Special Forces Glossary

Special Forces Glossary

30 mike: Slang for rounds fired from the Apache's M230 chain gun or A-10 Warthog's GAU-8 rotary cannon.

40 mike: 40mm grenades, usually deployed from a M203 grenade launcher. The 40mm rounds can also be fired from the AC-130 gunship.

AAA, Triple A: Antiaircraft Artillery. Any improved position that has artillery designed to take down aircraft.

AFO: Advance Force Operations. The "black" special operations team tasked with high-risk missions in hostile territory.

AO: Area of Operation. The geographic location of the combat operations.

BDA: Battle Damage Assessment. Report to aircraft or artillery that tells the success or failure of an airstrike or artillery strike.

CAS: Close Air Support. Any air action from fixed or rotary wing aircraft against hostile forces when friendly forces are in close proximity.

Charlie Mike: Military phonetic alphabet slang for "continue mission."

Contact: A standard marking term used by aviators to acknowledge sighting of a specific reference point. For ground forces, it is when first contact is made with hostile forces. Often yelled, "Contact!"

C-SAR: Combat Search And Rescue.

Delta Hotel: Military phonetic alphabet slang for "direct hit." Acknowledges target destroyed.

Dismounts: Troops that are on foot. They can be enemy or friendly.

DShK: "Dishka." A Soviet-made heavy machine gun that fires large 12.7mm rounds and is used throughout Afghanistan by the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

FARP: Forward Arming and Refueling Point. A safe area where aircraft can refuel that is closer to the area of operation than the base from which they launched.

FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Infrared technology used in aviation to see in low light in addition to picking up heat signatures.

HVT: High Value Target. An important person of interest who must be targeted or terminated.

IR: Infrared. Often used in low light situations and in conjunction with NODs to mark targets or positions. Can be in the form of strobes or chemical lights.

Lima Charlie: Military phonetic alphabet slang for "loud and clear." Acknowledgement of an order.

LZ: Landing Zone.

"Mujh": Shorthand for mujahideen or "freedom fighter." Refers to any number of factions of armed guerilla fighters in Afghanistan, on either side of the war.

NCO: Noncommissioned Officer. Enlisted soldier above the rank of corporal; usually refers to U.S. Army personnel.

"Nizzos": Component of the male reproductive system.

No Joy: A standard marking term used by aviators to state no visual on the target or reference point.

NOD: Night Optical Device. Sometimes called NVGs, these are used by the military to see in low light situations.

O Dark Thirty: Military slang for the dark hours between midnight and sunrise. Very early.

PC: Precious Cargo. General term used in the SOF community for a tangible objective to be acquired or secured. Can be a person, object, or data.

PID: Positive Identification. Confirmed identification of a target, location, or reference point.

QRF: Quick Reaction Force. A nimble, at-the-ready force deployed in very short notice, usually under fifteen minutes. The size depends on the threat, but most QRFs are a platoon or a squad.

Roger: "Yes."

RPG: Rocket-Propelled Grenade. Weapon of choice of guerilla forces—it's ubiquitous, portable, and deadly.

SIGINT: Signal Intelligence. All forms of radio, telephone, satellite, or other communication other than personal interaction or human intelligence (HUMINT).

SOFLAM: Special Operations Force Laser Marker. Hand-held laser rangefinder and designator unit used by SOF to mark and destroy enemy targets with laser-guided ordnance.

TADS: Target Acquisition and Designation System. Used on the Apache helicopter, this is the system recognizes targets and designates them for fire missions.

Tally: A standard marking term used by aviators to acknowledge sighting of confirmed enemy target.

Tango Uniform: Military phonetic alphabet slang for total destruction of an intended target.

TOC: Tactical Operations Center. The command center in the area of operation.

TOT: Time on Target. Shorthand for the time before impact of ordnance on a target.

UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. A pilotless drone that is controlled remotely.

VTC: Video Teleconference. A way for the rear echelon to keep tabs on the guys on the ground. Its benefits are debatable as it has as many detractors as supporters.

WILCO: "Will comply." The shortest, most concise way of saying, "I hear you and will do what you say."