Land of Promise

by James Wesley, Rawles

  EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

  EP357: Elasto-polymer 357: A rubbery sheet plastic developed for use as a pond liner and for waterproofing underground structures. (Fictional.)

  EPA: Environmental Protection Agency.

  Eretz Yisrael: Hebrew for The Land Israel.

  Ersatz: The German word for substitute or fake.

  Ersatz Israel: A joking play-on-words term for the Ilemi Republic.

  Eser: Israeli slang--literally the number 10 -- meaning awesome or wonderful.

  E-Tool: Entrenching tool. (A small folding shovel.)

  ETS: Expiration of Term of Service.

  EU: European Union.

  EUC: End-User Certificate.

  Euro: The standard currency unit of the EU, fictionally replaced in the late 2020s by the electronic NEuro as the standard global currency unit. (See also: NEuro.)

  EWR: East Wind Revival. The Christian revival movement of the 2040s that originated in reunified Korea.

  Extradition: See Rendition.

  F2F: Face-to-face.

  FAA: Federal Aviation Administration.

  FADEC: Full Authority Digital Engine Control.

  FAL: See FN/FAL.

  FAMAS: Fusil d’Assaut de la Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne. The French army’s standard-issue bullpup carbine, chambered in 5.56mm NATO. See also: FÉLIN.

  Farmer Armor: Improvised vehicle armor.

  FATCA: Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

  Fatwā: (or plural, fatāwā) is an Islamic legal opinion or learned interpretation that the Sheikhul Islam, a qualified jurist or mufti can give on issues pertaining to the Islamic law. The person who issues a fatwā is called, in that respect, a Mufti, This is not necessarily a formal position since most Muslims argue that anyone trained in Islamic law may give an opinion (fatwā) on its teachings. If a fatwā does not break new ground, then it is simply called a ruling. (WP) Also See Mufti.

  FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  FDC: Fire Direction Center. (For artillery and mortar fire.)

  FFL: Federal Firearms License.

  FFP: Firm Fixed Price (order contract). See also: IDIQ.

  Firefly Strobe: A compact infrared signaling device, typically cast into a block of clear Lucite clipped on the top of a 9-volt battery. They can be seen with night vision equipment, but not with the naked eye. They are often used by western armies to distinguish friends from foes in low-intensity wars, where few opponents are expected to have access to night vision gear.

  FIST: Fire Support Team.

  Five Pillars: (arkān al-Islām also arkān al-dīn “pillars of the religion”) are five basic acts in Islam, considered mandatory by believers and are the foundation of Muslim life. They are summarized in the famous hadith of Gabriel.

  They make up Muslim life, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification and the pilgrimage. They are:

  1. Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, and Muhammad is God’s Messenger

  2. Salat: ritual prayer five times a day

  3. Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy

  4. Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan

  5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if one is able. (WP.)

  Five Points of Calvinism: Calvinist theology has been summarized in five points:

  • Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)

  • Unconditional Election

  • Limited Atonement (also called Particular Atonement)

  • Irresistible Grace

  • Perseverance of the Saints (commonly expressed “Once Saved, Always Saved”)

  Five Solas: The five distinctive points of Reformed Christian theology: Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone), Sola Christo (through Christ Alone), Sola Gratia (by Grace Alone), Sola Fide (by Faith Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone).

  Five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, Why. (Intelligence report format.)

  FLaF: FeldLafette (German for Field Mount—usually a tripod for a machinegun.)

  FLAK: Fliegerabwehrkanone. (German for Flyer Defense Cannon.)

  FLB: Forward Logistics Base

  FLIR: Forward-Looking Infrared. A camera that can detect body heat as well as the heat.

  FM: Depending on context, Frequency Modulation or Foreign Minister.

  FMJ: Full Metal Jacket. Also known as ball ammunition.

  FN: Fabrique Nationale, a Belgian armsmaker.

  FNB: First National Bank.

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

  FN/FAL: A 7.62mm NATO battle rifle originally made by the Belgian Company Fabrique Nationale (FN), issued to more than 50 countries in the 1960s and 1970s. Now made as semiauto-only “clones” by a variety of makers including DSArms. See also: L1A1.

  FMP: Fabrica Militar de Portugal. See also: INDEP.

  FN-MAG: A 7.62mm NATO belt-fed light machinegun developed by FN of Belgium. MAG stands for Mitrailleuse d’Appui Général, meaning General Purpose Machinegun. It has been issued by more than eighty countries. The U.S. military uses several variants of the gun, under the designation M240. See also: M240.

  FO: Depending on context: Forward Observer or Field Office.

  FOB: Forward Operating Base.

  FOUO: For Official Use Only.

  Four-Deuce: Nickname of the U.S. military 4.2-inch mortar.

  FRS: Family Radio Service.

  FSB: Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti. The main successor to the KGB in Russia.

  FTX: Field Training Exercise. See also: CTX.

  G3: The West German Army’s selective fire battle rifle of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Its civilian (semi-auto only) equivalent is the HK91.

  G5: A towed 155mm howitzer developed in South Africa by Denel Land Systems, based on Gerald Bull’s famously innovative GC-45 design. The long range G5 design was based on Bull’s base-bleed GC-45 155mm gun which was modified with a different carriage to suit African conditions. (WP.) See also Denel Land Systems and G6.

  G6: A South African self-propelled howitzer, developed around the G5 howitzer. It is one of the most powerful self-propelled guns on a wheeled chassis. In addition to the logistical mobility afforded by a wheeled chassis, the G6 is protected against counter battery fire and is able to defend itself in an unsecured area. The chassis is mine-protected. The G6 is produced in South Africa by the Land Systems Division of Denel. It entered production in 1987. (WP.) See also: Denel Land Systems and G5.

  Gaggle Formation: A loose military formation.

  Galil: The Israeli battle rifle, based on the Kalashnikov (AK) action. Most were made in 5.56mm NATO, but variants were also made in 7.62mm NATO and .30 U.S. Carbine in smaller numbers. Exported to more than a dozen countries including Estonia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, The Philippines, and Rwanda. The South African licensed variant is known as the Vektor R4. See also: R4.

  Gary’s Gulch: A freewheeling, more secular Libertarian hamlet in the Ilemi’s Triangle’s Lokwanamoru Range. Also derisively known as Hooterville. The residents are referred to as Gulchers. (Fictional.)

  GAZ: Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod. A Russian car and truck maker.

  GB: Gigabyte.

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

  GCC: Global Christian Conscience.

  GCD: Global Caliphate Dinar. The currency unit of the Global Caliphate.

  GCI: Ground Control Intercept. (A type of air defense radar used to vector fighter aircraft.)

  GDP: Gross Domestic Product.

  GEDCOM: A common file format used by several types of genealogy software.

  Gen: Short for Generation.

  GlobalMAP : Global Mergers and Acquisitions Partners. (Fictional.)

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

  GMRS: General Mobile Radio service. A licensed UHF-FM two-way radio service. See also: FRS and MURS.

  GMT: Greenwich Mean Time. Also known as Coordinated Universal Time (CUT).

  GNC: Gaz naturel comprimï. (Compressed natural gas.) A fuel primarily used by motor vehicles.

  Goat Rope: Military slang expression for a useless briefing or exercise. See also: Dog and Pony Show.

  Gone Elvis: Someone or something that has been noticed missing.

  GPS: Global Positioning System. Can provide Latitude and Longitude (“lat/long”) position, speed, heading, and elevation data.

  Growler: A light utility vehicle with a body design reminiscent of the WWII Willys Jeep, Measuring 60” wide, and powered by a diesel/JP8 engine, it was designed for air transport via USMC Osprey Tilt-rotor aircraft, or sling-loading beneath heavy lift helicopters.

  GTK: Gepanzertes Transport Kraftfahrzeug. A variant of the German eight-wheeled Boxer APC.

  Gulcher: A resident of the hamlet of Gary’s Gulch. (Fictional.) See also: Gary’s Gulch.

  Haganah: “The Defense” was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces. (WP.)

  Ham: Slang for amateur radio operator.

  Half-Can: A half-size removable hydrogen fuel cell for vehicles, weighing about 18kg. By the 2050s, most passenger cars and light trucks are equipped with six Half-Cans. (Fictional.)

  HaMeshiachiac: Hebrew word for The Messiah.

  HaShem: Hebrew for “His Name.” The placeholder word used out of respect by Jews to identify God in speech or writing, to avoid using the word “God” or other holy names of such as Elohim, Elohanu, Yahweh, or Adonai.

  HBH: Hauptbahnhof. (A city’s main train station.)

  H-Can: Short for Hydrogen Can. A removable hydrogen fuel cell for vehicles. The size of an H-Can is about the same as a traditional 5 gallon/20 Liter “Jerry Can” gas can and weighed about 30kg. By the 2040s, most passenger cars and light trucks are equipped with three or four H-Cans. (Fictional.) See also: Half Can.

  HDR: Humanitarian Daily Ration. A vegetarian packaged meal, designed to sustain one person for one day, with packaging similar to MREs.

  HE or H-E: High Explosive.

  HE Delay: High Explosive artillery or mortar shell with briefly delayed detonation after contact, to allow time for penetration. (Typically used for indirect fire on bunkers or other hardened targets.) See also: HE Quick.

  HEMTT: Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck. A ten-ton eight-wheeled cargo truck powered by a 500 horsepower Caterpillar C15 engine, built by Oshkosh Truck Corporation, under military contract. The most common variant is the M977A4 cargo truck, with a 21,561-pound (9,780 kg) payload capacity.

  HE Quick: High Explosive artillery or mortar shell with instant detonation on contact. See also: HE Delay.

  Hesco: A military contractor best known for its prefabricated wire and fabric ballistic protection bastions.

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

  HH-60: The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program. The HH-60/MH-60 is a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. (WP)

  Hijab: A veil that covers the head and chest worn by devout Muslim women beyond the age of puberty when in public or in the presence of adults outside of their family. See also: Niqab and Chador.

  Hidden Web: See Deep Web.

  HIS: Heinlein Interstellar Spaceport. (Robert A. Heinlein Interstellar Spaceport.)

  Hisba or Hisbah: Sharia Law Vice Police.

  HK or H&K: Heckler und Koch, the German gun maker.

  HK21E: A light machinegun manufactured by Heckler und Koch chambered in 7.62mm NATO.

  HK23E: A light machinegun manufactured by Heckler und Koch, chambered in 5.56mm NATO.

  HK33: A 5.56mm battle rifle developed in the 1960s by Heckler und Koch. Its civilian (semi-auto only) equivalent is the HK93.

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

  HK93: Heckler und Koch Model 93. The civilian (semiautomatic-only) variant of the 5.56mm NATO HK33 rifle.

  HK121: A general purpose machinegun manufactured by Heckler und Koch chambered in 7.62mm NATO.

  HMAK: Haerens Materielkommando, a licensed manufacturer of HK G3 rifles and parts, in Denmark.

  HMMWV: High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, also commonly called a Humvee, or if in civilian trim, a “Hummer.”

  HQ: Headquarters.

  Hudud: Punishments for crimes as defined in the Koran, under Sharia law.

  HUMINT: Human Intelligence. Also See CI.

  Humvee: See HMMWV.

  I2P: Invisible Internet Project. A decentralized anonymous darknet.

  IA: Depending on context: Information Architecture, Information Assurance, or Internal Affairs.

  I2DL: Ilemi to the Limit, a music podcast. See also: VOIR.

  IADT: Initial Active Duty Training

  IBA: Interceptor Body Armor.

  ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization.

  ICE: Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

  ICHA: International Center for Humanitarian Affairs. (Part of the Kenya Red Cross Society.)

  ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross.

  ID: Identification.

  Ident: Slang contraction for Identification.

  IDF: Israeli Defense Forces.

  IDIQ: Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (order contract). See also: FFP.

  I-DIRRT: International Debt Instrument Reconciliation and Restitution Tribunal. (Fictional.)

  IDS: Intrusion Detection System. A security alarm system to detect unauthorized entry to a secure facility.

  IED: Improvised Explosive Device.

  IFC: Ilemi Flying Club.

  IFV: Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

  Iguana FV4: See RG-34.

  IH: International Harvester.

  IKM: Israeli Krav Maga Association. See also: Krav Maga

  IKMS: Israeli Krav Maga Scotland. See also: Krav Maga

  Illum: Short for illumination.

  Imam: An Islamic leadership position. It is most commonly in the context of a worship leader of a mosque and Muslim community by Sunni Muslims. In this context, Imams may lead Islamic worship services, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. For Shi’a Muslims, the Imam has a more central meaning and role in Islam through the concept of Imamah, the term is only applicable to those members of the house of the prophet ahl al-Bayt, designated as infallibles. Imam may also be used in the form of a title for renowned Muslim scholars.

  IL-76: The Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose four-engine strategic airlift jest designed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau. It was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly served areas of the USSR. Military versions of the Il-76 have seen widespread use in Europe, Asia and Africa. The Il-76 has seen extensive service as a commercial freighter for ramp-delivered cargo, especially for outsized or heavy items unable to be otherwise carried. It has also been used as emergency response transport for civilian evacuations as well as for humanitarian/disaster relief aid around the world. Because of its ability to operate from unpaved runways, it has been useful in undeveloped areas. (WP)

  IMP: Individual Meal Pack. Canada’s standard filed ration containing precooked entree packed in heavy-duty plastic-foil retort pouch. The equivalent of a U.S. military Meal, Ready to Eat (MRE).

  INDEP: Industrias de Defesa de Portugal. See also: FMP.

  INFN: Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare.

  Intel: Slang shorthand for intelligence.

  INTERPOL: The International Criminal Police Organization. Headquartered in Lyon, France.

  Invisible Web: S
ee Deep Web.

  IPSC: International Practical Shooting Confederation. The IPSC is the governing body for combat pistol shooting competition, worldwide.

  IR: Depending on context, Ilemi Republic, Infrared or Intelligence Requirement.

  IRC: International Red Cross

  IRDF: Ilemi Republic Defense Force. This acronym is spoken: “Ear-Diff.”

  IRDF Cadre: The small full-time training and intelligence staff of the Ilemi Republic Defense Force.

  Constitutionally limited to no more than 300 members, except in times of declared war.

  IRISS: c. (Fictional.)

  IRST: Infrared Search and Track.

  IS: Islamic State.

  ISACS: International Small Arm Control Standards.

  Isher Trading Company: A subsidiary of GlobalMAP, headquartered in Solus Christus, primarily involved in acquiring weapons, aircraft, and military sensors. (Fictional.)

  ISIL: See ISIS.

  ISIS: Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. Also sometimes referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. (ISIL.) Also known by the Arabic acronym Daʿish.

  ISIS:

  I-SWAN: Ilemi Secure Wide Area Network. (Fictional.) See also: Deep Web.

  IT: Information Technology.

  ITAR: International Tariff in Arms Regulations. This US law governs the permanent and temporary export of defense related goods. ITAR also operates to prohibit the “Retransfer” (also called “Re-export”) of items on the USML by foreigners unless it is specifically authorized under a relevant Export Authorization. See also: EAR, ECCN, USML, and CCL.

  IV: Intravenous.

  IRVEF: Ilemi Republic Voluntary Educational Fund. (Fictional.)

  Janjaweed: Islamic terrorists that operate in Darfur, western Sudan, and eastern Chad, often on horseback. The Janjaweed comprised Sudanese Arab tribes, the core of whom are Guhayna (camel herdsmen). They also recruit Lambo from the Baggara (cattle herdsmen) people.

  Jaumann Shell: Ferrite particles of various sizes suspended in a liquid RAM coating, to reduce an aircraft’s radar return. See also: RAM and SRR.

  JI: Jemaah Islamiya.

  JIT: Just In Time.

  Jihad: A religious duty of Muslims that literally means “struggle.” Generally it is seen as a holy war against non-Muslims.