MOLLE: Modular lightweight load-carrying equipment.
MP: Military Police.
MRAP: Mine-resistant ambush protected (military vehicles).
MRE: Meal, ready to eat.
MSDS: Material safety data sheet.
MSS: Modular sleep system.
MTBE: Methyl tert-butyl ether. An oxygenating additive for gasoline.
MultiCam: See OCP.
MURS: Multi-Use Radio Service. A VHF two-way radio service that does not require a license. See also: FRS and GMRS.
MVPA: Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
MXG: Maintenance group (USAF).
Napalm: Thickened gasoline, used in some flame weapons.
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
NBC: Nuclear, biological, and chemical.
NCO: Noncommissioned officer.
NFA: The National Firearms Act of 1934. The law that first imposed a transfer tax on machineguns, suppressors (commonly called “silencers”), and short-barreled rifles and shotguns.
NiCad: Nickel cadmium (ni-cad) (rechargeable battery).
NiMH: Nickel metal hydride (rechargeable battery) improvement of NiCad.
NWO: New World Order.
O-CONUS: Outside the Continental United States.
OCP: Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern, commonly called by its civilian trade name, MultiCam.
OP: Observation post. See also: LP/OP.
OPORD: Operations order.
OPSEC: Operational security.
PCS: Permanent change of station.
PERSCOM: U.S. Army Personnel Command.
PFC: Private, first class.
Pre-1899: Guns made before 1899—not classified as “firearms” under federal law.
Pre-1965: U.S. silver coins with 1964 or earlier mint dates, usually with little or no numismatic value. They are sold for the bullion content. These coins have 90 percent silver content. Well-worn pre-1965 coins are sometimes derisively called “junk” silver by rare coin dealers.
ProvGov: Provisional Government.
PSYOPS: Psychological operations.
PT: Physical training.
PTT: Push to talk.
PV: Photovoltaic (solar power conversion array). Used to convert solar power to DC electricity, typically for battery charging.
PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride (white plastic water pipe).
QRF: Quick-reaction force.
QRP: Ham radio shorthand for “low-power” (less than 5-watt) transmitters.
RCD: Race car dynamics.
RCG: Restoration of the Constitution Government.
RCIED: Radio-controlled improvised explosive device.
Reg: Slang for “regulation.”
RORO: Roll-on, Roll-off—a type of ship designed for transporting vehicles.
ROTC: Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
RPG: Rocket-propelled grenade.
RTA: Radio traffic analyst. See also: TA.
RTB: Return to base.
SBI: Special background investigation.
SCI: Sensitive compartmented information.
SIG: Schweizer Industrie Gesellschaft. The Swiss gun maker.
SIGINT: Signals intelligence.
SOCOM: Special Operations Command.
SOP: Standard operating procedure(s).
SRT: Security response team. Spoken “Sir-Tee.”
SSB: Single sideband (an operating mode for CB and amateur radio gear).
Steyr AUG: The Austrian army’s 5.56mm bullpup infantry carbine. Also issued by the Australian army as its replacement for the L1A1.
S&W: Smith and Wesson.
SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics. (SWAT originally stood for Special Weapons Assault Team until that was deemed politically incorrect.)
TA: Traffic analyst. See also: RTA.
TA-50: Table of Allowances 50. The listing of the U.S. Army’s field gear authorized for issue to individual soldiers. TA-50 typically includes a rucksack, sleeping bag, helmet, magazine pouches, MOLLE vest, canteen, etc.
TAB: Tactical advance to battle.
TAD: Temporary assigned duty.
TARPS: Tactical aerial reconnaissance pod system.
TDY: Temporary duty.
Thermite: A mixture of aluminum powder and iron rust powder that when ignited causes a vigorous exothermic reaction. Used primarily for welding. Also used by military units as an incendiary for destroying equipment.
TI: Turn in (of issued equipment).
T.K.: Tom Kennedy.
TO&E: Table of organization and equipment.
UAV: Unmanned aerial vehicle.
UN-MNF: United Nations Multinational Force.
UNPROFOR: United Nations Protection Force.
UPS: Uninterruptible power source.
VAC: Volts, alternating current.
Valmet: The Finnish conglomerate that formerly made several types of firearms.
VDC: Volts, direct current.
VW: Volkswagen.
WD-1: U.S. military–issue two-conductor insulated field telephone wire.
About the Author
Former U.S. Army intelligence officer and survivalist James Wesley, Rawles is a well- known survival lecturer and author. Rawles is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com —the nation’s most popular blog on family preparedness. He lives in an undisclosed location west of the Rockies and is the author of the bestselling
