Читать книгу At Peace with War - Harold Ristau - Страница 7

Glossary

AO: Area of Operation. Each NATO Force is designated a certain region of the country for which it is responsible.

DFAC: Large cafeterias on KAF.

KAF: Kandahar Air Field. One of the main NATO bases in Afghanistan from which most operations are led.

CoC: Chain of Command. Every member and unit of the military is responsible to a hierarchical arrangement of supervisors and officers.

FOB: Forward Operation Bases. Bases within an area of operation that consist of anywhere from a couple to a few hundred personnel.

IED: Improvised Explosive Device. Massive mines constructed of yellow household jugs of cheap and easily accessible yet dangerous chemicals. The mines are hidden beneath roads, in trees, under bridges or in walls of compounds, and are designed to explode when an individual or vehicle triggers the pressure plate.

CF: Canadian Forces.

CO: Commanding Officer of a military unit.

Padre: A synonym for chaplain. It is Spanish for “Father.’’

SOP: Standard Operating Procedures are military rules.

ROE: Rules of Engagement determine the limits and freedoms of the use of violence. They may change many times during the course of a mission based on developments in the war.

OTW: Outside The Wire. Large bases are surrounded by barbed wire or sand walls. Risk and danger increase significantly on the other side of those barriers.

Ramp Ceremonies: A funeral-like parade commemorating the deceased members of the Armed Forces prior to their shipment home. Before leaving the KAF, public prayers are offered, bagpipes are played and a eulogy is read while the body is carried up the ramp of the aeroplane, offering soldiers a last chance to say goodbye. Normally representatives of all allies are present. During battle seasons, these ceremonies may occur several times in a day.

RPG: Insurgent rockets usually bought from China or the former Soviet Union.

Pashtun: An ethnic group located in South-Western Afghanistan. Pashtuns pay no allegiance to either Afghanistan or Pakistan, and have been labelled “the devils of the desert’’ for their ability to conquer foreign armies with minimal technology. Most of the insurgents, such as the Taliban, belong to this cluster of tribal groups.

SAF: Small Arms Fire.

Theater: Another way of saying “in the battlefield.”

Jirga: Local community meetings in which the decisions made by the majority are binding on the rest.

KIA: Killed in action.

LAV: A military vehicle designed for transporting troops.