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.