Slang and acronyms from OIF...cont

From the Soldier side: I had to go back and re-read some of my old e-mails from Iraq and from others to remember some of the "lingo" that was used there. I've had a few comments from "moms" and other family members and friends asking what an acronym stood for. Sorry, but in many cases, each little "camp" or "FOB" will make up their own. The total scope of this acronym and slang thing are only limited by ones skills. I also suspect that in many cases, an EM, NCO or "Zeros" couldn't spell a big work, so they used a made up acronym. (Heck, I do it all the time.)
Oh crap, I just used a bunch of acronyms/slang you may not understand.

FOB: Forward Operating Base--which makes no sense because there is nothing forward...it's all around. EM-Enlisted, NCO-Non Commissioned Officer. Zero- Officer.

On my teams first mission to Fallujah at the end of 04', our command in Baghdad thought we would only work on Camp Fallujah. (Mess Kit Repair -MKR) However, the Marines we were helping needed my team to go into the city a few times. The Gunny said: "If we have your team and a gun, we'll have 2 Victors, then we can go to the CMOC." I had no idea what he was talking about, but I knew it was a job "outside the wire." Our command had told us that they didn't want us to go "outside the wire" without clearance from them. I was not about to tell a Marine Gunny that my team and I couldn't go with them. I'd look like a coward. So, they lent us a SAW and we rolled out with them. (SAW- Squad Automatic Weapon...M-249)


So, in my daily SITREP (Situation Report, for the status of my team) I sent this message to my commander:
Weapons & Ammo: Green


Sensitive items: Green


Troops: 3 + terp: Green


Veh: 1 M1114: Green


Today's mission: Green


Tomorrow: Work out of CMOC from USMC attachment duty.

(Green stood for that item listed as being good to go. Amber-OK, but needs work. Red-not usable, broken, lost, etc.)

I was assuming that my commander wouldn't know what or where the CMOC was...it was in the middle of Fallujah. I didn't even know what it was. It worked. Nobody ever asked me what or where the CMOC was. Civil Military Operation Center.

Here's a beginning list of more useful info:
Ate up: A soldier who is not able to do anything right. Also: ATFU-Ate the fuck up.
Battle rattle : Full battle rattle is close to 50 pounds worth of gear, including IBA (Improve Body Armor, Kevlar helmet, gas mask, ammunition, weapons, and other basic military equipment. One component is the soft vest that covers the torso the shoulders and the back. It's made of soft material, a mixture of Kevlar and Twaron. These are sown together in sort of a sandwich fashion inside a nylon camouflage-pattern shell. The nylon vest has attaching points for load-bearing equipment. The second component of the system is ceramic plates that fit in pockets in the front and back of the vest. These plates protect the heart and lungs. Any TV news report from Iraq or Afghanistan shows American service members wearing "full battle rattle."



BIAP : Baghdad International Airport (where we flew in and out of Iraq)



Bombaconda : nickname for LSA Anaconda, , a major base near Balad, reflecting the frequent mortar attacks.





I often found it very useful to make up acronyms to get something done, to confuse others, and just for fun. I felt many times we had to make up our own fun...or, as I said: "We put the fun in dysfunctional."
I'll post more useful info later.