Military Definitions - Z

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

Z – Zulu

morse code – dash dash dot dot

Zero point - the location of the center of a nuclear detonation. The zero point may be in the air, or on or beneath the surface of land or water, depending on the type of burst.  Thus dit is distinguished from ground zero, which is the point on the surface of the earth either at, below, or above the nuclear detonation.

Zulu time – also called universal time and Greenwich Mean Time.  For current Zulu time - click here 

Thank you for sharing this AtoZ Blogging Challenge with me and for reading my blog.

And for all of you also participating this year in AtoZ Blogging Challenge, CONGRATULATIONS for finishing!
  
We are all entitled to a nap =)

Military Definitions - Y

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS. 

Y – Yankee

morse code – dash dot dash dash

Yaw — the rotation of an aircraft, ship, or missile about its vertical axis.

Yeoman - an enlisted person within the US Navy who performs administrative and clerical work - protocol, naval instructions, enlisted evaluations, commissioned officer fitness reports, naval messages, visitors, telephone calls and mail. They organize files, operate office equipment, order and distribute office supplies, type letters, notices, directives, forms and reports.
 

Military Definitions - X

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

X – Xray

morse code – dash dot dot dash

[I'm cheating a little on this one.  I found no interesting X so I'm using EX]

Exercise — a military maneuver or simulated wartime operation involving planning, preparation, and execution, for the purpose of training and evaluation.

Exfiltration — the removal of personnel from areas under enemy control by stealth, deception, surprise, or clandestine means.

Expedition — a military operation conducted by an armed force to accomplish a specific objective in a foreign country.

Explosive ordnance disposal — the detection, identification, evaluation, rendering safe, recovery, and final disposal of unexploded explosive ordnance.  Also called EOD.  At one point my son applied for this job.  Mommy was NOT happy.

Extra Military Instruction - EMI. A supposed learning opportunity for a serviceman to better learn some military instruction. Usually a non-judicial punishment consisting of some menial task like running in place with arms outstretched from the chest while holding a rifle (Army) or changing into every uniform once an hour for inspection (a "Fashion Show") (Navy).

 

Military Definitions - W

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

W – Whiskey

morse code – dot dash dash

War - sustained use of armed force between nations or organized groups within a nation.  A series of connected battles and campaigns to achieve vital national objectives. War may be limited, or it may be general with the total resources of a nation or nations employed and the national survival of a belligerent at stake.

War reserves — stocks of materiel accumulated in peacetime to meet the increase in military requirements upon an outbreak of war.

Weapons of mass destruction — weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or to destroy large numbers of people, including explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological weapons.
 
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – WTF?

 

Military Definitions - V

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

V – Victor

morse code – dot dot dot dash

Valuable cargo — cargo which may be of value during a later stage of the war. Personally, I like to think my son is included in this definition.

Very high -  a height above fifty thousand feet.  Yep, that's very high.

Very low - a height below five hundred feet.  Doesn't seem that low to me, unless it refers to actually flying that low.

Veteran - a person who has served or is serving in the armed forces. Those veterans who have had direct exposure to military conflict may also be referred to as war veterans.

Voice in the Sky – military base announcements broadcast over speakers.

Voluntold – an assignment that is technically voluntary but understood to be mandatory. My son tells me frequently about his voluntold assignments.

Military Definitions - U

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

U – Uniform

morse code – dot dot dash

Underwater demolition — the destruction of underwater obstacles such as mines.

Uniformed services — the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Services.

United States Armed Forces — used collectively to refer to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Unlimited war — Not to be used. Use general war.  For some reason, I like that “unlimited war” is a term we aren't supposed to use.

Military Definitions - T

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

T– Tango

morse code - dash

Tare weight — the weight of a container.  The gross weight [weight of the entire filled container] minus the tare weight [weight of the container itself] equals the net weight [weight of the contents].

Terrorism — the intentional use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to cause fear; to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.

Treason — betrayal of one's country.

Troops - a military sub-subunit.  Members of the military collectively, as in "the troops".

Tropical storm — a tropical cyclone with a surface wind speed at least 34, but not more than 63 knots.

 

Military Definitions - S

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

 S – Sierra

morse code – dot dot dot

Sailor or seaman – an enlisted member of the US Navy, but does not include members of construction battalions [CBs/Seabees] who are called constructionmen.

SEAL - sea-air-land team — US Navy forces organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations.  Similar to Army Ranger.

Self-loading cargo - passengers boarding a transport aircraft.

Semper Fi – short for Semper fidelis, the Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". In the United States it is best known as the motto of the United States Marine Corps.

SNAFU - “situation normal - all fouled up.”  Originally “all f***ed up” 

Sniper – a soldier highly trained in long range rifle marksmanship and field skills. 

Special agent — A person, either United States military or civilian, who is a specialist in military security or the collection of intelligence or counterintelligence information.

Special forces — US Army forces organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations with an emphasis on unconventional warfare capabilities.

Speed of sound — the speed at which sound travels.  At sea level in the International Standard Atmosphere, this speed is 1108 ft/second, 658 knots, 1215 km/hour.

SONAR — an acryonym for SOund Navigation And Ranging.  A sonic device is used primarily for the detection and location of underwater objects.

Soldier - one who fights as part of an organized land-based armed force, for example the US Army.  A soldier can be an enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.

 

Military Definitions - R

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

R – Romeo

morse code – dot dash dot

RADAR — an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging.  A radio detection device that provides information on range, azimuth, and/or elevation of objects.

Rangers — an elite, specially trained, rapidly deployable airborne light infantry component of the US Army, trained for highly complex operations in coordination with other special operations units of all services.  Similar to Navy Seal.

Rating – a “job” in the Navy, the enlisted occupations that consist of specific skills and abilities.  My son is a construction electrician [CE], a Seabee rating.

Rectal Cranial Inversion - to have one's head up one's butt.

Rent-A-Crowd - used in reference to farewell ceremonies or changes of command, this refers to a crowd that is gathered to attend an “optional” function because they were ordered to do so.

Reserves - military personnel who maintain their military skills and readiness for a long-term, part-time commitment, participating in periodic training sessions after returning to civilian life, and are "on call” if needed.  After my son's five year, active duty commitment is over, if he decides to leave active duty he will serve three years in the reserves.

Military Definitions - Q

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS. 

 Q – Quebec 

morse code – dash dash dot dash

 

Q-route — preplanned shipping lanes in mined or potentially mined waters, kept clear of mines to provide safe passage for friendly shipping.

Quartermaster – in the Army, a relatively senior soldier who supervises the storeroom and distributes supplies and provisions.  In the Navy, the enlisted member in charge of navigation; the maintenance, correction, and preparation of nautical charts and navigational instruments; and the training of the ship's lookouts and helmsmen.

Quonset hut - a lightweight, prefabricated structure of corrugated steel.

 

Military Definitions - P

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

P – Papa

morse code – dot dash dash dot

Peace treaty - an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties.

Pentagon - the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia.

Petty officer - a noncommissioned officer in a navy, ranking above seaman and below chief petty officer.  My son is an E-4, which is a petty officer third class.

Phonetic alphabet — standard words used to identify letters in a message transmitted by radio or telephone. Authorized words:  ALFA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, DELTA, ECHO, FOXTROT, GOLF, HOTEL, INDIA, JULIETT, KILO, LIMA, MIKE, NOVEMBER, OSCAR, PAPA, QUEBEC, ROMEO, SIERRA, TANGO, UNIFORM, VICTOR, WHISKEY, X-RAY, YANKEE, and ZULU.

Pollywog – a sailor who has not crossed the equator on a US Navy ship.

Purple Heart - a United States military decoration awarded to those wounded or killed while engaged in combat. The Purple Heart differs from most other decorations in that an individual is not recommended for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria. A Purple Heart is awarded for the first wound suffered under combat conditions, but for each subsequent award an oak leaf cluster or 5/16 inch star is worn in lieu of another medal. Not more than one award will be made for more than one wound or injury received at the same instant. The Purple Heart is only awarded for combat injuries.

 

Military Definitions - O

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

O – Oscar

morse code – dash dash dash

Objective — the clearly defined, decisive, and attainable goal toward which every operation is directed.

Occupied territory — territory under the authority and effective control of the enemy.

Officer of the Deck — also called OOD.  The officer in charge of the ship, including its safe and proper operation.

Ordnance - military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment.

Overseas — All locations, including Alaska and Hawaii, outside the continental United States.

Oxygen thief – slang for someone who's useless or talks too much.

 

Military Definitions - N

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

N – November

morse code – dash dot

National Security Agency — an intelligence organization of the United States government, responsible for monitoring, collection, and processing of global information.

Nautical mile — a distance equal to one minute of arc on the Earth's surface.  The United States has adopted the international nautical mile equal to 1,852 meters or approximately 6,076 feet.  As a comparison, a land mile is 5,280 feet.

Navy – from my son's “new recruit handbook” - “The mission of the United States Navy is to protect and defend the right of the United States and our allies to move freely on the oceans and to protect our country against her enemies.”  My son enlisted in the US Navy a little over 3 years ago as a Seabee [electrician].  He now holds the rank of E-4, or petty officer third class.  He is not assigned to a ship.  Seabees are assigned to Construction Battalions [CBs], and are transported mostly by plane.

Military Definitions - M

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

M – Mike
morse code – dash dash

Meat Identifier – a dish or sauce that identifies the type of meat being served. For example, cranberry sauce indicates turkey, applesauce indicates pork chops.

Marine Corps – a branch of the US Navy, the Marine Corps was founded as an infantry unit aboard naval vessels and responsible for the security of the ship and its crew.  Capable of rapid deployment. The Marine Corps is often assigned to non-combat missions such as the evacuation of Americans from unstable countries and providing humanitarian relief during natural disasters. In larger conflicts, Marines get into and hold an area until larger units can be mobilized. The Marines' Hymn dates back to the 19th century and is the oldest official song in the US armed forces. The Marine motto Semper Fidelis means “always faithful” in Latin, often appearing as Semper Fi; also the name of the official march of the Corps.

Medic – military personnel who have been trained to at least an EMT-Basic level (16 week course in the US Army), and are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield, and continuing medical care in the absence of a readily available physician, including care for disease and battle injuries.

MEPS – acronym for Military Entrance Processing Station.  There are 65 MEPS facilities throughout the US.  My son enlisted in the Navy thru the MEPS facility in San Diego CA.  He had to go three times to complete all of the requirements.

Merchant Marine - Fleets of US civilian and federally owned merchant vessels, managed by either the government or the private sector.  In times of peace, the USMM engages in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States.  In times of war, the USMM can be an auxiliary to the Navy, and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military.  The USMM Academy is one of the five military academies in the US.

MIA – acronym for missing in action.  A casualty classification assigned to armed services personnel and other combatants who are reported missing during wartime. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted.  If deceased, neither their remains nor grave has been positively identified.

Midnight requisition - to steal or scrounge supplies from another unit without their approval or knowledge, usually after business hours/dark.

Midshipman - an officer cadet or a commissioned officer candidate of the junior-most rank, in the US Navy.

Military - also called the armed forces. Forces authorized to use deadly force, and weapons, to support the interests of the state and some or all of its citizens. The task of the military is usually defined as defense of the state and its citizens, and the prosecution of war against another state.

Munition - military weapons, ammunition, equipment, and stores.

MIlitary Definitions - L

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

L – Lima

morse code – dot dash dot dot

 

Laser — an acronym for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” A device that can emit a single wavelength [color] of light, very strong and concentrated.  Uses: bar-code scanners, pointers and targets, surgery [cauterizing capillaries, removal of scars, tattoos, hair, etc], cutting metals, welding, and weapons.

Leave - permission to be away from one's unit for a specific period of time.  Usually granted over the Christmas holidays, during the summer, and immediately before or after deployments.  Most service members receive 30 leave days per year.  Civilian employees who are in the reserves receive 15 days off per year for active duty assignments [usually training].  My son is currently home on leave!  This is the first time I've seen him in person [not on Skype] since September 2014.  He got here April 7 and is leaving April 15.  I'm soooooo excited!

Left Handed Monkey Wrench – A non-existent tool. Often the object of fruitless searches undertaken by recruits at the behest of more experienced servicemembers.

Left (or right) — Terms used to establish the relative position of a body of troops.  The person using the terms left”or “right” is assumed to be facing in the direction of the enemy regardless of whether the troops are advancing towards or withdrawing from the enemy.

Left (right) bank — The bank of a stream or river on the left (right) of the observer when facing in the direction of flow or downstream.

Litter — A basket or frame utilized for the transport of injured persons.

Military Definitions - K

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

K – Kilo

morse code – dash dot dash

Kiloton weapon — a nuclear weapon, the yield of which is measured in terms of thousands of tons of trinitrotoluene explosive equivalents, producing yields from 1 to 999 kilotons.

K-ration – an individual daily combat food ration introduced by the Army during World War II.  It provided three separately boxed meals: breakfast, dinner (lunch) and supper (dinner).  Widely criticized for being deficient in calories and nutrition.

     Breakfast Unit: canned entree veal (early version), canned chopped ham and eggs (subsequent versions), biscuits, dextrose or malted milk tablets (early version), dried fruit bar, pre-mixed oatmeal cereal (late version), Halazone water purification tablets, a four-pack of cigarettes, Dentyne or Wrigley chewing gum, instant coffee, and sugar.

     Dinner/Lunch Unit: canned entree pork luncheon meat (early version), canned processed American cheese, Swiss and American cheese, or bacon and cheese (subsequent versions), biscuits, 15 Dextrose or malted milk (diastatic malt) tablets (early) or five caramels (late), sugar, salt packet, a four-pack of cigarettes and a box of matches, chewing gum, and a powdered beverage packet [lemon, orange, or grape flavor].

     Supper Unit: canned meat, consisting of cervelat sausage (early version), either pork luncheon meat with carrot or apple (first issue), beef and pork loaf (second issue); biscuits; a 2-ounce D ration emergency chocolate bar (early version), Tropical bar or (in temperate climates) commercial sweet chocolate bar (late version), a packet of toilet paper tissues; a four-pack of cigarettes; chewing gum, and a bouillon packet (cube or powder).

 

Military Definitions - J

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

  J – Juliett [or Juliet]

morse code – dot dash dash dash

Jeep – four-wheel-drive light utility Army truck.  While researching this entry for my blog, I discovered you can actually buy an ex-military jeep on e-bay.

Jet stream — a narrow band of high velocity wind in the upper atmosphere. 

Joe – Army term for a soldier. Shortened from GI Joe. 

Judge advocate — an officer of the Judge Advocate General [JAG] Corps of the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who is designated as a judge advocate.  Judge Advocates serve primarily as legal advisors to the command to which they are assigned. Their advice may cover a wide range of issues dealing with administrative law, government contracting, civilian and military personnel law, law of war and international relations, and environmental law. They also serve as prosecutors, defense counsel, and judges for the military when conducting courts-martial.

 

Military Definitions - I

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

 

I – India

morse code – dot dot

Infantry - soldiers marching or fighting on foot; foot soldiers.

Improvised explosive device — also called IED.  A device put together in an improvised manner designed to destroy or  incapacitate.  Normally devised from nonmilitary components.

Intelligence — the collection, processing, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of available information concerning foreign nations, hostile forces, or areas of actual or potential operations. 

Military Definitions - H

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

 H – Hotel

morse code – dot dot dot dot  

Homeland security — [Department of] A cabinet department with primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States from, and responding to, terrorist attacks, man-made accidents, and natural disasters.   Whereas the military generally works to protect the US abroad, DHS works to protect the US at home.  Includes the departments of Immigration, Customs, Border Patrol, Citizenship, Transportation Security [TSA], Coast Guard, Secret Service, and FEMA.  Public awareness slogan - “If you see something, say something.”

Howitzer — a cannon that combines certain characteristics of guns and mortars.

Hooah – Army motivational slang, acknowledgment, most commonly used to respond to a verbal greeting or as an expression of motivation.

Hooyah or Hoorah – Navy and Coast Guard equivalent of Hooah

Oorah – Marine equivalent of Hooah

 

Military Defintions - G

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

G – Golf

morse code – dash dash dot

General orders — Instructions that apply to all members of a command, as compared with special orders, which affect only individuals or small groups. General orders are usually concerned with matters of policy or administration. Also, a series of orders that govern the duties of a sentry on post. 

Geneva Conventions - rules that apply only in times of armed conflict and define the basic rights of people who are not, or are no longer taking part in, hostilities.  They establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of war, including the sick and wounded of armed forces on the field, shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea, prisoners of war, and civilians.  The treaties of 1949 were ratified, in whole or with reservations, by 196 countries. 

Ground zero — The point on the surface of the Earth at, below, or above the center of a nuclear detonation.  Also used in relation to earthquakes, epidemics, and other disasters to mark the point of the most severe damage or destruction.  In modern times, the term is generally understood to mean the World Trade Center site in New York City.

Military Definitions - F

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

F – Foxtrot 

morse code – dot dot dash dot

 

Fatigues - duty/work uniform, as opposed to dress uniform.

Field day - thorough cleanup of a barracks pending an inspection.

Field exercise — An exercise conducted in the field under simulated war conditions.  Troops and weapons of one side are actually present, while those of the other side may be imaginary or in outline.

First Light – The time of nautical twilight when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.

Flight deck — In certain airplanes, an elevated compartment occupied by the operating crew.  The upper deck of an aircraft carrier that serves as a runway.

Friendly fire — In casualty reporting, persons killed in action or wounded in action mistakenly or accidentally by friendly forces.

FUBAR - “fouled up beyond all recognition”.  Originally used “f***ed” up.

 

Military Definitions - E

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

E – Echo 

morse code – dot

 

Embed – When a reporter stays with the military in order to conduct journalistic business. They are typically provided with security and basic necessities provided by the unit they are embedded with.

Encampment - a place with temporary accommodations, generally huts or tents, for troops or nomads.

Enlist – to sign up with a branch of the armed services.  Enlistment generally begins at a local recruiting station, and is completed at the regional Military Entrance Processing Station [MEPS] facility, which for my son was in San Diego CA.  My son's enlistment period is 5 years active, 3 years reserve.  This means that after 5 years, he can re-enlist for another 5 years, or he can leave the service but will still be required to fulfill 3 years reserve.

Military Definitions - D

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

D – Delta 

morse code – dash dot dot

Day zero – the first day of basic training [boot camp].

Dear John – term referring to a significant other breaking up with a service member through a letter.

Delayed Entry Program — also called DEP.   A program under which an individual may enlist in a Reserve Component of military service, with a future reporting date for entry into active duty.  My son enlisted in the Navy in June, and was part of DEP until January when he reported for boot camp.  During DEP he studied things like the names of the persons in his chain of command, types of ships and planes, what the insignia for ranks looks like, how to march and salute, etc.  The waiting period was because the rating [job] he signed up for, had boot camp slots available in January.

Demilitarized Zone – DMZ.  A specific area [for example between North and South Korea] in which any type of military force is banned.

Deployment - to organize and send out people and/or things for a particular purpose.  Typically, a battalion or other group of service members is sent out for a specific mission.  My son has had two overseas deployments, one to Okinawa and one to Spain and the Middle East.  Oddly, my son has also had two stateside deployments, to Virginia and Colorado.  I never knew a deployment could be within the US until the first of these occurred.

Detachment — also called DET.  A part of a unit separated from its main organization for duty elsewhere. A temporary military or naval unit formed from other units or parts of units. My son is assigned to the “air DET” detachment of his battalion.

Dog tags - an informal term for the identification tags worn by military personnel.  The tags are primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded soldiers.  They contain personal information such as name, SSN, basic medical information, and religious preference.

Draft – The conscription of qualified citizens in military service.  In the United States, men between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register so that an involuntary “selective service” can be implemented if needed.  My oldest son voluntarily enlisted in the Navy.  My second and third sons [ages 20 and 18] are registered with selective service, which they did online, altho my second son is disabled and will never be required to serve.  This year, because of the opening of most military jobs to women, registration may [but not currently] be required of women, so when my daughter turns 18, she may also be required to register.