-
TAB :
-
Tactical Assault Boat, as for special operations; see BOAT. Also,
Tactical Air Base. Also, a distinguishing label denoting
classification or qualification, such as an AIRBORNE arc attached
to a unit PATCH, or a sleeve tag designating individual
proficiency (called a Q-TAB); see TRIPLE CANOPY, compare SCROLL,
GREEN TAB. Also, a small airfoil hinged to the rear portion of a
control surface, as to an elevator, aileron, or RUDDER; see FIN,
TAILBOOM.
-
TAC-AIR :
-
TACtical AIR support, or Close Air Support (CAS); as
distinguished from "strategic bombing". See FAC, MISTY FAC, FO,
FCSL, PREP.
-
TACAN :
-
TACtical Air Navigation, also spelled "TAC-AN"; being an
ultra-high frequency electronic air navigation system which
provides a continuous indication of bearing and distance to the
TACAN station, by common slant range components. Also, TACtical
ANtenna, employing TMSQ# (T=temporary, M=mobile, S=Special type,
Q=special purpose) devices, as used for VECTOR; see RADAR.
-
TACC :
-
Tactical Air Control Center; compare TADC, TAOC.
-
TACKLE :
-
any specialized apparatus, equipment, or GEAR, including
rigging; see LINE. Also, a leverage system of pulleys; see BLOCK,
WHIP, FAIRLEAD, CRAB. [v: double block, double Spanish burton;
nb: a "sheet" is a thin LINE or CORD used in reeving TACKLE and
the rigging of sails; and like a HAWSER, it is never called a
ROPE]
-
TACS :
-
(forthcoming);
see COMBAT LIGHTNING
-
TACTICS :
-
a plan or procedure of those movements necessary for gaining an
advantage, such as in the art or science of deploying military
(or naval) forces and maneuvering them in battle; as derived from
arranging, to put in order. Compare STRATEGY; see CAPABILITY,
COURSE OF ACTION, KNOW YOUR ENEMY, OPLAN.
[nb: a theorem on the relativity of tactics and strategy is: if
the tactics are wrong and the strategy is wrong then the war will
be quickly lost; if the tactics are right but the strategy is
wrong then battles will be won while the war is lost; if the
tactics are wrong but the strategy is right then battles will be
lost while the war is won; and if the tactics are right and the
strategy is right then the war will be quickly won] [nb: "Them
ain't tactics, honey. That's just the beast in me." by Elvis
Presley as Vince Everett in Jailhouse Rock (1957)]
-
TAD :
-
NavSpeak for Temporary Additional Duty, known as Temporary Duty
(TDY) by Army and Air Force personnel; abbreviation corrupted
into "Traveling Around Drunk". See CHOP, SHEEP-DIPPED; compare
HARDSHIP TOUR, PCS.
-
TADC :
-
Tactical Air Direction Center; compare TACC, TAOC.
-
TADPOLE :
-
being the aquatic larva of frogs, hence the NICKNAME for a
FROGMAN trainee; see BUDS, UDT, DIVER, compare PUP, LEG,
POLLYWOG, CHUM, NUGGET. Also, slang designation for a
limbless amputee or quadriplegic; also called a "basket-case" by
Brits, a "samovar" by Russians, and a "curling stone" by
Canadians; compare CRISPY CRITTER, CREATURE FEATURE, FLOATER,
MAGGOT, CADET.
-
TAEL :
-
formerly a basic monetary unit of currency in China, equivalent
to its weight (liang = 37g/1.33oz) in silver; compare SYCEE; see
YUAN, RENMINBI, LEGAL TENDER.
-
TAFFRAIL :
-
the upper part of the STERN of a ship, as derived from 'tableau';
see FANTAIL. Also, a rail above the STERN of a ship; see PULPIT;
compare BULWARK, LIFELINE.
-
TAILBOOM :
-
tail assembly; the FUSELAGE extension of an aircraft ending in a
small stabilizing propeller, or a split extension to mount the
RUDDER and FIN stabilizers. See HUEY, HUSKY, FLYING BOXCAR,
LIGHTNING, SKYMASTER, BIRD.
-
TAIL-END CHARLIE :
-
the last man in any given line or FILE, being too often "a day
late and a dollar short"; compare DRAG, GOAT, CHARLIE.
-
TAILGATE :
-
the end RAMP on some aircraft, such as the HERCULES and HUSKY,
CHINOOK / SEA KNIGHT, including the clamshell closure at the rear
end of the DECK on the FLYING BOXCAR and FAT ALBERT, for the
movement of people and cargo; being similar to the bow RAMP on
LANDING CRAFT. Also, to off-load men or equipment through this
HATCH, as AIRBORNE, AIRDROP, LOW-LEVEL EVACUATION DROP, or
KICK-OUT delivery.
-
TAILHOOK :
-
the arresting device for catching restraining lines when landing
aircraft on-board FLATTOPs (CV). See PADDLES, BURBLE, NIGHT TRAP,
BOLTER, BOUNCE.
-
TAKE A KNEE :
-
the invitation extended by the commander to his subordinates to
"get comfortable" by SQUATting or hunkering in the field without
removing WEB GEAR or setting aside weapons; equivalent to "take a
seat" when indoors. Because most Americans are not agrarian or
rural, and so have never learned fieldcrafts, the SQUAT or hunker
becomes very uncomfortable in a short time; therefore the most
common posture assumed by fully loaded troops is a stable
three-point crouch, with the body resting on one foot, the other
toe and knee [nb: this is also the supported kneeling position
for rifle shooting]. This TAKE A KNEE posture is a way to rest
without removing essential GEAR, and can be more easily and
quickly recovered from than sitting, which can expose the body to
unwanted dirt, moisture, or contaminants. It's possible that this
posture is derived from football, where suited-up players are
informally gathered for a short lecture or discussion during
practice; however the coincidence is not unusual, because most
MIL-PERS are athletes, and would be involved in both playing and
coaching various sports. See DUCK-WALK, FROGMARCH, LOW-CRAWL.
-
TALK TRASH :
-
to brag or lie, as bullshit or horseshit; to use vulgar, obscene,
scurrilous, or profane language, as to BAD-MOUTH; also includes
nervous or compulsive verbiage, as babble, blather, chatter,
jabber, natter, prate, prattle, yammer, jaw-jacking, or VERBAL
DIARRHEA; also includes word-play, rhyme, banter, persiflage,
badinage, ranking, rake, pun, jest, jive, jeer, rag, raillery,
rigmarole, rap, witticism, or the like (eg: "doin' tha dozens"
[v: WOOF] was a form of "battle rhyme" or 'verbal combat' among
BLACK troops). See SMACK, SHOOT THE SHIT, SNOW, GAS BAG, HOT AIR,
MOTOR MOUTH, BRAVO SIERRA, TELL IT TO THE MARINES, SCUTTLEBUTT,
BLOW SMOKE, CONFETTI, GODDAM, OATH, SEA STORY, WAR STORY, COUNT
COUP, ATFU; compare CHICKEN SHIT, RUMOR, MIL-SPEAK.
[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]
-
TALLY-HO :
-
acknowlegement by a PILOT that he has visually acquired an air or
ground target which had been called to his attention, and is now
in pursuit, closing, chasing, or attacking; also known as
"tallyho" or "tally"; in Naval aviation, if the target is
confirmed, the call skips the preliminary BANDIT, and issues a
TALLY-HO immediately; see BOGIE, BANDIT, VISUAL, JOY, SCRAM,
SPLASH, BATTER UP, PLAY BALL. Also, designation for the
southernmost sector of North Vietnam (NVN); compare DMZ. Also,
the phrase used by PILOTs and other aviation personnel to
informally announce the arrival of an attractive woman in the
target area, or the sighting of an attractive woman in the
operations area; such usage is considered to be more refined and
mature, more suave and debonair than slavering and grunting ...
bug-eyed chest-pounding and wolf-whistling is deemed to be
uncouth and unsophisticated, though typical of crass and boorish
fly-boys! [nb: apparently "Waco!" was used by WWI pilots when
suddenly encountering military or female targets, in the same way
as TALLY-HO]
-
TALO :
-
Tactical Airlift Liaison Officer
-
TALON :
-
North American T-28, a 2-seat, single-engine, monoplane
TRAINER; the T-28D version is an attack plane, capable of
carrying a variety of ordnance on counterinsurgency missions.
Compare TROJAN; see CHAPAKAO, BIRD.
-
TAMPON :
-
a plug or pledget of cotton, lint, or other absorbent material
(eg: amalou), used to control bleeding from a wound or body
cavity; as derived from tampion/tapon for any bung or plug (see
MUZZLE); compare COMPRESS, TENT, STRETCHER; see POLICE CALL.
Also, a two headed drumstick, used to play rolls; see DRUM.
-
TANGO BOAT :
-
Armored Troop Carrier (ATC); like an APC that floats
[nb: APCs and tanks are "swim" rated with engine SNORKELs, but
are unreliable in that mode], but was less effective on land.
The originals were LCM-6s with armor-plate and bar-armor added.
They had nine seats for the troops and a canvas top to keep the
sun out. Each TANGO could carry a fully equipped rifle platoon.
They had two twin .50 cal. machinegun mounts on the boat deck
and four Browning .30 cal. light machineguns re-chambered for
NATO 7.62mm in the well deck. In 1968 the Navy deployed two new
river assault squadrons with TANGO BOATS built from the keel up
specifically for riverine operations. See MRF, AAV.
-
TANK :
-
generic term for a track-driven (on caterpillar treads) armored
combat vehicle that's armed with a cannon (MAIN-GUN) mounted
inside a rotating TURRET, formerly called a "land ship",
informally known as "big boy", and designated a "crab" or
"turtle" by INDIGenous peoples; including STUART, GENERAL LEE,
SHERMAN, PERSHING, WALKER-BULLDOG, CHAFFEE, PATTON, SHERIDAN,
ABRAMS. Invented in 1914, pre-WWII doctrine designated TANK
employment against troops and obstacles, so the armor was only
thick enough to deflect SMALL ARMS, with counteroffense relegated
to specially equipped "tank destroyer" teams; but WWII introduced
more resistant fortifications and engagements between TANKs,
necessitating lower silhouettes, thicker armor, and larger
cannons. With the introduction of wire- and LASER-guided
munitions during and after the VIETNAM WAR, TANKs also acquired
better sights, faster fire, and increased speed. TANKERs convert
the official "mobility and firepower" doctrine into sexual
tactics: it ain't whatcha got but how ya use it! See COAX,
MAIN-GUN, NLOS-C, CUPOLA, TURRET, HATCH, CHERRY JUICE, PERISCOPE,
BOGIE, TRACK, MBT, APC, ARMORED CAR, LAV, HALF-TRACK, DUSTER,
VTR, ARV, LOW BOY, AVLB, SNORKEL, SNORT, REACTIVE ARMOR, SPALL,
SPACED ARMOR, LAAGER, TANK PARK, DRAGON'S TEETH, WIDOW MAKER,
KILL RING, TOAD, CONCRETE BATTLESHIP, VOTING MACHINE.
Also, a large container designed to hold a quantity of gas or
liquid; see BLIVET, BLADDER, WATER BUFFALO. Also, a pond (natural
or artificial) used for storing water. Also, a large cell or
bullpen for the temporary detention of a group of prisoners; see
BRIG, THE CASTLE, CHL, LBJ, CROSSBAR HOTEL, GUARDHOUSE, STOCKADE
[v: oubliette, hock (sty or prison as a miserable place to
live)].
-
TANK FARM :
-
the safe area where a group or cluster of storage tanks
containing volatile liquids or combustible gases is located.
Compare TANK PARK.
-
TANKER :
-
a refueling aircraft (eg: KB-29, KB-50, KC-10, KC-97, KC-135,
etc); also called a "Flying Gas Station". Geopolitical and treaty
concerns in the post-WWII era, involving landing and over-flight
rights, necessitated the adoption of TANKERS (eg: ATCA) that
could not only fuel other aircraft, but be refueled themselves.
When the situation permits, TANKERs also serve as FLARESHIPs for
illuminating night incidents or operations. See STRATOTANKER,
EXTENDER, DROGUE, ENDURANCE; compare HOT-FUELING, FLYING COW.
Also, a vehicle or other conveyance designed for the bulk
shipment of liquids or gases. Also, a crewmember of a
track-driven TANK or other armored vehicle; also called a "track
rat" or "tankist"; see TOAD, KILL RING.
-
TANKER BOOTS :
-
pull-on leather boots, similar in appearance to regular combat
boots, except secured by a wrapped strap (no laces or eyelets);
so designed to permit the foot to be withdrawn if the boot is
trapped or jammed. Developed before WWII, this design was not
authorized, but was widely condoned in armored and armored
cavalry units. A tanker's coverall was also proposed, under the
same principle of "readily shed for escape", but was not as
popular, and was not authorized. The wear of all leather boots is
no longer authorized after 30 April 2008. See FOOTWEAR.
-
TANK PARK :
-
the secure area where armored vehicles (ie: TRACKs, TANKs, etc)
are temporarily housed for the performance of maintenance,
refitment, repairs, refueling, and other pre- or post-operational
chores. See LAAGER, MOTOR POOL, CANNIBALIZE; compare TANK FARM.
-
TANK PLINKING :
-
slang phrase used by GULF WAR gunners and weapons officers (WSO)
for destroying enemy armor with laser or infrared (IR) targeting
and guided munitions ... an authentic "video game" that's almost
as boring as "shooting fish in a barrel"! Phrase was officially
discouraged, as being disrespectful and unprofessional, hence its
persistence. See LGB, GBU, PAVEWAY.
-
TANNOY :
-
the public-address (PA) system on-board ships, being a British
brand name adopted during WWII, used for "Now Hear This" and "Do
You Hear There" messages; also known as "1-MC", "loud hailer",
and loudspeaker. Compare SQUAWK BOX, BLOWER, HORN, KLAXON,
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.
-
TAO :
-
(t-a-o) NavSpeak for the Tactical Action Officer in operations.
-
TAOC :
-
(t-a-o-c) Tactical Air Operations Center; compare TACC, TADC; see
AOC, FOC, ADOC, ASOC, OPN.
-
TAOR :
-
Tactical Area Of Responsibility, or Tactical Area of
Operational Responsibility, and is designated "Tactical Area of
Operations" (TAO) by USMC; includes mission of key installation
defense, protective reaction force, and pacification activity
support. Compare AO, TO, AOR, MOA, OA, CHOP LINE, UA.
-
TAP CODE :
-
clandestine communication method using any sound to represent
letters of the alphabet, where the alphabet is arrayed as a 5X5
square (K=C). Unlike morse code, no "long" or "short" sounds are
necessary. Also, an abbreviated form used by LRRPs to signal
alerts or prearranged messages transmitted by a TAP CODE
knocked-out on a RIFLE stock.
[v: Alphabet Codes]
-
TAP-DANCER :
-
someone who's working hard at not working; someone showing alot
of flash-and-dash "fancy footwork" to distract everyone from what
the hands are not doing, being all style and no substance. See
SKATE, MOTOR MOUTH, VERBAL DIARRHEA, HOT DOG, CYA, WANGLE,
PING-PONG, DOG 'n' PONY SHOW, FIVE O'CLOCK FOLLIES, BLIVET,
CHICKEN SHIT, MICKEY MOUSE, ORIFICE, HALF-ASSED, FRUIT FLY, WAR
CORRESPONDENT, SMOKE 'n' MIRRORS, MILICRAT.
[nb: obfuscation and obscurantism are widely represented by the
military maxim: "Bullshit baffles brains!", sometimes called a
"Well sir,..." excuse] [v: show-off, swank, coxcomb, princox,
turkey cock, popinjay, sophist, nabob, nibs, stuffed-shirt,
gentry, sophisticate, culture vulture, pooh-bah, panjandrum, high
and mighty, hogen mogen, high-muckety-muck, high-muck-a-muck]
-
TAPS :
-
bugle signal indicating the end of the day, and used in memorial
services to indicate the last or final day of duty; being a
variation of TATTOO, and so called from the earlier practice of
tapping the tune on a DRUM. The current version was composed by
Dan Butterfield in 1862, and was officially adopted in 1874. TAPS
is known as "The Last Post" by AUSSIE, KIWI, and other UK
veterans. Term is also used as a metonym for necrology. See
ANZAC, MEMORIAL DAY, MISSING MAN FORMATION, TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS,
RUFFLES 'n' FLOURISHES, FACE THE MUSIC, FLAG DAY, RETREAT.
[nb: before TAPS, the "Dead March" dirge was played at military
funerals] [nb: when the American flag is folded into a triangle,
representative of the Colonial tricorne, the red and white
stripes representing the blood and bones of sacrifice are buried
within the blue constellation of heaven; which is the traditional
configuration for funeral and retreat ceremonies]
-
TAR :
-
a sailor; by shortening of 'tarpaulin'. Also, slang for hashish;
see CAN SA, STICK, FIVE FINGERS, THAI STICK, DOPE, COLORS, JUNK,
SMACK, STONED.
-
TAR BABY :
-
an inextricable problem or situation, such as a QUAGMIRE; derived
from an 1881 Uncle Remus story by Joel Chandler Harris; compare
BITTER END, SHIT HIT THE FAN, DEEP SHIT, FIGHT LIKE KILKENNY
CATS, PYRRHIC VICTORY, BELL THE CAT. Also, a hashish addict; see
HAY, HUBBLE-BUBBLE.
-
TARFU :
-
literally "Things Are Really Fucked Up", or more euphemistically
as "... really fouled up"; see PVT SNAFU, FUCK-UP, FUCKED-UP,
CLUSTER FUCK, WTFO, SOL, BOHICA.
[nb: The Three Brothers, a 1944 U.S. Army animated short
film that was directed by Friz Freleng, portrays a character
named Fubar as being the brother of Privates Snafu and Tarfu]
-
TARGET :
-
an object, usually marked for scoring, to be aimed at in shooting
practice, qualification, or competition; see BOLO, KD RANGE,
BASS, SIGHT PICTURE, SPOT WELD, BUTT, BERM, MAGGIE'S DRAWERS, DRY
RUN, POINT-BLANK, BULL'S-EYE, AIMPOINT. Also, the impersonal and
unemotional objective designation of enemy personnel, weapons,
vehicles, or stores (eg: "targets of opportunity", "target rich
environment"); see BOGIE, VISUAL, BANDIT, TALLY-HO, PAINT,
PICKLE, RANGE CARD, AIMING STAKES, CE, ROE, SOTA, STRATA, POP
SMOKE, TOT, H&I, ZONE AND SWEEP, FIRE FOR EFFECT, DEFLECTION,
FIRECRACKER, NAPALM, FAE, JDAM, GROUND ZERO, COLLATERAL DAMAGE,
SOFT TARGET, HARD TARGET, OBJ. [nb: "smart bomb, dumb target"]
[v: Aunt Sally, Jack-a-Lent, cockshy, clay pigeon, sitting duck,
mark, gull, dupe, pigeon, prey, quintain, wand, hit list]
-
TARP :
-
informal designation of TARPaulin, derived by shortening; refers
to a SHEET of waterproofed canvas or other material used as a
protective covering for objects exposed to the weather; see
BOLTROPE. Also, a sailor; see TAR.
-
TASK SATURATION :
-
being too busy to follow regular procedures, often due to
insufficient time or combat/emergency conditions, usually
resulting in injury or death, lost or damaged equipment; to
overload or overburden. [nb: despite MIL-SPEAK, this awkward
phrase, which actually refers to genuine circumstances, has not
yet been enhanced to "task supersaturation" by MILICRATs! ...
although "over-hype" was coined for coverage of the Iraq War]
[v: fardel]
-
TATTOO :
-
a signal, such as BUGLE CALL or BOATSWAIN'S PIPE, announcing a
condition or event, such as OFFICER'S CALL or TAPS. Also, any
similar drumbeat or rhythm, as a heart beat; see DRUMFIRE. Also,
an outdoor military pageant; see PARADE, PASS IN REVIEW, TROOP
THE LINE, PASSING HONORS, COLOR GUARD, BEATERS 'n' BLEATERS,
TOOTER, MISSING MAN FORMATION. Also, indelible marks or designs
on the skin, as from powder burns or inserted pigments. With the
exception of CLEAN agents or STERILE operatives, the military
permits "personal adornment" by TATTOOs on any part of the body
that's visible while in uniform, except the head, face, and
throat, as long as the depiction or legend is not sexist, racist,
extremist, or indecent; see MEAT MARKER, SAT CONG, ID CARD;
compare EARRING, DOG TAGS, COINING, SOUVENIR.
-
TAXIWAY :
-
any surface area of an airport where aircraft are moved to and
from a RUNWAY; compare APRON, THRESHOLD.
-
TBO :
-
aviation jargon for Time Before Overhaul.
-
TBS :
-
Talk Between Ships, being a short-range radiotelephone used for
ship-to-ship communications during WWII.
-
TC :
-
Training Circular; see FM, TM, CHECKING THE DICTIONARY,
SCRIPTURES.
-
T-DAY :
-
the unnamed effective day coincident with a Presidential
declaration of national emergency, and authorization for partial
mobilization, exclusive of personnel called-up on S-DAY. See
TIME.
-
TDY :
-
Temporary Duty; known as Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) by Navy
and Marine personnel. See CHOP, SHEEP-DIPPED; compare HARDSHIP
TOUR, PCS.
-
TEAM :
-
a number of persons associated in some joint action, which
variable composition is determined by mission and TO&E;
abbreviated TM. See MTT, A TEAM; compare FIRE TEAM, SQUAD, STACK.
-
TEAM BOX :
-
a container, sized from FOOTLOCKER to CONEX, that's packed with
all mission specific weapons and equipment for the unit's initial
deployment, including radios and optics, maps and manuals,
medicine and relevant clothing; also called OP BOX.
-
TEAMHOUSE :
-
primary structure for advisory teams; usually includes
partitions for admin, plans, intel, and command sections, with
sleeping area, guest quarters, kitchen, and bar/lounge. See
BILLET, SEA HUT, HUTMENT.
-
TECHINT :
-
TECHnical INTelligence; information developed from
technical sources.
-
TEE-TEE :
-
Vietnamese term for "A little bit"; often misused as 'small' or
'short'.
-
TELECON :
-
contraction of TELEgraphic CONference, but later extended to any
interactive telecommunications system. Originally functioned by
scheduling the principals, with or without their staff, to meet
in signal offices or message centers to engage in dialogues or
exchange information in real-time immediacy; which was
displaced by long-distance "conference calling", and computerized
"instant messaging". See TWX, CONTEL, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH, BACK
CHANNEL, BUCK SLIP, FROST CALL, TELEPHONE TREE, TELEPHONE.
-
TELEPHONE :
-
see BLOWER, HORN, LANDLINE, SPAGHETTI, COAX, PIGTAIL, TELECON,
AUTOVON, WATTS, DSN, PSTN, TELEPHONE TREE, SATCOM, UWT, PBX, PTT,
RTO, CALL-SIGN, CODE TALKER, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT, EARS, BUG, RTP,
PROWORD, A-OK, MAYDAY, EOT, BUCK SLIP; compare SCUTTLEBUTT,
RUMOR, BACK CHANNEL, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH, RADIO, CONTEL, TWX, TTY,
NET, COMMO. [nb: Bell patent 1876; coin-operated phone 1889;
push-button telephone invented 1941; Area Codes 1952; cellular
phone 1973; voice mail 1980; Caller ID 1982]
[nb: mobile phone (Global System for Mobile Communications, a
second-generation open-standard digital-transceiver voice/text
wireless system) tracking for accountability and monitoring for
security is rendered via repeater triangulation and the GPS
satellite network, with an approximate margin of error of 10-50m
depending on location]
-
TELEPHONE TREE :
-
the hierarchal notification setup, imitative of the unit
structure, for the efficient dissemination of information, or
rapid notification of alterations, to ensure personnel readiness
during training, mobilization, and so forth; activation or
initiation is often designated "lighting the telephone tree",
where each superior notifies his immediate subordinates, who
notify their immediate subordinates, and so forth. Calling
guidelines must include Privacy Act restrictions, and cautions
against RUMORs or BACK CHANNEL gossip. This unit communication
system is also useful in post-deployment family support
activities. Compare FROST CALL; see NET, TELECON. [nb: not to be
confused with "telephone tag"]
-
TELESCOPING :
-
informal reference to the normal psycho-sensory response to
threat or conflict, formally known as "tachypsychia"
(swift+mind), wherein the participant focuses in a clear and
concentrated manner on what is perceived as most dangerous to the
exclusion of other stimuli, including sound, touch, periphery,
and elapsed time. Sometimes referred to as "tunnel vision", the
analogy to the actual use of a telescope is apt, since events
seem distant but vivid, central but out of context, real but
without distractions. The participant is not "deaf" or
BULLETPROOF but does not react to anything immaterial or
inessential, to the point of following directives without memory,
or of being injured or wounded without knowing it. The time sense
of the participant may contract, elongate, or vacillate; and the
post-confrontational period is usually disoriented. Tachypsychia
is induced by extreme physical exertion and emotional stress,
exhibiting high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, and is
symptomatic of trauma (eg: PTSD). See BUBBLE, THOUSAND-YARD
STARE, BLACKOUT, ZOMBIE, FLASHBACK, FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT.
-
TELL IT TO THE MARINES :
-
a sardonic or dismissive catch-phrase used to express disbelief
or incredulity concerning an allegation or assertion, an account
or tale; a protest against being regarded as gullible or as
stupid as the prototypical JARHEAD. A similar phrase among
civilians is: "Tell it to the women and children." See TALK
TRASH, SHOOT THE SHIT, BRAVO SIERRA, WAR STORY, SEA STORY.
[nb: this phrase originated with the Royal Marines, formed as the
Maritime Regiment of Foot (1664), in the early 19th century as
"He may tell that to the marines, but the sailors will not
believe him." ("The Post-Captain, or The Wooden Walls Well Manned
Comprehending a View of Naval Society and Manners" by John Davis,
1804), which was later shortened to its present form, as in
"...if a soldier complained to him [the commander] of hardships
which he could not comprehend, [the commander] would be very
likely to recommend him to "tell it to the marines'!" (1848
preface to "A Journal of the Campaign in Flanders" by John
Marshall Deane, 1708); the allegation that King Charles II mocked
the credulity of these naive soldiers to Samuel Pepys is a hoax
perpetrated in the 1900s by the novelist W.P. Drury, a retired
Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Marines. Americans later adopted
this phrase, as in the 1918 short story ("Above the Law" by Max
Brand / Frederick Faust) and in the 1926 film title for a movie
about recruit training and military culture]
-
TELLTALE :
-
someone or something which reveals, discloses or warns, to give
notice; see TU DAI, TRIPWIRE, WEATHER EYE, WHITE MOUSE. Also, any
of various devices or mechanisms for alerting, indicating, or
registering; see TRADECRAFT. Also, a suspended line, ribbon, or
feather hung so as to indicate wind direction; see WINDSOCK,
BEAUFORT SCALE, SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE, FUJITA SCALE.
-
10-CODES / TEN-CODES :
-
(forthcoming); see POLICE, CODE, CIPHER, BREVITY CODE
(not "one-zero codes")
-
TENDER :
-
an auxiliary ship employed to attend other ships, as for supply
or maintenance, such as a submarine tender; derived as a variant
of attend; see MOTHER SHIP, OILER, LIGHTER, BOAT. Also, a dinghy
carried or towed by a yacht; see LIFEBOAT, BOAT.
[nb: an early twin-hulled tender was the "snag boat", equipped
with steam-powered ram and wench, that was invented by Henry
Miller Shreve at Heliopolis in 1829; which was used to clear a
fairway of submerged obstacles on the Red River, permitting
commercial traffic]
-
TENT :
-
a portable shelter or temporary structure made of fabric or
skins, usually supported by poles and secured by stakes in the
ground; as derived from stretch (cf: tenterhook) [aka: cabana,
tepee (teepee/tipi), wickiup (wikiup/wickyup), wigwam, yurt].
See PUP TENT, TARP, BOLTROPE, GP, WALL TENT, HUTMENT;
compare BIVOUAC, HOOCH, SHEBANG, BOHIO, SEA HUT, VILLE, COMPANY
STREET.
Also, a surgical probe for opening an aperture or wound, or a
roll or pledget of soft absorbent material, as lint or gauze, for
dilating an orifice, keeping a wound open, gaping a slit, and so
forth; compare COMPRESS, TAMPON, STRETCHER.
-
TERRORIST :
-
a radical or fanatical activist who uses violence, or the threat
of violence, to intimidate a society or to coerce a government
into a state of fear or submissive subjection for religious,
economic, racial, ethnic, or other sociopolitical objectives. Any
unknown, indistinguishable, or non-descript TERRORIST type is
given a generic agnomen, often diminutive or effeminate (eg:
Terry, Tracy, Timmy, Tanya, Teddy, or Tommy the Tango), so as
to differentiate them as targets. See GWOT, WAR ON TERROR,
ANTI-TERRORISM, COUNTER-TERRORISM, SABOTAGE, PROVOCATEUR, UW,
DECAPITATION, NECKLACE, HAIRCUT AND MANICURE, ATROCITY, BAD GUYS,
FALL GUY, CAT AND MOUSE, CAM TU, BOMBER, "night rider" at COWBOY,
PATRIOT ACT, CONSTABULARY.
[nb: the difference between a TERRORIST and a FREEDOM FIGHTER, a
GUERRILLA and an IRREGULAR, a "militiaman" and a "defense
warden", a "revolutionary" and a "criminal", a "Death Squad" and
a "SWAT Team" has more to do with one's perspective and
allegiance than with the il-/legality of the violent acts
themselves; synonyms include: rebel, dissident, insurgent,
raider, marauder, jayhawker, bushwhacker, scallywag / scalawag,
firebrand, fire-eater, redneck, cracker, reaver / reiver, rascal,
ruffian, brigand, outlaw, desperado, villain / villein,
freebooter, pirate, buccaneer, privateer]
[v: uprising, insurrection, insurgency, revolt, rebellion,
takeover, toppling, outbreak, break-out, overthrow,
break-through, downfall, mutiny, turning point, putsch, coup,
coup d'état, or intifada (der: "shaking off")]
-
TET :
-
Vietnamese term for the Lunar New Year holiday period, with both
cultural and religious significance. The Chinese lunar calendar,
reckoned in sixty-year cycles, divides each year into twelve
months, with an intercalary month added seven times every
nineteen years; therefore the occurrence of the new year in the
lunar cycle varies from year to year.
-
TET OFFENSIVE :
-
a culturally propitious and environmentally advantageous period
for military operations in Southeast Asia, especially the sudden
nationwide offensive of 1968 that garnered propaganda kudos for
the NVA and VC forces. Just as the SON TAY raiders trained for
their special mission in a prison camp MOCK-UP, so the PAVN
infiltrators trained on a MOCK-UP of the American embassy and
other strategic targets for the 1968 TET OFFENSIVE at COSVN in
Cambodia. It required weeks for SVN and US troops to recover and
secure airfields, bases, and cities. Although the 1968 TET
OFFENSIVE was a military disaster for NVN, which did not elicit a
sympathetic uprising as predicted, it was turned into a
"political victory" by the connivance of a complicit media ...
which should have made comparisons to other failed "break-outs"
or "break-throughs", but instead found inaccurate parallels with
other historic "turning points", such as Gettysburg and Cowpens.
-
TF :
-
abbreviation for Task Force; see CTF, ATF, JTF, JTFEX, JSOTF,
CJSOTF-AP, ATFV, MARS, DOZER INFANTRY, NIGHT STALKERS, RESTORE
HOPE, AD HOC, "Task Force Troy" at GHOST UNIT. Also, abbreviation
for tactical fighter.
-
TFW :
-
Tactical Fighter Wing; also abbreviated "TFWg".
-
THAI STICK :
-
hashish cigarette impregnated with heroin; see STICK, TAR,
CAN SA, STONED, compare DOPE, JUNK, SMACK.
-
THERMITE :
-
incendiary composed of powdered aluminum, ferric oxide,
and magnesium; see ROCKEYE, WP.
-
THEY'LL GIVE A WAR AN' NOBODY'LL COME :
-
popular slogan bandied by PROTESTORs and HIPPIEs during the
VIETNAM WAR; derived from "Sometime they'll give a war and nobody
will come." by Carl Sandburg, in "The People, Yes" (1936). In
1968, the song "Zor and Zan", written by B and J Chadwick, was
released on "The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees" album, and
included the phrase in the lyrics: "The great war began / They
met on the battlefield, banner in hand / They looked out across
the vacant land / And they counted the missing one upon one /
None upon none / The war it was over before it began / Two little
kings playing with games / They gave a war and nobody came". The
1970 movie "Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?" (starring
Brian Keith and Tony Curtis) echoed the phrase. The phrase was
also recalled in "What if someone gave a war and Nobody came?
Life would ring the bells of Ecstasy and Forever be Itself
again." in a 1972 poem entitled "Graffiti" by Allen Ginsberg. The
1970 song "Imagine" by John Lennon includes a related passage in
the lyrics: "Imagine there's no countries / ... / Nothing to kill
or die for / ... / Living life in peace".
-
THOUSAND-YARD STARE :
-
defense mechanism symptomatic of individual need for spiritual
distancing, emotional disengagement, or mental detachment, as a
response to combat exposure; also known as "bulkhead stare" by
Navy and Marine personnel. See PTSD, BLACKOUT, FLASHBACK,
TELESCOPING, ZOMBIE, FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT.
[nb: this neurotic response was an ineffective defense mechanism
since it was often a prelude to dysfunction or casualty due to
inattention or unawareness. Most combat casualties occur when the
soldier is new and inexperienced (see FNG, cherry, NEWBEE, REPL'
DEPOT), upon return from R&R, and after 180 days of combat
exposure. The COC acclimation attempted to reduce early tour
losses, and not much can compensate for the dulling of hard
earned combat skills by R&R, but the only way to relieve
fatigue losses after six months is to rotate entire units out of
combat, restore unit strength, and bond the unit with new
training before returning them to the combat zone. Zen or Ch'an
meditation (zazen) is sometimes called "wall staring", using
mental riddles (koan) and analytical discourse (mondo), together
with controlled physical violence for reinforcement, to "awaken"
(satori/prajna) the inner or spiritual being; hence the affinity
between martial arts and Zen, where military and religious
disciplines are unified.]
-
THREE SQUARES :
-
three nutritious meals each day, being one of the incentives or
inducements (along with shelter and job training) for poor people
to willingly serve in the military; as derived from "square
meal", where 'square' means proper or satisfactory. This
quotidian sentiment is also expressed as "three hots and a flop"
(ie: CHOW and RACK). See BEANS, RATIONS.
-
THRESHOLD :
-
the vestibular pathways or passageways that allow airplanes to
ingress and egress the RUNWAYs or landing strips; used to taxi
aircraft and stage take-offs. See APRON, RAMP, STRIP ALERT,
TAXIWAY, TOUCHDOWN, BOUNCE, WINDSOCK.
-
THROW-AWAY :
-
a minor operator or low-level SECRET AGENT who's sacrificed to
investigators for the protection and preservation of the spy
network; also called KITE or "slough". Compare DANGLE; see
SLEEPER, MOLE, FIX, SWEEPER, DECOY, COMPARTMENTALIZATION,
TRADECRAFT.
-
THROW IN THE TOWEL :
-
to concede DEFEAT, to quit, surrender, or resign; also expressed
as "throw in the sponge" or "toss...", as derived from
prizefighting, when a boxer's manager throws a towel or sponge
into the ring, which signal stops the fight, and spares the
beaten fighter more injury. See WHITE FLAG, STRIKE THE FLAG,
CARTE BLANCHE, TRUCE, ENTENTE, DETENTE, RAPPROCHEMENT, APPEASE,
WHITE FEATHER, LILY-LIVERED, FRENCH FLU, HOI CHANH, KIT CARSON
SCOUT.
-
THULE :
-
(too-lee) any distant or obscure location, from the remote bush
to an isolated encampment, as derived from the Eskimo culture of
the same name that flourished during AD500-1400 across the Arctic
region; see BOONDOCKS, BOONIES, BACKWASH, INDIAN COUNTRY, DOWN
RANGE, SANDBOX; compare TULE. Also, a settlement in northwestern
Greenland that was founded in 1910 by the Danish explorer Knud
Rasmussen in the Etah Eskimo area, which became the site of a
U.S. airbase during WWII, together with a science station. Also,
the name given by the ancient Greeks to the most extreme area of
northern Europe, based upon a discovery by the navigator Pytheas
that was described in 310BC, variously identified with Iceland,
Norway, and the Shetland Islands; the phrase "Ultima Thule"
figuratively denotes the greatest or most distant goal of human
endeavor, and the farthest point or a land remote beyond all
reckoning. [nb: the thule/tule homophone, together with other
variants, has appeared widely and interchangeably in American
military writings when referring to remote locales, in the same
manner that bush, sticks, woods, barrens, brush, weeds, and the
like are also synecdochically representative]
-
THUNDERBIRDS :
-
(forthcoming);
designation for the
Precision Demonstration Team, organized in
for public display of typical aviation skillcraft, performed
nationwide at air shows, patriotic events, and other fairs. A
precision flight demonstration of the capability and versatility
of aircraft
kept at least one BIRD performing between set piece
formations and maneuvers. The team consisted of aviators;
See BARNSTORMER, AEROBATICS.
-
THUNDERBOLT :
-
P-47 Republic bomber escort and pursuit fighter, NICKNAMEd the
"Little Friend" (cf: FLYING FORTRESS), and the "Jug" due to the
appearance of its cowling; this WWII designation was later
transferred to the A-10 WARTHOG but widely ignored. The P-47,
which derives from the earlier P-43 "Lancer", was tested during
1942, and entered combat service on 10 March 1943 as a
single-prop turbo-supercharged fighter-bomber flown by one PILOT
at a maximum speed of 467mph for a range of 800 miles. During and
after WWII, the P-47 also served as a spotter plane during search
and rescue (SAR) missions. Inventories were transferred to Asian,
Middle-Eastern, and South American allies as well as being
assigned to the US Air National Guard (ANG) as the re-designated
F-47.
[nb: another explanation for the origin of the THUNDERBOLT's
"Jug" NICKNAME is a contraction of juggernaut, being any
destructive object or unstoppable force, as the Hindu cart that
transports Krishna, in testimony to the plane's ability to take
battle damage and still bring its pilot home]
[cf: the XP-72 or "Super Thunderbolt" was an experimental variant
of the P-47, having increased speed, mileage, and altitude with
fewer armaments, tested from the summer of 1944 until the end of
WWII, when jets supplanted piston aircraft]
-
THUNDERCHIEF :
-
USAF F-105 single-engine jet fighter-bomber aircraft made by
Republic; also called "Thud". See WILD WEASEL.
-
THUNDER ROAD :
-
RVN Highway 13, running from Saigon to Loc Ninh; known
to be a treacherous route due to mines and ambushes. See STREET
WITHOUT JOY, HAI VAN PASS, MANG YANG PASS, AN KHE PASS.
-
THUNDER RUN :
-
the rapid movement of an armored column along a road, with guns
alternated in their covering fire to either side of the trail, so
as to rapidly clear or secure an area. Compare HERRINGBONE.
-
THUNDER TIGER :
-
NICKNAME for INDIGenous MIL-PERS serving with the Special
Commando Unit (SCU) of the Liaison Office (LO), as the
COUNTERPART organization to SOG; derived from the imagery of
their shoulder PATCH. The SCU/LO developed from the Special
Exploitation Service (SEPES or SES), an ARVN unit under
presidential direction; and evolved into the Strategic Technical
Directorate (STD), after the disbanding of the VNSF/LLDB. See
CAS, CSD, RECON, VIETNAMIZATION.
-
THUMPER :
-
NICKNAME for the M-79 grenade launcher, or any other 40mm weapon;
also known as "thump gun" or "bloop tube". In 2006, all versions
of the single-shot grenade launcher were superseded by the M-32
Multiple-shot Grenade Launcher (MGL) for infantry operations. The
grenadier's grasp, as portrayed in books or movies, of the M-79
grenade launcher when firing is a reliable TELLTALE for detecting
phonies. See BLOOPER, OVER 'n' UNDER, DOVER DOG, BOFORS, DUSTER,
compare SHOTGUN, GYROJET, FRAG, GRENADE, RPG.
[nb: the "fire lance" flamethrower of AD 905 China utilized
propulsion to launch small objects and pellets, like a shotgun,
becoming a prototype firearm; with a three-barreled version for
repeat firing developed later]
[nb: there probably ought to be a MURPHY LAW of Combat to
the effect that "weapons don't win wars", as a corollary to "the
side with the simplest weapon will win the war"; since there is
no doubt that the test and procurement system is defective. The
other sides had better and finer weapons during WWII (the proof
existing in the pistols, rifles, machineguns, and tanks adopting
enemy innovations), but the American GREASE GUN and the British
Sten gun triumphed behind better armies. jury-rigging and
complicating US weapon systems will not defeat us, but
compromising and discarding all the simple and effective designs
will make the future BUTCHER'S BILL extremely expensive!]
-
TICKET-PUNCHER / TICKET-PUNCHING :
-
career management; a "ladder-climber" who needs to get credit for
checkmarking all necessary steps preliminary to promotion in the
"up or out" modern military. Promotion above or below the zone
affected retention and retirement, with little regard for expert
skills. See LIFER, OLD BREED, MILICRAT, KHAKI MAFIA, FAST TRACK,
RIF, KICKSTANDED, CYA, DODGE THE BULLET, VULCANIZE, BOOTSTRAP,
DOUBLE-DIP. [cf: apparatchik, nomenklatura, nabob, nibs]
-
TICKLER :
-
informal name for a "tickler file" or "suspense account", which
contains SUSPENSE DATEd work that must be completed Not Later
Than (NLT) a particular time/date specification; a temporary
store pending final disposition. A file consisting of memoranda,
notices, signals, or correspondence serving as a reminder of
obligatory due-dates. See MR, SNOWFLAKE, RBI.
-
TIGER BALM :
-
a foul-smelling oil used by many Asians to ward off evil spirits;
this folk remedy, along with other Chinese patent medicines, was
made in Singapore. See OAN HON, PHI.
-
TIGER DIVISION :
-
NICKNAME of the South Korean (ROK) Capital Division, deployed to
Vietnam in September 1966.
-
TIGER HOUND :
-
the CODENAME designation given to the southern sector of the
Laotian panhandle, effective December 1965, as part of the STEEL
TIGER air campaign of interdiction operations along the HO CHI
MINH TRAIL from Route 9 opposite the DMZ to the Cambodian border;
redesignated COMMANDO HUNT in 1968.
-
TIGER II :
-
Northrop F-5E /-5F twin-engine light fighter/bomber aircraft,
built for the Vietnamese Air Force; compare FREEDOM FIGHTER.
-
TIGERSHARK :
-
F-20 aircraft
-
TIGER STRIPE :
-
(forthcoming); derived from French "lizard" pattern, which
existed in both horizontal and vertical orientations; like the
LEOPARD pattern, the TIGER STRIPE uniform was adopted from the
French in INDOCHINA, and worn extensively by ADVISORs and RECON
patrols; a desert version as well as pixelated DIGITALS have been
developed for the GULF WARs; see CAMMIES, CAMO, DRESS.
-
TIGHTROPE :
-
any risky or delicate situation requiring skill and judgement, by
analogy to the acrobatic feats performed on the high-wire;
compare HIGHLINE, see MIL-CRAFT.
-
TIME :
-
see HACK, F-HOUR, H-HOUR, L-HOUR, ZERO-HOUR, ZULU, GMT, UTI/UTC,
DTG, DATE LINE, C-DAY, D-DAY, K-DAY, M-DAY, N-DAY, R-DAY, S-DAY,
T-DAY, W-DAY, FY, CY, JULIAN DATE, PINK TIME, BELLS, DOGWATCH,
MIDWATCH, O-DARK-THIRTY, WHITE NIGHT; compare YEAR ZERO.
[nb: military time is expressed in four-digits, from 0001 to
2400, representing each minute in all 24-hours of the day,
without designating ante- or post-meridiem; there is no 0000
hour] [nb: "Combat winds its own clock." military maxim]
[nb: Chinese and Vietnamese zodiacal double-hours proceed in the
same cyclically recurrent order, and with the same
characteristics, as do the days, months, and years: Hour of the
Rat (yang): 11pm - 1am; Hour of the Ox (yin): 1am - 3am; Hour of
the Tiger (yang): 3am - 5am; Hour of the Rabbit (yin): 5am - 7am;
Hour of the Dragon (yang): 7am - 9am; Hour of the Snake (yin):
9am - 11am; Hour of the Horse (yang): 11am - 1pm; Hour of the
Goat (yang): 1pm - 3pm; Hour of the Monkey (yin): 3pm - 5pm; Hour
of the Rooster (yang): 5pm - 7pm; Hour of the Dog (yin): 7pm -
9pm; Hour of the Pig (yin): 9pm - 11pm]
[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 yoctosecond (ys), zeptosecond (zs),
attosecond (as), femtosecond (fs), picosecond (ps), nanosecond
(ns/nsec), microsecond (mis/misec), millisecond (ms/msec),
centisecond (cs), second (s/sec), leap second, minute (min), mean
solar minute, sidereal minute, hour (hr), day (dy), mean solar
day, sidereal day, week (wk), fortnight, month (calendar, lunar,
solar, sidereal, synodic), biannum, year (yr; calendar, lunar,
solar, tropical, sidereal, Sothic, leap, school, man-year),
epact, biennium, triennium, quadrennium, quinquennium/pentad,
sexennium, septennium, octennium, novennium, decennium/decade,
vicennium/score/vigintennium, quinquagennium, century/centennium,
bicentennium, millennium, bimillennium, epoch, era, age, eon]
-
TIN CAN :
-
slang for USN destroyer; see DD, DDG, APD.
-
TIWG :
-
Terrorist Incident Working Group; a National Security Planning
Group (NSPG) that was setup in 1983 with representatives from the
JCS, DOD, CIA, DOS, FBI, and DEA; but was uncooperative on
interagency operations due to its large size and lack of
security, which entity later became the basis for the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS). See TERRORIST, ANTI-TERRORISM, OPLAN
7500, SABOTAGE, ATROCITY.
-
TM :
-
Technical Manual; see FM, TC, CHECKING THE DICTIONARY. Also,
team; see MTT, A TEAM, FIRE, TEAM, TEAM; compare SQUAD, STACK.
-
TO :
-
Technical Order; see SCRIPTURES, ORDER. Also, Theater of
Operations, such as European Theater of Operations (ETO) or
Kuwait Theater of Operations (KTO); compare AO, OA, AOR, MOA,
TAOR, CHOP LINE, UA. Also, Table of Organization; compare
TO&E, SPAGHETTI CHART.
-
TOAD :
-
slang acronym for Track Of Armored Division, designating APC and
TANK vehicles; but descriptive of ugly bloated things squatting
around and staring impudently at everything! Term is also a
derisive reference to TANKERs and other "track rat" crewmembers
assigned to these vehicles; compare CRUNCHY, DOGFACE, BULLET
HEAD, CANNON-COCKER, ROTOR HEAD, JET JOCK. Also, slang acronym
for the Take-Off And Die syndrome exhibited by "gun-shy" aircrew
(also called "fear of flying") and ground-pounders (fear of
exposure when moving in the open from COVER to COVER).
-
TOAST :
-
an honorable gesture to someone or something by SALUTE or HOIST
of an alcoholic beverage, usually accompanied by a concise speech
or expressive phrase. Popular military TOASTS during the VIETNAM
WAR included: "To all of us! And to hell with all of them!"; "To
those of us, and those like us! We're damned few, and too many
like us are dead."; "To absent friends. May they never be
forgotten."; "To those fallen from our ranks. May they save us a
seat in Valhalla.". See STIRRUP CUP, DOCH-AN-DORIS, PROP BLAST,
DOLPHIN DIVE, THE DRINK, HATCH, HOIST, HOOCH, BREW, JUICE, SPLICE
THE MAINBRACE, BYOB, CLASS SIX, GUSTO, SUNDOWNER.
[nb: it is considered bad luck or evil omen to TOAST with
non-alcoholic (ie: catlap) beverages; military toasts are most
often tributes to fortitude and loyalty, while civilian toasts
(grace cup) are tributes to benefaction or longevity, such as:
l'chaim, prosit / prost, skoal, slàin te mhath, wassail,
cheers] [v: gemütlichkeit/gemuetlichkeit]
Also, a euphemism for 'killed' or 'dead', as cooked, done to a
turn, roasted, crispy, and so forth; see WASTED, ZAPPED, BUY THE
FARM, CHECK OUT, BELIEVER, SOL, BITTER END, DEATH CARD, TWEP,
KIA, DOW; compare WIA, GSW, MILLION DOLLAR WOUND.
-
TOC :
-
Tactical Operations Center; an INTEL and OPNS planning and
development area separate from the administrative headquarters
(HQ). When not touring elements of his unit during combat
operations, a commander (CO) is normally located at the TOC;
while his Deputy Commander (DC) or Executive Officer (XO)
directs support activities from the HQ in a BASE CAMP. During
the GULF WAR, the TOC was buried below the open expanse of ground
level, like a BUNKER, and was accordingly NICKNAMEd the "Black
Hole" by those who had to work within its subterranean
environment. The WAR ROOM is usually the center of the TOC, where
maneuvers are updated and actions are recorded. See CTOC, JOC,
JDOC, CMOC.
-
TOCROACH :
-
(tock-roach) a derogatory or disparaging reference to
subterranean creatures that dwell in the air-conditioned recesses
of the BOMB-PROOF Tactical Operations Center (TOC), and scurry
for shelter whenever exposed to the glare of daylight (or
reality, or even truth); a novel coinage by Coalition forces in
GULF WAR II or the GWOT. See ACETATE COMMANDO, CHAIRBORNE, CLERKS
'n' JERKS, REMF.
-
TOCSIN :
-
(toxin) a signal, especially of alert or alarm, sounded on a bell
or by ringing bells; derived from "the bell strikes". Compare
SQUAWK BOX, BLOWER, HORN, KLAXON, TANNOY; 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.
-
TO&E / T O and E / TOE :
-
Table of Organization and Equipment; sometimes erroneously
denoted as "Table of Organization, Numbers, and Equipment"
(TONE), and informally called a SPAGHETTI CHART. See MTOE, CARS,
PENTAGONAL; compare TO, OB.
-
TOE-POPPER :
-
small pressure-detonated, non-magnetic, anti-personnel mine
(M-14), designed to disable more than to kill; based upon WWII
non-magnetic "shoe" mine, which was matchbox sized, with primer
detonated TNT; improvised version is pressure-detonated SMALL
ARMS cartridge. Such mines are used to interdict predictable
routes of advance or traverse; were also used to limit access to
BOOBY-TRAPped corpses or equipment. See IED, BOOBY-TRAP, MINE.
-
TOE RAIL :
-
the raised lip at the edge of a weather deck that's designed to
prevent feet from slipping or sliding overboard; compare BULWARK,
GUNWALE, LIFELINE.
-
TOE THE LINE :
-
to form into LINE abreast, a RANK; not "tow the line". Also, to
conform to regulations, to obey the rules, to exhibit proper
conduct, as being on the "straight and narrow"; see STRAIGHT
ARROW, BRASS-COLLAR, NATIONAL SECURITY, SCRIPTURES, DUTY; compare
HIPPIE, PREEVERT.
-
TOMAHAWK :
-
a CRUISE guided missile.
-
TOMB :
-
a safe and secure storage BUNKER, vault, mausoleum, or sepulcher
for CBR or COCKTAIL munitions; as a "field of tombs" for mass
burial. Compare DUMP, COFFIN, BOMB FARM, BONEYARD, GARDEN OF
STONES, NATIONAL CEMETERY, RESERVATION; see HOT GREASE, HEAVY
WATER, YELLOWCAKE, YELLOW RAIN, RANCH HAND, AGENT ORANGE, GAS
MASK, MOPP, HAZMAT, NUKE.
-
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS :
-
a memorial to military personnel lost in combat, especially those
remains unable to be identified or recovered, and those
Missing-in-Action (MIA); formerly known as the "Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier", established 11 November 1921. The MEDAL OF
HONOR (MOH) and the Victoria Cross (Great Britain) have been
awarded to the Unknown Soldier of WWI and WWII. The TOMB OF THE
UNKNOWNS has been under perpetual protection by the Old Guard in
ceremonial attendance since its establishment. A pocket badge is
authorized for permanent wear by guards who successfully perform
this duty. See MEMORIAL DAY, POW-MIA DAY, MISSING MAN FORMATION,
KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL, VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL, FLAG
DAY. [v: cenotaph]
-
TOMCAT :
-
the Grumman F-14 twin turbofan, supersonic, all-weather,
long-range fighter aircraft with dual-crew, designed for USN
fleet air defense and close air support (CAS); see BIRD.
-
TOMMY :
-
slang for a British soldier, from the specimen name of "Tommy
Atkins" used on sample forms since 1815; similar to American
use of "John Doe", "Joe Blow", "Joe Doakes", and "Richard Row".
The same practice made "Jack Tar" the universal byword for any
British sailor; and made "Peter Collins" an alias for any unknown
or unidentified person, being a euphemism for anyone or anybody.
Similarly, the name "Joe Bloggins" or "Joe Bloggs" was used by
Canadians to designate any anonymous soldier or sailor,
especially in precautionary examples of incompetence leading to
misfortune. See AUSSIE, KIWI, CHARLIE, GI JOE, GI.
[nb: "pongo" is Australian slang for a soldier or Marine,
probably after its primary meaning of 'monkey']
-
TOMMY-GUN :
-
|
Thompson M-1 submachinegun
|
|
Thompson submachinegun, also spelled "tommie-gun", a .45cal ACP
drum or stick magazine fed, fully automatic shoulder fired
weapon; developed in 1916 for WWI trench fighting, some versions
have fore-end pistol-grip or "Cutts Compensator" muzzle break.
Popular civilian NICKNAMEs were "chopper", "stutter-gun",
"stutterer", "chatter-gun", "chatterer", and "Chicago
typewriter". See SMG, GREASE GUN.
-
TONGUE :
-
indirect term for an enemy prisoner captured specifically for an
INTEL debriefing or interrogation, as used during WWII and after;
see PACKAGE, SNATCH, POW; compare GOO, BRACELET.
[nb: the 5 S's of prisoner handling include: Search, Silence,
Segregate, Safeguard, Speed; in that a prisoner and his
intelligence value must be protected against escape, injury, and
collusion, which means evacuating the captive(s) while the
primary mission continues]
-
TONKIN :
-
name for the northern section of Vietnam under the French
INDOCHINA Protectorate; compare ANNAM, COCHIN CHINA. [nb: derived
from "dong kinh" = eastern capital]
-
TONKIN GULF INCIDENT :
-
clashes between North Vietnamese patrol boats and U.S. ships
surveilling the coast from the South China Sea on 2 and 4 August
1964 were sufficient provocation to warrant Allied defense of
South Vietnam under SEATO. Compare the sinking of the battleship
USS Maine preliminary to the SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, and the SS
Lusitania preliminary to WWI. See DESOTO, WAR POWERS ACT.
-
TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION :
-
Congress resolved military/aid support for South Vietnam on 7
August 1964, following the two casus belli TONKIN GULF INCIDENTs,
and was signed into law by the President on 10 August 1964; the
TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION was repealed in December 1970 by Congress.
-
TONKIN GULF YACHT CLUB :
-
an apocryphal social society comprised of the U.S. Navy in
operations offshore of both North and South Vietnam. Compare
PERSIAN GULF YACHT CLUB, SPORT HUNTING CLUB; see DIXIE STATION,
YANKEE STATION, POND, FLOAT.
-
TOOTER :
-
musician; also known as BEATERS 'n' BLEATERS. An indication of
the misplaced priorities of the Vietnam-era is the fact that even
the US Army Special Forces had a marching band! During the CIVIL
WAR, when musicians served double-duty as litter-bearers, clerks,
and cooks, a transfer request was rejected by D.H. Hill with the
terse statement: "we need shooters, not tooters!" ... this kind
of moral courage was absent during the VIETNAM WAR. See BUGLE
CALL, DRUM, BOATSWAIN'S PIPE, TATTOO, SALUTE, RUFFLES 'n'
FLOURISHES, REVEILLE, RETREAT, TAPS, CADENCE, HEP, CHANTEY,
HOISE, JODY CALL, GUNG-HO, HEAVE-HO, NO-DOZE, DANCE CARD, PASSING
HONORS, CHANGING TUNE, FACE THE MUSIC.
[nb: a scrap of largely blue and red tartan, with the thread
count falling in sevens, entitled "The 7th Cavalry Tartan",
appears in a Scottish pattern book of the 19th century, which
researchers now conclude was a design commissioned by George
Armstrong Custer for outfitting a regimental marching band of
pipers and drummers, which order was interrupted by the 1876
Battle of the Little Bighorn]
-
TOP :
-
the highest ranking Non-Commissioned Officer in a unit, usually
the First Sergeant; also called "Top-Kick" or FIRST SHIRT, and
used in the same way as OLD MAN. See SARGE, CHIEF, GUNNY, NCO.
-
TOP DOG :
-
a person, group, or entity that has acquired an authoritative or
dominant position by competition or selection, as the "alpha
male", "big kahuna" or "cock of the walk"; see STREAMER, TRASH,
BOLO BADGE, GONG, ATTABOY, A-1, BRAVO ZULU, BRAGGING RIGHTS,
TROPHY, KILL RING, HERO, TOP GUN, FUGLEMAN, SUPER-TROOPER, SWEAT
HOG, HARD CHARGER, FAST MOVER, BOOMER, HOT SHOT, GOLDEN BOY,
BALLS TO THE WALL, BOY WONDER, HOT-SHIT, DEEP DIP, UP OR OUT,
SHAKE 'n' BAKE, OLD SWEAT, PLOWBACK; compare GOAT, DUD,
GOLDBRICK, GHOST, FEATHER MERCHANT. Also, the senior RANKing
MIL-PERS, as the "Top-Kick" or "Commander"; see LDR, CO, MC, DOR,
RHIP, COMMAND ELEMENT, BRASS HAT, OLD MAN, TOP, SUPER GRADE,
FIRST SHIRT, GUNNY, CHIEF, HONCHO, RAINMAKER, MOTHER HEN, ACTING
JACK, GADGET, BREVET, OVERSIGHT.
[nb: a female unit commander is not called the OLD MAN nor "old
lady", not "chieftain" nor "chieftess", not the HONCHO nor
"honchette", not TOP DOG nor "top bitch", but is rather
antonomastically identified by the generic "boss" or "boss lady",
or by her designated NICKNAME or CODENAME; also see "GI Jane",
"Jane Bond", "Acting Jane", "Swinging Dickless", "Dear Jane",
SKIRT, ANGEL]
-
TOP GUN :
-
NICKNAME for the formally entitled U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons
School at the Miramar (CA) and Fallan (NV) NASs; consisting of a
ten week course of advanced fighter aircraft training for
instructor PILOTs (IP), who return to their parent unit to teach
upgrade skills to other qualified JET JOCKs. Unlike the USAF,
which setup multi-squadron exercises, the USN concentrated on
"training the trainers", who disseminated doctrine after
completion. TOP GUN, also spelled "topgun", was established in
1968 as the Navy's Fighter Weapons, Tactics, and Doctrine course
to increase PILOT experience by simulating combat; and is now
known as the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactical Instruction
course. Compare DREAMLAND, RED FLAG, HAWC, BOOMER, ZOOMIE.
-
TOPO :
-
topographic; see MAP, COMICS; compare MOSAIC MAP, CHART.
[nb: the Army Corps of Engineers was assigned the responsibility
for surveying America's borders and features in 1831, resulting
in a separate Topographic Corps in 1838] [nb: during WWII, the
OSS issued a playing card deck to some teams that, when laid out
in a particular order, formed an operational map detailing the
assignments for a specific mission] [nb: the source for military
maps was changed from US Geologic Survey to Nat'l Imaging and
Mapping Agency in Oct 1996 due to downlink satellite profiles]
-
TOP-OFF :
-
refuel completely, also called "top-up", as fill to the top of
the fuel tank with PETROL to prevent condensation from diluting
the propellant, and to ensure readiness; see HOT-FUELING, POL,
MOGAS, JUICE, BLIVET, BLADDER, TANKER, ENDURANCE.
-
TOPSIDE :
-
on DECK, or on the outer-surface of the HULL above the waterline,
often refers only to the main DECK; also known as "topsides".
Also, the most authoritative level, RANK, or position; a
"topsider"; see WARDROOM, OFFICER'S COUNTRY; compare BELOW DECK.
-
TORTURE :
-
(forthcoming);
shared derivation with 'tort' (twisted) [v: foltern, trepalium];
see FIELD EXPEDIENT FACIAL, ROPE TRICK, PLAYING THE XYLOPHONE,
NECKLACE, HAIRCUT AND MANICURE, WATER TORTURE, DECAPITATION,
BRAINWASHING, REEDUCATION, CONCENTRATION CAMP, GULAG, SQUEEZE,
GAUNTLET, FROGMARCH, DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS, TWIST IN THE WIND,
GARROTE, KEELHAUL, OVER A BARREL, PAIN, CODE OF CONDUCT, LAWS OF
WAR, WAR CRIMES TRIAL, CHL, UCMJ.
[nb: "Human Intelligence Collector Operations" (FM 2-22.3, rev 6
Sep 2006; replacing FM 34-52 dtd 1992) prohibits 'enhanced
interrogation techniques' and other euphemisms for torture; the
"threat of imminent death" is one of the definitions of torture
(18USC2340), and the UN Convention Against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984;
ratified 1994 by USA) prohibits the intentional infliction of
severe pain or suffering, such that "No exceptional circumstances
whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal
political instability or any other public emergency, may be
invoked as a justification of torture" (Article 2); in the most
effective practices, the physical experience is secondary to the
psychological component, from which the traumatized person may
never recover] [nb: the mutilation of enemy corpses, wherein the
excised genitals are lodged in the victim's mouth, is a sexual
metaphor more than a symbolic sex act; such placement denigrates
the enemy's prowess and disparages him as a "cocksucker", a ponce
or nance, not a "real man"; if the victim of torture, such
mutilation indicates contempt, declaring that he did not die
well, bravely or manfully]
-
TOT :
-
Time On Target, multi-battery artillery fire computed for
simultaneous POINT OF IMPACT; coordinated mass fire. Also, Time
Over Target, computation of bomb delivery period by aircraft.
Compare SHOT OUT, SPLASH.
-
TOTAL FORCE :
-
the all-volunteer military was proposed, utilizing the somewhat
existentialist slogan of "The Army Wants to Join You", in 1972 by
Richard M. Nixon; and while the U.S. Army studied ways and means
of implementing this proposal within its mission, GEN Creighton
W. Abrams, as Chief of Staff, implemented the TOTAL FORCE plan
which blended the reserve and active-duty components, such that
active combat elements could not be deployed without
simultaneously activating combat support (CS/CSS) reserve
elements, in hopes that no future generation would incur the
enmity and alienation of the Vietnam-era troops. This plan
eliminated the reserve as a method of evading assignment to a
combat zone while ensuring that experience would not be held in
reserve during a crisis. Although the all-volunteer concept
almost collapsed during the James E. Carter administration from
lowered standards (Army Chief of Staff Edward (Shy) Meyer
publicly declared that America had a "hollow Army") in an effort
to meet goals and quotas without reinstituting the DRAFT, the
TOTAL FORCE plan has not faltered since its inception. When
standards were raised and other policies were implemented under
Ronald W. Reagan, coincident with the 1980 "Be All You Can Be" ad
campaign, both the active and reserve components improved. See
RETREAD, RE-UP, GOTCHA, FTA, BUDDY SYSTEM, RECRUITER, VOLUNTEER,
AVF, RA, COMBAT EFFECTIVE, MUSTER, CALL TO THE COLORS.
-
TOUCHDOWN :
-
the moment of contact of an aircraft with the landing surface.
Compare BOUNCE, AUGER-IN, PANCAKE; see ALS, SPLASHDOWN, RUNWAY,
THRESHOLD, APRON, WINDSOCK.
-
TOUR BABY :
-
anyone who repeatedly extends overseas tours, or serves them in
series, one after another without an intervening stateside
assignment, so as to garner more training or experience, or to
take advantage of assignment perquisites (eg: supplemental pay,
additional leave, tax deferments, hazardous duty, or exotic
travel); often refers to someone who has GONE NATIVE or is "war
crazed", which is perceived as a loss of "proper perspective" and
is thus a death knell for career aspirations. Also called "double
pump" by Marines. Compare HOMESTEADER, COMBAT BUM, PLANK OWNER,
LIFER, MILICRAT, TICKET-PUNCHER, DOUBLE-DIP, SANDWICH.
[nb: civilians go 'abroad' while soldiers go 'overseas']
-
TOW :
-
Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided anti-tank (AT)
ROCKET, being a portable CREW-SERVED component linked system; see
DRAGON, LOSAT, JAVELIN, ITV; compare MISSILE.
-
TOWED :
-
a light or compact field gun (eg: M-101 / M-102 / M-119 / M-202
105mm; M-1 / M-114 / M-198 155mm) with support attached to
tow-bar or LIMBER for vehicular transport or aerial relocation;
commonly called a "towed HOWITZER" or "towed artillery". A "Pack
Howitzer" (eg: L5 105mm) is specifically designed for towing over
rough terrain, is light enough to be airlifted or AIRDROPped, and
may be easily dismantled for piecemeal transport. Compare SP; see
PINTLE, TRAIL, TRUNNION, LIMBER, TRANSOM, ARTY.
-
TOY SOLDIER :
-
a derogatory ascription of an idealized MIL-PERS in perfect
costume, often embellished or elaborated so as to be impractical
for all but display purposes in some form of stylized "kabuki
theater". Also, an effigy or simulacrum representing an abstract
ideal of inanimate perfection; usually a model or miniature, such
as a decorated chessman or costumed doll. Also called "chocolate
soldier" (glitter wrapped sweet). See CHROME-DOME, SAM BROWNE
BELT, MILITARY PRESS, MILITARY TUCK, SPIT 'n' POLISH, MACHO;
compare FUGLEMAN, CANNON FODDER.
-
TRA CA :
-
Vietnamese for a carp-like fish raised in manure lagoons, fed on
village wastes and sewage for community hygiene. See DUMP, TROTS,
SLOP CHUTE, CAT HOLE, SLIT TRENCH, LATRINE.
-
TRACE :
-
any slight or faint trail made in the wilderness by animals or
vehicles; especially when man-tracking (to fall in trace), a
sense detectable path left by enemy personnel that's used to plot
a concentration or discover a CACHE or HIDE. See PECKER TRACKS,
CASTOFF, TRAIL, TRACK.
-
TRACER :
-
color emitted by ignition of treated ammunition when fired from
rifle or machinegun, so shots can be tracked (traced) and their
points of impact adjusted. TRACERS are visible under most light
conditions, but night provides best results. Inexperienced troops
quickly learn the MURPHY LAW that "tracers work both ways", so
must reserve their use for specific situations. At closer ranges,
before burn time is exhausted, TRACERS may ignite combustible
materials under prime conditions. Enemy AK and AAA weapons fire
"green" TRACERS, while Allied weapons shoot "red" TRACERS. See
LINK AMMO, MAG, DRUM.
[nb: US naval gunfire includes a dye-marker to help identify
shots during multiple ship engagements, and to help adjust the
POINT OF IMPACT by fire observation, which normally takes 8-10
rounds due to calculations of barrel/air temperatures and the
moving platform of a ship at sea]
-
TRACK :
-
any track propelled vehicle, from self-propelled howitzers
to tractor bulldozers, but usually refers to armored TANKs or
APCs; see DOZER INFANTRY, ROME PLOW, ARMORED CAR, HALF-TRACK,
CEV, LAV, AAV, AMTRACK, ALLIGATOR, GATOR-FREIGHTER, ELSIE, AVLB,
VTR, SCORPION, DUSTER, ONTOS, SPAT, RR, MECH, WEASEL, SNORKEL,
SNORT, TANK, REACTIVE ARMOR, SPALL, SPACED ARMOR, TANK PARK,
LAAGER, DRAGON'S TEETH; compare STRYKER, DUCK, GAMMA GOAT, GATOR.
Also, the track block (not "tread") on a TRACK-driven vehicle.
Also, to follow sign, spoor, CASTOFF, PECKER TRACKS, or other
marks when pursuing an elusive quarry; also called TRAIL or
TRACE.
-
TRADECRAFT :
-
the necessary skills to perform any difficult job,
especially covert operations, including everything from
camouflage and marksmanship to surveillance and communications
(eg: cover story, dead drops, shadowing). See SECRET AGENT,
CRYPTO, SPOOK, SWEAT, SQUEEZE, FLUTTER, DEBRIEF, LIE DETECTOR,
TRUTH SERUM, DEAD DROP, LETTER BOX, DEAD LETTER, BLACK BAG, FLAPS
'n' SEALS, DESK MAPPING, BOLT HOLE, RABBIT, NAKED, LIFTED SKIRT,
THROW-AWAY, DANGLE, SLEEPER, MOLE, FIX, DECOY, STOOGE,
PROVOCATEUR, NIGHTCRAWLER, HANDLER, CLEAN, POCKET LITTER, NOC,
COVER, LEGEND, BACKSTOP, NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION, RIG,
PROPAGANDA, RUMOR, THE FARM, THE PICKLE FACTORY, COUNTRY CLUB;
compare MIL-CRAFT.
-
TRADE ENVELOPES :
-
a private arrangement by which friends agree to hold a sealed
last or final letter, to be mailed in the event of death, but to
be returned or destroyed if unharmed. See COMRADE, BUDDY SYSTEM.
-
TRADE SCHOOL :
-
any of the several most prominent (and prestigious) military
academies, from West Point and Annapolis to VMI and the Citadel.
See HUDSON HIGH, BOAT SCHOOL, RING-KNOCKER, ROTC, MERCHANT
MARINE, COASTIES, OCS, OFFICER, MISTER, CADET, UP OR OUT, WAR
COLLEGE.
[v: Military Schools] [v: Siwash ("At Good Old Siwash"
by George Helgeson Fitch (1911)]
-
TRADOC :
-
U.S. Army TRAining and DOCtrine command; established in 1973 to
reorient the post-VN Army. See POI, BAYONET, TOTAL FORCE.
[nb: USAF version is called "Directorate of Personnel Training
and Education"]
-
TRAIL :
-
a path, see TRACE. Also, two supporting parts extending from the
rear of a field gun; see TOWED, LIMBER, TRANSOM, ARTY. Also, rear
security element, term derives from "drag"; also known as DRAG;
compare POINT, SLACK, TAIL-END CHARLIE, see ZERO, BUTTONHOOK [nb:
the follow-up TRAIL or DRAG element is not only responsible for
guarding the back of the unit (ie: tailgunner), but in obscuring
its passage (eg: scrub, scour, sweep, "dry clean", "Hoover") and
detecting pursuit (eg: double-check, double-back, back-check) so
as to preserve unit integrity and enable accomplishment of its
mission] Also, to follow sign, spoor, CASTOFF, PECKER TRACKS, or
other marks when pursuing an elusive quarry; also called TRACK or
TRACE.
-
TRAIL WATCHER :
-
an enemy SENTRY, usually convalescent or elderly, posted at a
point (eg: tree-stand platform or hilltop blind) of good
observation on heliborne insertions and troop movements, with the
responsibility to alert all affected enemy units. Imitative of
the WWII Allied "Coast Watcher" surveillance system, which
successfully employed noncombatant businessmen and missionaries;
also called "bird watcher". Later expanded to cooperate with rear
security and counter-RECON units. See BINH TRAM, STAY BEHIND,
FLIP-FLOP, FALSE INSERTION, COIGN OF VANTAGE.
-
TRAIN :
-
a line or procession of aggregated persons, animals, vehicles, or
vessels traveling together, as for carrying supplies or baggage;
such as a CONVOY, caravan, motorcade, procession, cavalcade, or
cortege, as derived from drag, draw, pull. Also, order,
especially proper order and sequence, as proceeding events or
ideas. Also, to develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior
of a person by discipline and instruction, as to make an adherent
proficient by instruction and practice; see BCT, AIT, SLICK
SLEEVE, BOOT, CRUIT. Also, the series of results or circumstances
from an event or action, as an aftermath. Also, to point, aim, or
bring to bear a firearm or other device on some object; see SIGHT
PICTURE, SPOT WELD, BASS, DEFLECTION, ZERO. Also, to traverse a
cannon or GUN TUBE laterally, as contrasted with ELEVATION; see
ARTY. Also, a successive stream, trail, or trailing part from
some moving object or sequence. Also, a line of combustible
material, as gunpowder, for leading fire to an explosive charge;
see FUSE.
-
TRAINER :
-
a rudimentary vehicle, vessel, craft, or simulator used to
instruct operators and to orient crewmembers, especially a
simplified aircraft for teaching PILOTs; see LINK TRAINER, TOP
GUN, GOSHAWK, DRAGONFLY, TALON, TROJAN.
-
TRAIN HARD - FIGHT EASY :
-
catch-phrase of military philosophy advocating that the more
troops sweat in training the less they bleed in combat, also
expressed as "a bucket of sweat for every thimble of blood";
contrasts with civilian philosophy of "work hard, play harder".
See DON'T DO NOTHING, COMBAT EFFECTIVE, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL
STUFF.
[nb: although the British Commando raid on Dieppe and the
Carlson's RAIDER INCURSION on Makin Island during WWII, as well
as the Ivory Coast TF raid on the Son Tay prison camp and the
PAVN assault on the U.S. Embassy during the VIETNAM WAR, all used
training MOCK-UPs to ensure operational success, none fulfilled
its mission ... which raises questions on the practicality of
specialized training, as the British found with parachute
deployment, that minimum training proved as successful (or as
unsuccessful) as advanced training, and much more cost effective]
-
TRAITOR :
-
a person who betrays a trust or cause, especially his country, by
treachery or disloyalty; derived from "to hand over" or "to give
over". Compare DRAFT DODGER, DESERTER, TURNCOAT, WHITE VC; see
TREASON, MUTINEER, RIOT ACT, FIRING SQUAD, UCMJ. [v: renegade]
-
TRANSOM :
-
a metal piece connecting the sidepieces of the tail or the cheeks
of an artillery gun carriage; as derived from the alteration of
"traverse" (lying across, breadth); see TRAIL, LIMBER, ARTY.
Also, a flat termination to a STERN, above the water line on a
vessel; see AFT. Also, any crosspiece or crossbar, such as a
framework.
-
TRAP :
-
USMC Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel; a mission to
expediently secure a downed aircraft, its personnel and
equipment, as performed by specially trained Marines. Compare PJ,
RIT, RRF; see CSAR, SAR, RCC.
-
TRASH :
-
slang for skill or qualification badges, as worn on the FATIGUE
or duty uniform; so designated because in elite units such
qualifications were required, so everyone had them, and in
regular units, where no one else had them, they were meaningless.
The acquisition of MIL-CRAFT skills, proclaimed by the award of
badges and other designations, are a prerequisite to certain
assignments, or essential for promotions. The TICKET-PUNCHER's
lust for "trash collecting" is more for ego-gratification than
the "good of the service". Compare BOLO BADGE, Q-COURSE, Q-TAB,
TRIPLE CANOPY, DIVER, DOLPHIN, WINGS, OVAL, FLASH, GONG, FRUIT
SALAD, CREST, GREEN TAB, DEVICE, PATCH, ASH 'n' TRASH, POWER
WALL. [nb: an insignia emblematic of the honors and lineage of a
military organization, unlike familial "coats of arms", may be
individually enhanced but not personally heritable; v: Heraldry] [nb: an apt MURPHY LAW of Combat says: "The
side with the simplest uniform will win the war."!]
-
TRAWL :
-
a recovery line trailing from a moving craft, which enables UDT,
SEAL, SCUBA, or other combat swimmers to be extracted from an
operational area by attaching themselves onto the line, while the
vessel continues without stopping to embark departing personnel
... thus speeding the recovery process, reducing target interval,
inhibiting force exposure, and avoiding mission detection; term
derives from "trail", and is also called "trawl line". First used
during offshore beach-clearing operations in WWII by both small
boats and fixed-wing aircraft, which ferried the EXFIL swimmers
to their host ship for embarkation. Compare SDV, GATOR, HOT
HOIST, SKYHOOK, McGUIRE RIG, STABO, LIFELINE.
-
TREADWAY BRIDGE :
-
a bridge constructed by engineers to carry its intended traffic,
from foot soldiers to armored vehicles, suspended or floating,
but with the travel surface limited to one or two tracks, instead
of a complete roadway that uses more materials and helps to
redistribute the weight. See BRIDGE RATING, BAILEY BRIDGE,
PONTOON BRIDGE, ROUTE STEP, ROPE BRIDGE.
-
TREASON :
-
acting to harm or overthrow the duly constituted government, or
to lend aid and comfort to the enemies of that government, as an
offense against the people of that sovereign nation, as
explicated in Article 3 Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution; term
derived from "handing over tradition". Also, the violation or
betrayal of a sacred trust or state allegiance, as treachery; as
by a "treasonist". See TRAITOR, RIOT ACT, DRUMHEAD, FIRING SQUAD,
UCMJ, POSSE COMITATUS. [v: sedition, incitement, provocation,
lese / lèse majesté]; cf: prevaricator, agitator]
-
TRENCH :
-
(forthcoming);
first used during Crimean War (1853-6), see TRENCH WARFARE
[cf: escarp, scarp/escarpment, counterscarp; v: trench fever,
trench foot, trench mouth]
-
TRENCH ART :
-
a token or memento, made by hand in the field from surplus or
expendable materials, and acquired as a relic, SOUVENIR, TROPHY,
artifact, reminder, remembrancer, keepsake, favor, commemorative,
memento mori, memorabilia, sign, insignia, mark, or vestige.
Examples of TRENCH ART have included CARTRIDGE case lighters,
SHELL casing ashtrays, BEERCAN badges, hand-embroidered PATCHes,
end-of-tour plaque CRESTs, campaign belt buckles, knife hilts,
uniform buttons, caricatures and portraitures. See CUMSHAW, SLUSH
FUND, SHORT SNORTER, BRAGGING RIGHTS, POWER WALL, SAFE ROOM.
-
TRENCH WARFARE :
-
although the trench has been used intermittently since ancient
times as a temporary fortification, it was first used during the
Crimean War (1853-6) as a style of combat emphasizing
regimentation, uniform formations, fixed intervals, limited
initiative, and close coordination of fire and maneuver; compare
OPEN WAR, see WAR.
-
TRIAGE :
-
the process of sorting mass casualties from a battle or disaster
to determine their priority of medical treatment, based upon
their probability of survival with intervention, as an effort to
economize resources; as derived from "sort". Those victims who
will survive without care and those who will not survive even
with care are left untreated. Also, the determination of
priorities for action in any type of emergency. Also, a
designation pertaining to or performing the prioritizing process,
as the "triage officer"; see DOW, ZERO WARD.
-
TRIATHLON :
-
an athletic competition comprising three consecutive events,
usually a medley of swimming, bicycling, and distance running;
derived from "three" + "contest", modeled upon 'decathlon'.
Compare BIATHLON, PENTATHLON, DECATHLON; see PT, PFT, AIRBORNE
SHUFFLE, TRUSCOTT TROT, WAR GAMES.
-
TRI-BORDER :
-
the area of intersection in SEAsia where the borders of Vietnam,
Cambodia, and Laos meet. See INDOCHINA; compare GOLDEN TRIANGLE,
SILVER TRIANGLE, GOLDEN CRESCENT.
-
TRICK :
-
a crafty or cunning device, maneuver, stratagem, expedient, or
the like, intended to deceive; an artifice, ruse, feint, or wile;
see DECEPTION, DECOY, FALSE FLAG, RED HERRING, CAT'S-PAW, TROJAN
HORSE, STALKING HORSE. Also, a clever device or adroit technique,
as the "tricks of the trade" or a feat of legerdemain; see ROPE
TRICK, PLAYING THE XYLOPHONE, TORTURE. Also, a highly-trained
elite or special operations force (SOF) unit, such as WWII Marine
Raiders or Army Rangers. Also, to embellish or adorn with
ornaments or other attention-getting devices, as in the wearing
of inappropriate attire or the ostentatious display of FRUIT
SALAD or TRASH; to "trick-out", to be "tricked-out". Also, a
period or stint of duty; a term, turn, shift, evolution, tour, or
assignment. Also, in heraldry, a preliminary sketch of a coat of
arms. Also, in heraldry, to indicate the tinctures of a coat of
arms with engraver's tricks. Also, slang for a prostitute's
customer. Also, a sexual act or to engage in sexual acts for
hire, as to "turn a trick"; see FUCK, CHURNING BUTTER, BOOM-BOOM,
SHORT-TIME, DIDDLY, HAT TRICK, DAISY CHAIN, SHACK-JOB, BUTTERFLY,
DU, STEAM 'n' CREAM, HOOKUP, HELL ON WHEELS, ACT OF CONGRESS.
[nb: the "comfort girls" who were employed as contract
prostitutes to serve the sexual needs (TRICKs) of Imperial
Japanese troops in the field, usually at a COMFORT STATION or SIN
CITY, were called "shock absorbers" by the Allied POWs who
happened to observe their (mis-)treatment]
-
TRIDENT :
-
the C4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), manufactured
since 1979 by Lockheed-Martin and designed to fit existing SILOs
aboard ships; Trident I succeeded by Trident II in 1997. Also, a
nuclear-powered submarine; see BOOMER. Also, the SEAL
qualification badge that was adapted from the UDT qualification
badge in 1971; commonly called a BUDWEISER (qv) but formally
known as the Special Warfare Badge.
-
TRIGGER :
-
an actuating tongue, lever, or other mechanism that's used to
discharge a firearm, launch a weapon, or initiate a munition;
also called initiator or activator, derived from trek (migrate);
see DETONATOR, WAR NOSE, EXPLOSIVE. Also, anything that initiates
or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions; the starter,
cause, or prime mover. [cf: sympathetic vs spontaneous ignition]
-
TRIGGER-HAPPY :
-
obsessed by or apt to use firepower as a universally favored
solution to all difficulties or complexities, as someone who is
quick to or ready to shoot a firearm at the least provocation,
regardless of the situation or probable consequences; see HOT
DOG, DUD, COWBOY, LOOSE CANNON, HOT SHOT, HAPPY FIRE. Also,
someone who is reckless in advocating action that can result in
war, a HAWK or WARMONGER; see WAR PARTY.
[cf: slaphappy (ie: severely befuddled or agreeably foolish)]
-
TRIM :
-
the set of a ship in the water, especially the most advantageous
posture with respect to the intended course and the prevailing
conditions; also called ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. Also, the attitude
of an airplane with respect to all three axes, at which balance
occurs in forward flight under no controls.
-
TRIPLE CANOPY :
-
ostensibly a layered wilderness foliage or thick COVER,
representing three stages of growth, that is so dense that it is
virtually impenetrable for military operations from either the
ground or the air, except along game trails, which are readily
BOOBY-TRAPped. When referring to the tropical jungle forests of
INDOCHINA, this term is overused, misused and misleading.
Most forests have growth of similar height, some low enough and
interspersed with clearings such that scrubby bushes and vines
proliferate, making penetration and maneuver very difficult; and
other forests have growth high enough that direct sunshine is
prevented from reaching the ground, leaving it relatively clear
and open ... creating an understory of filtered light and cooler
temperatures that's well suited for ferns and flowers. See JUNGLE
PENETRATOR, HOT HOIST, McGUIRE RIG, STABO.
Also, slang for the wearing of multiple Q-TAB arcs, especially
the SF, Rngr, and Abn tabs above the unit PATCH (SSI); see
Q-COURSE.
-
TRIPOD :
-
a three-part or three-legged supportive stand that is often
mounted midway (at or near the center or balance point) of a
heavy-duty firearm, with the point of attachment adjustable for
relative level. Also used with sighting, listening, and other
surveillance devices. Compare BIPOD, PINTLE.
-
TRIPWIRE / TRIP-WIRE :
-
thin wire strung across defensive areas or probable pathways,
attached to mines or flares, as used by both sides for alert or
demolition; see BOOBY-TRAP, MA, ALPHA-ALPHA, AMBUSH, TELLTALE.
-
TRI-TAC :
-
designation for the interservice (tri-) standard applied to the
tactical communications equipment program.
-
TRNG :
-
TRaiNinG, consisting of formal or special instruction in an
officially designated course according to outlined objectives;
see POI, TRAIN; compare OJT, UP THE HAWSEPIPE.
[nb: a military axiom states that training is just like combat
without blood; and that war is just like training without sweat!]
-
TROI OI :
-
Vietnamese expression used as an exclamation; literally "heaven +
dear", meaning "Dear heaven!", "Dear God!", "Good heavens!", or
"Oh God!".
-
TROJAN :
-
North American AT-28 advanced TRAINER, being a 2-seat
single-engine monoplane that was also used on counterinsurgency
missions. Compare TALON; see CHAPAKAO, BIRD.
-
TROJAN HORSE :
-
any person or device that undermines or destroys from within.
Compare STALKING HORSE, DARK HORSE, CAT'S-PAW, RED HERRING,
DECOY, FALSE FLAG, HIDE, DECEPTION.
-
TRON :
-
Target Recognition Operator Notification, an LED infrared (IR)
pulsing fiber optic system that's bundled in a temporary display
arrangement that can be visually detected by air support
personnel while on a target run so as to identify friendlies and
avoid BLUE ON BLUE damage; variously sized and readily
programmable fabric that includes the circuit board and batteries
for 200 hours of operation. The individual TRON fabric weighs
only 3 ounces, and may be worn, draped, wrapped, or attached to
equipment; and it may be set to different patterns to distinguish
different units, or to enable security verification. TRON has
been developed, since 2004, at the Air Force Research Lab at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
-
TROOP THE LINE :
-
the inspection or review of arrayed units by officials who walk
or ride before them along the PARADE GROUND; as distinguished
from PASS IN REVIEW, during which the arrayed units PARADE past
the assembled dignitaries on the "reviewing stand". See COLOR
GUARD, PARADE, SHOW THE FLAG, MISSING MAN FORMATION.
-
TROPHY :
-
any award, memento, SOUVENIR, prize, or spoil taken in
competition or war; a token or evidence of valor, skill, success,
or victory. Also, a representation or depiction of attainment or
achievement. Originally in ancient Greece and Rome, a memorial of
captured arms and armor dedicated at the site to a military
victory; term derives from 'turn', as "put to flight", "ended in
a ROUT". In unit competitions and WAR GAMES, the military still
emphasizes group performance over individual success, because
battles are not won by a solitary execution or singular act. See
STREAMER, BRAGGING RIGHTS, BANDIT, KILL RING, KILL CREDIT, EARS,
TOP DOG, HERO.
-
TROPO :
-
abridgement of tropospheric, which identifies the type of antenna
used for long range voice communications; see EARS, ANTENNA FARM,
COMMO.
-
TROTS :
-
diarrhea, or any other intestinal disorder involving frequent
bowel evacuations; also called "squirts", "skidders", or "Green
Apple Quick Step". Contrary to popular fiction, enemy contact
would temporarily cure (not cause) this condition. See PUCKER
FACTOR, DUMP, HEAD CALL, SLOP CHUTE, CAT HOLE, LATRINE, TRA CA,
CORK, COMFORT STATION.
-
TRP :
-
troop; a company-sized air- or armored cavalry unit; see
CAV, ACR, HHT, SQDN.
-
TRUCE :
-
a mutual agreement or treaty by the warring parties that
establishes a suspension of hostilities for a specified period of
time; an armistice (stop+arms) or CEASE-FIRE. Also, a respite, as
a recess, intermission, postponement, or pause; derived from
belief, TRUTH or trust (trow). See WAR, ENTENTE, RAISON D'ETAT,
DETENTE, CARTE BLANCHE, COUP D'ETAT, RAPPROCHEMENT, APPEASE,
PEACE.
-
TRUCK :
-
motor-powered wheeled vehicle for transport of personnel
or cargo, including M-37 three-quarter ton weapons carrier, M-561
GAMMA GOAT, M-35 DEUCE-AND-A-HALF, M-953 6X6 five ton truck,
M-939 Heavy Expanded-Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) five ton
truck, M-52A2 five ton tractor-trailer truck; see GUN TRUCK,
JEEP, HUMVEE, JERRV, MRAP, WAR PIG, COUGAR, BUFFALO, DUCK/DUKW,
MOTOR POOL.
[nb: PAVN transport of materiel was labor-intensive, using
modified bicycles; but the military use of wheelbarrows (both
push and pull types) dates from the first century AD, and remain
in use today. Such wheelbarrows, drawn by teams or even sail
mounted, transported goods and wounded troops, portable
launchers, and served as temporary barriers to cavalry.]
-
TRUE BELIEVER :
-
a fanatical opponent, being the equivalent of a zealot who
regards communism as a new secular religion, or a devotee of an
exclusive faith. Any courtesy or consideration shown to these
incorrigibles was regarded as "proof" of American weakness; and
field interrogation of these intractable captives was a waste of
time. Compare BELIEVER, CHIEU HOI, PARTY LINE; see BRASS-COLLAR,
BRASS EAR. [v: agitprop]
-
TRUNNION :
-
any of various supports, such as the cylindrical projections on
the sides of cannon, the suspension posts on heavy machinery, or
the lifting pegs on large containers, used for cradling the
object when moved or carried; compare PINTLE, see LIMBER.
-
TRUSCOTT TROT :
-
a rapid march tempo instituted during mobilization for WWII by
Lucian K. Truscott, later Third Infantry Division and Fifth Army
commander, imitative of the ancient Roman Legion and Thomas J.
"Stonewall" Jackson's "foot cavalry"; wherein the unit would
march at the rate of 5mph for the first hour of travel, and 4mph
thereafter ... this was an increase from the then standard 2.5mph
required of regular and reserve personnel. This increase, which
was considered demanding by American standards, granted the GI
parity with the opposing Axis troops. See PT, PFT, DAILY DOZEN,
AIRBORNE SHUFFLE, SLANT DISTANCE, DEAD-RECKONING.
-
TRUTH :
-
from ancient times, the "first casualty of war"; which must
contend with the solipsistic weltanschauung expressed in the rude
military maxim: "Opinions are like assholes; everybody's got one,
and they all stink!". See INTEL, PSYOPS, PROPAGANDA, PARTY LINE,
TRUE BELIEVER, WHITE PROPAGANDA, FALSE FLAG, DECEPTION, RED
HERRING, DECOY, TROJAN HORSE, STALKING HORSE, CAT'S-PAW, RUMOR.
[NB: "In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be
attended by a bodyguard of lies." by Winston L.S. Churchill; "In
any war, the first casualty is common sense, and the second is
free and open discussion." by James Reston; "Truth may be the
first casualty of war, but perspective is its lingering corpse."
anonymous]
[nb: the neologism "pollaganda" / "polloganda" (poll +
propaganda) has been coined to identify the representation of
biased samples, slanted surveys, special pleading arguments, and
ex-parte news depicted as authentic or authoritative]
-
TRUTH SERUM :
-
a drug, such as the barbiturate thiopental sodium, considered to
induce an inclination to speak freely and unreservedly, so as to
reveal repressed or consciously withheld information; also called
"truth drug". See SWEAT, SQUEEZE, FLUTTER, DEBRIEF, TRADECRAFT,
BRAINWASHING. [nb: Pentothal is a trademarked brand]
-
TS CARD :
-
mythical "Tough Shit Card" supposedly issued to everyone upon
entry into the military, which would be TICKET-PUNCHed by the
Drill Sergeant, Field First Sergeant, First Sergeant, or Chaplain
when the individual had a problem or complaint. Anyone could quit
training or refuse to participate at any time, called RING THE
BELL, and undergo military punishment or out-processing; but the
post-Vietnam military would issue actual "Stress Cards" for a
"time-out" during any procedure to encourage hassle-free troop
retention ... veterans know that there is no "stop the war"
device, so training "casualties" are better than combat losses.
See POOP, BUS TRANSFER, KNOCK IT OFF, SYMPATHY.
-
T-SHIRT :
-
a lightweight, pullover, short sleeved undershirt, usually
knitted with a round collarless neckline; also called "tee",
which name derives from its shape when spread out flat. First
issued by the U.S. Navy in 1915, then produced commercially in
1930 by Hanes. Wear of the brown T-SHIRT is no longer authorized
after 30 April 2008. See SKIVVIES, DRESS.
-
TSN :
-
Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam.
-
TTP :
-
abbreviation for Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, being
operational factors subject to variation from assignment to
assignment, mission to mission, as a preventive of
predictability.
-
TTY :
-
teletypewriter; compare TWX, see CONTEL, TELEPHONE, TELECON,
RADIO, COMMO, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH.
[nb: the first teletypewriter began operating in 1867; telex
(TELeprinter EXchange) is a form of teletypewriter. facsimile/FAX
(make + like) technology for the exact reproduction of text or
illustrations antedates both telephonic and wireless forms of
communication.]
-
TUBE :
-
slang for the cannon barrel of a MORTAR, or the MAIN-GUN of a
TANK or ARTY piece.
-
TUBE MONKEY :
-
slang for an ARTILLERYMAN or artillerist, from the practice of
assigning one or two crewmembers to hang from the MAIN-GUN barrel
as counterweights so the base can be repositioned by pivoting;
see BULLET HEAD, CANNON-COCKER, FAG, REDLEG, CREW-SERVED WEAPONS.
-
TU DAI :
-
(to die) Vietnamese phrase posted on small signs to warn
of nearby BOOBY-TRAPS or minefields; the US adopted "TU DAI Area"
for SITREPs. See TELLTALE, LO DUN.
-
TUG OF WAR :
-
a hard-fought critical struggle for supremacy, often surging back
and forth; as derived from 'contend' or 'wrestle', also spelled
"tug-o'-war". This severe engagement has devolved into a rope
pulling contest between opposing teams, which anti-war PROTESTORs
and other counterculturalists have attempted to redesignate "tug
of peace" or "tug-o'-piece". Compare DUCK ON DRAKE, DUCKS AND
DRAKES, KING OF THE HILL, WAR GAMES.
-
TUGRIK :
-
the basic monetary unit of currency for the Mongolian People's
Republic; derived from "circle" or "disk", and also spelled
"tughrik". Compare MONGO, see LEGAL TENDER.
-
TULE :
-
(too-lee) a kind of large rush, bulrush, sedge, marsh grass,
cattail, or reed found in inundated lands and wetlands; as used
in "tule fog" or "Tule Lake", and in the plural as 'tules'
(too-lees). See ELEPHANT GRASS, SAW GRASS, NIPA, KUNAI, PITA,
BOONIES. [nb: Tule Lake, situated along the California - Oregon
border, is an intermittent catchment fed by Lost River, that was
a factor in the Modoc War, and is the location of the Tule Lake
War Relocation Center, which was a Japanese-American internment
camp during WWII] [nb: the thule/tule homophone, together with
other variants, has appeared widely and interchangeably in
American military writings when referring to remote locales, in
the same manner that bush, sticks, woods, barrens, brush, weeds,
and the like are also synecdochically representative]
-
TUPPERWARE :
-
slang for molded plastic-bodied SMALL ARMS, especially PISTOLs,
which have the virtue of being lighter weight, self-lubricating,
quieter, rust-resistant, and with a larger AMMO capacity; these
weapons typically use non-ferrous metal or ceramic parts for the
critical elements.
-
TUNNEL RAT :
-
originally, the smallest member of any unit who would be directed
to investigate tunnel entrances; later developed into specialty
RECON teams with recovery LINEs, silenced PISTOLs, headset
RADIOs, miner's head lamps, and other specific GEAR. TUNNEL RAT
units in Vietnam had the highest per capita ratio of PURPLE HEART
awards; the program was discontinued on 7 April 1971; its
unofficial motto was "Not worth a rat's ass!" or "Couldn't give a
rat's ass!" (Latin: Non Gratum Anus Rodentum); compare MICKEY
MOUSE. Also, during WWII, anyone working in a protected
BOMB-PROOF environment, or who's dependent (agoraphobic) upon the
physical security of a bomb shelter or BUNKER.
-
TURD :
-
a demerit or reprimand, the accumulation of which places the
recipient on the punishment or extra duty SHIT LIST; see ADY,
GIG, DUTY ROSTER, STRAC, SQUARED AWAY, SHIPSHAPE. Also, a DUD,
DEADHEAD, GOLDBRICK, SOS, SHIT MAGNET, MAGGOT, SMACK, YARDBIRD,
or the like; see SMACK, PYHOOYA.
-
TURKEY SHOOT :
-
an easy destruction of enemy positions, vehicles and vessels, men
and materiel, especially by attacking aircraft (eg: The Great
Marianas Turkey Shoot); which derives from the marksmanship
contest wherein a tethered live turkey had to be shot through the
head by a rifle, but this competition later adopted moving
inanimate targets for rifles, with a turkey dinner as the prize.
A too easy victory that resembles a MASSACRE is sometimes
described as "shooting fish in a barrel", but fishermen formerly
killed fish by shooting them with rifles during winter so as to
survive. See MASSACRE, OVERKILL, ATROCITY, BODY COUNT, KILL 'EM
ALL, GENOCIDE.
[cf: Festival of the Popinjay; v: Aunt Sally, Jack-a-Lent,
cockshy, clay pigeon, sitting duck, mark, gull, dupe, pigeon,
prey, quintain, wand, hit list]
-
TURK'S HEAD :
-
a large decorative knot, used to finish a special line or lanyard
(such as suspended from the clapper of a ship's bell); sometimes
called "Nigger Head". Compare MONKEY FIST.
-
TURNCOAT :
-
a person who switches sides, as if by reversing one's coat to
change its color, being someone who changes to the opposite
position or affiliation, reverses principles, betrays loyalty or
trust; a renegade, apostate, defector, changeling. Compare
DRAFT DODGER, DESERTER, TRAITOR, JUDAS GOAT, WHITE VC, FIRING
SQUAD.
-
TURN IN THE BARREL :
-
expressed as "your TURN ..." or "his TURN IN THE BARREL", taken
from the punch-line of a bad old joke, which applies to the
military system or any other social institution in that the
individual member is only rewarded enough to perpetuate the
process ... one gets the chance to screw only by getting screwed
repeatedly! Less offensive civilian equivalents are "you gotta go
along to get along" and "what goes around comes around". See
CIRCLE JERK, PISSING CONTEST, FIRING LINE, CLUSTER FUCK.
-
TURN THE JACK :
-
defense against a salient thrust by both forward and flank fire
which redirects the resultant force; by playing card analogy
since the mid-19th century, such that a "kiss" is a solid hit or
strike, and a "turn" is an oblique or glancing blow of mis- or
indirection to the King as headquarters, to the Queen as the
principal point on the FRONT LINE, and to the Jack as a secondary
position. See KISS THE MISTRESS.
[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, KNOCK THEIR SPOTS
OFF, WAR GAMES]
-
TURN TURTLE :
-
slang for take COVER from HIGH ANGLE HELL; based upon the amazing
fact, which was repeatedly demonstrated throughout the war, in
total refutation of all the laws of physics, that a fully
equipped adult soldier can be entirely concealed and completely
contained inside his own helmet! ... the fact that a turtle, with
his head buried in the ground, can respire through its rectum is
not only well known but ably practiced by infantrymen under fire!
Also, slang for capsize; compare GROUND LOOP, AUGER-IN, NOSEDIVE,
PANCAKE, ALUMINUM RAIN, BOUNCE, TOUCHDOWN, ALS, AUTO-ROTATE.
-
TURRET :
-
a revolving domed structure mounting a MAIN-GUN and housing a
crew compartment, such as on a TANK, airplane, or ship; derived
from "tower". Compare CUPOLA, SPONSON, RING MOUNT; see HATCH.
-
TURTLE :
-
slang for an individual replacement, being any "warm body" whose
arrival would permit the departure of a SHORT-TIMER; so called
because it seemed to take so very long for him to arrive! See
REPL' DEPOT, FNG, CHERRY, NEWBEE.
-
T-WALL :
-
(forthcoming); see BLAST WALL, REVETMENT, BANQUETTE
-
TWEP :
-
abbreviation for Terminate With Extreme Prejudice, being a
euphemism for "kill", execute, exterminate, or assassinate, as
allegedly employed by the CIA for "wet work"; also known as
"de-effectuate", "liquidate", "purge". See ZAP, WASTED, BUY THE
FARM, CHECK OUT, SOL, DEATH CARD, BELIEVER, SWEEPER, STROLLER,
KILLER KANE, SHADOW WARRIOR, SECRET AGENT, BODYGUARD; compare
COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
-
TWIDGET :
-
Navy slang for an electronics specialist, usually in enlisted
GRADE or RATING; also called "wire biter". See ET, ELINT, ECM,
BEAR.
-
TWIG :
-
to watch or observe, to be alert to or to be made aware of, to
notice. Also, to understand or comprehend, as derived from a
similar sounding Irish word; see FATHOM.
-
TWIN OTTER :
-
DeHavilland UV-18 / V-18 twin-engined "bush" aircraft, STOL
capable by wheels, skis, or floats; compare BEAVER, OTTER; see
BIRD.
-
TWIST IN THE WIND :
-
anxiously awaiting action or decision, especially about
punishment for misconduct; derived from the practice of leaving a
hanged corpse as an example to others. Compare HANG LOOSE; see
UCMJ.
-
2DD :
-
(two-dee-dee) two Dimensional Data, being any facts or
information obtained (or inferred) by remote survey; any INTEL
that has not been confirmed by direct observation or field
experience. This "flat" data, superficial and incomplete, is
better than nothing, but is never as good as "full bodied" (3D)
information, even when such contact information is confused or
contradictory. [cf: one-dimensional man]
-
TWO DIGIT NUMBERS :
-
less than 100 days to DEROS; such numerals
were the standard reply to greetings (eg: "How's it going?" "73
and a wake-up!"). See FREEDOM BIRD.
-
TWX :
-
(twix) originally a Teletype Writer eXchange message, but later
used to mean any brief written message, sent by any method. See
BUG, COAX, LANDLINE, TELEPHONE, TELECON, CONTEL, BACK CHANNEL,
FLASH, EOT, RADIO, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH, TTY.
[nb: facsimile/FAX (make + like) technology for the exact
reproduction of text or illustrations antedates both telephonic
and wireless forms of communication. The first teletypewriter
began operating in 1867; telex (TELeprinter EXchange) is a form
of teletypewriter. The test sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps
over the lazy dog.", was used before the American CIVIL WAR by
telegraphers, and has since been adopted as a practice phrase for
morse code (CW).]
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