-
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.
-
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 DRESS. [cf: whitewing]
-
ICEX :
-
Intelligence Coordination 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. ICEX was
the precursor of PHOENIX.
-
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.
-
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: 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.
-
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, SABOTAGE.
-
IFF :
-
Identification Friend or Foe, a confirmation transponder code;
see SQUAWK, PIPSQUEAK, WEFT, ELT, INS, HOMER, AIS, SCRAM, IR
MARKERS, VISUAL.
[cf: Selective Identification Feature (SIF); Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)]
-
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 :
-
(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.
-
ILLUM :
-
illumination; being flares dropped by aircraft and fired from
the ground by hand, artillery or mortars.
-
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]
-
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.
-
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]
-
INDIAN COUNTRY :
-
hostile territory, especially in the field or jungle, as any
areas contested by the enemy remote from BASE CAMPs or cities;
see BOONIES, THULE, DOWN RANGE, SANDBOX.
[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 :
-
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]
-
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, MUJ, RAGHEAD; compare BAD
GUYS.
[cf: aborigine, autochthon, native, denizen, inhabitant,
countryman, compatriot, citizen, CIVILIAN, ALLY]
-
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 version : "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 :
-
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,
CRUNCHY, LEG, DOUGHBOY, HHC; compare ARTY, CAV.
-
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.
-
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; compare LORAN, AIS, GPS,
SRTM, UTM.
[cf: Selective Identification Feature (SIF); Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)]
-
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, IMPACT AWARD,
HERO, BATTLE CRY, SIGNATURE, TOAST.
[nb: the devices that cover the mounting prongs that attach the
insignia to the uniform, holding the two parts together, are
variously sized, and are called "fasteners", "clip fastener",
"clutch fastener", "clutch back fastener", "pinch fastener",
"butterfly fastener", or "dammits"]
-
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, 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; S-2/G-2/J-2 (v: J-CODES). See ELINT, HUMINT, IMINT,
SIGINT, TECHINT, 2DD, DECEPTION, CONTROLLED INFORMATION, NEED TO
KNOW, FLAPS 'n' SEALS, DESK MAPPING, TRADECRAFT, ASA, CIC, MI,
ICAP, 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]
-
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.
-
IN THE FIELD :
-
any forward combat area or any area outside of a
town or BASE CAMP.
-
INTRUDER :
-
Grumman A-6 attack bomber attack aircraft, operated by PILOT and
weapons officer (WSO), with flight characteristics sufficiently
sluggish and awkward to have earned it the NICKNAME of "cement
truck"; also performs as a low-level MUD MOVER. See GIB, BIRD.
-
INVADER :
-
Douglas A-26, B-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 project
names; see GREEKS, SUICIDE SQUAD, CAM TU, 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.
-
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.
-
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,
BUTTERFLY BOMB, FAE, CBU, GBU, SNAKE, SNAKES 'n' NAPES, NAPALM.
-
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 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]
-
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; see WEEKEND WARRIOR, MILITIA.
-
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, ALLAH'S
WAITING ROOM, HERMAN THE GERMAN, LUKE THE GOOK, CHARLIE, GOMER,
MARVIN THE ARVN, IVAN, BAD GUYS.
-
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.
-
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 "Russki", "Red", "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, MAD HOUSE,
HEADQUARTERISM.
-
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']
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