Expatriates

by James Wesley, Rawles

EPA: Environment Protection Authority (Australia) or Environmental Protection Agency (USA).

  E-tool: Entrenching tool. A small folding shovel.

  F88 Austeyr: See Steyr AUG.

  FAA: Federal Aviation Administration (U.S.).

  Fair Dinkum: Australian slang for the spirit of fair play in personal or business dealings.

  FAL: Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle). See FN FAL.

  FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency (a U.S. federal government agency). The acronym is also jokingly defined as “Foolishly Expecting Meaningful Aid.”

  FFL: Federal Firearms License.

  FLB: Forward Logistics Base.

  FM: Field Manual.

  FMA: Filipino Martial Arts. See also Pekiti-Tirsia Kali.

  FMS: Foreign Military Sales. Program of U.S. Defense Department.

  FN: Fabrique Nationale, a Belgian gun maker.

  FNC: A 5.56 mm NATO battle rifle originally made by the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale (FN). See also Pindad SS2.

  FN FAL: A 7.62 mm NATO battle rifle originally made by the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale (FN), issued to more than fifty countries in the 1960s and 1970s. Now made as semiauto-only “clones” by a variety of makers. See also L1A1.

  FOB: Forward Operating Base.

  FORSCOM: U.S. Army Forces Command.

  FPI: Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders Front). See also PKS.

  Frag: Slang for fragmentation.

  FSB: Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti. Russia’s main successor to the Soviet KGB.

  FTV: Fast Troop Vessel(s).

  FUBAR: Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition.

  FV: Fishing Vessel.

  G3: A 7.62 mm NATO assault rifle designed by Heckler & Koch, developed in the 1950s, based on the CETME rifle design.

  G36: A 5.56 mm NATO assault rifle designed by Heckler & Koch. It replaced the G3 in the late 1990s.

  Galah: A Rose-breasted Cockatoo, native to Australia. The term Galah is derogatory Australian slang meaning “fool” or “idiot.”

  Galil: The Israeli battle rifle, based on Kalashnikov action. Most were made in 5.56 mm NATO, but a variant was also made in 7.62 mm NATO, in smaller numbers.

  Garand: See M1 Garand.

  GB: Gigabyte.

  GCA: The Gun Control Act of 1968. The law that first created FFLs and banned interstate transfers of post-1898 firearms, except “to or through” FFL holders.

  GDP: Gross Domestic Product.

  Geoprime dBX: A pentolite high-explosive tailored for seismic surveys, made by Dyno Nobel, a subsidiary of the conglomerate Incitec Pivot Limited.

  GIS: Geographic Information System.

  Glock: The popular polymer-framed pistol design by Gaston Glock of Austria.

  GMT: Greenwich Mean Time.

  GoldenRod: A brand of compact electric dehumidifier designed to protect the contents of tool cabinets and gun vaults from rust.

  G.O.O.D.: Get Out of Dodge.

  GPS: Global Positioning System.

  Ham: Slang for amateur radio operator.

  HDPE: High Density Polyethylene.

  H-E or HE: High Explosive.

  HF: High Frequency. A radio band used by amateur radio operators.

  HK or H & K: Heckler & Koch, the German gunmaker.

  HK91: Heckler & Koch Model 91. The civilian (semiautomatic-only) variant of the 7.62 mm NATO G3 rifle.

  HMAS: His/Her Majesty’s Australian Ship.

  HMNZS: His/Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ship.

  HMPNGS: His/Her Majesty’s Papua New Guinea Ship.

  HQ: Headquarters.

  HQJOC: Headquarters Joint Operations Command (of Australian Defence Force).

  Humvee: High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (spoken “Humvee”).

  IBA: Interceptor Body Armor.

  ID: Identification.

  IED: Improvised Explosive Device.

  IFV: Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

  ILF: Islamic Liberation Front. One of several militant Islamist separatist groups in the Philippines. Also known as the MILF, or Moro Islamic Liberation Front. In Arabic, Jabhat Tahrir Mooroo al-Islamiyyah. See also ASG.

  Indo: Slang for Indonesian.

  ISAFP: Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

  Ithaca: Ithaca Gun Company. An American gun maker, best known for its shotguns.

  JI: Jamaah Islamiyah (Islamic Congegration), Southeast Asian Islamic terrorist group.

  Kapten: Indonesian for Captain.

  KD: Kapal Diraja (Ship of His Highness, Royal Malaysian Navy).

  Kel-Tec: Kel-Tec CNC, Inc. A firearms maker headquartered in Cocoa, Florida, that specializes in making polymer frame firearms.

  Kevlar: The material used in most body armor and ballistic helmets. Kevlar is also the nickname for the standard U.S. Army helmet.

  KIA: Killed in Action.

  KJV: King James Version of the Bible.

  Klick: Slang for kilometer.

  Kopassus: Special Forces Command in Indonesian Army.

  Korps Marinir: Indonesian Marine Corps.

  KRI: Kapal Perang Republik Indonesia (Navy Vessel of the Republic of Indonesia).

  L1A1: The British Army version of the FN FAL, made to inch measurements. See also SLR.

  LAPAN: Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional (Indonesia’s National Institute of Aeronautics and Space).

  LAR-8: A variant of the AR-10, made by Rock River Arms (RRA), that accepts FN FAL or L1A1 magazines.

  LAW: Light Anti-Tank Weapon.

  LC-1: Load Carrying, Type 1. U.S. Army Load Bearing Equipment, circa 1970s to 1990s.

  LCAC: Landing Craft Air Cushion.

  LCH: Landing Craft, Heavy.

  LCM: Landing Craft, Mechanized.

  LCVP: Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel.

  LCU: Landing Craft Utility.

  LDS: The Latter-Day Saints, commonly called the Mormons. (Flawed doctrine, but great preparedness.)

  LED: Light Emitting Diode.

  Lee-Enfield: See SMLE.

  Lenten Sate: Indonesian for first lieutenant.

  LOB: Line of Bearing.

  Loggy: Slang for logistician or the logistics role in military planning.

  LP: Liquid Propane.

  LP/OP: Listening Post/Observation Post.

  LRRP: Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.

  M1A: The civilian (semiauto-only) version of the U.S. Army M14 7.62 mm NATO rifle.

  M1 carbine: The U.S. Army semiauto carbine issued during WWII. Mainly issued to officers and second-echelon troops such as artillerymen, for self-defense. Uses . 30 U.S carbine, an intermediate (pistol class) .30-caliber cartridge. More than six million were manufactured. See also M2 carbine.

  M1 Garand: The U.S. Army’s primary battle rifle of WWII and the Korean conflict. It is semiautomatic, chambered in .30-06, and uses a top-loading, 8-round en bloc clip that ejects after the last round is fired. This rifle is commonly called the Garand (after the surname of its inventor). Not to be confused with the U.S. M1 carbine, another semiauto of the same era, which shoots a far less powerful pistol-class cartridge.

  M1911: The Model 1911 Colt semiauto pistol (and clones thereof), usually chambered in .45 ACP.

  M2 Browning: The .50 Browning belt-fed heavy machine gun, in service with ninety-five nations.

  M2 carbine: The selective fire (fully automatic) version of the U.S. Army semiauto carbine issued during WWII and the Korean conflict.

  M4 carbine: The U.S. Army-issue 5.56 mm NATO selective fire carbine. (A shorter version of the M16, with a 14.5-inch barrel and collapsing stock.) Earlier issue M16 carbine variants had designations such as XM177E2 and CAR-15. Civilian semiauto-only variants often have these same designations, or are called M4geri
es.

  M4gery: A civilian semiauto-only version of an M4 carbine, with a 16-inch barrel instead of a 14.5-inch barrel.

  M9: The U.S. Army issue version of the Beretta 92 semiauto 9 mm pistol.

  M14: The U.S. Army issue 7.62 mm NATO selective-fire battle rifle. These rifles are still issued in small numbers, primarily to designated marksmen. The civilian semiauto-only equivalent of the M14 is called the M1A.

  M16: The U.S. Army issue 5.56 mm NATO selective-fire battle rifle. The current standard variant is the M16A2 that has improved sight and three-shot burst control. See also M4.

  M18A1: See Claymore mine.

  M60: The semiobsolete U.S. Army issue 7.62 mm NATO belt-fed light machine gun that utilized some design elements of the German MG-42.

  M113: A tracked armored personnel carrier made by FMC Corporation, in the United States.

  Maglite: A popular American brand of sturdy flashlights with an aluminum casing.

  MANPADS: Man-Portable Air Defense Systems.

  MARPAT: Marine Pattern. A highly effective digital camouflage pattern adopted by the United States Marine Corps that is predominantly green and brown.

  MCRP: Marine Corps Reference Publication.

  MCRU: Mobile Control and Reporting Unit.

  MCWP: Marine Corps Warfighting Publication.

  MD: Medical Doctor.

  MHz: Megahertz.

  MILF: See ILF.

  Mini-14: A 5.56 mm NATO semiauto carbine made by Ruger.

  MOLLE: Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment.

  Molotov Cocktail: A hand-thrown firebomb made from a glass container filled with gasoline or thickened gasoline (napalm.)

  MRAP: Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.

  MRE: Meal, Ready to Eat. See also CR1M.

  MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet.

  MSS: Modular Sleep System.

  MTU: Motoren- und Turbinen-Union, a German conglomerate.

  MultiCam: See OCP.

  MVR: Motor Vehicle Registry (Australia).

  Nakas: Australian slang for testicles.

  Napalm: Thickened gasoline, used in some flame weapons.

  NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

  NAVFORCEN: Naval Forces Central of the Philippine Navy.

  NBC: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical weapons.

  NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer.

  NEPM: National Environment Protection Measure. See also EPA.

  NiCd: Nickel Cadmium (rechargeable battery).

  NiMH: Nickel Metal Hydride (rechargeable battery). Improvement of NiCd.

  NRETAS: Australia’s Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts, and Sport.

  NRO: National Reconnaissance Office (U.S.).

  N/SEAS: Monocular night vision device (NVD). Standard issue for the Australian Defence Force. It is very similar to the U.S. military’s AN/PVS-14 monocular NVD.

  NTXT: No Text.

  NVG: Night Vision Goggles.

  NWO: New World Order.

  OBTW: Oh, by the way.

  OC: Oleoresin capsicum. The main ingredient in pepper spray.

  OCONUS: Outside the Continental United States.

  OCP: Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern. Commonly called by its civilian trade name, MultiCam.

  OEF: Operation Enduring Freedom.

  OP: Observation Post. See also LP/OP.

  Op Order: Operations Order.

  OPSEC: Operational Security.

  Oz: Slang for Australia.

  PCS: Permanent Change of Station.

  PDA: Personal Digital Assistant.

  PEACHS: Protection, Existing tracks, Camouflage and concealment, Hardstanding and Space. A field logistic site selection process.

  Pekiti-Tirsia Kali: One category of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMAs.)

  PETN: Pentaerythritol tetranitrate. Also known as PENTA. The explosive filler used in detonating “det” cord. See also Det Cord.

  PFC: Private First Class.

  PHP: Philippine Peso.

  P.I.: Slang contraction for Philippine Islands.

  Pindad: An Indonesian arsenal that produces military firearms and ammunition.

  Pindad SS2: The Pindad Senapan Serbu 2 is an Indonesian variant of the FN FNC 5.56 mm battle rifle. Made in four variants. See also FNC.

  PKK: Pembebasan Perombakan Komando (Liberation Demolition Commando), Indonesia.

  PKS: Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (Justice Welfare Party), Indonesia. See also FPI.

  PM: Prime Minister.

  PMV: Protected Mobility Vehicle.

  PN: Philippine Navy (Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas).

  PNG: Papua New Guinea.

  PNGDF: Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

  Pogue: A term of derision for military men assigned to support positions rather than front-line units.

  POL: Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants. A category of products used by U.S. military.

  POST: Passive Optical Seeker Technique. See also Stinger and RMP.

  POW: Prisoner of War.

  PR1M: Patrol Ration One Man (spoken “Prim”). Similar to a CR1M, but with some more palatable freeze-dried components.

  Pre-1899: Guns made before 1899—not classified as firearms under U.S. law.

  Pre-1965: U.S. silver coins with 1964 or earlier mint dates, usually with little or no numismatic value. They are sold for the bullion content. These coins have 90 percent silver content. Well-worn pre-1965 coins are sometimes derisively called junk silver by rare-coin dealers.

  Primacord: See Detonating/Detonation Cord.

  ProvGov: Provisional Government.

  PSYOP: Psychological Operations.

  PT: Physical Training.

  Purple Patch: Australian slang for good luck.

  PV: Photovoltaic (solar power conversion array). Used to convert solar power to DC electricity, typically for battery charging.

  Qantas: Originally acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, 1920–1947.

  QRP: Ham radio shorthand for low-power (less than 5-watt) transmitters.

  QRT: Quick Reaction Team.

  RAAF: Royal Australian Air Force.

  RAN: Royal Australian Navy.

  RTTY: Radio Teletype.

  RBS 70: A Swedish-made pedestal-mounted surface-to-air missile.

  RCG: Restoration of the Constitution Government.

  RCS: Radar Cross Section. The unit of measurement that defines how detectable an object is with radar.

  RDX: Research Department Explosive. A nitroamine-based high explosive (cyclonite or cyclotrimethylene trinitramine) that is more powerful than TNT. It is the main component in C-4 plastic explosive.

  Reg: Short for Regulation.

  Remington: An American gun maker.

  RI: Republic of Indonesia.

  RMN: Royal Malaysian Navy.

  RMP: Reprogrammable Microprocessor. See also Stinger and POST.

  ROF(F): Royal Ordnance Factory, Fazakerly, England.

  RORO: Roll-on Roll-off. A type of ship specifically designed for transporting vehicles.

  RPG: Rocket-Propelled Grenade.

  RQ-7B Shadow 200: An Australian UAV with a sixteen-foot wingspan. They weigh 458 pounds. See also UAV and Wulung.

  RRA: Rock River Arms. A firearms maker headquartered in Colona, Illinois, that specializes in AR-15 and AR-10 variants.

  RTA: Radio Traffic Analyst. See also TA.

  RTB: Return to Base.

  Ruger: An American gun maker.

  SALW: Small Arms and Light Weapons.

  SAS: Special Air Service, British Army.

  SATCOM: Satellite Communications.

  SBI: Special Background Investigation.

  SCI: Sensi
tive Compartmented Information.

  SCUBA: Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

  SERCO: Service Corporation.

  SH: Student Handbook.

  SIG: Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft, the Swiss gun maker.

  SIGINT: Signals Intelligence.

  Skype: A commercial Voice Over OP (VOIP) video-telephone service.

  SLR: Self-Loading Rifle. The generic term used by Australia for the L1A1 rifle.

  SMLE: Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle.

  SOCAUST: Special Operations Commander, Australia.

  SOCOMD: Special Operations Command.

  SOP: Standard Operating Procedure(s).

  SPF: Sun Protection Factor.

  SS2: See Pindad SS2.

  SSB: Single Sideband. An operating mode for CB and amateur radio gear.

  Steyr AUG: The Austrian army’s 5.56 mm “bullpup” infantry carbine. Also issued by the Australian Army as the model F88, as their replacement for the L1A1. This AUG variant is often called the Austeyr.

  Stinger: An American-made shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. See also POST and RMP.

  Strac or Strack: A complimentary term for a military member who is well disciplined. Also sometimes applied to a field gear locker box—a “Strack Box.” The origin of this word is debated. Some say that it is an acronym for “Strictly Regular Army Commission” (STRAC), while others attribute it to the family name of Army Air Corps (later USAF) Brigadier General Harold Arthur Strack.

  S&W: Smith & Wesson.

  SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics. SWAT originally stood for Special Weapons Assault Team until that was deemed politically incorrect.

  TA: Traffic Analyst. See also RTA.

  TAB: Tactical Advance to Battle. Tactical movement is often called tabbing in Commonwealth countries.

  Tavor TAR-21: A bullpup configuration .223 rifle designed in Israel.

  TBAS: Tiered Body Armour System (Australian Army issue).

  TBD: To Be Determined.

  TC: Training Circular.

  TCCC: Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

  TDY: Temporary Duty.

  Thermite: A mixture of aluminum powder and iron rust powder that, when ignited, causes a vigorous exothermic reaction. Used primarily for welding. Also used by military units as an incendiary for destroying equipment.

  TM: Technical Manual.

  TNI-AD: Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat. The Indonesian Army.

  TNI-AL: Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut. The Indonesian Navy.