Spoiledbabygirl Supporting Our Troops's blog: "RIP JOHN"

APACHE LONGBOW – Latest, most sophisticated version of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter with microwave directed Hellfire anti-tank missiles.

ABRAMS – Fully-tracked M-1 Main Battle Tank featuring 120mm smoothbore cannon and three machineguns.

BRADLEY – Fully-tracked M2 Infantry Fighting vehicle that carries 12 troops.

BUSHMASTER – 23mm chain-gun mounted on Marine Corps LAV-25

LAV-25 – wheeled armored vehicle used by US Marine Corps in place of Bradley.

SP – Self-propelled as in artillery.

PACK III PATRIOT – Latest, most-sophisticated version of first-line anti-missile/anti-air missile system.

RPG –Rocket-Propelled Grenade. Bazooka-like weapon developed by Communist-bloc forces and now used all over the world. Version being encountered is RPG-7V and is designed for anti-tank/anti-armor work.

LMG – Light Machine Gun.

M-4 – Short carbine version of the M-16A2 rifle.

FRAG – Fragmentation hand-grenade.

AT-4 – Shoulder-fired anti-tank/anti-bunker weapon used by US forces.

WARTHOG – A-10 attack aircraft designed as a tank-buster.

FEDAYEEN SADDAM – “Saddam’s Men of Sacrifice.” Approximately 40,000 militia troops trained to conduct guerilla warfare. Mostly centered around Baghdad but highly mobile force.

ESHBAL SADDAM – “Lions of Saddam.” Sort of a Hitler Youth style group of armed teenagers. About 4,000 youths mostly in Baghdad but also in cells within Iraq’s major cities.

MOPP SUIT OR MOPP GEAR – Multiple Operations Protective Posture garments for protection from Chemical and/or Biological attack. Worn in progressive stages from MOPP 1 to MOPP 4 according to conditions encountered. Another name for MOPP Suit.

JLIST – (Pronounced Jay-List) Joint-Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology. The latest version of MOPP gear.

FOX VEHICLE – M93A1 Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance system built into a wheeled armored vehicle.

ICAM – (Pronounced Eye-Cam) Improved Chemical Agent Monitor. A hand-held sensor for detecting nerve and mustard gas agents.

BIDS – M31A1 Biological Integrated Detection System. Essentially a self-contained laboratory mounted on a HUMVEE and capable of identifying biological aerosol agents.

SAM – Surface to Air Missile.

HUMVEE – Wheeled vehicle that replaced the Jeep in US Forces. Acronym stands for High Mobility Multi-Purpose Vehicle. Comes in several versions including TOW Missile mount, .50 caliber machinegun mount, ambulance and communication vehicles.

IFV – Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Usually the Bradley or LAV –25 when referring to US equipment. A BDRM or BTR when referring to Iraqi equipment. BDRM and BTR are Soviet acronyms and have no direct translation.

ZSU-23 – (Pronounced Zoo Twenty-Three) A multi-barrel anti-aircraft machinegun in 23mm. The primary Iraqi non-missile anti-aircraft weapon.

INTERCEPTOR – Improved Kevlar vest or flak-jacket capable of stopping small arms rounds.

AAA – (Pronounced Triple-A) Anti-Aircraft Artillery.

MBT – Main Battle Tank.

COBRA – AH-1W attack helicopter. Flown by US Marine Forces in place of Apache.

CH-46 – Sea Knight dual-rotor medium-lift helicopter used by US Marines.

CH-53 – Sea Stallion single-rotor heavy-lift helicopter used by US Marines.

BLACKHAWK – UH-60 medium-lift helicopter used by U.S. Army.

TOC – (Pronounced Tock) Tactical Operations Center. The field command and control post for US Army units.

COC – (Pronounced See-Oh-See) Combat Operations Center. The Marine Corps version of TOC.

FOB – Forward Operating Base.

FARP – Forward Arming and Refueling Point. May be set up for vehicles such as tanks or for helicopters.

JDAM – (Pronounced Jay-Dam) Joint Direct Attack Munitions – 2,000-pound smart- bomb.

JSOW – (Pronounced Jay-Sow) 1,000-pound glide-bomb. Can glide 15 to 40 miles from launching aircraft. Contains a canister, which may be used to deploy sub-munitions (smaller bombs or mines) over large areas.

MOAB – Massive Ordnance Air Blast – 21,000 launched from heavy-lift aircraft such as C-130 Combat Talon. A smart bomb carrying 18,000 pounds of tritonal explosives. Largest non-nuclear bomb in the world.

THERMOBARIC BOMB – Bunker-busting air-delivered bombs designed to penetrate deeply into caves or bunkers. Creates massive shock waves and over-pressure.

ALCS – Air Launched Control System. Smart bombs launched from aircraft with 2,000 pound warheads.

TOMAHAWK – Cruise missile usually launched from ships or submarines. Contains a 1,000 warhead.

PAVE-LOW – Specially-configured UH-60 helicopters designed to support Special Operations.

PAVE TALON – Specially configured C-130 multi-engine, turbo-prop aircraft designed to support Special Operations.

NVG – Night Vision Goggles.

FLIR – Forward-Looking Infrared Radar. Used to identify targets at night. Usually mounted on attack helicopters.

L.O.D. – Line of Departure. Used to indicate the moment and area in which a unit goes over into an attack.

A.O. – Area of Operations

GRID or GRID SQUARE – a defined area square on a tactical map used to specify location.

KLICK or CLICK – a kilometer.

PALADIN – A US 155mm self-propelled howitzer.

M198 – (Pronounced M-One-Niner-Eight) A US towed 155mm howitzer.

F.O. – Forward Observer for mortars, artillery or any other direct support weapon system.

B.D.A. – Bomb Damage Assessment when referring to results of an air strike or Battle Damage Assessment when referring to results of a ground attack.

C.I.D. – Criminal Investigation Division. Military version of the FBI, which investigates crimes committed by military people.

MEU – (Pronounced Myew) Marine Expeditionary Unit usually consisting of a Battalion Landing Team, a helicopter attack and support squadron and a combat support group.

MEB – Marine Expeditionary Brigade centered on a Marine Infantry Regiment and a Marine Aircraft Group.

MEF – Marine Expeditionary Force centered on a Marine Division and a Marine Aircraft Wing. I MEF is the force in Iraq. It’s pronounced Eye MEF.

COMMANDO – a battalion sized Royal Marine unit from the UK. Royal Marines serving in Iraq are members of 3 Commando. It’s pronounced Three Commando Brigade and not 3rd Commando.

PSYOPS – (Pronounced SI-OPS) Psychological Operations.

FIRETEAM – A four-man combat unit. There are usually three fire teams in an infantry squad. Led by a Corporal.

SQUAD – A unit of 10-12 soldiers or Marines. Led by a Sergeant.

PLATOON – A platoon is usually four squads: three rifle squads and a weapons squad. Commanded by a Second Lieutenant. Platoons are numbered (1-3) Weapons platoon is called Weapons Platoon.

COMPANY – Usually four platoons and commanded by a Captain. (130-150 men). The basic infantry maneuver unit. Companies are given letter designations such as Alpha Company or Delta Company.

BATTALION – Usually about 400 men and commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. A battalion contains three rifle companies and a combat support element. Battalions are numbered such as 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (Regiment). Pronounced 2nd Battalion, First Marines.

BRIGADE – Usually about 2,500 men commanded by a Colonel or in some cases a Brigadier General. Contains three or more battalions and has engineer, bridging, topographic support, medical and communications units.

DIVISION – Between 10,000 and 20,000 troops commanded by a Major General (two stars). An Army Division is made up of at least three Brigades. Divisions are numbered and usually have their combat specialty in the title such as Mechanized Division, Armored Division, Marine Division, Mountain Division, Air Assault Division, Airborne Division or Infantry Division.

CORPS – The largest tactical unit in the US Army. A Corps contains from two to five divisions depending on the mission. It is commanded by a Lieutenant General (three stars).