IR) patches in distinctive patterns on the fore (near cockpit) and aft portions of the fuselage, and on the wings or rotor blades, which serve as positive identification whenever flying in BLACKOUT conditions prohibits the use of colored navigation lights or IFF/SQUAWK recognition aids. See STARBOARD, PORT, AFT, STERN, BOW, PROW, STEM, WEFT, SCRAM, CHOPPER, BIRD.

IRON BOMB :

any conventional gravity ordnance or "dumb bomb", also called an "egg", including time delay and proximity, explosive and incendiary, weighing from 100# to 2000#, and delivered on target by aircraft subject only to the laws of physics. See STICK, PICKLE, BOMBSIGHT, BUTTERFLY BOMB, FAE, CBU, GBU, SNAKE, SNAKES 'n' NAPES, NAPALM; compare SMART BOMB.

IRONCLAD :

a low-profile, steam-driven, armored WARSHIP that, beginning in 1862 with the turtle-backed CSS Manassas and CSS Virginia (former USS Merrimack), revolutionized naval warfare. Also, something covered or cased with protective iron or steel plates, such as a vessel or vehicle; being armor-plated; see ARMOR, HILLBILLY ARMOR, HARDEN, HARD TARGET. Also, being certain or irrevocable, sure or exacting, inflexible or unbreakable.

IRON CURTAIN :

a political and ideological barrier that impeded relations between the Soviet Union (USSR) and its allies (Warsaw Pact) and other non-communist countries; phrase used by Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe the line of demarcation between Western Europe and the Soviet zone of influence. Also, an impenetrable barrier to the exchange of information and ideas, to communication and understanding, as imposed by rigid censorship and secrecy. Compare STAR WARS, MAGINOT LINE, SMEZ, BERLIN WALL, BAMBOO CURTAIN, BAR LEV LINE, CACTUS CURTAIN, McNAMARA'S WALL, McNAMARA LINE, CHINESE WALL, DEW LINE, PHASE LINE. [cf: Hadrian's Wall, Antonine Wall, Great Wall of China] [nb: "The strength of a wall is neither greater nor less than the men who defend it." by Genghis Khan]

IRON DOG :

on the model of "iron horse" (locomotive), this affectionate slang term is used to designate any type of mechanical snowmobile (eg: WEASEL), as used by MOUNTAINEERs and WINTER WARRIORs. A snowmobile is a motorized vehicle with one or a pair of revolving treads in the rear for propulsion and moveable skiis in the front for steering. The first snowmobile was invented in 1920 from an automobile chassis that was fitted with tractor-treads and skis by Virgil D. White; another early military snowmobile was the "Eliason motor toboggan". Compare K-9, SCOUT DOG, SNOWSHOE. [nb: a joint US-Canadian operation during WWI called "K-9" transported dogsled teams from Alaska and northern Canada to the Alps and Vosges Mountains for the FRONT LINE delivery of messages, food, medicine, or AMMO, and evacuation of the wounded, in France and Italy during winter snows when horses and mules proved incapable] [nb: the first military use of dogsleds was in the laying of telegraph lines across Alaska, the delivery of mail and other resupply items in both World Wars, and for winter search and rescue operations in the Arctic, until replaced by snowmobiles and helicopters in the 1950s ... Germans used dogsleds for resupply on the Russian Front during WWII, and dogsleds are still used today for border patrol in Norway, Finland, and Greenland] [nb: sled dog team races began with the 1907-18 All-Alaska Sweepstakes, the 1925 Great Race of Mercy delivery of diphtheria serum (re-enacted in 1975), the 1932 Winter Olympics dogsled race, the annual Alaska Fur Rendezvous dogsled race that became the Iditarod in 1967, and the 1973 Iditarod race run from Anchorage to Nome] [nb: mush, the command urging or spurring a dogsled team to travel, is a corruption of 'march' as spoken by French voyageurs]

IRON HAND :

an early (1965) RADAR and MISSILE suppression program in Vietnam using WILD WEASEL aircraft.

IRON MIKE :

paratrooper statue, dedicated in tribute to WWII combat parachutists ["In honor of the American Airborne Trooper, whose courage, dedication, and traditions make him the world's finest fighting man."], and serving as a paradigm for subsequent AIRBORNE personnel, has been emplaced at Fort Bragg since 1961. The IRON MIKE statue was inspired by the cover illustration on Those Devils in Baggy Pants by Ross Carter (504/82 Abn Div), was modeled by SGM Mike Runyon (1960), and was sculpted in steel and fiberglass resin by Leah Hiebert, an artist and wife of LTC Samuel L. Hiebert (then Deputy Post Chaplain). IRON MIKE represents a paratrooper ready for action shortly after landing, depicting the courage, dedication, weariness, and compassion characteristic of veterans. This icon complements the infantryman and doughboy statues at other posts. [nb: 'statue' derived from 'status', meaning 'standing', 'position'] [nb: not to be confused with John W. "Iron Mike" O'Daniel, CG of 3rd Inf Div in WW2 and MAAG-VN; nor with Michael D. "Iron Mike" Healy (aka: "Mister Green Beret"), last commander of 5th SFGAbn in RVN]

IRON RATIONS :

a small supply of emergency food, also called survival rations; see BULLY SOUP, BEANS, CHOW, C-RATIONS, SOUP, SOLDIER'S BREAKFAST, GI JOE, BUG JUICE, FORAGE, RATIONS. [nb: despite the perennial complaints about military food, and some rude characterizations (eg: biscuit = armor-plate), this designation does not describe the texture or taste of survival rations!] [cf: pemmican]

IRON TRIANGLE :

an enemy sanctuary in III CORPS region near Ben Suc; adjacent to WAR ZONE C. See CEDAR FALLS.

IROQUOIS :

Bell UH-1 utility helicopter series; NICKNAMEd HUEY, from its "UH" designation, and became symbolic of the VIETNAM WAR through photojournalism. The Bell UH-1 helicopter is one of aviation's true success stories. Thousands of the aircraft have been made in a number of variations, serving a multitude of roles. Bell was chosen in 1955 to provide the army with a utility helicopter capable of serving as a FRONT LINE medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) aircraft, a general utility aircraft, and an instrument training aircraft. Deliveries to the U.S. Army began in 1959. In 1961 a more powerful version, the UH-1B, was introduced, and saw use by both Army and Marines in transport and as an early GUNSHIP. The UH-1C was used by the Army as an armed attack helicopter. In 1967, starting with the UH-1D series, the airframe length was increased, giving the HUEY a much roomier passenger-cargo compartment capable of carrying more troops or supplies. The UH-1F Bell helicopter was used by the Air Force as a light utility cargo or personnel carrier, and as a GUNSHIP. The UH-1N was an Army light helicopter. In 1968 Bell developed a specialized version of the aircraft with a stronger airframe and more powerful engine. The HUEY TUG, as it was NICKNAMEd, was capable of lifting loads up to three tons, nearly double that of a conventional HUEY. Powered by a 1,400 SHP Avco Lycoming engine, the HUEY had a cruising speed of 127 mph and a range of 318 miles. Fast and maneuverable, the HUEY proved far superior to the CH-21 SHAWNEE or CH-34 KINGBEE as an assault helicopter. Combat troops normally rode in the wide door openings on each side of the aircraft, and could exit quickly; greatly reducing the time the helicopter was on the ground. Often troops jumped from a HUEY just above the ground as it "bounced" in ground effect, with the entire ground time reduced to a matter of seconds. See SLICK, GUNSHIP, CHOPPER.

IRR :

Individual Ready Reserve (qv); see WEEKEND WARRIOR, MILITIA, RESERVE.

IRREGULARS :

armed individuals and groups not members of the regular armed forces, police, or other internal security forces. If IRREGULARS are not in uniform during their periods of service, they may be summarily executed if captured [v: "free-shooters"]. See MILITIA, STRIKER, CIDG, CSF, MIKE FORCE, PF, RF, RF/PF, PRU, PSDF, PARAMILITARY, CAP, COUNTERPART, CONSTABULARY, UW, ASYMMETRIC WARFARE GROUP, ANTI-TERRORISM. [v: bushranger]

IRST :

(erst) InfraRed Search and Track, or InfraRed Sighting and Tracking; see AVIONICS.

ISAAC THE IRAQ :

(eye-zack the eye-rack) dismissive reference by rhyming to any enemy soldier or TERRORIST in the Iraq War ("Gulf War Part Two"); see SCARAB THE ARAB, HAJJI, ALI BABA, MUJ, RAGHEAD, SKINNY, STREET ARAB, ALLAH'S WAITING ROOM, HERMAN THE GERMAN, LUKE THE GOOK, CHARLIE, GOMER, MARVIN THE ARVN, IVAN, BAD GUYS.

ISLAMOFASCISM :

a radical form of Islamic fundamentalism that seeks world domination by revolutionary methodologies; also spelled "Islamo-fascism". See MUJ, SANDY, HAJJI, ALI BABA, SKINNY, STREET ARAB, BAD GUYS, INSURGENT, TERRORIST, ALLAH'S WAITING ROOM. [nb: a political-correctness memo distributed in 2008 to U.S. federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counter Terrorism Center, directed that Islamic extremists were no longer to be described as jihadists, mujahedeen, Islamo-fascists, Islamic terrorists, holy warriors, or Islamists, so that these banned terms would not impugn the Muslim religion; the preferred terms of communication are 'violent extremist' or 'terrorist', which deny them any level of legitimacy without confrontation]

ISLAND :

slang for the superstructure positioned on the STARBOARD side of the flight DECK of an aircraft carrier (FLATTOP), containing the BRIDGE, OPIUM DEN, WARDROOM, and other TOPSIDE spaces; see OFFICER'S COUNTRY, 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]

ISOFAC :

(eye-so-fack) ISOlation FACility, being the secure and sealed area where a SPECIAL OPERATIONS team undergoes pre-mission briefing and preparation, lasting hours or weeks, preliminary to deployment; also called "the box" or "lock-down". During this sequestration, any team judged to be unprepared or unfit may continue to be held incommunicado as a security measure for the duration of the operation. See BRIEF-BACK, BUBBLE, SCIF.

ISOLATIONISM :

the doctrine that peace and prosperity can be best achieved by the disassociation of one's country from alliances and commitments with other countries; originating with George Washington's warning against foreign entanglements, and manifest in the MONROE DOCTRINE, it remains the preferred foreign policy of the American people, who summarize it as: "If you leave us alone, then we'll leave you alone." Compare GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY, CLIENT STATE, CONTAINMENT, INTERVENTIONISM, REALPOLITIK, NATION BUILDING, ALLY, PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE. [nb: "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances, with any portion of the foreign world." by George Washington (17 Sept 1796); "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none." by Thomas Jefferson (4 March 1801); "It isn't the oceans which cut us off from the world – it's the American way of looking at things." by Henry Miller (1945); "National isolation breeds national neurosis." by Hubert H. Humphrey (6 Jan 1967); "In April 1917 the illusion of isolation was destroyed, America came to the end of innocence, and of the exuberant freedom of bachelor independence. That the responsibilities of world power have not made us happier is no surprise. To help ourselves manage them, we have replaced the illusion of isolation with a new illusion of omnipotence." by Barbara Tuchman (5 May 1967)] [nb: "I don't know how a lot of these other nations have existed as long as they have till we could get some of our people around and show 'em how to be pure and good like us." by William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (27 Feb 1932)]

ITV :

(eye-tee-vee) abbreviation for Improved Tow Vehicle, being a mobile platform for firing TOW (Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided) missiles; similar to the earlier JEEP-mounted recoilless rifle (RR) anti-tank (AT) setup.

I2 :

Image Intensification; night vision technology. See NVD, NVG, NOD, GREEN-EYE, STARLIGHT, PEEPERS.

IVAN :

NICKNAME for USSR soldier, also known as BULLSHITVIK or "Charlie Brown" for similar personality (serious and deliberate, but always messing-up); also known as RED, "Russki", "Katsap", "Radish", or "Commie". Compare MARVIN THE ARVN, LUKE THE GOOK, CHARLIE, GOMER, HERMAN THE GERMAN, ISAAC THE IRAQ, SCARAB THE ARAB, FOE, BAD GUYS. [nb: 'katsap' is corruption of Ukrainian 'goatee' (kak tzap: like a goat), and the red condiment 'catsup' (ketchup), a spiced tomato sauce]

IV CORPS / IV CTZ :

the southernmost military region in South Vietnam, located in the Mekong Delta; with principal cities of Saigon, Long Binh, Can Tho. IV Corps was also known as IV Corps Tactical Zone (IV CTZ) and Military Region 4 (MR4). [Four Corps, Four etc]

IVORY TOWER :

a place remote from and disdainful of practical affairs, especially university "think tanks" and military "war game" centers (eg: Pentagon); see HEADSHED, PUZZLE PALACE, MADHOUSE, PINK PALACE, HEADQUARTERISM, WAR GAMES, ARMCHAIR GENERAL.

IVS :

abbreviation for International Voluntary [Volunteer] Service; a QUANGO formed in 1956, which served as the model for the PEACE CORPS, and was finally dissolved in 2003 by insufficient funding. IVS operated worldwide, attracting idealistic and dedicated young adults, often religious, who wanted an opportunity to improve living conditions in remote areas. It sometimes received service, aid in kind (AIK), or funding from USAID or USDAO. Composed of civilian advisers and teachers in technical (medical or agricultural) fields, these volunteers served the needs of INDIGenous peoples. During the VIETNAM WAR, the VC/NVA made no distinction between armed and unarmed advisers, and several IVS volunteers were deliberately captured or killed in order to politicize their acts. See ADV, CA, CAP, COUNTERPART, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, INDIG, SPARTAN, IRC, AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE, DRAFT LOTTERY. [nb: civilians go 'abroad' while soldiers go 'overseas']

I WAS THERE :

a catch-phrase identifying the eligibility criteria requisite for issuance of a service or CAMPAIGN MEDAL to a particular MIL-PERS, to wit: being present for duty. These decorations were instituted to build morale and pacify the general public, and as such they constitute the majority of the FRUIT SALAD that's so impressively displayed on the uniformed breast of every servicemember ... but because they are mostly meaningless or redundant, they are widely ignored or disdained by professionals. See BTDT, PAY DUES, COUNT COUP, PISSING CONTEST, SEA STORY, WAR STORY, GONG, UNIT CITATION, TRASH, BOLO BADGE, DEVICE.

MilTerms
index

S-1:
ADMIN

S-2:
INTEL

S-3:
OPNS

S-4:
QM

S-5:
CA

S-6:
COMMO

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