Oscar Mike to the glossary. Copy that.
The art of appearing busy while actually doing nothing, or avoiding work through creative means while technically not violating orders. A survival skill perfected by junior enlisted.
To deploy a smoke grenade, typically to mark a position for extraction, conceal movement, or signal aircraft. Also used colloquially to mean departing quickly from any situation.
Covert operations not attributable to the sponsoring organization or nation, typically involving intelligence agencies or special forces. What happens in the black stays in the classified files.
Standing or moving in extremely close formation, literally close enough that one person's crotch is near the person in front's rear. Used in cramped spaces or when maintaining contact in darkness.
Tactical positioning where one element provides covering fire while another maneuvers, creating a leap-frog pattern of mutually supporting violence. The buddy system, but with machine guns.
An attack targeting enemy leadership to destabilize or destroy their command structure. Chess meets explosives, with significantly less opportunity for a rematch.
Warning Order—a preliminary notice of an upcoming operation allowing subordinate units to begin preparations before receiving the full plan. The military's version of 'heads up, something's about to happen.'
Military slang for helicopters or other aircraft. Because 'rotary-wing aircraft' takes too long when you're requesting emergency extraction.
A route by which attacking forces can reach an objective, analyzed for cover, concealment, and obstacles. The preferred path for uninvited guests bearing weapons.
Command to immediately cease firing weapons, often issued to prevent fratricide or civilian casualties. The phrase that turns chaos into silence faster than anything else in combat.
A Navy and Coast Guard tradition where newly promoted officers host a party to celebrate their advancement, traditionally 'wetting down' their new rank insignia with alcohol. An excuse for a party with historical roots.
Extremely disorganized or incompetent, to an almost impressively dysfunctional degree. The ultimate descriptor for something that shouldn't exist but somehow does.
Junk food, candy, or snacks, particularly those purchased from the PX or sent in care packages. The contraband that makes field rations bearable.
A standardized enemy contact report covering Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, and Equipment. The military's way of ensuring that even panic follows a proper format.
To fail a qualification or test, particularly marksmanship qualification. From the lowest badge tier 'marksman' once resembling a bolo tie, though etymology debates rage on.
A movement technique where one element advances while another provides cover, then the roles switch—essentially tactical leapfrogging with more firepower. The buddy system for people expecting to be shot at.
Data On Previous Engagements—the collected information about ballistic performance, environmental conditions, and adjustments needed for accurate long-range shooting. It's the sniper's cheat sheet, minus the cheating.
The process of aligning a weapon's sights with its actual point of impact, because shooting in the general direction of the enemy is considered poor form. Think of it as calibrating your 'delete button' before using it.
The condition of controlling the skies so completely that the enemy can't fly without getting shot down—basically bullying from above.
Artillery fire directed at enemy artillery positions with the goal of destroying them before they destroy you. A deadly game of "you shoot, we triangulate your position, then we shoot back harder."
Mission Oriented Protective Posture level (0-4) indicating how much chemical/biological protective gear troops must wear. A scale measuring both threat level and how miserable everyone is about to be.
The excruciating experience of sitting through endless, poorly designed slide presentations that drain the will to live. A modern form of torture perfected in military briefing rooms.
The exact time an operation or attack is scheduled to commence. Missing zero hour is a great way to ensure your carefully planned assault becomes a very expensive camping trip.
An attack pass by an aircraft using its cannons or machine guns rather than missiles or bombs, because sometimes pilots prefer the satisfaction of personal delivery. It's strafing with style.