In most fields of endeavor, a shorthand lexicon develops to promote the transfer of the most information in the shortest amount of time. The military lexicon is no exception. What is different is the [..]

The equipment lexicon. Full battle rattle is close to 50 pounds worth of gear, including a flak vest, Kevlar helmet, gas mask, ammunition, weapons, and other basic military equipment. One component is [..]

M2 browning .50 caliber machine gun. Alternately known as 50 cal, 50, M2 or Ma deuce 100mph tape:

nylon cord used to connect a chute to a chute harness. Now used to tie damn near anything down. Used a lot when ‘dummy cording’ things down AMTRAC:

Armor survivability kit. A kit designed in response to the high number of casualties produced by IEDs hitting unarmored vehicles. The kits consist of armor encapsulating the personnel compartment AT-4 [..]

Blue Force tracker. A cool little gizmo that allows a BFT equipped vehicle to link up with a satellite and give the locations of friendly and enemy units, maps, and routes. Brad or Bradley:

water bladder usually carried on the back, holds up to 3 liters DAP:

noun or verb. Term denotes the tying down of sensitive (ie- nvg’s, aimpoints) or not so sensitive items (i.e. canteens) to a service member’s body. So called to prevent being called a “dummy” for losi [..]

A Marine Corps monster truck, bulging and rippling with spot-welded seams of add on armor. As of December 2004, of the 30,000 estimated wheeled vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan, about 8,000 of the old [..]

improvised armor, installed by troops hiring Iraqis to update the vehicles by welding any available metal to the sides of Humvees Kevlar/Kpot/ACH: