ROCKS AND SHOALS

by M. L. Maki

Blow: Submarines use ballast tanks to surface or submerge. By blowing high pressure air into the tanks water can be displaced and the vessel surfaces.

  Blue Tails: Nick name for the VAW-122 Griffins. VAW-122 flies the E-2C Hawkeye radar plane.

  Blue Water Ops: Carrier operations beyond reach of alternative air fields. You land on the carrier or swim.

  Boatswain’s Mate of the Watch (BMOW): In charge of all the lookouts, the helm and lee helm. The BMOW pipes (whistles) required ships announcements.

  Bogey: An unidentified aircraft.

  Boiler: Boilers generate the steam for propulsion, electrical generation, water distillation, and other uses.

  Bolter: An aircraft that misses the arresting wires and has to go around.

  Bridge: The ship’s navigational control center. Where we drive the ship. The Officer of the Deck (OOD) is in charge except when the CO or XO are present. The Conning Officer directs the ship’s coarse and speed. The Boatswains Mate of the Watch (BMOW), Quartermaster of the Watch (QMOW), Helm and Lee Helm are stationed here.

  Brigade: Army/ Marine Tactical unit smaller than a Division and larger than a Battalion. Sometimes called a Regiment. Commanded by a Colonel or Brigadier General, they are usually armor, infantry, or airborne focused for the Army but contain other units to permit independent operations.

  Brigadeführer: Paramilitary Nazi rank. It is equivalent to a Generalmajor or American Brigadier General.

  BTOW: Boiler Technician of the watch. Senior watch in a boiler room.

  BT: Navy Enlisted rate. Boiler Technician. BTFA through BTCM. Currently the BT rate is merged with the MM rate. Boiler Technicians operate and maintain marine boilers.

  CAG: Commander Air Group. The CAG is in charge of all the air squadrons attached to the ship. The CAG is the counterpart to the ship’s commanding officer. The carrier CO is always the senior.

  Call the Ball: The Landing Signal Officer asks the pilot if they can see the Fresnel lens that shows the correct glide slope for landing.

  Control: In a submarine Control is a room and watch station equivalent to both the bridge and combat control center on a surface ship.

  Calico: NATO brevity code for an intruder on the radio net.

  CAP: Combat Air Patrol. A fighter mission to circle an area ready to defend the fleet.

  CAPT: Captain: Army and USMC rank. (O-3)

  CAPT: Captain: Naval Officer rank (O-6).

  CATCC: Carrier Air Traffic Control Center. This center controls all aircraft within 50 miles of the ship and manages take offs and landings.

  CAV or Cavalry: Specialized Army Unit: These are units historically used for reconnaissance for larger units. They can be Armor, Airmobile, or Airborne. By WW2 the CAV distinctions were somewhat less than in wars past. Today the distinction is more historical than practical.

  CDR: Naval Officer rank. Commander (O-5).

  CHENG: Chief Engineer. Engineering department head.

  CMAA: Chief Master at arms. A senior cop on a Navy ship.

  COL: Army and USMC rank. (O-6)

  Combat: Sometimes Combat control center. Weapons and communications control center on a naval ship. The CO goes to combat during battle stations (General Quarters).

  Combat Engineer: Specialized Army or USMC person who is trained to support combat operations by destroying obstacles. Structural engineers build things. Combat engineers blow them up.

  Command Duty Officer (CDO): Watch stander responsible for the duty watch team on a naval vessel. The CDO is generally a senior officer and answers to the CO and XO.

  Commodore: USN Officer rank. Equivalent to current Rear Admiral Lower half or Brigadier General. This rank was reauthorized in 1942 and discontinued after the war. It has been brought back, changed, and discarded since for the rank Rear Admiral Lower Half. If a unit of ships does not have an Admiral in charge, the senior or assigned Captain can take the title of Commodore to designate they are in charge of the group. This does not involve any change of pay or rank.

  Company: Army/Marine tactical unit. Commanded by a Captain od Major. They are made up of a number of platoons and are organized into Battalions. Most companies are too small to function independently.

  CORPS: Army tactical unit. Normally commanded by a Lieutenant General or General. It is a group of divisions and/or other units. Corps are not permanently assigned their divisions but receive and lose units based on need.

  COTAC: Copilot Tactical Coordinator. Antisubmarine duty on S-3 Viking Aircraft.

  Decimal: On radio the word ‘Decimal’ is used to indicate tenths. Thus, fuel at 9 decimal 2 is 9,200 pounds. Fuel is always given as weight.

  Diesel Dyke: Nickname for women in the engineering fields, regardless of their rating. Obviously, it is not a term of respect and isn’t tolerated in the modern Navy.

  Division (Army/ USMC): Army and Marine Corps organizational unit. Army/USMC Divisions are tactical units commanded by a Brigadier or Lieutenant General that command a number of Brigades and supporting units. They are sometimes armor, infantry, airborne specific but contain all those other units needed to be an independent military unit.

  Division (Navy): Naval organizational unit. Naval units are divided into Departments and Divisions. Divisions are functionally oriented units with all the enlisted members typically of one rating.

  Eject: Order to initiate the ejection sequence for abandoning a doomed aircraft. Once ordered everyone must eject.

  Electric Boat: Submarine Manufacturing firm based in Groton and other New England towns. In 1952 it merged with General Dynamics. Most US submarines are made by Electric Boat.

  ELT: Navy Enlisted trade. Some MM’s are qualified Engineering Laboratory Technician (Nuclear). They are chemistry and radiation specialists, though they also stand normal mechanical watches.

  EM: Navy Enlisted rate. Electrician’s Mate. Electricians operate the electrical distribution system on the ship, and also maintain all the electrical equipment. EMFN through EMCM.

  EMP: Electro-Magnetic Pulse. A powerful change in the magnetic field. An EMP could damage or destroy electronic and electric gear.

  Engine Room: Space where the main engines, electrical generators, and water distilling unit are located. This equipment is operated and maintained by Machinist Mates.

  ENS: Ensign: Naval Officer rank (O-1). Junior most officer. Sometimes called a butter bar for their rank insignia which is a single gold bar.

  EOOW: Engineering Officer Of the Watch. Watch stander in charge of the propulsion plant. Normally a Lt. on a nuclear ship. Sometimes a senior or master chief on conventional powered ships.

  ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival.

  F-14: The Tomcat. An all-weather interceptor and fleet defense fighter.

  Faking hose: Laying out a hose or line in parallel lines so the hose can be safely charged or the line let go without jamming.

  Far CAP: Combat Air Patrol. Far CAP is a defensive position away from the fleet.

  Fire room: Location of the boilers in a fossil fueled steam ship.

  Fire Team: An Army and USMC tactical unit consisting of two to four people and commanded by a corporal or sergeant. A squad will typically have two to four fire teams.

  Flight Lieutenant: Royal Air Force Officer rank. Equivalent to Lieutenant Junior Grade (Navy) or Lieutenant (Army, USMC).

  Flight Sergeant: RAF senior enlisted rank. Equivalent to Master Sergeant. May or may not be air crew.

  Flying Officer: Royal Air Force Officer rank. Equivalent to Ensign or Second Lieutenant.

  FN: Navy Enlisted rank. Fireman (E-3). A non-designated engineering striker. If designated his rate would precede his rank.

  FOD Walk Down: Walking the flight deck looking for FOD (Foreign Object Damage) that could damage aircraft.

  Fox (number): Part of NATO brevity code. It is a call announcing the firing of a missile. The number designates the type of missile. 1 is short to intermediate range radar guided missile. 2 is a short-range heat seeking missile. 3 is a long-range radar guided mi
ssile.

  Fragged: Aviation term. As fragged means perform mission as briefed.

  Fuel state: How much fuel you have on board in thousands of pounds. (10 decimal 1 = 10,100lbs.)

  ‘G’s: Gravities. One ‘G’ is equal to normal earth gravity. Two is twice earth gravity etc.

  General Quarters: The call to man battle stations and prepare the vessel to fight.

  Gertrude: Nick name for a short range underwater phone.

  GMG: Navy Enlisted rate. Gunners Mate Guns. Gunner’s Mates operate and maintain the weapons on a ship. The rate is split between Gunner’s Mate Guns (GMG) and Gunner’s Mate Missiles (GMM). GMGSA through GMGMC.

  GMM: Navy Enlisted rate. Gunners Mate Missiles. Gunner’s Mates operate and maintain the weapons on a ship. The rate is split between Gunner’s Mate Guns (GMG) and Gunner’s Mate Missiles (GMM). GMMSA through GMMMC.

  Gold Eagle: Official nickname of the Carl Vinson. Every Navy ship is given an official nickname. The crews often give an unofficial nickname. In our novel series we sometimes use these as radio call signs. That would not normally be true ship to ship, but often used in air operations.

  Group Captain: Royal Air Force Officer rank. Commander or Lieutenant Colonel.

  GySGT: Gunnery Sergeant. USMC enlisted rank. (E-7) Assigned as assistant company commander or assistant to a higher rank enlisted or officer. As an assistant company commander, they are responsible for training the company commander and all servicemen under them. It is a critical and important job.

  HT: Navy Enlisted rate. Hull Technician. HT’s are Damage control and repair experts. They also operate the sewer system on the ship earning them the undesirable nickname “turd chaser”. HTFA through HTMC.

  HY-80 or 120: Hardened steel used for special applications by the Navy. 3/8” will stop most rifle bullets.

  ILS: Instrument Landing system. An aircraft system that helps pilots line up with a runway they cannot see.

  Khaki: Navy slang term for chiefs and officers because they wear khaki colored uniforms.

  Knight (number): Call sign of fighters flying for VFW-154, the Black Knights.

  Landing Signal Officer: A pilot positioned near the rear of the carrier to help guide pilots in. The LSO also grades landings.

  Law of Continuity of Suckage: Submarine phrase. Once the hatch is shut suckage can neither be created or destroyed. Meaning when one person gets a good deal another gets screwed. This is what happens when you lock a bunch of nukes in a tube for months on end.

  Laze: Use a laser to designate where ordinance is to drop.

  LCDR: Naval Officer rank. Lieutenant Commander (O-4).

  Leutnant zur See: WWII German Kriegsmarine (Navy) rank. Equivalent to Lt. JG.

  LPO: Naval enlisted position. Leading Petty Officer is the “Foreman” for a division. Usually an E-6.

  Lt: Army and USMC rank. (O-2) Lieutenants are platoon officers or assistants to the commander of a larger unit.

  Lt.: Naval officer rank. Lieutenant (O-3). A Division Officer or head of a small department. In smaller units or vessels, a lieutenant might be a department head, the XO or even CO.

  Lt. COL: Army and USMC rank. (O-5) Commands a Battalion sized unit or serves as an assistant to the commander of a larger unit.

  Lt. JG: Naval Officer rank. Lieutenant Junior Grade. (O-2.) A division officer or assistant to a senior officer.

  MA: Navy Enlisted rate. Master at Arms. Similar to Military police MA’s enforce uniform and behavior rules. As such they are generally disliked. MA3 through MACM.

  Mad Dog: NATO brevity code. Firing a radar guided missile without a specific targeted aircraft. Also, when the firing aircraft breaks radar lock on the targeted aircraft. This is because the missile will engage the first target found, regardless of nationality.

  Magic (number): Call sign for an EA-6B Prowler, radar jamming aircraft of VAQ-133 Wizards.

  MAJ: Major: Army and USMC rank. (O-4) Majors are sometimes company commanders but often serve as assistants to higher rank officers. In the Pentagon you can’t throw a stick without hitting a Major.

  Marshall of the RAF: Royal Air Force Officer rank. The senior officer of the service. Equivalent to Chief of Naval Operations or Army Chief of Staff.

  Master Chief: Naval Enlisted Rank (E-9).

  Mini Boss: The air boss’s assistant. They divide the observation duties in PRIFLY.

  MM: Navy Enlisted rate. Machinist’s Mate. They operate and maintain the machinery associated with ship’s propulsion, auxiliary gear, and nuclear power systems. MMFA through MMCM.

  MMOW: Machinist’s Mate Of the Watch. Senior watch stander in an engine room. Sometimes called the Engine Room Supervisor. It is a watch station and not a rank.

  Monkey Mate: Derogatory nick name for Machinist Mates. See MM.

  MOS: Military Occupational Specialty. It is what a soldier or marine is trained to do. Be that infantry, armor, special forces, supply, radio operator, combat engineer or a myriad of other jobs. It is not used in the way rate is used in the navy. You don’t call a sergeant in the infantry an infantry sergeant. There are some positional title changes for those in special units such as cavalry.

  NAM: Navy Achievement Medal. A medal for individual meritorious accomplishment. When a V device is added for valor it signifies the award was for combat actions.

  NAVSEA 08: Designation for the leader of the U. S. Navy Nuclear Power Program.

  Navy Expeditionary Medal: Medal issued for service in a combat zone designated by congress.

  NOE: Nap of earth. Order to fly as low as safely possible.

  NTDS: Naval Tactical Data System. A system that shares sensor data with other ships.

  Nuke: Nickname for anyone in the nuclear power career field. It is sometime used derisively. It is even said “Fuckingnuke” is one word.

  Nuclear waste: Nickname for anyone who fails to complete nuclear training or is otherwise removed from the program. It is generally used with respect by nukes.

  MW: Megawatt. One million watts. 1,000,000 watts. Most nuclear power plants are measured in MW.

  O-2 Plant: The oxygen generation plant which removes atmospheric oxygen and compresses it into liquid oxygen used by medical and as pilot breathing air.

  Officer Of the Day (OOD): In port the OOD is the senior watch stander on the quarterdeck. This could be an officer or senior enlisted person. From the quarterdeck, they are responsible for the safety of the ship. They answer to the Command Duty Officer.

  Officer Of the Deck (OOD): Bridge watch in charge of the operation and navigation of the ship underway.

  Op-tempo: Rate of operations over time.

  OPPE: Operational Propulsion Plant Exam. Same as ORSE for conventionally powered vessels.

  ORSE: Operational Reactor Safeguards Exam. Scheduled examination of propulsion plant material condition and operational compliance. A poor grade on ORSE causes career ventilation. It can be a negative mark on every nuke on board.

  Passageway: Navy speak for a hallway.

  Petty Officer: Colloquial phrase for an E-4 through E-6. Generally, it is only used by officers or master at arms who are about to correct the Petty Officer’s behavior. Instead, a sailor will address the Petty Officer with their rate. MM1 instead of PO1.

  PFC: Private First Class. (E-3) Army and USMC rank.

  Phoenix: AIM-54 Long range air to air missile. The F-14 was designed to carry and fire this missile. In reality the USN never actually fired one at an enemy aircraft.

  Platoon: Army and USMC tactical unit consisting of two to four squads. With armor this is three to four tanks. Platoons are commanded by a Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant and have a Staff Sergeant, called a platoon sergeant, to train the officer and men.

  Plimsoll mark: The Plimsoll mark is an internationally accepted mark to indicate the maximum load or draft of a ship. It is based on the freeboard or distance from the water to the lowest deck opening and also stability. Being below the Plimsoll means the ship isn’t safe for operations.

&n
bsp; PQS: Personal Qualification Standard. PQS is the system used by the Navy to qualify sailors to do their jobs.

  Propulsion plant drills: Engineering operator training, practicing possible casualties and problems. Continuous training is the reality of sailor’s lives. This is to prepare operators for problems that only occur rarely but have huge consequences if the watch team does not know what they are doing.

  PRYFLY: Primary Flight Control. The highest deck in the island structure where all flight deck operations are managed.

  QAO: Quality Assurance Officer. The QAO manages inspection paperwork from repairs and also personally inspects critical repairs. No system, or aircraft can be used as designed until the QAO has approved the work.