Oscar Mike to the glossary. Copy that.
Students at military academies training to become officers, characterized by their impressive ability to shine shoes, march in formation, and survive on minimal sleep. They endure years of rigorous discipline, hazing disguised as 'tradition,' and enough push-ups to make a fitness influencer weep. Eventually emerge as second lieutenants who are technically in charge but whom sergeants must patiently teach how the military actually works.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats—basically every way science has discovered to ruin someone's day from far away.
Common Operational Picture—a unified display of relevant information shared across all command levels, theoretically ensuring everyone sees the same battlefield. Emphasis on 'theoretically.'
The skeleton crew of leaders and specialists who form the core of an organization, ready to bulk up into a full unit when needed. In military contexts, it's the officers and key personnel around whom a new regiment gets built; in revolutionary contexts, it's your dedicated true believers. Basically, it's your starting lineup of people who actually know what they're doing.
The infantry's core mission statement, meaning to physically close the distance to the enemy and eliminate them, usually through aggressive frontal assault. It's the least subtle mission description in military doctrine.
Military strategy of removing enemy forces from an area and then staying put to prevent them from returning—theoretically simple, practically exhausting.
Redistributing personnel, equipment, or supplies between units to ensure all elements meet operational requirements. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, but with more tactical justification.
A training methodology progressing from basic skills to complex operations in stages. How the military teaches everything from marksmanship to not accidentally invading the wrong country.
A person actively engaged in armed conflict, typically distinguished from civilians by international law—the term that helps separates 'participant in warfare' from 'bystander caught in crossfire.'
The movement and distribution of intelligence, supplies, personnel, or currency through operational channels. Restricted circulation is a spy's nightmare; unrestricted circulation is an administrator's.
A strategic series of interconnected entities, locations, or dependencies forming a supply line or operational network. Break one link and the whole operation crumbles—which is why adversaries love targeting them.
A specialized vessel, aircraft, or entity tasked with transporting valuable cargo, personnel, or biological agents from point A to point B—essentially the logistics backbone of any operation. In military contexts, this could be anything from a naval carrier to a humble mail carrier.
Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence. The nervous system of modern military operations—without it, your army becomes very confused and violent.
A person injured or killed by accident or violence—the human cost of disaster. In military terminology, it's the grim accounting of who didn't make it home.
Preparing for every possible catastrophe so nothing surprises you—military pessimism elevated to strategic doctrine.
Communications Intelligence—gathering intelligence by intercepting and analyzing enemy radio, telephone, and data communications. High-tech eavesdropping with government authorization.
Military phonetic for 'CM,' which stands for 'Continue Mission.' When you're taking casualties but the mission must proceed—cheerfully abbreviated into phonetic form.
Counterinsurgency—military and political operations against insurgent forces trying to overthrow governments. It's the kind of warfare that requires killing the bad guys, winning the population's trust, and somehow doing both simultaneously.
The mental and informational battlefield where perception, beliefs, and decision-making occur. Where the real war is fought—in people's heads.
The equipment and ammunition a soldier carries during active operations. The weight between 'fully prepared' and 'can't move.'
Air forces directly assisting ground troops in combat. When jets show up to help the infantry because things got spicy.
Air-to-ground combat support against enemy forces near friendly troops. The reason ground soldiers love pilots who can actually hit what they're aiming at.