by M. L. Maki
Quartermaster of the Watch (QMOW): In charge of providing navigational information to the OOD and Conning Officer. The QMOW is required to keep the ship’s position updated on paper and electronic charts.
Rainbow side boys: The traditional side boys for a senior visitor, only wearing the various flight deck-colored jerseys.
Reactor Auxiliary Room (RAR): The RAR is the space where the reactor support and monitoring equipment is located. It shares most of the same functions that a fire room in a conventional vessel would have. Naval Reactor is in a separate room inside this room.
Rear Admiral Lower Half: Naval Officer rank. One Star Admiral (O-7). See Commodore for WW2 usage.
Rear Admiral Upper Half: Naval Officer rank. Two Star Admiral (O-8). Called Rear Admiral in WW2.
REMF: Rear Echelon Mother Fucker. Someone in the rear with the gear. I.E. A servicemember who is never on the front lines and never sees combat.
RIM-7: Rail launched intermediate range air to air missile. Sea Sparrow.
RIO: Radar Intercept Officer. The RIO operates the radar and weapons system in the back seat of the F-14. They are a critical half of the inflight team for fighting the aircraft.
RM: Navy enlisted rate. Radioman. They operate the radio communications gear for the Navy. They are secretive because they are forbidden to share anything of what they see and hear.
Roger Ball (Number): Roger ball means the pilot can see the Fresnel lens glide slope indicator. The number is the total weight of the aircraft in thousands of pounds.
Rook (Number): Call sign for aircraft in VFA-155 Royal White Knights.
RTB: Return to Base.
Rule of Three: This is from SERE. A person can last three weeks without food, three days without water, three hours without shelter, three minutes without air, and three seconds without hope.
SAM: Surface to Air Missile.
SAR: Search and Rescue.
SERE: Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training. It is survival and code of conduct training every pilot, air crew, and special forces soldier must go through. Every service has similar training and will take students from other services as well as DoD civilians who need the training.
SFC: Sergeant First Class. Army rank. (E-7) An assistant company or platoon commander or assistant to a higher rank enlisted or officer. As an assistant company or platoon commander, they are responsible for training the officer and all servicemen under them. It is a critical and important job.
SGT: Sergeant. (E-5). Army and USMC Rank. A sergeant is in charge of a tank, squad, or fire team. That or they serve as the assistant to senior enlisted or officers. They are the back bone of any service.
SGT MAJ: Army and USMC enlisted rank. (E-9) Sergeant Major is the senior enlisted rank. They serve as senior instructors and advisors to major commands. They may have a staff under them.
SIS: British Secret Intelligence Service. Now called MI6.
SLQ-32: Called the “slick 32” it is a multi-function radar jammer carried on USN ships.
Snap 2: Early supply computer.
SOB: Son Of a Bitch. Even cuss words have acronyms.
SOPA: Senior Officer Present Afloat. In a port where more than one Nay ship is present, it is the senior officer. If the senior officer is away from his or her command it devolves to the next senior. No matter who is gone, there is always a SOPA, even if it is an ensign.
Sparky (Number): Call sign for VAQ-1 Royal Lightning, electronic warfare aircraft.
SSGT: Staff sergeant. (E-6) Army and USMC Rank. A staff sergeant is an assistant platoon or company commander or assistant to a higher ranked person. In the role of platoon sergeant, they are responsible for training the platoon officer in how to be an effective leader while also training all their subordinate servicemen. It is a vital position.
Start the Music: NATO Code phrase for commencing jamming.
Squad: Army and USMC tactical unit. Made up of two to four fire teams and commanded by a Sergeant or staff sergeant. In Armor this is typically one track or vehicle.
Squadron Leader: Royal Air Force Officer rank. Equivalent to Navy Lieutenant or Army Captain.
Squawked: Identification, friend or foe (IFF) Code signal.
ST: Navy Enlisted rate. Sonar Technician. Responsible for operating sonar systems on ships and submarines. STSA through STMC.
Switch Gear Room: Space where the electrical distribution system is operated. EM’s stand watch in Switch Gear.
TACAN: Radio beacon aircraft use to find the carrier.
TARPS: Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System. A camera system mounted on a hard point and controlled by the RIO.
TG: Turbine Generator. An electrical Generator powered by steam.
TG/DU: Turbine Generator and Distilling Unit watch. An Engine room watch stood by an MM.
Thwarts ship passageway: A hall way aligned from side to side rather than forward and aft.
Time to Death: When an aircraft is flying close to the ground margins for error grow smaller. Time to death is how long it takes for a slight mistake to kill you. At 100 feet and Mach 1, time to death is less than a tenth of a second.
TLD: Thermal Luminescent Dosimetry. A radiation measuring device to monitor crew exposure. The nukes sometimes call it “the little dicky.”
VHF: Very High Frequency. A line-of-sight radio.
Vice Admiral: Naval Officer rank. VADM (O-9).
Wave off: Order to abort a landing and go around.
Wing Commander: Royal Air Force Officer rank. Equivalent to Lieutenant Commander or Major.
Yankee Search: Active sonar search.
YN: Naval Enlisted rate. Yeoman. Yeomen are the administrative grease that lubricates the functioning of the Navy machine. When an officer has a good yeoman, they guard him or her jealously. It is an unofficial sport to poach one’s yeoman. YNSA through YNMC.
XO: Executive officer. Second in charge of a vessel or unit. Actual rank varies based on the size of the unit. A patrol craft or air squadron XO could be a Lieutenant. On a frigate, destroyer, or fast attack submarine the XO is a LCDR. On cruisers, battleships and other large ships the XO is a commander. On a super carrier the XO is a Captain.
X-Ray: Material condition X-Ray. Lowest level of water tight integrity. Only set during a work day in port.
Yoke: Material condition Yoke. Middle level of water tight integrity between X-ray (in port on work day) and Zebra (Battle Stations). At sea yoke is checked at least daily.
Zebra: Material condition Zebra. Highest level of water tight integrity.
THE AUTHORS
MM1 Maki is a retired US Navy nuclear field machinist mate with twenty years of active service, who served on the USS Carl Vinson, CVN-70, and two cruisers. During twelve years of duty at sea, MM1 Maki circumnavigated the Earth once, transited the Panama Canal three times, served on the USS Carl Vinson during Enduring Freedom, and earned multiple campaign awards.
Sofia R. Maki has a background in criminal justice and accounting.
Email us at [email protected]
