Knife (9780698185623) (27 page)

.50-CALIBER:
A large round, roughly the size of a thumb from the last joint to the tip of the fingernail. The round is devastating and utilized by sniper rifles, GMVs, and multiple aircraft.

5.56:
The most popular round used by Western militaries. It is smaller and lighter than the 7.62-millimeter but more accurate, thus favored by units specializing in close-quarters combat and in need of precision firing. About the size of a sharpened pencil tip.

7.62:
Large-caliber round fired by the AK-47 assault rifles and other large assault weapons. About the length of a fingernail.

AAR:
After-action review. A debrief, or meeting, that discusses and analyzes the events that transpired during an operation or raid.

AH-64 APACHE:
Attack helicopter with tandem cockpit for a two-man crew.

AK-47:
The assault rifle most widely used throughout the world. Known for its durability and firepower. Fires the 7.62-millimeter round.

BANGERS:
Flashbangs. Stun grenades. Typically nonlethal cylinders, with holes drilled into the housing, that emit loud noises and flashes.

BARAH:
Arabic pronunciation for “Get out.”

CASH:
Combat support hospital.

CH-47 CHINOOK HELICOPTER:
Heavy-lift helicopter with wide loading ramp in the rear of the fuselage. Roughly ninety feet in length and used to transport heavy machinery and climb high elevations. Capacity of up to fifty men and a max speed of 170 knots.

CHADOR:
A traditional full-length female garment with a face opening, worn in certain Middle Eastern cultures.

CLP:
Cleaner, lubricant, and preservative for weapons. Gun oil.

CO:
Commanding officer.

COMMS:
Radio communications.

CSAR:
Command search and rescue.

D-RING:
Carabineer.

DASTHAA BALAA:
Dari pronunciation for “Hands in the air.”

DET-CORD:
Detonating cord. A thin, plastic tube of explosives that detonates a large explosive device. Det-cords explode instead of burn, enabling faster and more precise detonations.

EKIA:
Enemy killed in action.

ERFA YADAYK:
Arabic pronunciation for “Hands up.”

ETA:
Estimated time of arrival.

FAM:
Fighting-age male.

FAST-MOVERS:
Fighter jets.

FLEX-CUFFS:
Plastic ties used to restrain individuals (similar to handcuffs).

FOB:
Forward operating base. A secure military base of varying size used to support tactical operations in foreign lands. Some FOBs are vast, containing large airfields and hundreds of buildings, while others are smaller and more primitive, consisting mainly of strands of barbed wire and concrete bunkers.

FRAGS:
Fragmentation grenades.

GMV:
Gun-mounted vehicle. Typically a Humvee or a Stryker.

HOP:
Deployment.

HOUSE CALL:
A raid targeting a residence.

HVT:
High-value target.

IED:
Improvised explosive device. An IED is usually a rudimentary bomb of varying size and power. Some are rather primitive, consisting of hastily combined wires and explosives, while others are quite advanced. An IED is a lethal weapon, so long as it is operational, no matter what its appearance. Can be small enough to fit in a backpack or larger than a standard bathtub.

INSHALLAH:
Arabic pronunciation for “God willing.”

JDAM:
Joint direct attack munition. A guidance kit attached to munitions that acts as a GPS device for the weapon system. The “smart” element of a smart bomb.

JIHAD:
A contentious issue among Muslims. Jihad, once declared by a religious leader, is an Islamic duty among Muslims, often interpreted as a “holy war” against nonbelievers. Jihad can have many meanings and be interpreted in numerous ways.

KAFIR:
An unbeliever; one who denies the truth of Islam and its teachings. A Muslim accused of being a
kafir
would likely take great offense.

KIT:
Configuration of body armor, pouches, et cetera.

KLICK:
Kilometer.

MADRASSA:
Arabic word for an educational institution, often assumed to be of a religious nature when used in Western cultures.

MAG:
Magazine. A detachable metal device in which bullets are loaded into and fired from.

MH-6 LITTLE BIRD HELICOPTER:
Light helicopter with a capacity of six men. Max speed 150 knots

MIKES:
Minutes.

MINIGUN:
A mounted eighty-five-pound machine gun that shoots 7.62—millimeter rounds at two thousand to six thousand rounds per minute. Commonly mounted on helicopters.

MOTAR SAKHA RAA WUDZAI:
Pashto pronunciation for “Get out of the car.”

MP:
Military police.

MRE:
Meal ready to eat.

MUEZZIN:
An individual who leads and recites the call to prayer in a mosque, often through speaker systems that reach large areas of a town or countryside.

NIGHT-AND DAY-ZERO:
Process by which gun sights/lasers are modified to ensure accuracy at night and during the day. Process in which operators ensure that their rounds will strike where their weapon sights/lasers intend them to.

NODS:
Night optical device. Night-vision goggles.

NWFP:
Northwest Frontier Province; a former province in Pakistan.

ORP:
Objective rally point. Preestablished place of meeting during or after a mission/movement.

PELTORS:
Ear-protection and communication device. Advanced headphones used by military and SWAT teams.

POPPING HOT:
Technological process by which a target is pinpointed and its location confirmed.

RPG:
Rocket-propelled grenade.

SALAT:
The practice of formal worship in Islam—the proscribed set of rituals of prayer in Islam.

SALAT AL-'ASR:
Afternoon prayer of the five prescribed prayer periods in Islam.

SALWAR KAMEEZ:
Traditional dress of Middle Eastern cultures. The salwar are loose trousers and the kameez is a long shirt.

SAS:
British Special Air Service. Special Operations unit.

SHARIA:
Moral code and religious law of Islam.

SHIITE (SHIA) ISLAM:
Second-largest sect of Islam, behind the Sunni sect.

SKEDCO:
Plastic portable emergency sled that rolls into a tight cylinder and expands into a litter longer than an average man.

SPOOKY:
AC 130 Spectre Gunship. A nearly hundred-foot-long airplane bristling with numerous cannons and rocket systems. Often used for close-air support in combat situations.

SQUIRTERS:
Individuals who escape from a secured objective or perimeter.

SSE:
Sensitive site exploitation. Process in which the rooms of a compound are physically searched to find and gather sensitive or valuable information.

SUNNI ISLAM:
The largest sect of Islam.

TAKFIR:
The practice of one Muslim declaring another Muslim an unbeliever. A bold, combative declaration.

TAQIYAH (TAQ):
A short, round skullcap often worn by Muslim men.

TATP:
A white powder high explosive that smells like bleach. Often used as a primary explosive for large IEDs.

TOC:
Tactical operations center. Mission control, where a command team can monitor numerous operations at one time.

UH-60 BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER:
Medium-lift helicopter with a capacity of up to eleven men. Max speed 193 knots.

When I think of wars I don't think of parades or conquests, victories or defeats. I think of scared young boys in foxholes, firing lines, and foreign mounds of earth. I think of sad mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and sweethearts. I think of the children left behind and those who were never born. I hope wars end. I think human beings aren't born with the claws of a bear or teeth of a shark for a reason. I think we were given advanced brain function with the burden of using it. So here's to peace and to all the sons and daughters who never made it back home. And here's to David, for giving this thing a shot. Here's to Aileen, Phoebe, Linda, Kylie, Amy, and the rest of Blue Rider and Penguin for all the tireless work on this. A special thanks to William for giving me a chance and for all the advice and hard work. Thanks to my teachers and family and friends—both old and new—for all the lessons and smiles and beers and love. Thanks to everyone who never gave up and never will. Thank you.

Ross Ritchell is a former member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, a United States Special Operations Command direct-action team. He conducted classified operations in the Middle East, and upon his discharge, he enrolled at Northwestern University, where he earned an MFA. He lives with his family and dogs in the Midwest.

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