-
THE J :
-
the PLAIN OF JARS (Plaine des Jarres), near Long Tieng.
-
JAAF :
-
Joint Army and Air Force, or Joint Action Armed Forces.
-
JACK :
-
acronym representing Joint Advisory Commission Korea, an
interservice unconventional warfare (UW) or guerrilla operations
unit affiliated with the CIA during the KOREAN WAR. The covert
techniques established by OSS, enhanced by UNPFK and JACK, were
inherited by SOG, and have since been passed to Joint Special
Operations Command (JSOC) and US Special Operations Command
(USSOC). See SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
JACKET :
-
informal reference to the personnel record of a servicemember,
also called a "service jacket", that normally designates a "201
file" containing Form 20 / 66 summary outline of training,
assignments, evaluations, and decorations; it is so-called as a
"covering" report, and not to be confused with a "file" folder
for work projects. Also, slang reference to the FIELD JACKET.
-
JACOB'S LADDER :
-
a flexible ladder consisting of rope, cable, or chain side-rails
and fixed wooden or aluminum rungs, as used on vessels and
aircraft, especially during SAR/CSAR operations; also called a
"pilot ladder" or "jack ladder", "caving ladder" or "scaling
ladder", as derived from the Biblical dream of a ladder ascending
from earth to heaven. Also, a webbing or rope ladder (ie: etrier)
deployed for rough-terrain INSERTIONs and/or EXTRACTIONs of
troops using transport CHOPPERs; employed instead of DEBARKATION
NETs or RAPPEL lines. [v: escalade] [v: Climbing Terms]
-
JAG :
-
Judge Advocate General, as chief legal officer, or Judge
Advocate General's Corps, a lawyer in uniform; also known
insultingly as "JAG-off" (sounds like "jack-off"; cf: POGUE) for
JAG-officer. During the VIETNAM WAR, commissioned officers were
still responsible for administering military laws (UCMJ), as both
counsel and judges, and an enlisted man (EM) could request an NCO
board at his court martial; but JAG representation became
mandatory after that time. Legal liability is now a regular part
of pre-operational mission BRIEFINGs to ensure that the RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT (ROE) are completely understood before any enemy
contact occurs. See SJA. [v: lawyer, attorney-at-law, counselor,
advocate, adviser, jurist, legist, Philadelphia lawyer,
pettifogger, mouthpiece, ambulance chaser, shyster, beak]
-
JAPE :
-
derogatory WWII Marine slang for Imperial Japanese troops who
were thought to be dead but weren't, which refers to the
necessity of "killing corpses" to ensure their demise, because
they were so devious and tenacious; derived by contraction of
"Jap + ape". See MEATBALL, NIP, GOOK, DINK, SLOPE, RICE BALL,
ZIP, CHINK, WOG, LITTLE PEOPLE, BAD GUYS; compare BUDDHAHEAD,
LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, INDIG.
[nb: although ape and monkey are common slurs of racial
comparison or ethnic imputation, such vilification of one's
adversary often implied a compliment; as the Marianas' veteran
who defined this term expressed it: "A Jap fought you to his
dying breath, but a Jape kept coming even after you thought he
was dead!"]
-
JAP SLAPPER :
-
slang for a martial artist, especially one skilled in judo (soft
+ way) or jujitsu/jujutsu (soft + technique); see BATTLE ROYAL,
DOGFIGHT, AT CLOSE QUARTERS, CQB, BUTT STROKE, BAYONET, ON GUARD,
UP-CLOSE 'n' PERSONAL, GABRIEL.
-
JARGON :
-
the specialized vocabulary peculiar to a specific occupation,
profession, or social group. Also, obscure or unintelligible
communication, as language that is characterized by pretentious
vocabulary, convoluted syntax, and is uncommonly vague in
meaning (eg: "sacred gibberish"). See PIDGIN, VERNACULAR,
MIL-SPEAK.
-
JARHEAD :
-
derogatory term, similar to "jughead", applied to anyone
as "stupid or stubborn as a mule", including muleskinners and
oilfield rough-necks. As a simile for a capped jar, it originally
referred to sailors wearing traditional DIXIE CUP hats, but was
later transferred (probably in combination with "stubborn mule"
reference) to Marines, who also wear a uniquely styled "utility
cover" hat. A Marine is commonly known as a "GIrine" (jy-reen)
[or GYRENE], and also as "Uncle Sam's Misguided Child" (USMC)
or a "seagoing bellhop". The word Marine has been converted into
an acronym meaning: Muscles Are Required, Intelligence Not
Essential. Compare SNUFFY, CHINA MARINE, SEAGOING MARINE, HORSE
MARINE, THE CROTCH, MAMELUKE SWORD, USMC; see GI, SQUID, SWABBY,
DOGFACE, ZOOMIE.
-
JATO :
-
(jay-toe) Jet Assisted Take-Off, being the ancillary propulsion
units that assist short lift-off or combat launch of airplanes by
boosting their acceleration; see JUICE, compare STOL, VSTOL,
VTOL.
-
JAVELIN :
-
a man-portable optical anti-tank (AT) MISSILE equipped with a
"fire and forget" target-lock guidance system, which supersedes
the DRAGON; see LOSAT, TOW.
-
JAWBONE :
-
an account, tab, or tally of indebtedness, especially loanshark
or gambling debts. Also, talk, converse, palaver, gab, rap, shoot
the breeze, chew the rag, chin wag, chin dance; see TALK TRASH,
POOP. Also, to influence or persuade without resorting to force
or authority.
-
JAWBREAKER :
-
any word difficult to pronounce; see ALPHABET SOUP, THE STANS.
Also, anything boring, as to be injured by yawning; saying a
course was a JAWBREAKER could mean either tedious or difficult
depending upon tone or emphasis. Also, hard candy; compare RAT
BAIT, POGY BAIT, GEDUNK.
-
JAYHAWK :
-
USCG heavy helicopter (HH-60J) configuration of SEA HAWK and
BLACKHAWK; see CHOPPER.
-
J-CODES :
-
an organizational structure for the STAFF that dates from the
19th century, reorganized in 2007 for the conduct of "war
prevention" and "security cooperation activities" as directorates
in joint headquarters: J1 Personnel, J2 Knowledge Development, J3
Operations, J4 Logistics, J5 Plans and Programs, J6 Command and
Control (C4), J7 Outreach, J8 Resources. The specialty section
prefixes are hierarchical representations for S= Staff at brigade
or regiment, G= General staff at division or corps, and J= Joint
staff at army or group. Senior Navy department prefixes are
designated "N-". See STAFF; compare CALL-SIGN
[nb: pre-2007 J-CODES directorates: J1 Administration, J2
Intelligence, J3 Operations, J4 Logistics, J5 Plans, J6 Command
and Control, J7 Plans and Developments, J8 Force Structure]
-
JCS :
-
the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff; a formal interservice agency of
the government, headed by a Chairman (ChJCS), consisting of the
heads of the U.S. Armed Forces, established in 1942 [Combined
Chiefs of Staff (CCoS)] as the principal military ADVISORs to the
(then) Secretary of War, restructured by the Uniformed Services
Act of 1947 and the Defense Reorganization Act of 1958. During
the VN era, only the ChJCS reported to the National Security
Council (NSC); which later expanded to grant JCS access to the
President (POTUS). The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense
Reorganization Act of 1986 restored the primacy and exclusivity
of the Chairman's (ChJCS) role without granting direct command
authority. A pocket badge is authorized for permanent wear by
assigned personnel who successfully perform this duty. See CS,
OSD, JCSM, JSAD, GRADUATED RESPONSE, JGS.
[nb: after being re-activated from retirement and appointed
ChJCS, Maxwell D. Taylor attempted to abolish the JCS in favor of
a "Supreme Military Council", outside the military
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND]
-
JCSE :
-
Joint Communications Support Element.
-
JCSM :
-
Joint Chiefs of Staff Memorandum; also known as "Joint Staff
Memorandum" (JSM).
-
JDAM :
-
Joint Direct Attack Munition, being a programmable and steerable
"smart bomb" or MISSILE which can strike its assigned target from
any altitude under any weather or light conditions by following
its integral GPS guidance. This technology, which can be
retrofitted onto older "dumb" bombs in inventory, reducing
stockpiles while improving efficiency, is functionally "fire and
forget". Because JDAM is not laser guided and does not have to be
tracked to its point of impact, it allows delivery from a secure
location at a safe distance, practically eliminating the risk of
loss of any operators and delivery systems. The JDAM was first
used in Kosovo during Operation PROVIDE PROMISE, and later in the
second GULF WAR. See BOMB, MUNITIONS.
-
JDOC :
-
joint Defense Operations Center; see TOC, CTOC, CMOC, OPN.
-
JEDI KNIGHT :
-
a graduate of the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies;
see WAR COLLEGE, C&GS, HUDSON HIGH, BOAT SCHOOL, OCS, ROTC.
[v: Siwash ("At Good Old Siwash" by George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
JEEP :
-
NICKNAME for the General Purpose quarter-ton TRUCK, including
M-38, M-151A2 MUTT; onomatopoeic term derived from "GP" (GeeP),
which resembled the 1936 "Popeye" comic strip character "Eugene
the Jeep" so much that the Willys-Overland Motor Company
trademarked the name in 1940. JEEPs were often equipped with
canvas top or sides, ELEPHANT'S TRUNK line-cutter on front
bumper, pedestal mounted MG, and shoulder-high SPLINTER SHIELD
armor-plating. See HUMVEE, GAMMA GOAT, DUCK/DUKW, FAV, MULE.
-
JEEP CAP :
-
a soft stocking-cap, knitted of olive drab (OD) wool with a
plastic bill sewn into a permanent cuff folded at the bottom;
being the Army version of a WATCH CAP, suitable for wearing under
a helmet during cold weather. The name of this cap, in common
with the term JEEP for the vehicle, is a homophone of "GP",
representing 'general purpose'. See HEADGEAR.
-
JERRV :
-
(gerve) Joint Explosive ordnance disposal Rapid Response Vehicle;
a 12-ton COUGAR truck that's hardened to survive BOMBs and MINEs,
designed to transport engineers (CE) out to areas where obstacles
need to be cleared. Compare CEV; see ENGR, EOD, TRUCK.
-
JESUS NUT :
-
main rotor retaining nut; so called because if it ever
came off, only Jesus could help.
-
JET JOCKEY :
-
slang for any PILOT qualified to fly a jet-propelled (FAST MOVER)
aircraft, sometimes shortened to "jet jock", called "throttle
jockey" or "fighter jock", as distinguished from prop or glider,
transport or helicopter PILOTs. See FUF, G-SUIT, SUCK 'n' PUFF,
AUGER-IN, PANCAKE, FAG, BIRDMAN, Q-COURSE, GOOD STICK.
[nb: a BULLETPROOF pilot's braggadocio is often expressed as "big
sky, little bullet"]
-
JET PROPULSION :
-
motivation of a body developed by the reactive force from the
injection of a high-speed jet of gas; see RAMJET, PULSEJET,
SCRAMJET, MACH, AFTERBURNER, SONIC BOOM, SUPERSONIC, HYPERSONIC.
[nb: Jet propulsion is the propulsion of a body by a force
developed in reaction to the ejection of a high-speed jet of gas.
The four basic parts of a jet engine are the compressor, turbine,
combustion chamber, and propelling nozzles. Air is compressed,
then led through chambers where its volume is increased by the
heat of fuel combustion. On emergence it spins the compression
rotors, which in turn act on the incoming air. In the combustion
chamber of a jet propulsion engine, the combustion of a fuel
mixture generates expanding gases, which escape through an
orifice to form the jet. Newton's third law of motion requires
that the force that causes the high-speed motion of the jet of
gas have a reaction force that is equal in magnitude and
oppositely directed to push on the jet propulsion engine. Hence
the term "reaction motor" is often applied to jet-propulsion
engines. The thermal jet engine operates with a continuous blast,
but intermittent duct jet propulsion proceeds by a series of
pulses, or intermittent explosions. The ramjet, or "continuous
duct", engine relies on its own forward motion to compress the
air that enters it. Although highly efficient, it is designed to
operate only after high speed has been attained through the use
of some other power source, typically a rocket. The scramjet, or
supersonic-combustion ramjet, engine is designed to operate at
hypersonic speed, using hydrogen for fuel; in theory, a
scramjet-propelled craft could achieve orbital speed, with an
efficiency three times that of liquid- or solid-fuel rockets. In
addition, without the need to carry oxygen, an air-breathing,
scramjet-powered vehicle can carry a greater payload than a
rocket-powered one. There are various thrust-augmentation methods
that can be used to increase the effective driving force of jet
engines: the afterburner, water-injection, and air bleed-off
methods. An afterburner uses the exhaust gases from the engine
for additional combustion, with resulting higher compression;
however, it consumes large amounts of fuel. Injection of water
into the air-compressor inlet also increases the thrust, but can
be used only at take-off because of the high water consumption.
Air bleed-off, sometimes called the "fan augmentation method",
also makes more efficient use of air otherwise wasted. The first
reaction engine, the aeolipile (a ball that rotated as a reaction
to escaping steam), was constructed by the inventor Heron (or
Hero) of Alexandria. Developments through the centuries have
resulted in two general types of reaction machines, the true
rocket and the airstream engine, commonly known as the jet
engine. Unlike a jet engine, a rocket engine carries with it
chemicals that enable it to burn its fuel without drawing air
from an outside source. Thus a rocket can operate in outer space,
where there is no atmosphere. Fritz von Opel, a German automobile
manufacturer, made the first flight entirely by rocket power in
1939. The American R.H. Goddard did much of the important pioneer
work in modern rocket development. The second category of
reaction motor, the jet engine, is a development of the late
18th-century gas turbine engines, which directed combustion gases
against the blades of a turbine wheel. Not until 1908 was it
suggested that an aircraft could be driven by jet propulsion.
René Lorin, a French engineer, proposed using a
reciprocating engine to compress air, mix it with fuel, and thus
propel the aircraft by the pulses of hot gas produced by
combustion of the mixture. Henri Coanda, a Romanian engineer,
experimented with a reaction-powered aircraft in 1910, and
observed the phenomenon now known as the "Coanda effect". In 1939
the English engineer, Frank Whittle, developed a jet engine that
powered a full-sized aircraft, and a year later, Secundo Campini
in Italy, flew for 10 minutes using a thermal jet engine.
Jet-propelled aircraft have replaced propeller-driven types in
all but short-range commercial applications; turboprop planes, in
which a propeller is turned by a turbine engine, are used for
short-range flights. The SR-71 Blackbird, a U.S. jet spyplane,
holds the current speed record of 2,193.17 mph for a piloted
air-breathing airplane, but NASA's experimental scramjet-powered
pilotless X-43A has bested this, almost reaching Mach 7 (about
5,000 mph) and Mach 10 (about 6,800 mph) in brief test flights in
2004. The Australian-led HyShot Flight Program successfully
tested a British-designed scramjet engine in 2006. (The
Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition ©2007 Columbia
University Press)]
-
JETSAM :
-
goods or supplies that are deliberately cast overboard from a
vessel so as to lighten or stabilize it in an emergency, as
derived from "jettison"; such cargo typically sink where
castaway, but may be later washed ashore. See LAGAN; compare
FLOTSAM, CASTOFF, DODO.
-
JETSTAR :
-
Lockheed C-140 aircraft.
-
JGS :
-
the Vietnamese Joint General Staff, being comparable to JCS.
-
JIEDDO :
-
(gee-doe) Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization;
originally established as an Army task force in 2003, then
upgraded to interservice defense agency status in 2006, with the
mandate to develop and coordinate counter-IED doctrine and
tactics. JIEDDO serves as a coordinator and clearinghouse on IED
practices and effects, including types of injuries (IEDs generate
a ratio of 9 WIA for each KIA). This agency is funded for
research and acquisition of interrupter, disrupter, jammer, and
remote detonator equipment. JIEDDO conducts defensive operations
to detect IED emplacements, and offensive operations to interdict
the manufacture, transport, and installation of IEDs.
-
JINK :
-
Air Force term for turning aircraft hard to avoid enemy fire or
detection; see BANK, YANK 'n' BANK, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT,
DOGFIGHT, AEROBATICS.
-
JOC :
-
Joint Operations Center; see TOC, CTOC, JDOC, CMOC, OPN.
-
JODY :
-
archetypal DRAFT DODGER and "lounge lizard" who steals the
girlfriend left at home. If the Nice Girl succumbs and sends a
disloyal "Dear John" letter, then she becomes a Bad Girl, who's
commonly known as "Susie Rottencrotch" or "Mary Meatgrinder".
Conversely, service women betrayed by JODY, receive a "Dear Jane"
letter. A "kiss-off" from a serviceman to a forlorn civilian can
use the same references (eg: GI JODY sends a Dear Jane to Miss
Lonely Hearts). See SUGAR REPORT, MAIL CALL. Also, the short form
of JODY CALL; so named due to their preoccupation with unmilitary
deeds and civilian affairs.
[cf: the rabbit-like character called "Cuthbert" invented by Poy,
the cartoonist for the "Evening News", to represent all the
eligible DRAFT DODGERs avoiding combat during WWI with sinecures
and deferments; not to be confused with Saint Cuthbert]
-
JODY CALL :
-
rhythmic chants or rhyming songs intended to coordinate marching
tempo, sometimes shortened to JODY; probably derived from labor
songs that paced the work and maintained the processing order.
These ballads, classified as "occupational folk songs", are
preoccupied with unmilitary deeds and civilian affairs, sharing
the common miseries of ordinary people, along with blues and
country lay, featuring the archetypal JODY as villain or rake,
who typically wins the soldier's pay and possessions, seduces the
serviceman's wife and dog! See CADENCE, HEP, CHANTEY, HOISE,
GUNG-HO, HEAVE-HO, BEATERS 'n' BLEATERS, TOOTER.
[nb: some revisionists, by ignoring the extensive history of
martial music and work songs going back to ancient China and
early Rome, are "crediting" segregated Negro troops with the
'invention' of CADENCE calls for the improvement of morale during
training in WWII, specifically an impromptu "Sound Off" CADENCE
call initiated by PVT Willie Duckworth while marching in the
Provisional Training Center of Fort Slocum, New York, in May
1944, and later identified as the "Duckworth Chant" in reformed
folklore. It's another insidious myth and pernicious lie
perpetrated upon the gullible by self-anointed elitists! The
similarity of JODY to every carpetbagger and scalawag argues
demonstrably for a 19th Century development, as does the word
'cadence' in early Army songs ("count off the cadence loud and
strong"), but even more is the persistence of sea chanteys by
sailors laboring at common tasks.] [cf: ballad, chanson, lay,
air, tune, ditty, carol]
-
JOHN WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL :
-
sardonic reference to the SPECIAL FORCES training center at Fort
Bragg; see SWS, SWC&S, SFTG, ROBIN SAGE, GABRIEL, BRONZE
BRUCE, ELECTRIC BUTTERKNIFE, GREEN BERET, BLANKET HEAD, SNEAKY
PETE, SNAKE-EATER, SF; compare MSOS. [v: Siwash ("At Good Old
Siwash" by George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
JOHN WAYNE RIFLE :
-
sarcastic reference to the government model M-1911A1 .45cal
(11.25mm) PISTOL, fired for qualification on a 25-yard shooting
range, but was accurate for hundreds of meters in the hands of
Hollywood HEROs! See CALIBER, DUMDUM.
-
JOINT :
-
purportedly, the military uses the term "joint" (to join) to
indicate two or more elements from the same service or nation,
and the term "combined" (by twos) to indicate two or more
interservice or international elements, hence a "joint action"
might involve the Army and Navy, while a "combined action" might
involve the US and UK; additionally, the term "composite" (put
together) indicates a compound of disparate elements forming a
whole, while the term "component" (put together) indicates
constituent elements of a greater whole. The term "joint",
expressive of interservice, reflects an expansion of the
"combined arms" concept, once limited to each service branch,
into a unified command structure. See JOC, JTF, USJFCOM,
CJSOTF-AP, JSOTF, JSOC, USSOC, SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
JOKER :
-
(forthcoming); compare BINGO, see ENDURANCE, DROP-TANK, POD,
DROGUE, TANKER.
-
JOLLY GREEN GIANT :
-
refers to either the heavily armed USAF AC-47 gunship aircraft,
or the USAF HH-53 heavy rescue helicopter. See DAKOTA, SMOKY
BEAR, SEA STALLION, CHOPPER, BIRD.
-
JOOD :
-
Junior Officer Of the Deck, who is second to the Officer Of the
Deck (OOD); compare SOPA.
-
JOSS STICK :
-
a thin stick of dried fragrant paste, burned as
propitiative incense before a cult image or idol. Usually
understood as fate, destiny, fortune, or luck; JOSS is actually
pidgin Chinese for "god", as in JOSS house. Compare NHA THO.
[nb: "Joss-sticks: small sticks burned by the Chinese in their
pagan tomfoolery, in imitation of certain sacred rites of our
holy religion." by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce]
-
JOURNAL :
-
formally classified as a subscription BULLETIN; a periodical
published by the military for professional development,
including: "Military Review", "Proceedings", "Marines",
"Soldier", "Parameters", etc. Compare YANK, STARS AND STRIPES.
Also, a log, register, or account recording the daily affairs and
activities of a unit; see WAR DIARY, compare MORNING REPORT.
[nb: the military prohibits the keeping of a personal diary for
reasons of security in denying the enemy opportunities for
gathering INTEL from captured or recovered documents; however,
this practical measure is widely disregarded and generally
disobeyed]
-
JOY :
-
confirmed sighting, link, or contact by aircraft PILOT or WSO,
being the same as AFFIRM or success; conversely, "No Joy" is an
expression of failure, being the opposite of TALLY-HO.
-
JOYSTICK :
-
informal term for a control or steering lever, as for an airplane
or computer; also called "stick" or "beer-lever".
Also, slang for penis, phallus, PRICK / CU, POGUE, POGY BAIT,
SHORT ARM, and the like.
[nb: 'hooey', allegedly an Americanism used as an interjection
for nonsense or tripe, is actually a corruption of the Russian
vulgarity ("khuy") for penis, and is commonly used alone (eg:
dick, dickhead, dick-wad) or in phrases (eg: dumber than dick; he
doesn't know dick; don't dick around; don't stir your tea with
your dick)] [cf: migration of "putz" from shine through ornament
to penis and dolt; as sexual lure] [v: lucky stiff]
-
JP :
-
jet petroleum, such as "JP-4", being a liquid fuel for jet
aircraft, the chief ingredient of which is kerosene; see POL,
PETROL, JUICE, TOP-OFF, HOT-FUELING, FUEL LADDER. Also, the
abbreviation for Joint Pacific.
-
JPADS :
-
(jay-pads) Joint Precision AirDrop System, being a
computer-controlled parachute delivery method used to supply or
resupply troops in the field with rations, fuel, ammunition, and
other vital necessities. After exiting a cargo plane flying as
high as 25,000 feet above the ground (AGL), the JPADS wing-shaped
parachute self-maneuvers using Global Positioning System (GPS)
coordinates to a drop zone (DZ) as small as 100 meters, making
aerial delivery of a 2000 pound PAYLOAD securely. A 10,000# cargo
JPADS is also available. Compare LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP; see
HEAVY DROP, AIRDROP.
-
JPRC :
-
Joint Personnel Recovery Center, the cover designation for the
interservice BRIGHT LIGHT project; see POW, SON TAY, BLOOD CHIT,
SAFE, compare SNATCH, TONGUE, PACKAGE, JSARC, CSAR, SAR, RCC.
-
JRATA :
-
Joint Research And Test Activity
-
JRC :
-
Joint Reconnaissance Center
-
JRTC :
-
Joint Readiness Training Center; a live-fire infantry field
exercise area for simulated operations coordinated with air and
armor support. Originating as a corps maneuver area preparatory
to WWII deployment, it was revitalized in 1987 at Fort Chaffee,
and relocated to Fort Polk in 1993; battle scenarios range from
"hot war" through counterinsurgency to peacekeeping missions,
including political and media elements. Compare NTC, RED FLAG;
see CPX, FTX, JTFEX, OPFOR, MILES.
-
JSAD :
-
Joint Strategic Analysis Division, JCS.
-
JSARC :
-
Joint Search and Rescue Center; see SAR, JPRC, RCC.
-
JSD :
-
Jump Status Designator, being a "winged sword" pocket patch
worn by ARVN AIRBORNE personnel and their ADVISORs; as with many
elite Vietnamese military symbols, the JSD was probably inspired
by a similar French ("metro") device. See PARACHUTE, WINGS, OVAL.
-
JSLIST :
-
(jay-list) Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology,
being a biochemical coverall carried in an accessory bag for
field wear during a HAZMAT or CBR incident; see MOPP, CPOG, BUNNY
SUIT, GAS MASK.
-
JSOC :
-
Joint Special Operations Command at Pope Air Force Base,
organized in 1987, which includes the Navy's Naval Special
Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team 6), the Army's 1st Special
Forces Operational Detachment - Delta (DELTA FORCE), the 160th
Special Operations Aviation Regiment (NIGHT STALKERS), the 75th
Ranger Regiment, and the Air Force's 24th Special Tactics
Squadron. See SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
-
JSOTF :
-
Joint Special Operations Task Force, including Task Force Dagger
and Task Force 11 in Afghanistan, under JSOC subsequent to 9/11
2001 TERRORIST attack.
-
J-STAR :
-
(forthcoming);
platform includes LANTIRN pod, PAVEWAY launch
used in TANK PLINKING operations
-
JTF :
-
Joint Task Force; see TF.
-
JTFEX :
-
Joint Task Force EXercise; see JRTC, OPFOR, MILES, compare NTC,
RED FLAG, FTX, CPX, GQ.
-
JUDAS GOAT :
-
a conspicuous bomber, brightly painted like a TRAINER or in
DAZZLE camouflage pattern, used during WWII as a guide or
pacesetter when establishing a formation after take-off, so as to
set the proper course, speed, and altitude on a bombing mission;
this frontrunner or trailblazer was needed to initially orient
the formation of inexperienced PILOTs and navigators, so as to
reduce accidents and mishaps, whereupon this escort would
transfer the lead to the commander, and return to base (RTB). The
JUDAS GOAT, or "judas sheep", was so labeled by the other
aircrews for acting like a bellwether in leading the "lambs to
slaughter". This phrase, of course, derives from any decoy that's
employed to direct others into their place of death. See GOAT,
POINT, PATHFINDER, SPEARHEAD, TURNCOAT.
-
JUGGERNAUT :
-
any large, overpowering, or destructive force or its implacable
object, including anything requiring blind devotion, complete
commitment, or cruel sacrifice; as derived from an idol of Vishnu
or Krishna ("Jagannath"), the lord of the world, that's annually
drawn on a huge cart at Puri in Orissa, India, under whose wheels
devotees are said to have thrown themselves to be crushed. See
HELL ON WHEELS, BATTLE WAGON, THUNDERBOLT.
-
JUICE :
-
slang for electricity or electric power. Also, slang for fuel or
petroleum; see POL, CHERRY JUICE, PETROL, JP, MOGAS, HOT-FUELING,
TOP-OFF, ENDURANCE, BINGO. Also, slang for acceleration or
propulsion power; see BUSTER, JATO, PULL PITCH, SCRAMBLE,
HAUL-ASS, ASAP, PDQ, STAT, FORTHWITH. Also, slang for influence
exerted for personal or illegal purposes, also known as fix,
grease, juke, jive, jingo, jazz, jolt, joy; see RABBI, PATRON
SAINT, SEA DADDY, LIFER, MILICRAT, RIGHT ARM, CAREER TRACK,
RING-KNOCKER, TICKET-PUNCHER, CYA; compare juju, grigri, MOJO.
Also, slang for alcoholic beverages, especially home-brewed or
illicitly distilled (eg: raisin- or applejack hard cider); see
DUTCH COURAGE, HOOCH, BREW, DEAD-SOLDIER, SPLICE THE MAINBRACE,
TOAST, SUNDOWNER, GUSTO, HATCH, MOONSHINE, THE DRINK, HOIST,
BYOB, CLASS SIX. Also, slang for extorted money or bribe money;
compare SOUVENIR, bribe, graft, mordida, payoff, buyoff, payola,
bite, kickback, schmear, grease, oil, soap, sop, boodle, hush
money, induce/-ment, suborn, buckshee, spiff. Also, slang for
usury or vigorish (der: "vygrash" / "vyigrysh"); see KHAKI MAFIA,
CARPETBAGGERS. Also, slang for gossip or scandal; see RUMOR,
SCUTTLEBUTT, BACK CHANNEL, GOUGE, POOP, GREEN GREASE, HOT-SHIT,
FALSE FLAG, DECEPTION, BAYONET, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH. Also, the
essence, strength, verve, vigor, or vitality of life, as
élan or élan vital. Also, to enliven or excite, as
by analogy to natural bodily secretions, such as epinephrine.
Also, the natural fluid or liquid extract from a fruit or other
plant, as derived from a term for broth, SOUP, sauce; see BUG
JUICE, THE DRINK, GI JOE, NUOC, WATER PURIFICATION TABLET;
compare CHOW. [nb: a non-concentrate called "Fruit Smack" was
marketed by Kool-Ade, the precursor of Kool-Aid, in 1927; '-ade'
is a suffix meaning fruit drink (eg: lemonade)]
-
JULIAN DATE :
-
each day of the year, sequentially numbered, as used for vehicle
and aircraft logbooks; derived from calendar reformed by Julius
Caesar, and differentiated from conventional Gregorian calendars.
See CY, FY, TIME.
[nb: The old Julian Calendar, in force in Great Britain and her
colonies (ie: America) until 1752, overestimated the solar year
by 11 minutes 14 seconds each year. Under that calendar the year
technically began on 25 March (ie: Lady Day or Annunciation). The
New Style Calendar, which went into effect in 1752 (based upon
the Gregorian Calendar ordained by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582),
adjusted the errors in the old chronology by adding 10 days down
through the year 1699 and 11 days beginning with 1700, and
leaving 11 days out of the calendar in 1752 (eg: 3 September
became 14 September). In addition, the new year once more began
on 1 January. Thus, the effect of following New Style usage for
all dates prior to 1752 results in an adjusted chronology (eg:
the Mayflower Compact, bearing the date of 11 November 1620, was
actually signed on 21 November). Under the Julian Calendar (Old
Style), George Washington was born 11 February 1731/2, but the
Gregorian Calendar lists it as 22 February 1732 (New Style).]
-
JUMP BOOTS :
-
originating during WWII conversion from BOONDOCKERS with puttees
to logger-style lace-up boots, the AIRBORNE command asked the
Corcoran Boot Company to imitate the German JUMP BOOTS. The
rough-out BROWN BOOTS issued to GIs and paratroopers were
repeatedly refined, such that some soldiers jumped and hiked
barefoot during training until improvements could be made to
their footwear. By the VIETNAM WAR, they became private purchase
boots made of black leather for anyone desirous of better
footwear, regardless of jump status. More properly called
"paratrooper boots"; they are about two inches higher for better
leg support, have thicker heels and soles, reinforced heel and
toe caps, and a pull-on loop from the Achilles reinforcement. The
wear of all leather boots is no longer authorized after 30 April
2008. See FOOTWEAR, OLD BREED.
-
JUMP CP :
-
a temporary command post (CP), established for a brief
operation or preparatory to a main command post (CP)
displacement, normally including only the personnel and equipment
necessary to control the immediate operation. See FOB, OB.
-
JUMPER :
-
a loose-fitting, pullover-style, outer jacket with piping and
stars on its back-flap, in blue or white, as worn with a
neckerchief by sailors; as part of the U.S. Navy "service dress
blue" or "service dress white" uniform. A similar "undress blues"
(or "undress whites") without neckerchief, stars, or piping was
also worn as a semi-work uniform by sailors. See CLASS-A, BLOUSE,
BLUE JACKET.
-
JUMPIN' JUNKIE :
-
derisive NICKNAME for any paratrooper, an enthusiastic devotee of
parachuting and/or skydiving; see AIRBORNE, PARACHUTE, DZ, STATIC
LINE, FREE FALL.
-
JUMPMASTER :
-
any Master Parachutist certified to supervise the loading and
para-drop of personnel and equipment from various aircraft; the
AIRBORNE-qualified individual assigned to control the
paratroopers from the time they enter the aircraft until they
exit. Free-fall requires skydivers to "self-jumpmaster". See
STICK COMMANDER, Q-COURSE, WINGS, PARACHUTE, DROPMASTER, BAILOUT;
compare LOADMASTER, CREW CHIEF, KICKER, BEACHMASTER.
-
JUMP POCKETS :
-
slang for the side-mounted cargo pockets featured
on FATIGUE pants and field trousers, as being the only pockets
accessible to fully suited paratroopers. Also, the chest-mounted
cargo pockets featured on the jungle FATIGUE BLOUSE, as derived
from the WWII "jump jacket", slanted for ease of access; compare
HIGH POCKETS.
-
JUMP SCHOOL :
-
a ground training center, also called "parachute school" or
"airborne school", for the physical training and technical
indoctrination of parachutists, including PARATROOPERs and
Military Free Fall (MFF) skydivers, located on various military
installations. See BLACK HATS, ABN, AIRBORNE, PARACHUTE, JUMPIN'
JUNKIE, STATIC LINE, DROGUE, CUT-AWAY, STREAMER, PLF, STICK,
DINGLEBERRY, FLIGHT BAG, JUMP BOOTS, AIRHEAD, DZ, HEAVY DROP,
FREE FALL, GANG-BANG, JSD, TAB, OVAL, WINGS, TRASH, JUMPMASTER,
GOLDEN KNIGHTS, CHUTING STARS, IRON MIKE, HANG TOUGH, AIRBORNE
ALBUM, PROP BLAST, AIRBORNE SHUFFLE, ROMMEL'S ASPARAGUS, SQUAT,
GROUNDED; compare RIGGER, AIR ASSAULT, PATHFINDER.
[v: Parachuting Terms, and Parachuting
History]
[v: Siwash ("At Good Old Siwash" by George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
JUMP SPEED :
-
the airspeed at which parachutists, paratroopers, and other
aircrew can exit with comparative safety from an aircraft.
-
JUMP-START :
-
to act, or to be inspired to act, in a lively and energetic
manner, as if electrified; that is, to suddenly and urgently
begin performing some necessary action as if immediately going
from complete rest to full speed; also expressed as "jump to it"
or "on the bounce"; see MOVE OUT, OP TEMPO, SADDLE-UP, GOOD TO
GO, COMBAT LOADED, MISSION READY, UNLIMBER, LOCK 'n' LOAD,
CHARGE, FOLLOW ME, WATCH MY SMOKE, STORM, BATTAILOUS. Also, to
supply ignition or launch power from an external source
(booster); see APU. [nb: to "jump the gun" is a sports or racing
metaphor, having nothing to do with military weaponry; being used
in the same way as "jump the queue", "jump to conclusions", "jump
bail", or "jump ship"]
-
JUNCTION CITY :
-
major ground operations in WAR ZONE C, including AIRBORNE assault
on 22 Feb 1967; related to CEDAR FALLS operation.
-
JUNGLE BAGS :
-
slang for tropical-weight solid-green jungle FATIGUES or
utilities; see DRESS.
-
JUNGLE BOOTS :
-
adapted from British and Australian footwear worn during the
Malaysian campaign, this combat boot featured a direct
molded-sole (DMS) of lug cleats, leather vamp with drain vents,
leather heel counter, anti-penetration insole, and reinforced
fabric legging. It was designed to dry more quickly than all
leather boots in the tropical conditions of Southeast Asia. Early
attempts to issue these boots to ARVN troops required
adjustments: Vietnamese feet were too small, and MONTAGNARD feet
were too wide. Wear of the green and black JUNGLE BOOTS is no
longer authorized after 30 April 2008. See BATA BOOTS, LPC,
FOOTWEAR.
-
JUNGLE EXPERT :
-
certification awarded to US Army personnel for
completion of a jungle warfare course of instruction; graduates
are authorized to wear the galleon insignia of the 33rd Inf Rgt
with attached "Jungle Expert" tab on left FATIGUE shirt pocket.
After Operation Brush Bay in April 1951, Army Unit 7437 was
tasked to develop a Jungle Operations Training Center under the
command of the 33rd Inf Rgt (ca1954) and the 20th Inf Rgt (1956)
at Ft Sherman, Canal Zone, Panama. This 3-week course became the
separate Jungle Warfare Training Center in April 1960, but on 1
July 1963 was subordinated as the Jungle Operations Committee
under the School of the Americas, Ft Gulick, CZ, Panama. On 1
July 1968, JOC was redesignated Jungle Operations Training Center
at Ft Sherman, CZ, Panama; and placed under the operational
command of 8th Special Forces Group (later SAF, 3/7th SFGAbn) on
1 July 1970. In March 1969, the US Army Southern Operations
RECONDO course (3-weeks) was added to the JOTC curriculum,
awarding an arrowhead pocket patch very similar to the MACV
RECONDO School patch (including the central 'V' motif). On 30
June 1972, JOTC was transferred to Atlantic Area Installation
Command, deactivated on 24 Feb 1975, and reorganized under
3/7SFGAbn together with assets transferred from the USAF Tropical
Survival School, which was closed at the same time. On 18 July
1975, JOTC was subordinated to the 193rd Inf Bde, Ft Amador, CZ,
Panama. See BUSHMASTER, BOONIE RAT; compare MOUNTAINEER, WINTER
WARRIOR. [v: bushranger]
-
JUNGLE JIM :
-
properly "Operation Jungle Jim", a 1962 project of the USAF 1st
Air Commando Group dispatched to South Vietnam from the Special
Air Warfare Center at Eglin AFB; see DIRTY THIRTY, FARMGATE, AIR
COMMANDO.
-
JUNGLE PENETRATOR :
-
a compact device, somewhat resembling an anchor, attached to the
winch cable of a rescue helicopter, and used for extracting a
person from dense vegetation or other extreme terrain conditions;
also called "forest penetrator". See HOT HOIST, CHOPPER, SAR.
-
JUNGLE ROT :
-
various skin-conditions caused by the environment or
sepsis, and usually treated benignly by improved hygiene and
healthy exposure in air and light; may sometimes be psychosomatic
indicator of combat stress. See CONVERSION SYMPTOMS, FUO, YAW.
-
JUNK :
-
flat bottomed and high sterned sea-going BOAT with battened
lugsail rigging, and a fenestrated RUDDER; term JUNK derives from
pidgin Chinese. Essentially unchanged since before the second
century AD, the old style JUNK embodies all the operating
principles of the modern yacht; see COMPARTMENT, compare SAMPAN,
SMACK, SCOW. Also, slang for narcotics; see DOPE, CAN SA, GRASS,
HAY, COLORS, SMACK, HOT SHOT, CHINA WHITE, STICK, STONED, TAR,
HUBBLE-BUBBLE.
-
JUNK FORCE :
-
Naval Advisory Group in Mekong Delta operating from small native
craft (JUNK, SAMPAN, SMACK) and light patrol boats (PBL, PBR);
also called "Brown Water Navy". The native Vietnamese wooden
JUNKS, being about thirty feet long and often without auxiliary
engines, that were used for fishing and transport, were adopted
by U.S. Navy JUNK FORCE interdiction missions for concealment
among the fishing fleets, for improved surveillance and
maneuverability, and for access to close shore work. See NAG,
MRF.
-
JUSMAG :
-
Joint United States Military Assistance Group.
-
JUSMAPG :
-
Joint US Military Advisory and Planning Group.
-
JUSPAO :
-
Joint United States Public Affairs Office.
-
JUST CAUSE :
-
the INCURSION of more than 25,000 troops into Panama, from 20 Dec
1989 to 3 Jan 1990, after a Marine sentry was shot following the
15 Dec 1989 declaration of war on the U.S. by the Panamanian
legislature; jocularly known as "Operation Just Because".
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