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M I L T E R M S : fingerspelled letter K semaphor letter K signal flag letter K K : KILO

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KA :
abbreviation for Known Associate; see PROVOCATEUR, DECOY, DANGLE, CI, THROW-AWAY, LEGEND, LIFTED SKIRT, TRADECRAFT.

KABAR :
M-2 fighting utility
knife
M-2 fighting utility knife
common name for the generic "fighting utility knife", also spelled "K-Bar", that was developed from the original M-2 combat knife, and issued to SEALs and Marines. Made by numerous contractors, the brand name "KaBar" became synonymous with all versions of the knife, government issue or private purchase. The M-2/Fighting-Utility knife is a modified bowie pattern (single-edge, swept-tip, clip-point, fuller groove) with a crossguard, butt-plate, and stacked-leather haft with "sweat grooves". The KABAR was still the issue knife for SEAL teams during the VIETNAM WAR, despite the availability of a non-magnetic Haynes Alloy (nickel-titanium) DEMO knife specifically designed for underwater use. See BLOOD GROOVE, KNIFE. [v: Knife Terms]

KAK WHEEL :
a numeric-exchange calculator, carried around the RTO's neck on a thick cord, for encrypting map coordinates. See SHACKLE, SCRAMBLE, ENCRYPT, ALPHABET SOUP, RTO, RADIO.

KALASHNIKOV / KALISHNIKOV :
Kalashnikov AK-47
Kalashnikov AK-47
variously the AK-47, AK-74, AKM, or Type 56 Assault Rifle, also known as "AK" (AA-Kay, not "ack"). The AK-47 was the basic infantry weapon of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the VIET CONG (VC). The original Russian design by Kalashnikov was manufactured by the Soviet Union; but most of the assault rifles used in the VIETNAM WAR were CHICOM, made in the People's Republic of China (PRC), which was the major supplier of armaments to NVA and VC forces. This weapon was sturdy, reliable, compact, and relatively lightweight. It fired a 7.62X39mm bullet in a fully automatic mode (continuous firing as long as the trigger was squeezed). The high muzzle velocity (speed of the bullet after firing) and the tumbling action of the bullet contributed to its effectiveness. Unlike the smaller 5.56mm bullet of the M-16, the AK-47 bullet was not easily deflected by foliage. The combination of these effects plus its rapid-fire capability meant that accuracy was not a major requirement, thus reducing the training time before a soldier could be sent into combat. Most armaments analysts judge the AK-47, which normally holds a thirty-round detachable magazine, to be superior to the U.S. M-16, which became the standard weapon of American, Korean, and South Vietnamese troops. The AK-47 was more durable and less adversely affected by the climate and conditions of Vietnam. There are numerous accounts of American troops using captured AK-47 rifles, in preference to their issue weapons, but the distinctive Kalashnikov sound SIGNATURE was an invitation to "friendly fire" incidents during the confusion of combat. See 7.62 MINIS, SKS, RIFLE, BAR, CAR, SMG, ELDEST SON.

KANZUS :
(kansas) combined force from Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States; see SEATO, ASEAN, ANZUS, FWF, ATFV, AATTV, NZV FORCE, NZATTV, ROK, KATUSA.

KATN :
abbreviation for "Kick Ass Take Names", which is the function and unofficial motto of the military police; see AP, MP, QC, SP.

KATUSA :
(kah-too-suh) Korean Augmentation Troops with the U.S. Army, later changed to Korean Augmentee To the U.S. Army; being a partnership program initiated during the KOREAN WAR to improve the performance of ROK troops, which were integrated into American units. Although still practiced, these assignments are now reserved for privileged Koreans with superior skills, better education, and higher social status. Although successful, this program was not replicated in VN, but used ADVISORs and companion units instead. See STRIKER, BUDDY SYSTEM.

KBA :
Killed By Air; also cited as Killed By Artillery. See KIA, DOW.

K-DAY :
Convoy-Day; the unnamed date for the introduction of a convoy system on any particular convoy lane. See CONVOY, TIME.

KD RANGE :
Known Distance Range; not "Knock Down", despite the use of "pop-up / knock-down" silhouette targets to assist in scoring. The firing range CADRE informed all trainees that the shooting principles for practice are identical to those used in combat, except the targets are the "pop-up / shoot-back" type. See ZERO, BASS, SIGHT PICTURE, DRY FIRE, RIFLE, SMALL ARMS, RED FLAG, BOLO, MAGGIE'S DRAWERS, FLYING BRAVO. [v: Firearms Glossary]

KEELHAUL :
formerly, to drag an offender from stem to stern beneath a ship's keel, a punishment which often proved fatal; but now meaning to rebuke severely. See ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, CAPTAIN'S MAST, UCMJ, BRIG, DRUMHEAD, GAUNTLET, OVER A BARREL, GARROTE, DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS, TWIST IN THE WIND, PAIN. [nb: criminals on sailing ships were once lashed to the bowsprit until they perished, as a form of maritime crucifixion] Also, the operational CODENAME for the post-WWII forced repatriation and deportation during 1944-7 of eastern European POWs, DPs, and refugees (including Russians, Cossacks, Slovenians, Croats, Serbs, and others) into subjugation behind the IRON CURTAIN as a result of the Allied agreements at the Tehron and Yalta conferences, affecting millions of innocents who were systematically exterminated in labor camps; see GULAG, CONCENTRATION CAMP.

KEEP THE FAITH :
signifier or closure exchanged with fellow servicemembers, especially combat veterans, expressing loyalty and fidelity; used in the same manner as Marine use SEMPER FI. Derived from "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." [2 Timothy 4:7]. See UCGC, ESPRIT DE CORPS, OATH. [nb: "If ye break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep, though poppies grow / In Flanders fields." (John McCrae, 1915); "If you keep the faith, good things will eventually come to you." (Elmer Kelton, 2002)]

KENTUCKY WINDAGE :
a colloquialism for DEFLECTION; see SIGHT PICTURE, GUN CONTROL.

KEW :
(cue) Kinetic Energy Weapon; see FAE, STABALLOY. [cf: potential energy]

KEYSTONE :
the operational CODEWORD for the series of RETROGRADE increments, spanning the period July 1969 - November 1972, by which the U.S. Army was withdrawn from Vietnam; further subdivided by stages, as: Keystone Eagle, Keystone Cardinal, Keystone Bluejay, Keystone Robin, Keystone Oriole, Keystone Mallard, Keystone Owl, and so forth. A unit was "keystoned" when it turned in its equipment and moved to port; or a support element was "keystoning" by effecting the transfer of another unit's men and materiel. See ACTOV, CRIMP, CSMO, PROVN, VIETNAMIZATION. Also, (forthcoming) joint doctrine includes plans, command and control, communications, computer systems, intelligence, operations, logistics, and personnel; see CAPSTONE, USJFCOM.

KEY TERRAIN :
certain terrain, such as high ground or defiles, that when occupied, gives the holder a distinct tactical advantage; compare STRONGPOINT, CHOKE POINT.

KFS :
abbreviation for Knife, Fork, Spoon; being the complete set of eating utensils associated with civilized dining, hence only ever encountered in a MESS or GALLEY, and during a command (CMMI or IG) inspection! A soldier in the field reduces weight and eliminates noise by carrying only a SPOON (also known as the PARTISAN'S SECRET WEAPON!). See P-38, CHURCH KEY, CHOPSTICK, MESS KIT, CANTEEN CUP, MESS TRAY, COVER, RATIONS. [nb: fork introduced to Western civilization 1608; spork patented 1970] [nb: the small knife ("sgian dubh") that's tucked into the top of the stocking, below the skirt of the kilt, that's typically crafted by frugal Scots from broken weapons or scrap metal, is traditionally used when skinning or eating; it is sometimes called a "black knife", not for any sinister or devious usage, but due to its coarse or inferior metal, which contrasts with the brightly polished finer metal used in weapons] [v: napery, serviette]

KHA :
Killed in Hostile Action; see KIA, DOW, NOK.

KHAKI / KHAKIS :
a yellowish brown summer-weight CLASS-A uniform made of cotton twill; also called "sun-tans". The short-sleeved KHAKI shirt had breast pockets and EPAULETs; KHAKI trousers were usually four pocketed and long, but KHAKI shorts with knee-socks were experimental during the early 1960's. The Army had no matching HEADGEAR, but the Navy and Air Force did. A privately purchased alternative of the era was "tropical worsted wool" (TWs) in a slightly darker shade of light brown; which uniform was both more comfortable and more attractive than cotton KHAKIS. In 1846, the white British Army uniform was dyed "dust" brown to match the color of the desert dirt in India, and is considered to be the first camouflage uniform. See DRESS, CAMMIES, CAMO, PATCH.

KHAKI MAFIA :
slang for the "old boys club", for the "movers and shakers", for henchmen and minions, especially RING-KNOCKERs and other self-protective MILICRATs; any exclusionary in-group (eg: Bataan Gang of MacArthur sycophants), but may extend to overtly criminal rackets engaged in Black Marketeering. As with organized-crime families, there isn't a single monolithic structure; so the KHAKI MAFIA (also spelled "maffia" for clique; also known as "the group", "the outfit", "the organization", or "the mob") is composed of the "Airborne Mafia", the "Armor Mafia", the "Aviation Mafia", the "Submarine Mafia", the "Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Mafia", the "Freemason (Free and Accepted Masons) Mafia", the "Shriner (Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, an auxiliary of the Masonic order) Mafia", and other subsets which are dedicated to their own preferment and advancement. See RABBI, PATRON SAINT, SEA DADDY, BOY'S CLUB, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, RHIP, ROUGHSHOD, LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY DOWN, CARPETBAGGERS. [cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs] [v: 'claque' for group or coterie of BROWN NOSERs] [nb: every MILICRAT knows that the most dangerous people in the military are not HEROes, but are disgruntled MIL-PERS who are frustrated by MICKEY MOUSE and CHICKEN SHIT, by SNOW and RED TAPE, and having been passed over twice for promotion, are serving their terminal assignment, and because they are honorable men who have not STACKed ARMS, they know that there is nothing that the TICKET-PUNCHERs and RING-KNOCKERs of the KHAKI MAFIA can do to them!]

KHMER ROUGE :
literally "Red Khmers"; the forces of the Cambodian Communist Party. See CLA.

KHMER SEREI :
Free Khmer, Cambodian resistance group; see KKK, FARK. [nb: 1847 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Ang Duong) Angkor Wat emblem on coin; 1863 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Ang Duong) national flag; 1947 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Norodom Sihanouk Varman) monarchy promulgated democratic constitution and universal suffrage; 1948 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Norodom Sihanouk Varman) new flag; 1954 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Sihanuks); 1970 - Khmer Republic (Lon Nol); 1975 - Kingdom of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge); 1976 - Democratic Kampuchea (Pol Pot, et al); 1979 - People's Republic of Kampuchea [or Kampuchea Popular Republic] (Heng Samrin, Hun Sen, et al); 1989 - State of Cambodia (Heng Samrin, Hun Sen, et al); 1991 - State of Cambodia under provisional UN administration; 1993 - Kingdom of Camdbodia (Norodom Sihanuk). The colors of the national flag represent blue for royalty, leadership, or contentment; red for the nation, people, or courage; white for religion (Brahmanism / Buddhism), faith, or righteousness. The principal emblem has been ANGKOR WAT. The three stars in the flag of the Khmer Republic variously represent: people / religion / government, upper / middle / lower country, triple jewel of Buddhism (Dharma / Prajna / Sandhi), three branches of government. The present design of horizontal bands was adopted on 29 October 1948 until 9 October 1970, then again on 30 June 1993, with the royal coat of arms on 21 September 1993, in preparation for the reestablishment of the monarchy on 24 September 1993. The royal coat of arms show two cups, one placed over the other; above them a sacred sword, placed horizontally, surmounted by a symbol representing "om", the sound of creation. Beneath the whole, two laurel branches are united at the bottom by the star of the Royal Order of Cambodia.]

KHUNG BIET :
(kahm bick) Vietnamese phrase for "unknown" or "don't understand", sometimes Americanized as "cam biet" or misspelled "khong biet"; compare BIET.

KIA :
Killed In Action; Vietnamese term: Tu Tran. See DOW, PH, BODY COUNT, WASTED, ZAPPED, BUY THE FARM, PUSHING UP DAISIES, BITTER END, SPLASH, KBA, KHA, BODY BAG, LAID BY THE WALL, ZULU, NOK, DUSTOFF, MEDEVAC; compare WIA, GSW-TTH, MILLION DOLLAR WOUND, PROFILE, LINE OF DUTY, SIW. [nb: allegedly, due to the undeclared status of the VIETNAM WAR, allied combat deaths were officially classified as "Killed in Hostile Action" (KHA), and enemy combat deaths were formally designated as "Killed In Action" (KIA); but such a legalistic distinction is supposed to regulate the award of "combat only" decorations. Allied deaths total approximately 300,000 servicemembers, and the enemy is estimated to have lost 1.4 - 2 million military dead during the Second INDOCHINA War (1954-75).]

KICK :
informal term used to mean RECOIL, being the distance through which a weapon moves backward after discharging; the physical rebound resulting from undergoing a change in momentum ... "every action has an equal and opposite reaction". See BASS, SPOT WELD, BURST, DOUBLE TAP, FIREPOWER, SILENCER, PROLONGE. [v: Firearms Glossary]

KICKER :
slang designation for a DROPMASTER or LOADMASTER who performs an AIRDROP, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP, or KICK-OUT of the PAYLOAD so as to effect a tactical resupply to ground elements; see CREW CHIEF, HATCH, RAMP, TAILGATE, LZ, DZ, COMBAT LOADED, BAILOUT.

KICK-OUT :
to deliver essential equipment or necessary resupply to a unit in the field by quickly throwing packaged goods out of the door or HATCH of a slow moving airplane, usually a hovering CHOPPER but any capable BIRD, from SKYMASTER to BRONCO, will suffice during an emergency. A KICK-OUT is performed as low to the ground as possible (to spare damage to the delivery), and at the center of a PERIMETER (which is usually too small for an AIRDROP), and under adverse conditions (typically receiving SMALL ARMS if not AA fire), since a proper and secure LZ would be established if time and opportunity permitted. See TAILGATE, COMBAT LOADED, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP.

KICKS :
slang for G.I. shoes; see LOW-QUARTERS.

KICKSTANDED :
compulsory, mandatory, or forced retirement of a professional MIL-PERS, also spelled "kick-standed"; based upon the powerlessness of a fully functional motorcycle prevented from operating by elevating the spinning drive-wheel with a kickstand. This expedient method of disarming a politically embarrassing situation is supposedly more fair to the individual, since they are not punished or denied accrued benefits; but it is quite unjust and cowardly, since the person is presumed guilty and dishonored by the arrogation. See CYA, DODGE THE BULLET, CHOP, VULCANIZE, RIF, SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT.

KILL BOX :
a three-dimensional area that's used to facilitate the integration of joint fires; being a hypothetical abstraction that's positioned to encompass the TARGET, whether fixed or mobile, personnel or vehicles, which is the most effective target area that can be projected for select munitions capable of delivery by available assets within the time constraints. This theoretical ideal of sufficient force without the expenditure of excess or inappropriate force causing unnecessary damage ranges from "one shot, one kill" SNIPER tactics to minimal implosion absent of COLLATERAL DAMAGE. With the refinements available from the new technology, such "surgical strikes" against the designated enemy are now possible, even in THE FOG OF WAR. Compare PAINT, SHOT, SHOT IN, SHOT OUT, SPLASH.

KILL CREDIT :
a symbolic representation of the death toll, being one of the ways of "keeping score" in "real" WAR GAMES; see TROPHY, BANDIT, KILL RING, STREAMER, SOUVENIR, EARS, BRAGGING RIGHTS, TOP DOG, SPLASH, KIA, BODY COUNT, HEADHUNTING, BUTCHER'S BILL, ZULU, MASSACRE, KILL 'EM ALL, PISSING CONTEST. [nb: the kill ratio to expended AMMO during the VIETNAM WAR was about 20,000 rounds per enemy dead]

KILL 'EM ALL :
popular slogan or sardonic byword, as "Kill 'em all an' let God sort it out!". Originating as either "Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet." or "Neca ecos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet.", which has been translated as both "Slay them all. God will recognize His own." and "Kill all! Kill all, for God will know His own."; and has been variously attributed to Simon de Montfort, Amal Ulric, Arnald-Amaury, Arnald-Amalric, Arnold Amalric, Caesar von Heisterbach, and Caesar Heisterbachiensis from the Albigensian Crusade to extirpate the Catharist heresy, 21 July 1209, in Beziers France. See MASSACRE, BUTCHER'S BILL, BATTLE CRY, PATCH, MERCENARY, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, VIETNAM IS FOREVER, WAR PARTY, WARMONGER, TRIGGER-HAPPY, BOUNCE THE RUBBLE, BOMB 'EM BACK TO THE STONE AGE, BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK, OVERKILL, KNOCK INTO A COCKED HAT, GENOCIDE, ATROCITY, RETALIATION; compare THEY'LL GIVE A WAR AN' NOBODY'LL COME. [v: vernichtungsgedanken] [nb: "Most of the world's ills would be cured with one three-day open season on people." by Ernest M. Hemingway]

KILLER JUNIOR :
the setting of short-FUZEd high-explosive (HE) artillery (ARTY) rounds for air-burst as a PERIMETER defense technique against ground attacks. This anti-personnel (AP) procedure for HOWITZERs was developed by LTC Robert Dean, who was then CO of the 1/8th Field Artillery in the 25th Infantry Division, as a means to compensate for the absence of a BEEHIVE or other CASE SHOT round fitting the 105mm HOWITZER. The 105mm HE projectiles would be set with two-second timers and fired over open sights on depressed gun-tubes, resulting in an air-burst approximately 30 feet above the ground at ranges between 200 - 1000 meters. This technique was more effective than CANISTER or BEEHIVE because the enemy could not crawl under the fan of the dispersion pattern. Compare KILLER SENIOR; see DIME-NICKEL, ONE-OH-DEUCE, ARTY.

KILLER KANE :
NICKNAME for specialists in night ambush or assassination "behind enemy lines"; see SHADOW WARRIOR, BODYGUARD, DECAPITATION, TWEP, STROLLER, SWEEPER.

KILLER SENIOR :
the setting of short-FUZEd high-explosive (HE) artillery (ARTY) rounds for air-burst as a PERIMETER defense technique against ground attacks. This anti-personnel (AP) procedure for HEAVY STUFF was developed as a means to compensate for the absence of a BEEHIVE or other CASE SHOT round fitting the 8" cannon. The 8" HE projectiles would be set with two-second timers and fired over open sights on depressed gun-tubes, resulting in an air-burst approximately 30 feet above the ground at ranges between 200 - 1000 meters. This technique was more effective than CANISTER or BEEHIVE because the enemy could not crawl under the fan of the dispersion pattern. Compare KILLER JUNIOR; see BIG STUFF, ARTY.

KILL HOUSE :
a building used for training military and paramilitary agents in the tactics and techniques of intervention and rescue, especially urban combat, by presenting typical, atypical, and specific scenarios during which FLASHBANGs, MILES, and SIM-AMMO is used; some setups include sound effects, visual distractions, and BOOBY-TRAPs. The KILL HOUSE, also called "shooting house", may be a MOCK-UP of an aircraft fuselage, an embassy building, an apartment complex, a business office, or small factory designed in European, Asian, or Near Eastern style. These training sessions are normally videotaped for post-event review. See BODYGUARD, DOOR KICKING, BREACHER, STACK, MOUT, LRP, DELTA FORCE, SPECIAL OPERATIONS, ANTI-TERRORISM, COUNTER-TERRORISM, RED FLAG.

KILL RING :
a painted line or band encircling the MAIN-GUN tube, commencing from near the MUZZLE, each one of which represents the confirmed destruction in battle of a similar enemy weapon or vehicle; being a non-verbal testament of combat prowess, adopted by American YELLOWLEGs and REDLEGs from WWII German TANKERs. See TROPHY, BRAGGING RIGHTS, TOP DOG, KILL CREDIT.

KILL ZONE :
the area of saturated fire where most casualties will occur; also called "killing ground", "killing field", "beaten zone", or "dead zone"; compare ZONE OF FIRE, POINT OF IMPACT, IMPACT AREA; see FPL, AMBUSH, BATTLEFIELD. Also, the most lethal area, being the preferred AIMPOINT or target for maximum effectiveness; compare DEAD SPACE.

KILO :
meaning 'thousand', as in kilogram or kilometer; see KLICK. ALSO, the word assigned to represent the letter "K" in the international phonetic alphabet; at various times in different spelling schemes, it has also been acrophonetically represented as King. See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [v: Alphabet Codes & Signal Flags]

KILROY :
Kilroy was here!
Kilroy
           ,^^^,
           (O O)
--oooo--(_)--oooo--
a peering face graffito, often coupled with the catch-phrase "Kilroy was here!", as made popular during WWII and after by being indiscriminately emblazoned wherever troops advanced; this icon ostensibly originated as an inspection mark made on military equipment by James J. Kilroy. An alternative attribution credits Francis J. Kilroy Jr., a sergeant in the Army Air Transport Service, whose friends delighted in recording his name everywhere they went. [nb: in a similar vein, the SF friends and associates of Walt Shumate delighted in attributing every dastardly deed and ignoble feat to him, making his name impossibly ubiquitous and improbably universal, sometimes appearing simultaneously at a bar brawl in Okinawa, a whorehouse in Panama, a caper in Egypt, an escapade in Germany, and a frolic in Alaska; in the British SAS fraternity, the same has been done with the Andy McNab persona] [cf: pasquinade]

KIMONO :
(forthcoming); a loose robe with wide sleeves that's fastened at the waist with a sash, as traditionally worn by Japanese men and women; derived from "thing to wear". compare CHEONGSAM, AO DAI, HANBOK.

KINFORMING :
a portmanteau word combining 'kin/kinfolk' and 'informing', as adopted during the GULF WAR; being the notification procedure required of the unit commander that advises a servicemember's family of his injury or death, which also initiates the casualty affairs or survivor assistance process. See NOK, WIA, DOW, KIA, CACO, HUG SQUAD, SKY PILOT, GHOUL, MORTUARY AFFAIRS, GRAVES REGISTRATION.

KINGBEE :
CH-34 helicopter
CH-34 Kingbee
Sikorsky CH-34 helicopter.

KING OF THE HILL :
preeminent, paramount, predominant, foremost, superior, unsurpassed, matchless, peerless, incomparable, second to none; one who has conquered all contenders to achieve dominance. This activity, also called "king of the mountain", having devolved into a rough-and-tumble game for children, teaches the value of a superior position, and the singularity of attainment. KING OF THE HILL utilizes defensive high ground in the same manner as the 'Base Capture' game, which is a variant of CAPTURE THE FLAG. See BATTLE ROYAL, UPHILL BATTLE, FIGHTING MAD, CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE; compare DUCK ON DRAKE, DUCKS AND DRAKES, TUG OF WAR, PRISONER'S BASE, WAR GAMES.

KIOWA :
Bell OH-1 or OH-58 (JetRanger) observation helicopter; an armed version is designated "Kiowa Warrior" (OH-58D). See SCOUTSHIP, LOH, CHOPPER.

KIP :
to sleep or rest; derived from brothel. Also, a unit of weight equal to half a ton, or 1000 pounds avoirdupois. Also, a large heavy bundle or fardel, especially of hides. Also, the basic monetary unit of currency of Laos; see LEGAL TENDER.

KISKA TASK FORCE :
Kiska Task Force sleeve
insignia
Kiska TF
1943 Aleutian Islands Forces
patch
Aleutian Is Fcs
(forthcoming); 15 August 1943 landing on Kiska in the Aleutian Islands

KISS :
military injunction to "Keep It Short and Simple", or "Keep It Simple Stupid"; conceived by British MG J.F.C. Fuller, who formalized the principles of warfare during WWI. [nb: "If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again — a tremendous whack!" by Winston L.S. Churchill]

KISS THE MISTRESS :
hitting the center of the target; a perfect score. See SHARPSHOOTER, DEADEYE, KNOCK THEIR SPOTS OFF, MAGGIE'S DRAWERS, TURN THE JACK, AIMPOINT, BOLO BADGE. [nb: by playing card analogy since the mid-19th century, the King is headquarters, the Queen is the principal point on the FRONT LINE, and the Jack is a secondary position; such that a "kiss" is a solid hit or strike, and a "turn" is an oblique or glancing blow of mis- or indirection] [nb: according to classic military lore, carrying playing cards (also called a "California prayer book" or the "Devil's calling cards") in combat is bad luck, so the deck must be left behind in camp or buried upon departure; cf: DEATH CARDS, WAR GAMES] [nb: some etymologists attribute the phrase "buck the tiger" to faro gambling, but can not explain its usage, however the same phrase is widely associated with lusty gratification, and needs no explanation; v: "They won't drink, they won't buck the tiger, they won't even fight." Roads of Destiny; "Nothing stronger than bouillon, not a chance to buck the tiger even for one moment...." Hagar's Daughter]

KIT :
materials and supplies for a specific purpose (eg: MESS KIT, MED BAG, BUG-OUT KIT, DOPP KIT, PRO KIT). Also, BIVOUAC or battlefield gear (eg: WAR BAG); see DUFFEL. Also, the container for such material (eg: DITTY BAG, KIT BAG, MUSETTE, FLIGHT BAG); see DUNNAGE. Also, all the parts necessary to assemble something (eg: radio kit). [nb: the whole "kit 'n' caboodle" is an early Americanism for the container with everything that belongs in it, or an entity with all of its functional elements, such as a COMBAT LOADED or MISSION READY unit that's GOOD TO GO; another early Americanism for this entirety, whole or completeness, is "lock, stock, 'n' barrel", which refers to all the essential parts of a firelock musket; cf: SHEBANG]

KIT BAG :
see KIT, MED BAG, MUSETTE, WAR BAG, GO-BAG, FLIGHT BAG, DUFFEL BAG, AWOL BAG, BIVY, DINGLEBERRY. [nb: "rucksack" = back-sack; "knapsack" = bite/snap-up/eat, food sack; "kit-bag" = soldier's small bag/knapsack; "haversack" = single strap over one shoulder / musette] [cf: bundle, bindle/bindlea, swag, bluey, dilly bag, tucker-bag, bag, pouch, tote, sack, pack, grip, gripsack, overnighter, weekender, carpetbag, suitcase, portmanteau, Gladstone bag, traveling case, garment bag, Val-Pack, luggage; v: "scrip" wayfarer's bag or wallet; "viaticum" traveler's money and necessities]

KIT CARSON SCOUT :
named for the renown American frontier Indian Scout, Kit Carson, abbreviated KCS, this program employed captured or surrendered enemy soldiers who return to their former operational areas to serve as guides for Allied troops. See HOI CHANH, ROADRUNNER, EARTH ANGEL. [nb: the American frontiersman, hunter and guide, Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson (1809-68), known as the "Little Big Man", was made famous by the plaudits of John Charles Frémont for his employments during the Western expeditions of 1842-5, then similarly engaged by Stephen Kearny in New Mexico, then installed in 1853 as Indian agent at Taos, and later militia leader of the New Mexico Volunteers in campaigns against southwestern tribes during the CIVIL WAR (including the Texas battle at Adobe Walls in November 1864), then finally appointed Brigadier General in July 1866 to command Fort Garland, Colorado] [nb: a similar program during WWII in the ETO operated by OSS was called "Sauerkraut" (word play: Sour + German)]

KITCHEN IN A CARTON :
informal name for the "Unitized Group Ration Express", being a no-fuel/no-power self-heating system that requires no additional equipment; introduced to field inventory in 2007. Each self-contained UGRE system is designed to be air-dropped, weighs 40 pounds, and feeds 18 servicemembers with menu items like turkey dinner with gravy. See RATIONS.

KITE :
(forthcoming); THROW-AWAY [nb: the kite, called a "flying sail", has been used militarily since the fifth century BC by the Chinese to signal situations, send commands, scatter leaflets, produce sounds, and lift observers.] [nb: during WWII, German U-boats used a "gyro-kite" to lift a temporary observation platform above sea level]

KIWI :
(kee-wee) NICKNAME for New Zealand ADVISORs and servicemen, also known as "Digger", from "Down Under" (antipodes); as derived from the flightless bird native to the islands. See NZATTV, NZV FORCE, RNZAF, NZSAS, TAN TAY LAN, ANZAC, FWF, FANK TRAINING COMMAND, ANZUS, KANZUS, ASEAN, SEATO, compare AUSSIE, TOMMY, GI JOE, GI. [v: Down Under Military Glossary] [aka: Maori 'Aotearoa' meaning "land of the long white cloud"] [cf: kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberry (Zespri)]

KKK :
Krum Kmampuchea Khmer, or Khmer Kampuchea Krom, or Khymer Kampuchea Krom; exile ethnic Cambodian faction working with Allied elements. See KHMER SEREI, FARK.

KLAXON :
a loud electric horn, formerly used on motor vehicles; a type of alarm now used as a warning signal or siren. Compare SQUAWK BOX, BLOWER, HORN, TANNOY, TOCSIN; see WARNING ORDER, BOATSWAIN'S PIPE, BUGLE CALL, POOP, HEADS-UP, FYI, STAND-TO, DEFCON, ESP, SACON, GQ, AHOY, HOISE, OORAH, HOOAH, HAUL-ASS, STAT.

KLICK :
slang for kilometer (km), also spelled "click"; being 1,000 meters or 0.621 mile. See KNOT, NAUTICAL MILE, MILE. [v: International System of Units (si): meter (length), kilogram (mass), second (time), ampere (electric current), kelvin (temperature), mole (amount of substance), and candela (luminous intensity); including femtometer / fermi (fm), picometer (pm), angstrom (a), nanometer (nm), millimicron, micron/micrometer (mu), millimeter (mm), centimeter (cm), decimeter (dm), meter (m), dekameter (dam), hectometer (hm), kilometer (km), light year, parsec]

KMAG :
Korea Military Advisory Group; consisted of MIL-PERS under the operational control of the State Department (DoS). Compare USDAO.

KMC :
Republic of Korea Marine Corps; compare ROK, USMC.

KNEE CAP :
the perennially airborne aerial command center of the Strategic Air Command (SAC); see DEFCON, SACON, FOOTBALL.

KNEE-KNOCKER :
slang for the protective rim or bulwark surrounding an opening in a BULKHEAD or DECK, designed to exclude water; this coaming is also called a "shin-scraper".

KNIFE :
see BAYONET, BANANA BOLO, BOLO, MACHETE, KABAR, COMMANDO DAGGER, PILOT'S SURVIVAL KNIFE, SOG BOWIE, POCKETKNIFE, BLOOD GROOVE; compare ON GUARD, BUTT STROKE, CQB, LONG KNIFE, HOT KNIFE, ELECTRIC BUTTERKNIFE. [v: Knife Terms]

K-9 :
K-9 Corps patch
K-9 Corps
designation being a simulacrum for "canine", denoting the use of specially trained dogs for military employment in messengering, security, tracking, and detection with companion handler. Dog handling is traditionally conducted using German-language commands accompanied by unambiguous gestures. First used during WWI, such loyal but expendable animals have usually been abandoned or exterminated after each subsequent war, despite their extensive and expensive training. The bond between dog and handler is often untransferrable, such that the dog is either discharged when the handler leaves the military, or is destroyed if no other kennel is available for retirement. After WWI, starving signal dogs were rescued by the founders of what later became The Seeing Eye Foundation for re-training as guide dogs for blinded veterans, a field of mobility (O&M) training that has since burgeoned. These working dogs, commonly called "police dogs" and "guarddogs", were known during the VIETNAM WAR as "boonie pups" in camaraderie with BOONIE RATs; the dogs' spirit was also represented by the expression: "Hell on Paws", as a take-off from HELL ON WHEELS. The Army's Quartermaster Corps (QM) initially trained all military dogs, but after a period of dispersion, the Department of Defense (DoD) again consolidated training with the U.S. Air Force. See SCOUT DOG, SAPPER; compare WEASEL, IRON DOG. [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: during Operation Barbarossa, defending Russians used anti-tank "mine dogs" against attacking German vehicles; dogs were Pavlovian conditioned to eat their food on the underside of moving vehicles, where the trigger on their back would detonate the saddlebag explosive that they carried] [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]

KNOCK INTO A COCKED HAT :
to destroy utterly or defeat completely; with reference to the 18th century fashion of wearing bicorne and tricorne hats. See WMD, BOMB 'EM BACK TO THE STONE AGE, BOUNCE THE RUBBLE, MAD, OVERKILL, MASSACRE, HEADHUNTING, TURKEY SHOOT, KILL 'EM ALL, ATROCITY, GENOCIDE, HOLOCAUST. [cf: facer]

KNOCK IT OFF :
command broadcast to all participants, by any element or umpire, to interrupt mock-combat training for reasons of safety or completion; to cease and desist, to give quarter. Given the natural competition of training, enthusiasm frequently exceeds judgement, such that strikes and developments are disputed; so KNOCK IT OFF concludes the exercise for later analysis and assessment. Actual combat does not have a "pause" button or an "interrupt" switch; and "fair play by the rules" is a moot point in victory. See DOGFIGHT, BELAY, SCRUB, RING THE BELL, TS CARD, POOP, ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR.

KNOCK THEIR SPOTS OFF :
hitting the center of the target; a perfect score. Originating as pistol marksmanship competition with the target being the "pips" on playing cards. This phrase, which enjoins a superior performance of skill, may be confused with "knock their socks off", which extols an impressive (even flamboyant) performance. See SHARPSHOOTER, DEADEYE, KISS THE MISTRESS, MAGGIE'S DRAWERS, AIMPOINT, BOLO BADGE, DEATH CARDS, WAR GAMES.

KNOT :
a constrictive interlacement for fastening. Knot tying has a language of its own, including: bend, BIGHT, loop, hitch, running-end, standing-end, trailing-end, fast, splice, braid, twine, etc; see HARD-AND-FAST, MONKEY FIST, TURK'S HEAD. [v: Climbing Terms] Also, a unit of speed equal to one NAUTICAL MILE (or about 1.15 statute miles) per hour; probably derived as a contraction of "[k]naut(ical mile)"; the usage "knots per hour" is a redundancy. Also, a unit of measure, being either one NAUTICAL MILE, or a line marked 47'3" (13.79m) long. [nb: 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, 6 feet / 2 yards = 1 fathom, 16.5 feet = 1 rod (aka: pole or perch), 66 feet / 4 rods = 1 chain (90 feet / 15 fathoms = 1 anchor chain), 10 chains / 660 feet (1/8 statute mile) = 1 furlong, 120 fathoms / 720 feet = 1 land cable, 101 fathoms / 606 feet (1/10 nautical mile) = 1 cable, 3 statute miles = 1 land league, 3 nautical miles = 1 sea league / shot] [nb: a "geographic mile" is the length of a minute of longitude on the equator]

KNOW THE ROPES :
experienced, knowledgeable, masterly; to be familiar with or able to execute a task. A nautical phrase from the days of sail, when an understanding of the complexities of ropes, knots, and rigging was essential for a seaman. This expression first appeared in a published work as a reference to the ship's captain in "Two Years Before the Mast" by Richard Henry Dana (1840).

KNOW YOUR ENEMY :
a catch-phrase that encourages insight and creativity, since it is not enough to second-guess oneself ("How would I kill me?"), but to recognize enemy patterns and methods, strengths and weaknesses, potential and goals ("How would he kill me?"), both tactically and strategically; also expressed as "know the enemy". See CAPABILITY, COURSE OF ACTION, LEAST RESISTANCE, FIELD EXPEDIENT. ["To know your enemy, you must become your enemy ... Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." by Sun-Tzu (ca490BC)]

KOREAN WAR :
Korean War service medal
KSM
Republic of Korea Wartime
Service medal
ROK WSM
a war launched 25 June 1950 to unify the Hermit Kingdom, annexed since 1910 and divided by the Yalta Conference trusteeship, by INVASION from the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea aided by communist China (PRC) and Russia (USSR) into the Republic of (South) Korea aided by US and UN forces, resulting in an armistice signed 27 July 1953 that confirmed the antebellum 1948 separation along the 38th parallel, less approximately 180,000 Allied and an estimated 2,000,000 enemy casualties. The KOREAN WAR was America's first "limited war", formally designated a "police action", and was the first military intervention by 16 members of the United Nations exercising their peacekeeping authority. [nb: "In the simplest of terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a third world war." by Harry S. Truman (16 April 1951)] [cf: during the KOREAN WAR, many North Korean and Chinese communist POWs TATTOOed themselves with anti-American or pro-communist slogans, on their hands, arms, foreheads, or chests, as an act of defiant solidarity with their homelands, and with their war against Western ideals; such that even when they rioted, no NK or CHICOM POWs were punished for having expressed their political views with signs or TATTOOs, despite the fact that such dissent was intolerable in their own homelands]

KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL :
a striking tableau and frieze erected on the Capitol Mall adjacent to the VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL commemorating the service and sacrifice of combatants more than forty years after the armistice for the "Forgotten War". See MEMORIAL DAY, MISSING MAN FORMATION, TAPS.

KP :
Kitchen Police, with duties to assist food preparation, setup, clean-up, and waiter/steward or Dining Room Orderly (DRO); sometimes called "pot-walloper", "pan-wrestler", or "kicking pots and pans", formerly known as "blackguard". See SCRUB, SWEAT, ELBOW GREASE, COOKIE, MESSHALL, GALLEY, POLICE; compare GI PARTY, POLICE CALL, HOUSECLEANING.

K-POT :
the lightweight ballistic (Kevlar) HELMET that replaced the STEEL POT after Vietnam; also called "Fritz" for its resemblance to the German coal-scuttle or "Dutch Boy" HEADGEAR. [nb: Kevlar patented 1971]

KRAIT :
a nocturnal venomous snake, in either black and white or black and yellow bands, with erect upper fangs (elapid), that's INDIGenous to South Asia; also called "two-step" or "eleven second" snake for its deadly effect.

K-RATIONS :
single meal for an individual soldier; eponymously named for its WWII (1942) creator, Ancel Keys. See RATIONS.

KUNAI / KUNAI GRASS :
tall sharp-edged grass, growing throughout Asia and the Pacific region; also called "blady", "blady grass", and "lalang". See BOONIES, TULE, ELEPHANT GRASS, SAW GRASS, NIPA PALM, PITA.

KYAT :
the Burmese (Myanmarian) basic monetary unit of currency; see LEGAL TENDER.




MilTerms
index
S-1:
ADMIN
S-2:
INTEL
S-3:
OPNS
S-4:
QM
S-5:
CA
S-6:
COMMO
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