MilSpeak

Terminology List
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MilSpeak translates military acronyms, jargon, and terminology into plain English, drawing on the DoD's official dictionary for accuracy across every branch. Whether you're a curious civilian, a veteran, a military family member, or just someone who stumbled on an unfamiliar term, MilSpeak breaks down the language of the armed forces—one word at a time.

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Term	Reference
180A	Special Forces Warrant Officer - The assistant detachment commander brings operational expertise and continuity.
18A	Special Forces Officer - The detachment commander leads the team and plans its missions.
18B	Special Forces Weapons Sergeant - Team members specialize in U.S. and foreign weapons.
18C	Special Forces Engineer Sergeant - Team members specialize in areas including demolition and construction.
18D	Special Forces Medical Sergeant - Team members provide medical expertise, including trauma care.
18E	Special Forces Communications Sergeant - Team members manage the detachment’s communications capabilities.
18F	Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant - This sergeant analyzes intelligence to support mission planning.
18Z	Special Forces Senior Sergeant - The senior enlisted member serves as operations sergeant and advises the commander.

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A

Term	Reference
AAR	After-action review - A structured discussion of what happened and what can be improved.
Action Phase	In amphibious operations, the period of time between the arrival of the amphibious force in the amphibious objective area or operational area and the accomplishment of their mission.
Aerial Port	An airfield that has been designated for the sustained air movement of personnel and materiel, as well as an authorized port for entrance into or departure from the country where located.
Air Domain	The atmosphere, beginning at the Earth’s surface, extending to the altitudewhere its effects upon operations become negligible.
AO	Area of Operations - The specific geographic zone where military forces conduct missions.
AOR	Area of Responsibility - A geographic area assigned to a commander.
ASVAB	Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - A test used to assess aptitude for military service and career fields.
AWOL	Absent Without Official Leave - leaving a post or duty without permission.

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B

Term	Reference
BOG	Boots on the Ground - Active combat troops deployed in a specific area.

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C

Term	Reference
CAG	Combat Applications Group - A name associated with the U.S. Army unit commonly called Delta Force.
CANSOFCOM	Canadian Special Operations Forces Command - The command that includes JTF 2 and Canada’s other special operations units.
CAS	Close Air Support - Air attacks coordinated to support ground forces in close combat.
CIA	Central Intelligence Agency - The U.S. agency focused on foreign intelligence.
CO	Commanding Officer - The leader in charge of a specific unit.
Command Sergeant Major	A senior enlisted adviser to an Army commander.
CQB	Close-Quarters Battle - Combat at short range, often inside buildings.

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D

Term	Reference
D.C.	District of Columbia - The federal district containing Washington, the U.S. capital.
DEFCON	Defense Readiness Condition - A system of alert levels for U.S. military readiness.

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E

Term	Reference
ELINT	Electronic Intelligence - Intelligence gathered from electronic emissions, such as radar signals.

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F

Term	Reference
FAC(A)	Forward Air Controller (Airborne) - An airborne controller who can receive targeting information in support of close air support.
FBI	Federal Bureau of Investigation - The U.S. agency that investigates federal crimes and domestic security threats.
Five by Five	Means “loud and clear.” It comes from radio communication: one five rates signal strength and the other rates readability, with five the best on each scale.
FOB	Forward Operating Base a small secured military outpost used to support tactical operations.
FOG	Field Operations Group - Field Operations Group (FOG) was the original name of a highly secretive, elite U.S. Army special operations unit created in 1980 to gather immediate, actionable intelligence for hostage rescue missions.

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G

Term	Reference
GROM	Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego - Poland’s GROM is a special forces unit whose missions include counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and land and maritime special operations.

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H

Term	Reference
HALO	High Altitude, Low Opening - A parachute jump that begins high up, with the parachute opened at a lower altitude.
HUMINT	Human Intelligence - Intelligence collected from people rather than technical sensors.
HV	High-Value - Describes a person or target considered especially important to an operation.

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I

Term	Reference
ID	Identification - A document or other means of establishing someone’s identity.
IDF	Indirect Fire - Incoming enemy artillery, rockets, or mortar fire.
IMINT	Imagery Intelligence inteligence - Intelligence obtained by analyzing images.
INSCOM	U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command - a direct reporting unit that conducts global, multi-discipline intelligence, security, and information operations for military commanders and national decision-makers.
ISA	Intelligence Support Activity - a top-secret United States Army Tier 1 special operations unit that gathers actionable intelligence for military operations.
ISIS	Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - A militant extremist organization.

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J

Term	Reference
JCU	Joint Communications Unit - Provides communications and technological solutions for JSOC and SOF.
JIB	JSOC Intelligence Brigade - Provides intelligence support to special operations.
JTAC	Joint Terminal Attack Controller - Directs aircraft conducting close air support for ground forces.
JTF 2	Joint Task Force 2 - JTF 2 stands for Joint Task Force 2, a Canadian Armed Forces special operations unit focused on protecting Canadians and countering threats at home and abroad.

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K

Term	Reference
KGB	Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti - Previously the Soviet Union’s principal security and intelligence agency.

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L

Term	Reference
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M

Term	Reference
MASINT	Measurement and Signature Intelligence - Intelligence derived from analyzing distinctive physical measurements or signatures.
MEDEVAC	Medical Evacuation - The emergency medical evacuation of wounded personnel using vehicles or aircraft.
MI5	The British Domestic Counterintelligence Service - officially known as the Security Service.
MI6	The British Foreign Intelligence Service - officially known as the Secret Intelligence Service.
MOS	Military Occupational Specialty - An Army job classification used to identify team members’ specialties.
MSA	Mission Support Activity - In special operations, the Intelligence Support Activity—tasked with gathering clandestine intelligence—was officially designated as the Mission Support Activity (MSA) during parts of its history. Within that unit, a mission support squadron specifically handles technical, logistical, and specialized operational assistance.

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N

Term	Reference
NSA	National Security Agency - A U.S. agency specializing in signals intelligence and cybersecurity.
NV	Night Vision - Technology that helps people see in low-light conditions.

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O

Term	Reference
OMS	A former cover name for the Intelligence Support Activity, a secretive U.S. Army special operations unit that gathers clandestine intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).
OPSEC	Operations Security - protecting critical information from the enemy.
OSINT	Open Source Intelligence - Intelligence gathered from publicly available information.
OSS	Office of Strategic Services - A U.S. World War II intelligence organization and predecessor to the CIA.

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P

Term	Reference
PHOTINT	Photographic Intelligence - Intelligence obtained by analyzing photographs.
POTUS	President of the United States - Shorthand for the U.S. president.
PT	Physical Training - Exercise intended to build or maintain fitness.

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Q

Term	Reference
QRF	Quick Reaction Force - A team prepared to respond rapidly to an urgent situation.

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R

Term	Reference
RADINT	Radar Intelligence - Intelligence obtained by analyzing radar data.
ROE	Rules of Engagement - the directives that define when and how forces may use force.
ROMAD	Radio Operator, Maintainer and Driver - A TACP member who assists the JTAC with communications and locating targets.

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S

Term	Reference
SAC	Special Activities Center - A CIA organization associated with covert operations.
SAD	Special Activities Division - The former name of the CIA organization now called the Special Activities Center.
SERE	Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape - Training for surviving hostile conditions and potential capture.
SF	Special Forces - elite military units specially trained to conduct unconventional, high-risk, and specialized operations that regular military forces cannot perform.
SFOD-A	Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha - A fuller designation for the ODA.
SIGINT	Signals Intelligence - Intelligence gathered from intercepted signals and communications.
SIS	Secret Intelligence Service - The official name of the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service, also called MI6.
SMERSH	Smert Shpionam; (“Death to Spies”) - A Soviet World War II counterintelligence organization.
SOE	Special Operations Executive - A British World War II organization that supported sabotage and resistance operations.
SVR	Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki - Russia’s foreign intelligence service.

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T

Term	Reference
TACP	Tactical Air Control Party - An Air Force team that works with ground commanders to coordinate air support; a JTAC may serve within one.
TECHINT	Technical Intelligence - Intelligence gained by examining equipment, technology or other technical material.

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U

Term	Reference
USSOCOM	United States Special Operations Command

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V

Term	Reference
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W

Term	Reference
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X

Term	Reference
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Y

Term	Reference
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Z

Term	Reference
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The Team

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