-
N :
-
an aircraft prefix under the Joint Service Designation System
that represents '(permanent) test'.
-
N/A :
-
Not Applicable, as used when completing FORMs, since every
question must be answered and every block filled-in; see NO
EXCUSE, RED TAPE.
-
NAAN :
-
an oval or squarish FLATBREAD, dense and rich tasting, often
accented with a sprinkling of black cumin, nigella, or caraway
seeds, and scored by lengthwise lines to add texture; this
national bread of Afghanistan (Nân-i Afgâni) is baked
on the interior sidewalls of a cylindrical outdoor brick oven
(tandoor), wherein long tongs are used to peel the freshly cooked
bread off the oven walls. Bread is served with most Middle
Eastern meals, where it's generally torn into shreds that are
used like utensils, forming an envelope or soaking up liquids.
-
NAB :
-
Naval Amphibious Base; compare NAS, see BASE.
-
NACELLE :
-
the enclosed part of an airplane, dirigible, or the like, in
which the engine, cargo, or passengers are housed; compare
COWLING, FUSELAGE, FAIRING. Also, the car of a balloon; as
derived from a "small boat". [nb: reconnoitering balloons were
first used by the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of
Fredericksburg (12 December 1862)]
-
NACIREMA :
-
a modern pluralistic tribe of heterodox peoples, racially and
religiously admixed, sharing a common blend of languages and
mores, regardless of income or profession, especially a
preoccupation with artifacts and costumery, entertainment and
recreation; resident throughout North America in sociopolitical
and socioeconomic enclaves distributed in urban, suburban,
exurban, and rural dwellings of great variety, this oft-analyzed
tribe is world renown for its savvy and enthusiasm, its tolerance
and generosity, its determination and idealism. See CAN DO,
AMERICANIZE, TRADITION, LAST BEST HOPE, PATRIOTISM, FOREIGN
DEVIL, CIVILIAN, SILENT MAJORITY, LITTLE PEOPLE, THIRD ESTATE,
CITIZEN, TAXPAYER, PROFESSIONAL VETERAN, RETIREE, CULTURE WAR.
-
NAD :
-
Naval Advisory Detachment, located in Da Nang to support
MARKET TIME, BRIGHT LIGHT, and other clandestine seaborne
operations by SEALs, FORCE RECON, or SOG, with its counterpart
CSS (Coastal Security Service). [nb: due to concessions made
during the Paris peace talks, all covert maritime operations
north of the DMZ were terminated effective 1 Nov 1968; all OP37
assets were transferred to the Vietnamese CSS by July 1971]
-
NAF :
-
Non-Appropriated Funds, being the subvention money that's
commonly known as a SLUSH FUND.
-
NAG / NAVADVGP :
-
Naval Advisory Group; see MRF, JUNK FORCE.
-
NAILS :
-
an anti-personnel type of warhead attached to a 2.75-inch,
spin-stabilized, folding-fin, aerial rocket containing
FLECHETTEs, and was usually launched from helicopter GUNSHIPs.
-
NAKED :
-
an operative with inadequate COVER or insufficient BACKSTOP, who
may be accidentally or mistakenly exposed; not usually a DANGLE
or THROW-AWAY; see LIFTED SKIRT, RABBIT, BOLT HOLE, TRADECRAFT.
Also, defenseless, unprotected, vulnerable or exposed; without
the customary covering or typical protection, as "out in the
cold" or a "naked sword". Also, unaided or unenhanced, as without
support or supplement, accompaniment or augmentation. Also, plain
or simple, unadorned or unembellished, uncomplicated or
unobscured; by extension of bare or nude, fully exposed or
plainly revealed; see THE NAKED TRUTH. Also, out of uniform;
uncovered or undisguised, as when improperly revealed or
misrepresented; see STERILE, CLEAN, STOOGE, SECRET SQUIRREL,
LIFTED SKIRT.
-
NAKED APE :
-
see SHAVED MONKEY.
-
NAKED FANNY :
-
slang for Nakhon / Nhakon Phanom (NKP) Air Base Thailand, located
across the MeKong River from Takhet Laos; operating as a major
communication and electronic warfare base, hosting both Army
and USAF special operations forces. See PONY, INVERT.
-
THE NAKED TRUTH :
-
the plain authentic TRUTH, unadulterated and unvarnished, without
embellishment or accompaniment, unreserved or undisguised;
according to fable, Truth and Falsehood went bathing together,
and when Falsehood came first out of the water, she dressed
herself in Truth's garments, so when Truth emerged, unwilling to
take the dress of Falsehood, she went naked. [nb: "We wink and
grin, gawk and gape, leer and slaver at each and every lurid lie
... but when exposed to the naked truth, in all its shameless
glory, we modestly blush while offering to conceal its lusty
radiance, as we meekly beg its pardon."]
-
NAM :
-
an abridgement of the name of the southeast Asian country: Viet
Nam / Vietnam; being a short form absent of pejorative
implications; compare THE NAM, see see GVN, RVN, SVN, VN.
-
THE NAM :
-
phrase used by CLERKS 'n' JERKS to signify the VIETNAM
WAR, with the implication that the user is a grizzled veteran of
a tough combat tour; use of this TELLTALE phrase is a FALSE FLAG.
See WAR STORY, SEA STORY, COUNT COUP, BTDT, PAY DUES, REMF,
UP-CLOSE 'n' PERSONAL, CANDY-ASS, WANNABE; compare GVN, RVN, SVN,
VN, THE ROOT, THE MED, THE GULF, THE MOG, ABSURDISTAN, THE STANS.
[nb: among the persistent myths about the VIETNAM WAR is the
generalization that "no place was safe" and that "everyone was a
combatant"; but the fact is that only 8% of ground personnel ever
engaged in combat with the enemy, and the greatest majority of
combat casualties occurred in a few selected border areas of
enemy concentration and infiltration] [v: Myths of the
Vietnam War]
-
NANNY STATE :
-
A repressive government (acting as surrogate parent) that
inhibits the free choice and manages the normal risk of its
constituents by implementing protectionist policies and enforcing
extensive regulations; coined by a British journalist (1965), and
also called a "welfare state", this excess of paternalism seeks
to abrogate LIBERTY with despotic redistribution. Compare CLIENT
STATE, PROTECTORATE, SATELLITE, GARRISON STATE, RUGGED
INDIVIDUALISM, FATHER KNOWS BEST; see FREEDOM, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY,
SOCIAL CONTRACT, EQUAL PROTECTION, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS,
EURO-WEENIE, NATION BUILDING, NEW WORLD ORDER.
-
NANTENNA :
-
NANoscopic rectifying anTENNA that's used to convert light to
electric power; compare RECTENNA.
-
NAP :
-
the "sanctioned" term of Non-Airborne Personnel for the common
slang epithet LEG. Also, a doze or short sleep, especially during
the daytime; see EYELID MAINTENANCE, KIP, PAC / PAC TIME, COMBAT
NAP; compare NO REST. [v: sleep, shut-eye, snooze, doze, catnap,
power nap, forty winks, drowse, slumber, rest, siesta, hibernate]
-
NAPALM :
-
a jellied incendiary, also called "nape", and formally known as
"Incendi-Gel" (or "Incendier-Gel"), used by French and American
forces throughout INDOCHINA as both defoliant and anti-personnel
weapon. Like "Composition C", it was developed during WWII by
British research, but is as ancient as "Greek Fire" (viscid oil
augmented by quicklime, caAD670); consisting of a flammable
organic solvent, usually gasoline, made gelatinous by soap, and
delivered by bomb or flamethrower. NAPALM clung to the surfaces
it touched, holding the burning solvent in place on the target.
See PHOUGAS, SNAKES 'n' NAPES, ZIPPO, FLAMETHROWER, MOLOTOV
COCKTAIL, FAE, GBU, CBU, IRON BOMB. [v: pyromachy]
-
NAP OF THE EARTH :
-
see NOE.
-
NAPS :
-
Naval Academy Prep School; a naval service training center that
prepares enlisted applicants from the Navy and Marine Corps to
attend college at the BOAT SCHOOL (USNA, Annapolis, MD); these
CADETs are known as "NAPSters". Compare USMAPS; see RING-KNOCKER,
TRADE SCHOOL, NROTC.
-
NARGHILE :
-
see HUBBLE-BUBBLE; compare GASPER, PIGTAIL, STICK, HAY, GRASS,
JUNK, DOPE, COLORS, STONED, TAR BABY. [v: kat / khat / qat, kef /
kief / kif, kef / keef, naswar; cf: chillum, bong; nb:
contradictory Muslim use of narcotics but prohibition of wine and
other spiritous liquors (THE DRINK)]
-
NAS :
-
(en ay ess) Naval Air Station; see OPIUM DEN, MCAS, MAD; compare
NAB.
-
NASA :
-
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, established in
1969 from technologies transferred by DARPA, subsuming the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) entire, which has been re-interpreted
as "Never A Straight Answer" and "Not Always Scientifically
Accurate" by investigators; the official NASA motto is: "For the
benefit of all mankind". Compare NSA, NOAA, USGS, NRO; see
STADAN, RIGHT STUFF.
-
NASI LEMAK :
-
a Malaysian dish of coconut rice, fried chicken pieces, parcooked
egg in red sauce with various seasonings, served together on a
banana leaf; as derived from 'fatty rice'.
-
NASI PADANG :
-
a popular Indonesian dish consisting of fish curry, sambal chili
sauce, mixed green vegetables with a little bit of soybean cake
(tempeh) on a bed of hot rice. Compare SATE LILIT.
-
NASTY BOAT :
-
designated U.S. Navy Patrol Type Fast (PTF); imported
from Norway to be part of operation MARKET TIME, used to patrol
(at speeds up to 47 KNOTS) coastal waters and rivers of Vietnam,
and used to insert "Sea Commandos" or SEAL teams. See CAS, PBR,
PBL, PT BOAT, SWIFT BOAT.
-
NASTY-GRAM :
-
a brusque and concise message, typically a terse directive or a
tactless e-mail, which is unnecessarily irritating in its style
and manner, simply because the author has the authority to be
rude to the recipient ... impoliteness is often an attempt to
mask uncertainty or deficiency, regardless of tactical urgency.
Also known as "flame" or "flamer". Compare CALL ON THE CARPET,
FANG, GRIPEVINE, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, RIOT ACT, BAYONET SHEET,
BACK CHANNEL.
-
NATICK :
-
U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering
Center, a Quartermaster research facility in Natick,
Massachusetts; formerly designated "Natick Research and
Development Laboratories".
[nb: the "Army Food Lab" (Food Engineering Laboratories, U.S.
Army Research and Development Command, Natick, MA) continues to
evolve nutritious and convenient meals for MIL-PERS, such as "no
waste steak" (72% animal vs 30%), "pouch food" (Mylar wrapped
food), "air-dried food" (compressed compact food), etc]
-
NATION :
-
see HOMELAND, HOME FRONT, AMERICANIZE / AMERICANIZATION, THE G,
THE ESTABLISHMENT, UNCLE SAM. [cf: state, country] [nb: "Nations
have forefathers, but ideas have progenitors; the wealthy have
ancestors, but the poor only have grandparents."]
-
NATIONAL ANTHEM :
-
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, by Francis Scott Key, was composed
during the defense of Fort McHenry, 13-14 September 1814; then
made National Anthem of the United States of America by a 1916
Executive Order and a 3 March 1931 Act of Congress.
[nb: "There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American
flag is a symbol of oppression .... The anthem itself conveys a
war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all
that sort of thing. The National Anthem should be swapped for
something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song 'I'd
Like To Teach The World To Sing'. If that were our anthem, then,
I might salute it. In my opinion, we should consider reinventing
our National Anthem as well as redesign our Flag to better offer
our enemies hope and love. ... When I Become President, I will
seek a pact of agreement to end hostilities between those who
have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from
disquieting oppressive thoughts. We as a Nation, have placed upon
the nations of Islam, an unfair injustice which is WHY my wife
disrespects the (American) Flag and she and I have attended
several flag burning ceremonies in the past". by Barack Obama]
-
NATIONAL CEMETERY :
-
a cemetery, maintained by the federal government, for the
interment of persons who have served honorably in the Armed
Forces of the United States, the most famous of which is
Arlington National Cemetery; see PUNCHBOWL, BOX JOB, BONEYARD,
GARDEN OF STONES, TOMB, CATAFALQUE, FUNERAL PACE, MORTUARY
AFFAIRS, GRAVES REGISTRATION; compare LAID BY THE WALL.
[nb: "long home" is slang for gravesite; v: graveyard, boneyard,
boot hill, God's acre, churchyard, catacomb, necropolis,
cenotaph, columbarium, sepulcher; cf: "whited sepulcher" (Matthew
23:27)] [nb: the traditional three-shot volley at burial derives
from the pagan ritual of shouting the name of the deceased three
times to tell the gods who is coming] [nb: the tradition of
placing a coin in the mouth of the deceased before burial derives
from the pagan rite of paying for passage into the Afterlife
(cf: Christian eschatology, re: "harder for a rich man to get
into Heaven"); compare "tooth notch" at DOG TAGS] [nb: "Show me
the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead,
and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender
sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land,
and their loyalty to high ideals." by William Ewart Gladstone]
-
NATIONAL DEFENSE :
-
see NATIONAL SECURITY.
-
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL / NDSM :
-
awarded to MIL-PERS for honorable active federal service in the
Armed Forces during the KOREAN WAR (25 Jun 1950 - 27 Jul 1953),
the VIETNAM WAR (1 Jan 1961 - 14 Aug 1974), the Persian GULF WAR
(2 Aug 1990 - 30 Nov 1995), and the GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM (11
Sep 2001...), with a bronze service star (BATTLE STAR) or an oak
leaf cluster (OLC) added for multiple periods of service; the
NDSM has also been authorized for award to cadets serving at the
military service academies (ie: USMA, USNA, USAFA). The obverse
of this medal displays the legend "National Defense" with an
American eagle surmounting a military sword and palm branch
representing 'victory'; the reverse displays the United States
shield amidst an oak leaf and laurel spray representing
achievement and strength. It's been sardonically remarked that
the colors of the NDSM are: "red for the blood we never shed,
blue for the sea and sky we never crossed, and yellow is the
reason why!" The NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL is equivalent to
the AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL (ACM) for similar active federal duty
during WWII. Compare AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL.
-
NATIONAL GUARD :
-
see NG, ARNG, ANG, WEEKEND WARRIOR.
-
NATIONALISM :
-
devotion and loyalty to one's own country, its culture and
customs; adherence to the spirit of PATRIOTIC aspiration or
advancement. Also, a policy asserting the peculiar interests of
one's own nation, as separate from the interests of other nations
or from the common interests of all nations; also called
"statism", being a movement promoting such a doctrine. See NATION
BUILDING, WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, CULTURE WAR, SOFT TYRANNY,
SIEGE MENTALITY, LAST BEST HOPE, SPREAD-EAGLEISM, TRUE BLUE;
compare UN-AMERICAN, ANTI-AMERICAN.
[v: kultur, nativism, xenophobia, ethnocentrism, chauvinism,
jingoism, irredentism, separatism, anomie; cf: nation-state,
self-determination, autonomous international cooperation,
fascism, socialism, imperialism, populism]
-
THE NATIONAL JOKE FACTORY :
-
Congress, the best that money can buy! ... both phrases are
ascribed to William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers about the branch of
government that apportions, reviews, and regulates the military,
with little knowledge and less appreciation for its role or
function. The military is either a cat's-paw or stalking-horse
for ambitious pols, whose best joke is delivered every time THE
EAGLE SHITS. See THE G, FOGGY BOTTOM, THE HILL, ALPHABET CITY,
OLYMPUS, GREEN ACRES, RED TAPE, PORK BARREL, ACT OF CONGRESS,
PETITION, WASHINGTON WALTZ, UNCLE SAM, MANDARIN, YANKEE. [nb:
"Every time Congress makes a joke, it's a law. And every time it
makes a law, it's a joke." by Will Rogers; "There's no trick to
being a humorist when you have the whole government working for
you." by William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers]
-
NATIONAL MARCH :
-
STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER, composed by John Philip Sousa (c1897),
was proclaimed the national march of the United States of America
on 10 December 1987 by an Act of Congress.
-
NATIONAL ORDER OF TRENCH RATS :
-
conceived by a group of disabled World War I veterans who were
patients in the United States Public Health Service Hospital #54
located at Arrowhead Springs, California, with some of them being
members of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Disabled American
Veterans (DAV); this facility (like many others) was converted
from a building formerly used for other purposes due to a
shortage of hospital beds after the war, in this case, a well
known hotel situated on the side of a mountain near San
Bernardino. Because of its isolation and the limited activities
available to its patients, the majority of whom were ambulatory,
a few DAV members formed a secret fraternal society, devising an
initiation ceremony, which was then promoted nationwide as a DAV
auxiliary in 1924. The NATIONAL ORDER OF TRENCH RATS derives its
name from the rats sharing the trenches in France during the
Great War, and members are divided into local Dugouts. An
exclusive "fun and honor society", it's open only by invitation
to those who perform outstanding service for the Disabled
American Veterans, with the Order's members wearing different
colored fezzes, similar to the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, as
symbols of their status. See BOY'S CLUB, VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.
[nb: before the American CIVIL WAR, several state militias (eg:
Chicago Zouave Cadets, New York Zouaves, Indiana Zouaves, Salem
Zouaves, Eufaula Zouaves, Chichester Zouaves, Richmond Zouaves,
Maryland Guard Zouaves, etc) caparisoned their troops like the
picturesque Algerian-French Zouaves, including the fez,
principally for drill, but retained this gawdy uniform throughout
the war (eg: Battle of Port Republic)]
-
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL :
-
organized (20 Sept 1916) to promote wartime research and to
stimulate scientific information; see DARPA.
-
NATIONAL SECURITY :
-
a momentous catch-phrase that was imbued with righteous
patriotism, as coined by James V. Forrestal, the first Secretary
of Defense, the utterance of which was intended to (literally and
figuratively) open any closed door and close any open door; an
invocation to "bend the rules" for a "higher" or "greater" cause.
This post-WWII expression, prevalent during the VIETNAM WAR and
also represented as "national defense", was a sacrosanct
incantation for the edification and exploitation of
BRASS-COLLARed CANNON FODDER; being a laissez-passer for all
things vague and shadowy and off the record. See PARTY LINE, TOE
THE LINE, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, BIG PICTURE, FOR THE GREATER
GOOD, SCRIPTURES, SAVINGS BOND. [nb: "Security is like liberty in
that many are the crimes that are committed in its name." by
Robert H. Jackson (1950)]
-
National Security Presidential Directive 51 :
-
see NSPD-51.
-
NATIONAL SUICIDE :
-
see STATE SUICIDE; compare CULTURAL SUICIDE.
-
NATION BUILDING :
-
the declared altruistic objective of civil and military
operations that validate the dominant exported culture; phrase
coined by Boston newspaper on 12 July 1817 during America's
"manifest destiny". The "white man's burden" of promoting a
"melting pot" homogeneity as the universal culture of the 19th
century has been redefined as "tossed salad" diversity under 20th
century multiculturalism, an egalitarian export that devalues
civilized achievement. After the VIETNAM WAR, this unconventional
warfare (UW) doctrine was shunned as politically sensitive in
favor of measurable objectives, but when COUNTER-TERRORISM
missions were assigned, the doctrinal dispute resumed; the new
iteration of NATION-BUILDING is called "stability operations"
(STABOP), wherein the US military helps to provide basic services
and build institutions to stabilise a foreign state recovering
from war. The Pentagon issued a directive in late 2005 declaring
that "stability operations are a core US military mission". Such
stability and peacekeeping operations also involve civilian
advisers as police, engineers, sanitarians, economists, and
agricultural experts. See WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS, CLIENT STATE,
FIFTY-FIRST STATER, NANNY STATE, MONROE DOCTRINE, ROOSEVELT
COROLLARY, GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY, TRUMAN DOCTRINE, MARSHALL PLAN,
CONTAINMENT, NEW WORLD ORDER, INTERVENTIONISM, NIXON DOCTRINE,
CARTER DOCTRINE, REAGAN DOCTRINE; compare ISOLATIONISM.
[nb: "The most important thing about democracy, which America
could not teach Vietnam because we have not yet learned it
ourselves, is not who votes, but who counts the ballots." by an
unknown commentator] [v: "manifest Destiny" was coined by John L.
O'Sullivan (1839); "White Man's Burden" was coined by J. Rudyard
Kipling (1899)]
-
NATIVISM :
-
the policy of preserving or reviving an indigenous culture; the
practice of preferring the interests of a native-born population
to the diversity of incoming external influences; compare
CONTINENTALISM. [v: innate; cf: messianism, adaptation,
accommodation, acculturation / assimilation, exclusion /
extermination, xenophobia]
-
NATO :
-
abbreviation for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, being a
coalition formed on 4 April 1949 among the twelve nations of the
Atlantic Pact (ie: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom,
United States of America) together with Greece (1952), Turkey
(1952), and the Federal Republic of Germany ("West Germany"
1955), for collective defense under a joint military command
(headed by SACEur) against aggression, especially the Soviet
Union and the six other eastern European nations of the Warsaw
Pact (aka: Warsaw Treaty Organization); NATO is headquartered at
Brussels, Belgium (or Bruxelles, Belgique); compare LEAGUE OF
NATIONS, COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS, UN, COMMON MARKET. [nb: the
NATO coalition continues to represent collective defense for
nations emerging in the region that affiliate, including some
former Warsaw Pact countries, to wit: Spain (1982), Czech
Republic (1999), Hungary (1999), Poland (1999), Bulgaria (2004),
Estonia (2004), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Romania (2004),
Slovakia (2004), Slovenia (2004), Albania (2009), Croatia (2009)]
Also, abbreviation for the North African Theater of Operations,
being the WWII designation for the area encompassing morocco,
Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt; see ETO, MTO.
-
NATO ACCESSORY RAIL :
-
see PICATINNY RAIL.
-
NATURAL AREA :
-
a term employed in the fields of human ecology and human
geography to denote a habitat occupied by a population that
shares a common 'social heritage' of similar interests, related
occupations, class values, or other distinguishing cultural
possessions ... in short, a distinctive community. See BASE,
FORT, POST, COMPOUND, FSB, FOB, OUTPOST, GARRISON, CANTONMENT,
RESERVATION, GEOPOLITICS.
-
NAUTICAL MILE :
-
officially known as the "International Nautical Mile", being a
unit of distance at sea or in the air equal to 1.852 kilometers.
Also, a unit of distance, formerly used in the U.S. for
navigation, equal to 6080.20 feet (1853.25 m), or the length of a
minute of latitude at the latitude in question (decreasing toward
the poles); abbreviated "nm". See KNOT, CABLE, FATHOM, DEMONS,
SHOT, KLICK.
[nb: the nautical mile was originally defined as a minute of arc
of latitude measured along any meridian (circumference measured
through the earth's poles); since a circle has 360 degrees, and
each degree is 60 minutes, so the nautical mile was defined as
1/21,600 of the Earth's circumference, or about 1,852.22 meters;
however, by international agreement, the NM is now defined to be
exactly 1,852 meters (6,076 feet)]
[nb: 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, 6 feet / 2 yards = 1
fathom, 16.5 feet = 1 rod (aka: pole or perch), 66 feet / 4 rods
= 1 chain (90 feet / 15 fathoms = 1 anchor chain), 10 chains /
660 feet (1/8 statute mile) = 1 furlong, 120 fathoms / 720 feet =
1 land cable, 101 fathoms / 606 feet (1/10 nautical mile) = 1
cable, 3 statute miles = 1 land league, 3 nautical miles = 1 sea
league / shot] [nb: a "geographic mile" is the length of a minute
of longitude on the equator]
-
NAV :
-
contraction of NAVigator, or radar navigator, in an aircraft.
Also, prefix for Navy or naval abbreviations (eg: NavForV, NavLO,
NavOp, NavSpeak).
-
NAVAL INSTITUTE :
-
see USNI.
-
NAVCOMSTA :
-
Naval Communications Station.
-
NAVFORV :
-
US Naval Forces Vietnam.
-
NAVIGATION :
-
the art and science of ascertaining, plotting, or guiding a
directional course over land, sea, or air; abbreviated NAV. See
AIMPOINT, HEADING, BEARING, AZIMUTH, DEVIATION, COMPASS, COMPASS
CARD, COMPASS ROSE, PLOT, CHART TABLE, MAP, COMICS, TOPO, MOSAIC
MAP, CHART, CONTOUR LINES, GRID LINES, GRID COORDINATES, MGRS,
UTM, GPS, INS, AIS, SRTM, LORAN, GYROCOMPASS, BEAM, TACAN, VOR,
VECTOR, DOUBLE DRIFT, NAV PLOT, AIDS-TO-NAVIGATION, WAY POINT,
LEEWAY, DEAD-RECKONING, SLANT DISTANCE, HEADWAY, ORIENTEERING.
-
NAVIGUESSER :
-
the MIL-SPEAK corruption of navigator, being the flight officer
in the aircrew who's responsible for the accurate positioning of
the aircraft in transit, as well as any weapons or cargo
AIRDROPped onto an AIMPOINT, including airborne (ABN) MIL-PERS
deployed onto a landing (LZ) or drop zone (DZ). See HEADING,
AZIMUTH, BEARING, BEAM, VECTOR, DEAD-RECKONING, HEADWAY, PLOT,
CHART TABLE, NAV, NAVIGATION; compare SLACK. [nb: in NavSpeak, an
assistant navigator is designated as a QUARTERMASTER]
-
NAVLO :
-
Navy Liaison Officer; see LO.
-
NAVOP :
-
US NAVy OPerations; NavSpeak for headquarters (HQ). See FLAG
PLOT.
-
NAVPERS :
-
someone serving in any of the several naval services (ie: U.S.
Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Merchant Marine); see SAILOR,
CIVLANT, CIVPAC, MIL-PERS.
-
NAV PLOT :
-
contraction of navigation plot; see PLOT.
-
NAVSECGRU :
-
Naval Security Group.
-
NAVSPEAK :
-
a subcategory of MIL-SPEAK, being the slang and jargon employed
by Navy and Marine personnel. [nb: called "jack-speak" in the
British Royal Navy; first compiled as a glossary in 1955 by
Commander A. Covey-Crump]
-
NAV-STAR :
-
unclassified nickname of the global positioning satellites (GPS)
which enable accurate and convenient navigation for military and
civilian persons linked to them.
-
NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL / NAM :
-
(forthcoming); presented for achievement or valor, this award
ranks below the Navy Commendation Medal (NAVCOM), the Meritorious
Service Medal (MSM) and Bronze Star (BSM); equivalent to the Army
Achievement Medal (AAM). Compare GREEN WEENIE; see DEVICE, GONG.
-
NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL / NAVCOM :
-
(forthcoming); this award ranks below the Bronze Star (BSM) for
valor, and between the Navy Achievement Medal (NAM) and the
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for achievement. See DEVICE,
V-DEVICE, IMPACT AWARD, GONG.
-
NAVY CROSS / NC :
-
the nation's second highest award for valor, presented to Navy
and Marine personnel for conspicuous gallantry; equivalent to the
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) or Air Force Cross (AFC). See
V-DEVICE, IMPACT AWARD, GONG.
-
NAVY SHOWER :
-
a method of showering wherein the body is wetted, the water
turned off while washing is performed, then rinsed as quickly as
possible; this water-saving evolution wherein one attempts to get
reasonably clean while using as little water as possible was
formerly performed aboard ships using filtered seawater and
saltwater soap before distillation became commonplace. See GI
SHOWER, DOUCHE BAG, RAINROOM, PT SHOWER, MARINE SHOWER, WHORE'S
BATH, MONKEY BUTT, LATRINE, HEAD, COMFORT STATION.
-
NAVY SIZE / NAVY SIZED :
-
informal referent for "either too big or too small"; except by
some extraordinary cosmic coincidence, nothing issued by the
military will ever fit a normal person. Compare ARMY SIZE, ONE
SIZE FITS ALL; see FOOTWEAR, DRESS, CAP-A-PIE. [v: tailored,
bespoke, couture]
-
THE NAVY WAY :
-
see THE ARMY WAY, FOR THE HELL OF IT, MIL-SPEC, GOOD ENOUGH FOR
GOVERNMENT WORK, PARTY LINE. [nb: "They know what they know, and
what they don't know, they don't want to know." by Peter Bowen]
-
NAZI :
-
a contraction of National Socialist, from the political party
named National Socialist German Workers' Party, which ruled
Germany under (Chancellor, later 'der Führer') Adolf Hitler
[born: Alois Schicklgruber; also known as "Mahatma Propagandi"]
during the Third Reich (1933-1945), advocating territorial
expansion and Aryan supremacy. This term signifies political
affiliation, not military service; see SWASTIKA, BROWN SHIRT,
BLACK SHIRT, IMPERIALISM, SOCIALISM, BAD GUYS, GENOCIDE. Also,
the most common disparagement or most frequent derogation uttered
against MIL-PERS by PACIFISTs, PROTESTORs, and other societal
parasites; this stereotypically censorious slur attempts to
equate PATRIOTs with war criminals, PATRIOTism with chauvinism or
jingoism, Americanism with xenophobia or ethnocentrism, which
generalizations are specious attributions and fraudulent
comparisons.
-
NBC :
-
Nuclear-Bacterial-Chemical, or Nuclear-Biological-Chemical
warfare agents; see CBR, CBW, GERM WARFARE, CBRNE, GNR, WMD,
VECTOR, NUKE, BOMB, GENOCIDE, APOCALYPSE.
-
NBC SUIT :
-
a protective coverall designed to shield the wearer against
contamination from nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons; see
MOPP, BUNNY SUIT, MOON SUIT, BLUE SUIT, JSLIST, CPOG, GAS MASK.
-
N-BOMB :
-
a nuclear bomb designed to release an intense burst of neutrons
and gamma rays, with a weaker blast wave and less residual
radiation than other nuclear weapons; also known as "neutron
bomb" or "enhanced radiation weapon" (ERW). Compare A-BOMB,
H-BOMB; see ZERO POINT, GROUND ZERO, OVERKILL, CBR, NUKE,
FOOTBALL, PENTAGONAL, DARPA, BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK,
YELLOWCAKE, HEAVY WATER, HOT GREASE, SCRAM, CONTAINMENT, BROKEN
ARROW.
-
NCA :
-
(en-see-ay) National Command Authority, being the highest level
of tactical leadership in time of war or other emergency, from
the president, his duly deputized alternate or successor along
the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND from the JCS.
-
NCB :
-
Naval Construction Battalion; see SEABEES.
-
NCC :
-
Navy Component Commander. Also, the National Coordinating
Committee to End the War in Vietnam; see NEW MOBE, PROTESTOR,
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, BEST AND BRIGHTEST, RUNNING DOG, FIFTH
COLUMN, BLACK BLOC, BULLSHITVIK, YIPPIE.
-
NCDU :
-
Naval Combat Demolitions Units were formed during Spring 1943 by
Naval Construction Battalion (CB/SEABEES) volunteers, to perform
underwater surveys and clearances for amphibious landings. The
NCDU evolved into Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) before the
end of WWII.
-
NCFPAC :
-
Naval Construction Forces Pacific; see SEABEES.
-
NCIS :
-
Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or Naval Criminal
Investigation Service, being the section that specializes in
criminal investigations and prosecutions for the U.S. Navy and
Marine Corps, and is the successor of the Naval Investigative
Service (NIS), and is commonly called the "admiral's gestapo" by
the other military police organizations within the SecDef's
office; see CID, OSI, CGIS, DCIS, DIS, FBI, BUTTON, POLICE.
-
NCO :
-
(en-see-oh) Non-Commissioned Officer; exclusive of technical and
specialist ratings, the "hard-stripe" sergeant and petty officer
RANKs (from E-4) are in the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND; also known as
"nun-skum" and SARGE. See BUCK, CHIEF, GUNNY, TOP, TOP-KICK, DI,
FIELD FIRST, SUPER GRADE, ROCKER, NCOIC, SNCOIC, MATING
MOSQUITOES, SNCO, RIGHT ARM; compare EM, MOSQUITO WING, MOSQUITO
SMILE, SLICK SLEEVE, SPEC, BIRD UMBRELLA, CRUIT, SWINE LOG,
YARDBIRD, STAFF SERGEANT MAJOR.
-
NCOA :
-
Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, being a Corps- or Army-level
training course required for promotion above Sergeant E-5; see
LPC, INCOC, NCOCC, SMA, SHAKE 'n' BAKE, UP OR OUT. [v: FM 7-22
"Non-Commissioned Officer Guide" (1904)]
-
NCOCC :
-
(forthcoming); see LPC, NCOA, SMA, SHAKE 'n' BAKE, UP OR OUT.
course training later automated at off-duty education centers.
-
NCO CLUB :
-
(forthcoming); include STRIPES BAR, ROCKER LOUNGE, TOP 3 CLUB,
RIGHT ARM; compare ANNEX, SLOP CHUTE, ACEY-DEUCY, O CLUB, ALL
RANKS CLUB. [v: "What happens in the club stays in the club!"]
-
NCOER :
-
Non-Commissioned Officer Efficiency Report; based on character
and efficiency (C&E) rating. See FITREP, ER, BAYONET SHEET.
-
NCOIC :
-
(n-c-o-i-c) Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge; compare SNCOIC,
OIC, CQ.
-
NCS :
-
National Clandestine Service, formerly designated the Directorate
of Operations for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
-
NCTC :
-
National Counter-Terrorism Center, an interagency organization
devoted to NATIONAL SECURITY through the detection and
neutralization of foreign and domestic threats; see DHS, NSPG,
NRP, NIMS, ANTI-TERRORISM, COUNTER-TERRORISM, TERRORIST.
-
N-DAY :
-
Notification-Day; the unnamed day an active duty unit is notified
for deployment or redeployment. See TIME.
-
NDP :
-
Night Defensive Position; see PERIMETER, LUP, RON, COLD CAMP,
SPIKE, PILLBOX, BUNKER, FOXHOLE, DEPUY FOXHOLE, SPIDER HOLE,
HASTY TRENCH, E-TOOL.
-
NEACP :
-
(knee-cap) National Emergency Airborne Command Post, being the
perennially airborne aerial command center of the Strategic Air
Command (SAC) and Strategic Command (STRATCOM), which is the
command and control (C&C) headquarters of the president
(POTUS) in the event of worldwide nuclear war (DOOMSDAY); see
DEFCON, SACON, FPCON, ALERT, FOOTBALL, ABNCP, ABCCC, LOOKING
GLASS.
-
NEAR EAST :
-
the operational area of the SANDBOX and the FIVE SEAS.
-
NEAR MISS :
-
a hairsbreadth escape or deliverance from danger or trouble; see
CLOSE SHAVE, SQUEAK; compare WITHOUT TURNING A HAIR. [nb: not a
declaration of the propinquity of an unmarried woman!]
-
NEC :
-
Non-Essential Cover, which is also known as Non-Official Cover
(NOC).
-
NECCO :
-
sugar wafers made by the New England Confectionery Company
(Necco) and provided in rolls of assorted flavors since 1847;
called "hub wafers" at the time, these lozenges were carried by
Federal troops during the American CIVIL WAR because they were
resistant to travel and temperature exposures, which factors
became a consideration for later wars and expeditions, up to the
present. Issued to servicemembers during WWII, the popularity of
these wafers dwindled after the Vietnam-era. NECCO wafers usually
include eight flavors [ie: lemon (yellow), lime (green), orange
(orange), clove (purple), cinnamon (white), wintergreen (pink),
licorice (black), and chocolate (brown)], but the manufacturer
has also produced a mix of chocolates [ie: mocha (light brown),
white chocolate (white), milk chocolate (brown), and dark
chocolate (dark brown)] and a new "Smoothies" assortment [ie:
blueberry (pale blue), banana caramel (yellow), pineapple /
coconut (white), peach (orange), and strawberry creme (pink)].
While the company has reputedly sold more than a trillion NECCO
wafers, it also produces "Haviland Mints", "Conversation Hearts",
"Mary Janes", "Nonpareil", "Sky Bar" and CLARK BAR candy bars,
among others. See POGY BAIT, GEDUNK, SUGAR PILL.
-
NECESSARY / NECESSITY :
-
that which is essential or requisite, unavoidable or inevitable,
needful or crucial, indispensable or irreplaceable, including
basic issue, minimum allotment, required subsistence, and so
forth. [eg: potable water, nourishing food, breathable air,
protective clothing, adequate shelter, and the like] Also, any
compulsory act or involuntary proceeding, such as an imperative
decision; see DON'T DO NOTHING, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, NO
EXCUSE, ZERO TOLERANCE, CHECKING THE DICTIONARY, SCRIPTURES,
READ-BACK; compare RUN IT UP THE FLAGPOLE, NOSE COUNT, EYE-CHECK,
BULLFROG CHORUS, PARTY LINE, MICROMANAGEMENT, HEADQUARTERISM,
RUNNING DOG, POPULARITY CONTEST, REASSURANCE. Also, that which
inevitably follows from logical, physical, or moral laws; a
logical proposition, the denial of which is self-contradictory;
the conclusion of a logical argument which cannot be rendered
false if its initial premises are true; a preliminary condition
which must exist if it logically entails a consequence (ie: a
given event is to occur or a given thing is to exist). [cf:
sufficient] Also, an American euphemism for a privy or toilet;
see LATRINE, BLUE CANOE, CAT HOLE, SLIT TRENCH, HONEY BUCKET,
COMFORT STATION.
-
NECK :
-
any narrow, connecting, or projecting part or piece, especially a
strip of land; an isthmus or cape. Also, a strait, channel,
narrows, or passage. See BIGHT. [cf: "gat" : a passage or channel
that extends inland from a shore through shoals, reefs, gorges,
and the like; as derived from hole or opening]
-
NECK CURTAIN :
-
see HAVELOCK, PUGREE.
-
NECKERCHIEF :
-
a scarf or cloth worn around the neck; see KERCHIEF.
-
NECK GAITER :
-
see NECK SOCK. [cf: turtleneck, dickey; balaclava, coif,
pileus/pîlos, calotte, skullcap]
-
NECKLACE :
-
to pinion a harried victim with a fuel-filled rubber tire, or a
wrap of petrol-soaked rope, which is ignited while the person is
entrapped; being a slow and sadistic form of execution practiced
in many underdeveloped countries. See HAIRCUT AND MANICURE,
DECAPITATION, TERRORIST, ATROCITY.
-
NECK SCARF :
-
a colored or patterned neck-cloth worn with various uniforms to
signify unit distinction or branch affiliation; such as honor
guard, military police, or airborne status. Sometimes called
cravat, ascot, or foulard; in observing the military tradition of
Croatian mercenaries wearing a distinctive neck scarf while
serving in the French Army. In WWII, resupply parachutes were
often scavenged to make distinctively colored or patterned neck
scarves as an indication of front line duty. During combat
operations, all MIKE FORCE troops were issued a distinctively
patterned or colored NECK SCARF to help prevent FRIENDLY FIRE
casualties; a similar display was practiced by the Northern
Alliance tribesmen and their ADVISORs in Afghanistan after the
9/11 2001 TERRORIST attack. Compare FOUR-IN-HAND, FIELD SCARF,
KERCHIEF; see CORD, CORDON, CREST, HEADGEAR, LANYARD, PATCH.
[nb: during the period of American "manifest destiny", when
Indian Scouts were employed as Army guides and strikers in the
Western campaigns, bright red cloths were issued to AmerIndian
allies, to be worn as an armband or headband or NECK SCARF, so as
to avoid FRIENDLY FIRE casualties during engagements]
-
NECK SOCK :
-
informal name for the separate tube or collar encasing the
wearer's throat, knitted or crocheted of woolen yarns, that has
been permitted for wear for additional warmth during winter
operations by OEF troops in Afghanistan and OIF troops in Iraq;
also called "neck gaiter" or "neck warmer" [cf: turtleneck,
dickey]. See JEEP CAP, WATCH CAP. [cf: balaclava, coif,
pileus/pîlos, calotte, skullcap]
-
NECKTIE :
-
a decorative band of fabric, variously colored or patterned,
that's worn around the neck under the shirt collar and fastened
in front with a slipknot, either leaving the loose ends hanging
down, or arranged to form a tidy bow; see FOUR-IN-HAND, FIELD
SCARF, BLACK TIE, WHITE TIE. Also, any piece of fabric arranged
as a band or scarf that's fastened around the wearer's neck; see
NECK SCARF, KERCHIEF. [cf: old school tie, choker; v: simple
overhand knot, half Windsor knot, Windsor knot, double Windsor
knot] Also, slang for a hangman's noose and rope (halter); see
HANG, GALLOWS, ONE SIZE FITS ALL, ROOM TO SWING A CAT, JUDGE
LYNCH, STRANGE FRUIT, CHRISTMAS TREE, TWIST IN THE WIND.
-
NECROLOGY :
-
a list of persons who have died within a certain time; a
published notice of such deceased persons; compare OBITUARY,
EPITAPH.
-
NEEDLE :
-
slang for the direction indicator or course pointer in a magnetic
COMPASS, which is typically dampened so as to hinder excessive
oscillation during travel, especially in a constantly moving
vehicle or craft, so as to maintain its direction; see DEADHEAD,
GIMBAL, GYROCOMPASS. [v: pelorus] Also, metonymic slang for a
syringe for hypodermic injection or ejection; see SYRETTE. Also,
a small, slender, pointed instrument, typically curved, used for
sewing or suturing; see HOUSEWIFE, PURSE-STRING SUTURE, DOG BITE.
Also, to prod, goad, or harass someone, as "to give him the
needle".
-
NEED TO KNOW :
-
the basic criterion for access to restricted data, regardless of
rank or position; security classifications include UNCLASsified
(UNCLAS)(color code: white), For Official Use Only (FOUO)(color
code: green), Confidential (color code: blue), Secret (color
code: red), Top Secret (TS)(color code: orange), and delimiters
include NO FOReigN (NOFORN) and Eyes Only (no copies)(color code:
yellow). There are no security classifications "above" Top
Secret, but code word access for special projects or reports, is
a further restriction based upon the NEED TO KNOW, upon being "in
the loop" for action or oversight. It's been said that SOG kept
its best secrets from its own operatives, all of whom were
COMPARTMENTALIZED, since penetration agents and war PROTESTORS
seemingly knew more than the actual veterans! See MUSHROOM, IT'S
NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, OPSEC, BLACKOUT, GAG ORDER, BACK CHANNEL.
[nb: "hush-hush" and "mum" mean 'silent' (don't talk about it),
rather than 'secret'] [nb: "Three may keep a secret, if two of
them are dead." by Benjamin Franklin (1735); "Security is like
liberty in that many are the crimes that are committed in its
name." by Robert H. Jackson (1950); "Absolute secrecy corrupts
absolutely." by Fred Hitz (1995)]
-
NE'ER-DO-WELL :
-
(nair-doo-whell) an idle, ineffectual, or worthless person;
someone who's good-for-nothing; see DUD, GOLDBRICK, DEADHEAD,
GHOST, SLACKER, MAGGOT, POGUE, TAP-DANCER, FEATHER MERCHANT, SOS,
HALF-ASSED, PUKE, DOUCHE BAG, YARDBIRD, REST ON OARS, FIELD
REJECT, DODGE THE BULLET.
-
NEGATIVE :
-
MIL-SPEAK for no, not, incorrect, disagree, denied, none;
sometimes converted into slang as "negatory" or "negatron".
Compare AFFIRMATIVE, CORRIGHT; see NUGATORY.
-
NEGATIVE ATTITUDE :
-
exhibiting a selfish ("What's in it for me?") or cynical ("You've
mistaken me for someone who cares."; "Do I look like somebody who
gives a damn?") approach to life's difficulties and challenges,
which is countered by motivational teamwork ("The word TEAM is
not spelled with an 'I' in it!"); see HALF-ASSED, GUNDECKING,
SHORT-TIMER ATTITUDE, GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK,
BOONDOGGLE, ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF,
CUTTHROAT, IOTA. [v: anomie]
-
NEGATORY / NEGATRON :
-
see NEGATIVE; compare AFFIRMATIVE, NUGATORY.
-
NEGATRON / NEGATORY :
-
see NEGATIVE; compare AFFIRMATIVE, NUGATORY.
-
NEGRONI :
-
a mixed drink made of gin, semi-sweet red vermouth, Campari®
bitters that's served over ice in a short glass, and garnished
with an orange twist or a slice of orange; this cocktail is
attributed to Count Camillo Negroni, who ordered that gin replace
the soda in an 'Americano', as attested (1919) by Lucca Picchi
(or Fosco Scarselli), the mixologist at Bar Casoni in Florence,
Italy. Sometimes called a "red martini", this apéritif was
later produced as a ready-made version, "Antico Negroni 1919", by
the Negroni Distillerie in Treviso, Italy. Variations exist with
the liquor substituted, such as dry vermouth and Canadian rye
whisky ("Old Pal"), whiskey ("Boulevardier"), tequila ("Agavoni"
or "Tegroni"), sparkling white wine or Prosecco ("Negroni
Sbagliato"), and so forth. Compare GIMLET, MARTINI, GIBSON,
MANHATTAN, ROB ROY; see HOOCH, GROG, JUICE, MOONSHINE, THE DRINK,
HOIST, GUSTO. [nb: descendants of General Pascal Olivier de
Negroni, Count de Negroni claim that he was the "Count Negroni"
who invented the drink in 1857 in Senegal, formerly part of
French West Africa]
-
NEGUS :
-
a beverage of wine, hot water, sugar, nutmeg, and lemons;
eponymously after its inventor, Francis Negus, an 18th century
English colonel; compare GROG, TODDY, CAUDLE, SANGRIA, WINE
COOLER. [nb: not derived from the title of Ethiopian royalty]
-
NEL :
-
Navy Electronics Laboratory.
-
NELE :
-
Near Extinction Level Event; see ELE.
-
NEO :
-
Noncombatant Evacuation Operation, being the designation for the
transport of injured civilians to a medical facility; see SOFT
TARGET, CIVCAS, COLLATERAL DAMAGE, MUSHROOM, NEUTRAL, DOUBTFULS,
MEDEVAC, DUSTOFF, BAND-AID, CRACKER BOX, AID STATION, HOSP.
-
NEPOTISM :
-
see SPOILS, SPOILS OF WAR, CASTE, RING-KNOCKER, KHAKI MAFIA,
BOY'S CLUB, LEGACY, CAKE-EATER, POWER ELITE, TICKET-PUNCHER,
UNTOUCHABLE, MILICRAT.
-
NEPTUNE :
-
Lockheed RP-2 aircraft.
Also, brand name of the DIVE KNIFE that was available (1968-74)
as a private-purchase accessory made by Gerber Legendary Blades
for underwater utility and survival during the VIETNAM WAR; the
5.5" blade of .25" 440C stainless steel had inch marks etched
along its length. The straight-backed blade had either sawteeth
or serrations along its back, a plain cutting edge leading to an
upswept point, and a molded haft with an integral single-quillion
guard of highly textured (non-slip) "Armorhide" that was colored
either bright yellow and black or international blaze orange. The
Gerber NEPTUNE was provided with a durable latex sheath (with
chromium carbide sharpening steel) or oil-impregnated leather
sheath, either suited for wear on belt or leg. See KNIFE. [nb:
Gerber's 'Armorhide' handle treatment is a textured coating of
vinyl dispersion resins, being a plasticizer that resists
abrasion and improves slip-resistance better than paint, which
treatment was later changed to an electrostatic dry-powder
baked-on coating; 'Armorhide' exists in gray, black, yellow, and
orange]
-
NERDISTAN :
-
slang for the episodic concentrations of high-tech and
science-based industries, such as California's Silicon Valley and
Boston's Route 128 Corridor; formed as a blend of 'nerd' with the
suffix "-istan" (place), these developments are expansions of the
post-WWII era "nerdvilles", which arenas had often been located
on the periphery of a research laboratory or technical school.
See WONK, GADGET, WALLAH, GUNNER, WIZARD, PROFESSOR, POGUE,
CREEP. [nb: the electronic medium that's populated by online
bloggers is known as "blogistan"]
-
NERVE GAS :
-
any of several poison gases, derived chiefly from phosphoric
acid, that interfere with nerve conduction and respiration; see
ATROPINE.
-
NERVOUS IN THE SERVICE :
-
a rhyming catch-phrase for "relax", "calm down", "take it easy",
and similar injunctions; typically expressed as "Don't get
nervous in the service." whenever allaying doubts and concerns,
reassuring hesitation and misgivings. Also used to identify
someone who's anxious or apprehensive, excited or agitated, as
"He must be getting short 'cause he's nervous in the service."
... these skittish or flinchy persons are sometimes called
"jitterbug" or "jumping bean"; see HANG LOOSE, MARK TIME, HAPPY
FEET, OCULAR PINBALL, HURRY-UP AND WAIT. [nb: the 'startle
response' is an alarm reflex that can increase survivability
in extremis by two to three times over normal inertia]
-
NESEP :
-
(knee-sip, or ness-sep) Navy Enlisted Scientific Education
Program, a baccalaureate and commissioning program available to
promising technicians serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy;
see ACASP, DEP, CONAP, BOOTSTRAP, USAFI, SOC, ROTC.
-
NEST :
-
Nuclear Emergency Support Team, formerly known as the Nuclear
Emergency Search Team, being a response group of scientists and
engineers under the auspices of the National Nuclear Security
Administration in the US Dept of Energy that has been tasked
since 1974 with responding to nuclear accidents and radiological
incidents. NEST, which can field a force of several hundred
technicians equipped with portable detectors, is responsible for
investigating the illegal use of nuclear materials, and will
assist military or police bomb disposal missions, including
TERRORIST incidents. Due to the occurrence of false positive
reactions and the ease of masking fissile/fissionable materials,
it is unlikely that NEST will be able to detect a serious threat
before it is activated ... hence the generally dismissive
comparison by critics to a volunteer fire department working to
control a major incident, when no organization, no matter how
alert or professional, can prevent an episode. Acronym sometimes
misrepresented as 'Nuclear Explosion Survey Team'. See CBR, NUKE,
HOT GREASE, SCRAM, CONTAINMENT, EOD, BUNNY SUIT, MOPP, HAZMAT,
WMD.
-
NesTea :
-
proprietary name (by Nestlé) of an instant tea-flavored
powdered mix that's added to relatively potable local water so as
to mask the taste of its chemical treatment; see BUG JUICE,
JUICE, ERGO, THE DRINK, NUOC, WATER PURIFICATION TABLET.
-
NESTING DOLL :
-
see MATRYOSHKA.
-
NET :
-
short for network, especially communication or surveillance
systems, wherein interrelated connectivity is essential for any
aspect or node to function properly; see DUNBAR'S NUMBER, SIX
DEGREES OF SEPARATION, HOOKUP, COMMO, RADIO, TELEPHONE, TELECON,
SAT, SATCOM; compare SCUTTLEBUTT, RUMOR, BACK CHANNEL, TELEPHONE
TREE, BAMBOO TELEGRAPH. Also, mesh or screen of appropriate size
used variously to cover, carry, or contain; see GP, DEBARKATION
NET, CARGO NET, BAR, MAIL; compare BED CRADLE [nb: the word
"canopy" originally meant net, as a gauze insect or mosquito
barrier; cf: sparver]. Also, anything serving to catch or
ensnare; see SNATCH, SNAKING [v: seine, pound net, fyke].
-
NETRUSION :
-
the contracted form of NETwork inTRUSION, being the transmission
or insertion of false data or corrupt programs into an enemy
computer or network by way of communication links or sensors;
this form of "information warfare" (CYBERWAR) employs DECEPTION
(eg: TROJAN HORSE) and SABOTAGE (eg: ZORCH). [cf: sniff, phish,
spoof, astroturfing, smurf, deadman, worm, virus, spyware,
malware]
-
NEUTRAL :
-
a person or entity that's not participating in a dispute or war;
a citizen or nation that's not aligned with or aiding any
participant in a controversy or conflict, as when taking a
neutral position, belonging to a neutral party or state, residing
in a neutral territory; term derived from "neuter" (asexual or
sterile). See PACIFIST, CO, THEY'LL GIVE A WAR AN' NOBODY'LL
COME, DRONE, APPEASE, PEACE. [v: 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact
(General Treaty for the Renunciation of War)] [nb: "The hottest
places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great
moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." (mis-)attributed to
Dante Alighieri by John F. Kennedy (24 June 1963);
"Non-combatant: a dead Quaker." by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce]
-
NEUTRALIZE :
-
to render an enemy action, operation, force, installation, or the
like ineffective by military action, as to nullify an enemy's
threat potential or capability by combat action, by intercession,
by maneuver, by containment, or any other means.
-
NEUTRON BOMB :
-
also known as an Enhanced Radiation Weapon (ERW); see N-BOMB.
-
NEVA HATCHEE / NEVA HOPPEN :
-
baby talk used sardonically to dramatically express a negative,
meaning "[this/that will] never happen"; no way at all, without
any possibility.
-
NEVER AGAIN :
-
a patriotic rallying cry that decries past failures and exhorts
new policies or practices, especially after the KOREAN WAR and
the VIETNAM WAR; argues against LIMITED WARs and MISSION CREEP
... perceived as bellicose and jingoistic when simply advocating
efficiency and effectiveness.
-
NEVER-DO-WELL :
-
see NE'ER-DO-WELL.
-
NEVER HAPPEN :
-
see NEVA HATCHEE / NEVA HOPPEN.
-
NEW AGE :
-
a movement espousing vague philosophies and indefinite practices
that seeks to blend ancient traditions with modern technologies,
to meld custom with innovation, to merge the old with the new in
a "better way"; this process of social reform is most evidently
represented in art and music, but is just another extension of
the factitious Age of Aquarius; see BABY BOOMER, COUNTERCULTURE,
CULTURE WAR; compare NIHILISM, NEW WORLD ORDER, HAPPY VALLEY. [v:
Third Wave]
-
NEW AGE HIPPIE :
-
a latter-day disciple of the COUNTERCULTURE, typically one of the
privileged spawn of the pampered elite who misguidedly indulge
their impractical romanticism for an idyllic paradise (especially
one without challenge or conflict) in a deluded devotion to
humanistic perfectability; a HIPPIE devotee enthralled by the
"third wave" of social reform; a "citizen of the world" who is
unappreciative of their inherited liberty and ungrateful for the
protections that preserve their vaunted freedoms. See SUMMER OF
LOVE, WE SHALL OVERCOME, KUM BA YAH, FLOWER POWER, PACIFIST, LOVE
BEADS, SILVER-TAIL, SOFT TYRANNY, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND,
SYMPATHIZER, THEY'LL GIVE A WAR AN' NOBODY'LL COME, FIFTH COLUMN,
PROTESTOR, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, UN-AMERICAN, ANTI-AMERICAN,
BULLSHITVIK; compare YIPPIE, TRIPPIE.
-
NEWBEE :
-
(new-bee) anyone with less time IN COUNTRY or in service than the
speaker, but usually synonymous with CHERRY or FNG for a novice,
tyro, or neophyte; may also be spelled "newbie", as a contraction
of "NEW baBIEs". Sometimes called "rookie", "tenderfoot",
"greenhorn", "cheechako", FRESH CATCH, "fresh meat", "new meat,
or "raw meat". Compare TURTLE, CHUM, SHOWER SHOE, NUGGET,
WANNABE, RETREAD. [nb: showing an astonishing sophistication, a
new Russian soldier in the USSR during WWII was known as an
"ingénu" (masculine form of ingénue), which is both
quite accurate and very descriptive] [nb: "One new recruit added
to an old unit is worth two added to a new unit." military maxim]
-
NEWBEEITIS :
-
a facetious reference denoting a passionate desire or an
enthusiastic tendency to experience the untried or to encounter
the unknown; a nonce word that characterizes nervous excitement
as if it were a diseased condition. Compare FLAP. [v: buck fever]
-
NEW LIFE :
-
the humanitarian operation that resettled more than 120,000 South
Vietnamese refugees evacuated to temporary housing on Guam and
Wake islands from 23 April to 1 November 1975; although the
majority were received into the United States as protection
against persecution by the communist regime in SRV, some 1500
parolees were repatriated upon request ... they were not reunited
with separated families, as they'd imagined, but were imprisoned
in REEDUCATION camps for upwards of ten to twelve years.
-
NEW LIFE HAMLET :
-
[Ap Doi Moi] see STRATEGIC HAMLET.
-
NEW LOOK :
-
Eisenhower doctrine of immediate REPRISAL or massive RETALIATION
employing strategic air defense and nuclear weapons, which policy
reduced conventional ground assets as too slow, too weak, and
superfluous to the higher tech remedies ... thus inviting the
LOW-INTENSITY CONFLICTs that preoccupied successive decades. See
CONTAINMENT, BRINKMANSHIP, BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK, NUKE, WMD,
MAD, OVERKILL. [nb: the New Look, a strategy dependent upon only
one form of military power, was sharply criticized by soldiers
and academics alike; critics argued that unless the United States
was willing to risk destruction, the threat of massive nuclear
retaliation had little credibility. General Matthew B. Ridgway
and his successor, General Maxwell D. Taylor, were vocal
opponents; both advocating balanced forces to enable the United
States to realistically cope with a variety of military
contingencies, with later events demonstrating the importance of
avoiding a fixed concept of war]
-
NEW MOBE / NEW MOB :
-
short form of the New Mobilization Committee to End the War in
Vietnam (NMCEWV); see NCC, PROTESTOR, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY,
BEST AND BRIGHTEST, RUNNING DOG, FIFTH COLUMN, BLACK BLOC,
BULLSHITVIK, YIPPIE, APOCALYPSE.
[v: grievance culture, populism, dual consciousness, relative
deprivation theory, J-curve theory, frustration-aggression
theory, obstructive dissociative disorder, value-added schema,
hooliganism (including lunatic fringe or fanatical riffraff) and
other collective aberrant behaviours; cf: scapegoat Atonement]
-
NEWSPAPERMAN :
-
see PIO, PAO, FRUIT FLY, WAR CORRESPONDENT, FOURTH ESTATE,
SHUTTERBUG, GAG ORDER, OPSEC, BLACKOUT, CENSORSHIP, RED INK,
DISINFORMATION, PROPAGANDA, BIG LIE, ECHO CHAMBER, DIRTY LAUNDRY,
SPIN, FAKE NEWS, RUMOR. [v: noise, pickthank, newsmonger,
rumormonger, gossip, gossipmonger, scandalmonger, busybody,
yenta, quidnunc, chinwagger, chin musician, schmoozer,
blabbermouth, flibbertigibbet, tittle-tattler, tattler,
tattletale, talebearer, bottom-feeder] [nb: "Journalists are the
semi-literate cretins hired to fill the spaces between the
advertisements." by Winston L.S. Churchill; "If ever you see a
man put his fingers in his ears and whistle 'Dixie' to keep from
hearing the truth, you may assume he's a fool; but if he puts his
fingers in your ears and starts whistling, then you know you're
dealing with a journalist." by Andrew Klavan; "I hate
newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors
and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth,
they are." by William Tecumseh Sherman; "If I had my choice I
would kill every reporter in the world, but I am sure we would be
getting reports from Hell before breakfast." by William Tecumseh
Sherman; "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated
than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." by Thomas
Jefferson; "If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed;
but if you do read it, you're misinformed." attributed to Mark
Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens); "But what is the difference
between literature and journalism? ... Journalism is unreadable
and literature is not read." by Oscar Wilde (Fingal O'Flahertie
Wills); "I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed
on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the
newspapers." by William Tecumseh Sherman]
-
NEWSPEAK :
-
a referent coined by George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) in his
futuristic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), wherein
this politically-correct mode of propagandistic communication,
marked by ambiguity and misstatement, manifests the DOUBLETHINK
inherent in the modern world; see THOUGHT POLICE.
-
NEW WORLD ORDER :
-
the post-COLD WAR organization of international powers that tend
to negotiate cooperation, rather than foster CONFLICT, toward the
attainment of visionary goals that would be shared among all
nations; this utopian conspiracy was propounded in a 1939 book of
the same title by H.G. Wells. See DIME, CONTAINMENT, POSSE
COMITATUS, PEACEKEEPER, NATION BUILDING, WINNING HEARTS AND
MINDS, SOCIAL CONTRACT, EURO-WEENIE, NANNY STATE, FOREIGN POLICY;
compare NEW AGE, HAPPY VALLEY.
[nb: the tenth and final avatar of Vishnu, Kalki Avatara, will
end the present age while armed with a scimitar and riding a
white horse, then afterwards he'll sleep on the waters, produce
Brahma,and inaugurate the New World; v: Messiah, Christ, Son of
God, Prince of Peace, Immanuel, Mahdi]
-
NEX :
-
Navy EXchange, being the maritime equivalent of the PX/BX
concession for Naval, Marine, and Coast Guard installations; the
modern sutler's store of general merchandise for military
personnel and their dependents. Compare GEDUNK STORE, SLOP CHEST,
CANTEEN, AAFES, COMMISSARY. [cf: vivandière]
-
NFG :
-
the abbreviation in NavSpeak for Non Functional Gear, which is
typically corrupted to "No Fucking Good"; a designation marked on
the sides of inoperative equipment as an indication that it
should not be used, and should be replaced as soon as possible.
See DEEP SIX, DX, CASTOFF, FLOAT TEST, FLOTSAM, DODO, WAVESON,
JETSAM, LAGAN.
-
NFLSVN :
-
National Front for the Liberation of South Viet Nam, as the
political arm of the Viet Cong (VC); also abbreviated NFL and/or
NLF (qv). See PRG, PLA, PAVN.
-
NFZ :
-
No Fire Zone, an ostensibly secure or pacified area in which no
fire (including defensive) may occur without both military and
political authorization; compare RFZ, FREE FIRE ZONE, WEAPONS
FREE ZONE; see RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE), CLEARED HOT, COLLATERAL
DAMAGE. Also, any area where supporting fire or tactical air
support is prohibited due to the presence of FRIENDLY elements;
see DANGER CLOSE.
-
NG :
-
National Guard [properly specified as Army National Guard (ARNG),
Air National Guard (ANG), etc], being state military forces that
are partly equipped, trained, and quartered by the federal
government, which become an active component of the Armed Forces
when called into federal service by the president during civil
emergencies; also known as "Boy Scouts for adults". See WEEKEND
WARRIOR, AT, MILITIA, PARAMILITARY, RESERVE, RESERVE COMPONENT;
compare ING, RA. [nb: Vietnamese term: Bao Chinh Doan]
-
NGA :
-
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; successor to the
National Imaging and Mapping Agency (NIMA), which displaced the
US Geological Survey (USGS) as the resource for military maps
when downlink satellite profiles enabled more accurate data to be
provided in a more timely manner. See TOPO, MOSAIC MAP, MAP,
COMICS, CHART.
-
NGFS :
-
Naval GunFire Support (with 5" to 16" shells), shore bombardment.
-
NGO :
-
Non-Governmental Organization, being a private organization with
transnational social or economic interests that consults with the
UN on humanitarian relief and peacekeeping; compare QUANGO, GOCO,
COCO, OGA, BELTWAY BANDIT.
-
NGUYEN HEIM :
-
Vietnamese for 'danger', being a warning or caution notice posted
near munitions and machinery, such as the TAILBOOM of a
helicopter.
-
NHA THO :
-
Vietnamese term for a church, temple, or religious building; the
same term with a different pronunciation refers to a brothel or
whorehouse! See WAT, JOSS STICK; compare COWARD'S CATHEDRAL, HELL
ON WHEELS, BOOM BOOM ROOM, PIGPEN, PUTAINESQUE.
[cf: sporting house, parlor house, cake shop, knocking shop,
house of joy, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, disorderly
house, Cock Lane, red-light district, punch house, hothouse,
fleshpot, brothel, whorehouse, cathouse, bawdyhouse, bordel /
bordello, bagnio, stews, lupanar, Mexican nunnery; see SIN CITY,
KIP, CLAP, PRO KIT, SHORT ARM, ANTIBIOTIC, SHORT-TIME, BOOM-BOOM,
CHURNING BUTTER, TRICK, DIDDLY, FUCK, DU, HOOKUP, HAT TRICK,
DAISY CHAIN, BUTTERFLY, HEAD, HUMMER, BIB, SHACK-JOB, CAMP
FOLLOWER, CHOCOLATE BUNNY, PUNK, SUDS ROW, STEAM 'n' CREAM,
COMFORT STATION, ACT OF CONGRESS]
[nb: the "comfort girls" who were employed as contract
prostitutes to serve the sexual needs (TRICKs) of Imperial
Japanese troops in the field, usually at a COMFORT STATION or SIN
CITY, were called "shock absorbers" by the Allied POWs who
happened to observe their (mis-)treatment]
[nb: "Mike was looking around the room, his eyes now accustomed
to the dim rosy lay. 'You know what I like about this place?'
'What?', I asked. 'I like it 'cause there's such a great variety
of girl-type people ... white, Indian, Mexican, Negress' ... he
peered off into a corner ... 'even a Chinese lady.' He waved one
arm unsteadily. 'And I love all pretty girls!' 'You bet,' Flap
said. 'Whorehouses are the only completely democratic places in
the world.' He paused for a moment. 'I ain't never seen no real
prejudice in no whorehouse, 'cause every race of a pretty lady
can give every race of a man a grand hard-on.' Mike said, 'That's
so true that it's truly kind of beautiful.' Flap went on, 'A
fella could run smack head-on into every one of his race
prejudices in a whorehouse and have himself one hell of a time
while he was gettin' rid of 'em all!' 'A classic concept,' Mike
said. They both took another drink, and then Flap suddenly hit
the top of the table. 'What a blow for freedom if we could change
the whole world into one great whorehouse!' 'Great!' Mike cried.
'Think of the understanding and happiness it could bring.' I took
a drink myself. 'Only trouble is ....' 'What?!' Mike asked. 'With
alot of fellas, if they started layin' pretty girls from every
race they were prejudiced against, they'd likely fuck themselves
to death!' 'Good,' Flap said. 'They're exactly the bastards to
get rid of anyway.' 'Your worldwide whorehouse just might work,'
I said. 'First, we'll have to get all the girls to agree,' Flap
decided, 'which might not be all that difficult.'" by Clair
Huffaker, Nobody Loves a Drunken Indian (1967)]
-
NHTSA :
-
U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, subordinate
to the U.S. Department of Transportation; see RUNWAY, STAR OF
LIFE. [nb: the Eisenhower interstate highway system mandates that
one mile in every five be straight so it can be used to land
aircraft during an emergency or wartime]
-
NIAGARA :
-
name of 1968 KheSanh relief operation, supported by FOB#3 SLAM
elements of SOG. [nb: typically poor metaphor: falls, deluge,
implying relentless force]
-
NIBBLED TO DEATH BY DUCKS :
-
a colloquialism that's captured the popular imagination in recent
times, which refers to a plethora of petty but persistent
annoyances that are distracting but relentless, preventing the
attendance to more important problems or the accomplishment of
more significant issues; such niggling HARASSMENT, BOTHERATION,
or PRESTRESS seemingly derives from the title of a novel in a
mystery series [Nibbled to Death by Ducks by Robert W.
Campbell (1989)], but is often exchanged for a similar sentiment
from a collection of travel essays [Pecked to Death by
Ducks by Tim Cahill (1993)]. See CHICKEN SHIT, ELEPHANT SHIT,
HARD-SET, HARD-NOSE, BRASS EAR, MARTINET, SHIT LIST, SQUEEZE,
DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, H&I, I&I, HARASSMENT FIRE,
DUFFEL BAG, RECON BY FIRE.
-
NIC :
-
National Intelligence Council; formed in 1979, this center
analyzes information regardless of policy or objectives, proposes
intelligence strategy, reports to the Director of National
Intelligence, and publishes its findings in either the National
Intelligence Estimate (NIE)or the Special National Intelligence
Estimate (SNIE). The NIC has directors and specialists in
geographic as well as special subject areas, including
transnational threats, intercontinental finance, science and
technology. A "global trends" projection spanning fifteen years
is submitted to the White House after every quadrennial election
so that policy assessments can be mapped. Compare JIC; see
PSYOPS, MI, INTEL.
-
NICKEL :
-
a hard, silvery white alloy of cupronickel that does not readily
oxidize, and is minted as a coin of the United States, being
equal to five cents (PENNY), or one twentieth of a DOLLAR; as
derived from 'niccolite' [kupfernickel ("copper demon")], a
metallic element that resembles copper but yields none; see LEGAL
TENDER. Also, slang for something costing five dollars,
especially drugs (ie: "nickel bag"); also known as fin, fiver, or
five-spot. [nb: on the back of the $5 bill, all fifty states are
listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial]
-
NICKEL RIDE :
-
a brief familiarization flight, as a demonstration of technology
or technique, and an evaluation of the passenger, as a
preliminary to acceptance for training; by analogy with the once
cheap and thrilling carnival rides. See UP CHECK, CHECK RIDE,
LAOF, CHOPPER, BIRD. [nb: an alternative orgin alleges that this
expression derives from the oft repeated saying: "If I had a
nickel for each time ...."]
-
NICKEL STEEL :
-
(forthcoming); see STRATA.
-
NICKNAME :
-
that category of unclassified designations that are used to
identify military units or combat operations, such that their
meanings are intended to facilitate administration, to encourage
morale, and to inform the public; composed of two-word groupings
that are assigned unclassified meanings, NICKNAMEs came into
effect during the KOREAN WAR to compensate for the limitations of
the classified CODENAME restrictions, and to boost the morale of
both military personnel and the general public. Compare CODENAME,
CODEWORD, COVER, PASSWORD, CALL-SIGN, BATTLE CRY, GUSTO, HOOAH,
OORAH, GUNG-HO, ESPRIT DE CORPS, WETSU, DIEHARD, WAKE UP, TOAST,
SIGNATURE, CREST, PATCH.
[v: mottoes and nicknames of military
units]
[nb: the term 'slogan' is derived from the Scottish words
('sluagh' + 'gairm') meaning "army cry" or "war cry"; cf:
misnomer "slughorn"] [nb: Imperial Japanese "banzai"
(ten-thousand years; not "bonsai" gardening) similar to Chinese
"wàn-sue"] [cf: warison; v: clarion call] [nb: the "thin
red line" was applied to the British ("Redcoats") in the Crimean
War because they did not form into a defensive square when
engaged, making their line weak, which impugned their military
prowess; likewise, the Scottish bagpipers accompanying British
troops in WWI were labeled "ladies from hell" for wearing kilts
into battle while playing an instrument instead of carrying a
weapon ... each attribution was initially offensive, but both
were later adopted as proud distinctions] [v: Names of Foreigners or Foes]
-
NIE :
-
National Intelligence Estimate; also identified as Special
National Intelligence Estimate (SNIE); see NIC.
-
A NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE / THE NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE :
-
a colloquial allusion to any unexplained disappearance (as of
sticks stolen from stockpiled fuel), being an unproven suspicion
that was later applied to any unforeseen problem, any hidden
difficulty, or any unanticipated effect; see MEETING ENGAGEMENT,
FORCE MAJEURE, RIPPLE EFFECT, MISSION CREEP, CAMEL'S NOSE. Also,
something out of its proper place, or not where it should be;
someone in the wrong place; see A DOG IN THE MANGER, A DOG IN
ONE'S DOUBLET. [nb: 'nigger' in this case is less of a racial or
ethnic slur than a denigration of any outsider or alien (ie: not
one of us)]
-
NIGGER RICH :
-
the ostentacious display of wealth and the irresponsible spending
of someone who has just been paid, which appertaining behavior by
MIL-PERS was especially noteworthy when the military only
disbursed salaries once a month; after paying his debts and
celebrating payday (with self-indulgent vices), many
servicemembers were practically pennyless for the rest of the
month ... until the next paroxysmal payday! Also, anyone who
suddenly receives a large amount of money and does not spend it
wisely; a flashy spendthrift who's flamboyantly improvident. See
SALARY, BP, THE EAGLE SHITS, CHARGE SHEET, DEAD HORSE, CHIT, BAD
PAPER; compare COMMISSARY DAY.
[v: credit money; cf: company store / industrial store]
[nb: this expression is not a racial slur; it's indicative of any
contemptible person (regardless of race, color, or ethnicity) who
is economically, politically, or socially disadvantaged.
According to lexicographers, 'nigger' is now considered to be the
most Disparaging and offensive word in the English language; used
since 1640, this word (derived from French 'nègre') simply
means 'black' ... as does negro and niger as well]
-
NIGHTCRAWLER :
-
slang for a recruiter who scouts businesses, institutions, and
other areas for suitable candidates, usually an ideologue or
contrarian, who requires little or no training to perform
antiestablishment acts, such as protesting, wrecking,
propagandizing, and spying, regardless of the beneficiary; also
known as a "talent scout". See THROW-AWAY, DANGLE, SLEEPER, MOLE,
FIX, DECOY, STOOGE, PROVOCATEUR, PROTESTOR, SECRET AGENT, SPOOK,
CRYPTO, TRADECRAFT, YOUNG LIONS, BABY BRIGADE; compare HANDLER.
-
NIGHT AND DAY ZERO :
-
to calibrate the daylight sights and nighttime aiming device by
the adjustment of elevation and windage on a firearm or gun so as
to strike the target at a given range; to ensure that a weapon's
discharge is the same in darkness as it is in daylight; see ZERO.
[v: Firearms Glossary]
-
NIGHT FIGHTER / NIGHTFIGHTER :
-
an interceptor aircraft that operates in the dark during the
nighttime, or during any period of bad weather resulting in poor
target visibility, a role surpassed by technology before the
VIETNAM WAR; also called "all-weather interceptor". Also, a
soldier who has been specially trained for nighttime operations,
especially RANGERs and other SOF personnel. Also, slang for a
BLACK or Afro-American, especially a criminal using the dark for
concealment.
-
NIGHT GLASSES :
-
see FIELD GLASSES.
-
NIGHTHAWK :
-
Lockheed F-117 fighter bomber, commonly known as "The Black Jet",
being a stealth aircraft developed from the DARPA "Have Blue"
project; see BIRD.
-
NIGHTINGALE :
-
Douglas C-9 cargo aircraft, used for MEDEVAC. Also, a distraction
or deception device designed by the CIA for clandestine
operations that simulated a firefight, including intervals and
delays; see BOOBY-TRAP, DECOY, RED HERRING, DECEPTION. Also,
eponymous referent for a volunteer nurse from the Crimean War to
WWII, after Florence Nightingale; see ANGEL, FUZZY-WUZZY ANGEL,
RAMP TRAMP, ANC.
-
NIGHT SOIL :
-
human excrement that's collected in a HONEY BUCKET and
transported by DUMMY STICK or HONEY WAGON to where it will be
composted or used as fertilizer, especially in Asia.
-
NIGHT STALKERS :
-
nickname of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
(SOAR), also spelled "Nightstalkers", and sometimes called "the
fly-by-night airline", which was formed as Task Force 158 to
execute "Operation Honey Badger" after Operation EAGLE CLAW, then
transformed into Task Force 160 as a result of the official
inquiry into the failure of Operation EAGLE CLAW, later reformed
as 160th Special Operations Aviation Group Airborne (160SOAGAbn),
and then expanded into a regiment. [nb: "A good many things go
around in the dark besides Santa Claus." by Herbert Hoover
(1935)]
-
NIGHT TRAIN :
-
an airplane (called "tow plane", "tug ship", or "air train")
towing one or more GLIDERs; GLIDER tow positions are either below
("low-tow") or above ("high-tow") the wake of the tow plane. See
DAKOTA (DC-3 / C-47), SKY TRAIN, TOWLINE, UNCOUPLE, AIRHEAD;
compare SKYTRAIN, SKYTRAIN II. [nb: 'DC-#" represents Douglas
Commercial]
-
NIGHT TRAP :
-
BLACKOUT landing of an airplane on an aircraft carrier under
nighttime tactical conditions; undoubtedly the most difficult of
FLATTOP (CV) landings. See PADDLES, TAILHOOK, BOLTER, BURBLE.
-
NIGHT VISION :
-
see DARK ADAPTATION, NVD, NVG, MNVD, ENVIS, I2, VIPER, NOD,
GREEN-EYE, STARLIGHT. [v: dark adaptation (scotopic vision),
Purkinje effect; cf: light adaptation, night blindness
(nyctalopia)] [nb: "The night is a friend to no man." German
military maxim]
-
NIGHTWATCH :
-
E-4 electronic surveillance aircraft; see BIRD. Also, those DUTY
shifts performed at night; see DOGWATCH, O-DARK-THIRTY, MIDWATCH,
WATCH-AND-WATCH, WHITE NIGHT. [nb: people who work at night and
sleep during the day tend to have a more negative or pessimistic
attitude, to be more emotionally or mentally depressed, are more
prone to becoming physically unfit, and are more susceptible to
illness or disease than are daytime coworkers]
-
NIGHT WRITING / NIGHT-WRITING :
-
the first major impetus for a coded orthographic system of
tangible writing (punctaform) was offered in about 1821 by
Charles Barbier de la Serre (or M. Charles Barbier), a captain
of artillery in the French army, who invented NIGHT-WRITING for
silent and blacked-out nighttime messages. This twelve-element
(6X2 rectangle) phonetic code system, then called "sonography",
was too complex (ie: one cell equals more than 479-million
possible combinations); being mostly abbreviations, without any
numerals or punctuation marks. It purportedly consisted of dots,
points, dots and dashes, or holes, which cells were larger than a
fingertip, causing the reader to slowly circle (or "scrub") each
embossed combination. A type of "ruler" was used with the stylus
for creating some elemental compositions. This tactile writing
system was adapted by Louis Braille (1824) for use by the blind.
During World War Two, pilot training involved timed and masked
shape or pattern perception, such that stress and environment
would not cause errors. Results with both digital and whole hand
tests found that only eleven different shapes could be reliably
and consistently distinguished. A tactile discrimination study
used non-braille readers as a sample to test positional
recognition and separation, resulting in distinct letter
identification of A, C, E, I, K being easiest, and all similar
letters (eg: U like H) and close letters/contractions (eg: of) as
much harder to feel. This reinforced the basic definition of
literate grammars being most efficient when there are fewer than
forty contingencies. Elegant systems, from Chinese ideograms to
NIGHT-WRITING, are generally too ponderous for ordinary
applications. See TAP CODE, MORSE CODE. [nb: In early literate
societies (eg: Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek), before the
introduction of distinct Arabic numerals, letters were also used
as numbers (gematria / gimetria), either in context or with the
addition of a number sign to cue (q/quando) the reader, which
practice is still used in braille and TAP CODE but not in sign
language or MORSE CODE]
-
NIH :
-
informal acronym for Not Invented Here, representing the
institutional resistance to anything imported from another
service or agency; commonly expressed as: "that's not how we did
it before", or "we didn't do it that way last time". This
narrow-minded insularity, provincialism or parochialism, is a
negative bias, which objections usually evaporate as soon as the
item has been integrated and tested ... an obstructive delay
that's intolerable during wartime, regardless of motive, due to
lost time and wasted lives. Among the several schisms
contributing to the debacle of the VIETNAM WAR, a refusal to
alter un-/conventional doctrine, to change gear or devices (as
REINVENT THE WHEEL) to make them more branch specific, or to
"abandon" TRADITION in order to "win on the battlefield" was
indicative of the 'Not Invented Here' mind-set.
Also, National Institute of Health, established 1890, which is
responsible for medical research and public education relative to
hygiene and disease prevention; see USAMRIID, USARIEM, FEST,
AFIP, USAMRNL, SGO.
-
NIHILISM :
-
a quasi-religious belief that all existence is senseless, and
that there's no objective basis for truth; which belief is the
incentive for the sociopolitical doctrine that totally rejects
the established laws and traditional institutions prevailing in
society, which rejection is perceived as a warrant for terrorism
and other revolutionary activities to bring about anarchy; this
doctrine stems from a 19th century Russian political philosophy
advocating the violent destruction of social and political
institutions so as to expunge all societies or to make way for a
new enlightened society. See ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT, RESSENTIMENT,
CULTURE WAR, CULTURAL SUICIDE, AMERIKA, ANTI-AMERICAN, NEW AGE;
compare SOCIAL CONTRACT, NANNY STATE, NEW WORLD ORDER, HAPPY
VALLEY. [v: helter-skelter (tumultuously disordered, careless or
haphazard confusion)]
-
NIIN :
-
the 9-digit National Item Identification Number; see NSN, FSN,
LOG, QM, SUPPLY.
-
NILO :
-
Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer, usually a linguist or area
specialist; see ONI.
-
NIMA :
-
(neemah) National Imaging and Mapping Agency, or National Imagery
and Mapping Agency, becoming the resource for military maps in
October 1996, when the US Geological Survey (USGS) was displaced
due to downlink satellite profiles; then renamed the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). See TOPO, MOSAIC MAP, MAP,
COMICS, CHART.
-
NIMS :
-
National Incident Management System; see DHS, NSPG, NRP, NCTC,
ANTI-TERRORISM, COUNTER-TERRORISM, TERRORIST.
-
NINE DAYS' WONDER / NINE DAYS WONDER :
-
anything that causes a brief but brilliant sensation and then is
utterly forgotten; which derives from the blindness of puppies
and kittens at birth, passing to complete awareness. A novelty
that shortly loses its appeal; a short-lived sensation; a
spectacle that soon becomes tawdry. See BOY WONDER, FLASHBANG.
[nb: "This wonder, as wonders last, lasted nine daies." by John
Heywood, Witty and Witless (1556); "The brags of life are
but a nine days wonder; / And after death the fumes that spring /
From private bodies make as big a thunder, / As those which rise
for a huge King." by George Herbert, The Temple (1633); "A
wonder lasts nine days, and then the puppy's eyes are open."
proverbial]
-
NINE DRAGONS RIVER :
-
see MEKONG.
-
9K720 :
-
Russian air-launched anti-spacecraft missile.
-
9-LINE REPORT :
-
in the GULF WAR-era, the formatted summary of essential
information on some critical event (eg: MEDEVAC, UXO, etc) that's
relayed up the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND in order to acquire necessary
support; sometimes called "nine-liner", it's a brief situation
report (SITREP) on specific matters that's used to initiate a
timely response.
-
9-MIL :
-
informal referent for the M-9 9mm pistol; see M-9 PISTOL.
-
NINE-POWER TREATY :
-
a Conference on the Limitation of Armament was convoked in
Washington DC (1921-2) to guarantee the integrity and
independence of China, and to reaffirm the OPEN DOOR commercial
policy; signed by the United States, Great Britain, Japan,
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, China, and Belgium. The
Japanese seized Manchuria and created Manchukuo in 1931.
-
NINER :
-
the number 'nine', a numeric integer; being this digit when
pronounced in voice communication. See RTP, ALPHABET SOUP,
PHONETIC ALPHABET, PROWORD.
-
90-DAY WONDER / NINETY-DAY WONDER :
-
dismissive reference to the former enlisted (EM/NCO) graduates of
an Officer's Candidate School (OCS), who were also called "Ninety
Day Blunders" from the length of the original WWII training
period, commencing in 1941. Primarily oriented toward training
combat arms leaders for company-level assignments during wartime,
the OCS program was the first training course to be racially
desegregated, and a WAC OCS program was episodically offered
until 1976. Also available to reservists, OCS is known in the Air
Force (USAF) as Officer Training School (OTS). In 1918, ROTC was
suspended in favor of the Student Army Training Corps to train
enlisted men (EM) for special wartime assignments. To correct the
deficiencies of the original WWII program, OCS was extended to
22-weeks during the KOREAN WAR, and to 26-weeks during the
VIETNAM WAR; but in April 1973, the program was reorganized into
a 14-week branch immaterial course at Fort Benning, the graduates
of which (along with ROTC graduates) must then attend the Army's
officer's basic course (BOC / OBC) for branch specialization. See
LDR, TRADE SCHOOL.
-
90-PAGE WONDER / NINETY-PAGE WONDER :
-
dismissive reference to the "instant expert" who arrogantly
panders his "vast knowledge", gleaned from the cursory perusal of
a WHITE PAPER or from attending an "indepth" BRIEFING; a play on
words from 90-DAY WONDER; see SHAKE 'n' BAKE, LITTLE PRICK, BOY
WONDER, SHAVETAIL, RAPPORTEUR, HACK, WONK, WIZARD, PENCIL PUSHER,
MILICRAT. Also, a document that purports a thorough analysis and
complete examination of the subject in a very short treatment or
account, as a summary or compendium; see REPORT, FINDING, WHITE
PAPER, MR, ANNEX, PAPER BULLET, SNOWFLAKE. [v: bailiwick]
-
THE NINE WORTHIES :
-
traditionally heroic characters, champions from the classics;
like the Seven Wonders of the World, they are variously cited by
different authors, such as three pagans, three Jews, and three
Christians, but often include Hector, Alexander the Great, Julius
Caesar, Pompey, Joshua, David, Judas Maccabaeus, Hercules,
Arthur, Galahad, Charlemagne, and Godfrey of Bouillon. See
FICTIONAL CHARACTER, SUPERHERO, HERO, WINTER SOLDIER, WHITE
PROPAGANDA; compare THE IMMORTALS.
-
NINE-YARDS / NINE YARDS :
-
thoroughly, completely, entirely; from "the full NINE-YARDS" or
"the whole NINE-YARDS". Phrase represents the full amount of
belted .50cal AMMO (v: LINK AMMO) for the WWII aircraft
machinegun (MG); this concept is also represented as "whole hog"
and "whole megillah", "whole shebang" and "the works", "whole kit
and caboodle" and as "lock, stock, and barrel". Similarly,
"dressed to the nines" (from all the elements of full dress ...
"nine tailors make a man") also means completely and entirely,
since it takes all NINE-YARDS of fabric to properly outfit the
well dressed (v: MESS DRESS) man. The number 'nine' is ancient
symbolism for completion or fulfillment. See BALLS TO THE WALL.
[nb: derivation is also alleged to be the amount of sailcloth on
a YARDARM, the number of YARDARMs ("yards") on a three-masted
sailing ship, the amount of fabric for a sashed kilt, the
distance to a first-down in football, a quantity of poured
concrete, or a bin full of coal; cf: derivation of "gringo" as
foreign-speaking vs song lyric, v: DOUGHBOY]
-
NIP :
-
short for Nipponese, the Japanese name for themselves, as derived
from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese ideogram for "land
of the rising sun", which term was used in a derogatory manner by
Allies when referring to Imperial Japanese troops during WWII;
also known as a "son of heaven", which refers to the divinity
(kami) of their emperor (Mikado), which was also expressed
sarcastically by Americans. See MEATBALL, JAPE, GOOK, DINK,
SLOPE, SLANT-EYE, RICE BALL, ZIP, CHINK, WOG, LITTLE PEOPLE, BAD
GUYS; compare BUDDHAHEAD, LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, INDIG,
DESEGREGATION.
-
NIPA / NIPA PALM :
-
sharp-edged palms (Nypa Fruticans), used for thatching and
basketry, that grow in dense concentrations; palm leaf edges much
like SAW GRASS. See BOONIES, TULE, ELEPHANT GRASS, KUNAI, PITA.
-
NIS :
-
Naval Intelligence Service; see DNI, CNO, INTEL. Also, Naval
Investigative Service, later renamed Naval Criminal Investigative
Service (NCIS), and is commonly called the "admiral's gestapo" by
the other military police organizations within the SecDef's
office; see CGIS, CID, OSI, DCIS, DIS, FBI, BUTTON, POLICE.
-
NIT :
-
slang for a parasitic insect, often attached to body hair or
clothing fibers; also called "army bug" or "arithmetic bug"; see
COOTIE, GRAYBACK, CRAB, CHESAI DOMO TACHI, FLEA, BEDBUG, COMFORT
STATION.
-
NITNOY / NIT NOY :
-
something small, little, or diminutive, as from pidgin Thai; also
spelled "nitnoi" and "nitnoid". Compare SKOSH, TI TI, CHOP CHOP.
-
NITROCELLULOSE :
-
a glucose polymer, nitric acid ester of cellulose, that's usually
formed by the nitration and degradation action of a mixture of
nitric and sulfuric acids on purified cotton or wood pulp
(cellulose). When cotton is treated so that nearly all of the
hydroxyl groups of the cellulose molecule are esterified, but
with little or no degradation of the molecular structure, the
nitrocellulose formed is called guncotton, which resembles cotton
in its appearance. Extremely flammable, guncotton explodes when
detonated, and is used in the manufacture of explosives.
Guncotton is insoluble in such common solvents as water,
chloroform, ether, and ethanol. If the nitration is not carried
to completion (the point at which about two thirds of the
hydroxyl groups are esterified), the soluble cellulose nitrate
pyroxylin is formed, which is used in the manufacture of
artificial silk (ca1891), artificial leather (ca1818), oilcloth
(ca1627), and similar items.
-
NITROGLYCERIN :
-
a colorless oily liquid (C3H5N3O9), being an unstable compound
that decomposes with explosive violence when heated or jarred;
also spelled nitroglycerine, it is more correctly called glycerol
trinitrate, but is commonly known as "nitro" or "explosive oil".
Discovered in 1847 by Ascanio Sobrero, an Italian chemist, it was
first produced commercially by Alfred Nobel. As the nitric acid
triester of glycerol, it is insoluble in water but soluble in
ether, acetone, benzene, and chloroform. Nitroglycerin is mixed
with an absorbent material to form dynamite, making it less
sensitive, and it's also used as a component of smokeless powder.
Nitroglycerin is also used medicinally as a vasodilator to
provide temporary relief from the symptoms of angina pectoris.
Compare PETN, see EXPLOSIVE.
-
NITTY-GRITTY :
-
rhyming slang for the basics, the essentials, the fundamentals,
the harsh reality, the most important aspect, or the heart of the
matter; this Americanism seemingly originated in the early 20th
century, where it's documented in song lyrics (1937), newspaper
reportage (1940), and novel narratives (1956), but it may have
originated by association with panning for gold. It is innocuous
wordplay (similar to namby-pamby, willy-nilly, itsy-bitsy,
itty-bitty, super-duper, teeny-weeny, shilly-shally, dilly-dally)
that may have associations (from 'grit') with 'determined' or
'plucky', and it may be a reduplicative euphemism for 'shitty'.
It has also been represented as "down 'n' dirty" in the same way
that THE NAKED TRUTH has been (mis-)represented as ugly.
[nb: the American Dialect Society (1974) has (mistakenly)
suggested that 'nit' refers to lice and 'grit' to coarse meal,
hence nitty-gritty is (supposedly) a phrase used to derogate
African-American slaves as shiftless or worthless ... it has also
been (mistakenly) suggested that this term, most often used to
refer to something on or at the bottom (as in "getting down to
the nitty-gritty") originally designated the debris or detritus
in the hold of a slave ship; however, these allegations cannot be
substantiated by historic usage, becoming another inauthentic
fantasy (together with 'picnic' and scores of others) perpetrated
by academic charlatans bent upon validating their PC
hypersensitivity]
-
NIXON DOCTRINE :
-
the 1969 foreign policy propounded by Richard Milhous Nixon that
sought to reduce America's role as the world's policeman; stating
"America cannot – and will not – conceive all the
plans, design all the programs, execute all the decisions, and
undertake all the defense of the free nations of the world. We
will help where it makes a difference in our national interest
and is considered in our interest." As with Thomas Jefferson's
reversal on ISOLATIONISM and T. Woodrow Wilson's compromised
rejection of the ROOSEVELT COROLLARY, this policy was abrogated
in his 30 April 1970 Cambodian INCURSION speech: "If when the
chips are down, the world's most powerful nation, the United
States of America, acts like a pitiful, helpless giant, the
forces of totalitarianism and anarchy will threaten free nations
and institutions throughout the world." See VIETNAMIZATION,
PING-PONG DIPLOMACY, PRESIDENTIAL DOCTRINE, CONTAINMENT,
INTERVENTIONISM, NATION BUILDING.
-
NJTTF :
-
National Joint Terrorism Task Force; see JTTF.
-
NKP :
-
abbreviation for Nakhon / Nhakon Phanom Air Base Thailand,
located across the MeKong River from Takhet Laos; operating as a
major communication and electronic warfare base, hosting both
Army and USAF special operations forces. Also called NAKED FANNY.
See PONY, INVERT.
-
NKPA :
-
North Korean People's Army (Inmun Gun), of the Democratic
People's Republic of (North) Korea, being the enemy during the
KOREAN WAR, along with the Chinese communists (CHICOM). See GOOK,
BAD GUYS.
-
NLF :
-
National Liberation Front, officially the "National Front for
the Liberation of the South" (NFLSVN), but also known as 'South
Viet Nam Liberation Army (SVNLA) or 'Liberation Army of South
Vietnam'; being the political directorate of the Viet Cong (VC)
guerrilla movement, formed as a separate entity from the NVA on
20 Dec 1960. Vietnamese term: Mat Tran, Quan Doi Giai Phong.
Enemy weapons of the Vietnam-era included: SKS, PPSh-41, PPS-43,
MP-40, MAT-49, K-50M, AK-47, AKM, Type 50 (unlicensed PRC copy
w/30rd mag). See VIET MINH, CHARLIE, VC, VCI, PRG, PLA, VIET
QUOC, BAD GUYS.
-
NLOS-C :
-
Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon, being an experimental autoloading and
firing system since 2004 designed for artillery, tank, and mortar
guns on mobile chassis using electrothermal energy, which
generates more force than solid propellants. The prototype tank
and artillery cannons can automatically fire up to six
120mm/155mm rounds per minute; and the prototype armored vehicle
mounted mortar can fire twelve 105mm/120mm rounds per minute.
-
NLT :
-
Not Later Than, directing the time/date of completion; see
SUSPENSE DATE, RBI, TICKLER, DEADLINE, UNDER THE GUN.
-
NMCB :
-
U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalions; see SEABEES.
-
NMCC :
-
National Military Command Center at JCS in the Pentagon; also
known as the "war room", and is the location of the HOT LINE;
compare ANMCC. Also, National Military Command System (NMCS) and
National Military Command System Support Center (NMCSSC).
-
NMCS :
-
National Military Command System.
-
NMCSSC :
-
National Military Command System Support Center.
-
NMI / NMN :
-
no middle initial, or no middle name, being an administrative
convention; see MNU, FNU.
-
NOA :
-
Non-Operational Aircraft
-
NOAA :
-
(noah) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, being a
commissioned service of the US government; see NASA, DARPA, USGS,
SRTM, MGRS, GPS, LORAN, UTM, INS, AZIMUTH, CHART, SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE, BEAUFORT SCALE, STORM WARNING, WINDSOCK, WEATHER EYE.
-
NOB :
-
(en-oh-bee) Navy / Naval Operations Base. Also, Naval Order of
Battle; see OBE, OB.
-
NOB HILL :
-
slang for the housing section on post or BASE provided for
married OFFICER family quarters, either the entire area or just
the FLAG OFFICER neighborhood; often mistaken to be "snob", the
term 'nob' refers to any socially prominent person, and is
synonymous with 'head', as leader. See QTRS.
[v: nibs, nabob, patrician, nobleman, aristocrat, lord, brahmin,
grandee, peer, gentleman, blue-blood, silk-stocking, swell,
leader (LDR)] [nb: the word "caddie", with the same origin as
CADET, and sometimes shortened to "cad" (irresponsible,
dishonorable), was the 17th century term for a gentleman who
learned the military profession by serving in the army without a
commission; henceforth, it was applied to any person seeking
employment] [v: beseem, nicety; cf: mauvais ton] [nb: until
recently, an OFFICER was simultaneously designated a "gentleman"
when appointed by an ACT OF CONGRESS, which not only inspired
further intellectual development but also encouraged cultural
sophistication, which refinements were mocked as being 'suave and
debonair' (deliberately mispronounced as "soo-wave" and
"dee-boner"); v: BRASS HAT, BLUE BLOOD, UP THE HAWSEPIPE,
OFFICER'S COUNTRY, TALLY-HO, TACT; cf: HARD-ASS, MACHO]
-
NOBLE ANVIL :
-
operational name of the NATO campaign in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Kosovo (24 Mar - 20 Jul 1999).
-
NOBLE EAGLE :
-
program of military assistance to civil authorities subsequent to
the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks; see OPERATION GARDEN
PLOT.
-
NOBLE SAVAGE :
-
(forthcoming);
introduced by John Dryden, not Jean Jacques Rousseau;
compare the "scholar soldier" as an ideal of consummate
professionalism; see QUIET PROFESSIONAL, GUNSLINGER, WINTER
SOLDIER, FUGLEMAN, SUPER-TROOPER, OLD BREED, DINOSAUR, OLD SALT,
SHELLBACK, VET, VETERAN, BEST AND BRIGHTEST, RIGHT STUFF.
[v: expert, master, virtuoso, bailiwick; cf: "wight" is a human
being, who is defined as such by his ability to fight, hence is
someone who's strong and brave in war] [nb: "No one going as a
soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, that he may
please him who has enlisted him as a soldier." 2 Timothy 2:4
(Darby)]
-
NOBLESSE OBLIGE :
-
the moral obligation of the privileged to display honorable and
generous conduct; the responsibility of leaders to ensure that
the needs of their subordinates are taken care of; see LDR,
LOYALTY UP - LOYALTY DOWN, CREED, HONOR CODE, PROMISE, CASTE,
RING-KNOCKER, KHAKI MAFIA, RHIP. [nb: "For unto whomsoever much
is given, of him shall be much required." Luke 12:48 Bible; "For
of those to whom much is given, much is required." by John F.
Kennedy] [nb: "to the manner born" refers to adopting customs and
traditions, not entitlements; re: act 1 sc 4 Hamlet by
William Shakespeare (1602)]
-
NOC :
-
(knock) Non-Official Cover, the unconventional COVER story (ie:
protective LEGEND) given to an operative or agent, instead of the
standard embassy or military job title; an agent (such as a
foreign recruit) operating without diplomatic protection; also
known as "non-essential cover" (NEC); see SINGLETON, THROW-AWAY,
SECRET AGENT, CIA. Also, abbreviation for Network Operations
Center.
-
NOD :
-
Night Observation Device, also represented as "Night Optical
Device", a large light-intensifying telescopic night vision
system that's powered by replaceable batteries; also called Night
Vision Device (NVD) when configured as a handheld or
head-mounted monocular. See STARLIGHT, GREEN-EYE, NVG, I2,
PEEPERS, FIELD GLASSES, GLASS.
-
NO DICE :
-
an informal colloquialism for ineffective, for being of no use or
no help; also, slang for no or negative, for no way or not at
all; see DICE.
-
NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT :
-
see (IT'S) NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
-
NO-DOZE :
-
airborne missions to broadcast psychological operations
tapes of appeals, music and PROPAGANDA during darkness; play on
words from commercial stimulants (caffeine tablets) sold under
same name. See PEANUT, PSYOPS.
-
NOE :
-
Nap Of [the] Earth, or following the contours of the terrain,
which is a greater distance but more tactical or covert; often
misrepresented as "map of the earth", probably by reference to
CONTOUR LINES but perhaps by aural misunderstanding of oral
pronunciation. See GRASS, CONTOUR FLYING, TFR, DTF, SLANT
DISTANCE, UNDER THE RADAR; compare BUZZ, FLAT-HATTING.
-
NO EVIL :
-
commonly expressed as "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil",
but properly translated from Japanese as "don't see, don't hear,
don't speak" [mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru]; and allegorically
represented by "three wise monkeys" from a play on words in
Japanese. The pictorial maxim of these "three wise monkeys" was
popularized by a 17th century carving over the Sacred Stable door
of the famous Tosho-gu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The origin of this
aphorism is unknown, but it is believed to have migrated from
India through China into Japan during the 8th century (Yamato
Period) as a Tendai-Buddhist legend. The "three wise monkeys",
along with the chrysanthemum, are historically representative of
the Mikado, thus many Allied and American forces serving in the
Pacific (PTO) during WWII and KOREAN WAR became acquainted with
this motif: being a representation of the ancient expellers of
demons in an animistic cosmology. [nb: a Chinese version includes
a fourth 'wise monkey' (with his arms and legs wrapped around
himself) representing "do no evil", which is based upon the
analects of Confucius (K'ung Fu-tzu) ... "What you do not wish
upon yourself, extend not to others."]
-
NO EXCUSE :
-
the military catch-phrase for "it's my responsibility" or "it's
my fault", which is a commendable performance-oriented attitude
but it only fixes the blame, without fixing the problem; an
"explanation" is not an "excuse". On the battlefield, "No excuse,
sir!" is never heard ... and good leaders always carry the bloody
burden of unavoidable mistakes. See N/A, RED TAPE, WIGGLE ROOM,
CHECKING THE DICTIONARY, UNODIR, CASTRATION ANXIETY, MEA CULPA,
THE ROAR OF BUTTERFLY WINGS, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY, ZERO
TOLERANCE.
[nb: real life always transcends the rule book] [nb: obfuscation
and obscurantism are widely represented by the military maxim:
"Bullshit baffles brains!", sometimes called a "Well sir,..."
excuse] [nb: "Never complain, never explain." proverbial saying;
"(It's only damned fools who argue!) Never contradict. Never
explain. Never apologize." by Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot
Baron Fisher (1919); "Everyone accused of evildoing has a
plausible excuse, and their rationale for failure is not that
their motives were bad nor their aspirations were wrong, but that
they were stymied in their fulfillment ... their glorious
creation would have been marvelous if only they had not been
interrupted, and this wretched world would be a better place.";
"Man is not a reasonable being, but is instead a rationalizing
animal ... he will make any excuse to justify his actions."; "No
one really believes that anything they do is genuinely evil ...
there's always a justifying excuse for doing what's necessary,
for doing our duty, unpleasant and distasteful as it may be ...
so evil is what we call other people, people we
don't agree with, people who have grossly violated our own
personal sense of right and wrong. Deciding what's
bad is the proper exercise of power, a privilege
of victory. There can be no lies in such self-justifications
because everything we posit is true." paraphrase of Robert K.
Tanenbaum; "But at the end of the day, people can justify
anything they want ... it's just how we're wired." by David
Baldacci; "You're not a total failure until you start blaming
others!"]
-
NO FLY ZONE :
-
a safety area, buffer, or access corridor set off from a border,
boundry, DMZ, or other demarcation where air traffic is
prohibited; a prohibition first instituted during the Persian
Gulf War, being an airspace that excludes the passage of select
aircraft, which is used for security, defense, or quarantine. See
FCSL, CHOPPER, BIRD. [nb: contrary to popular opinion, this is
not an area reserved for medical treatment or food preparation
that's warranted to be absent of contagious insects and other
noxious pests!]
-
NOFORN :
-
(no-forn) NO FOReigN, not for distribution to foreign nationals;
a security delimiter qualifying distribution of classified
documents, with access by allied foreigners prohibited. See
OPSEC, EYES ONLY, NEED TO KNOW, COMPARTMENTALIZATION, ADV,
COUNTERPART.
-
NO-GO :
-
MIL-SPEAK for unacceptable or unsatisfactory ... probably from
the assessment determining whether someone or something passes
inspection, especially for deployment, as for use in combat;
often expressed as "You're a no-go at this station!" or "That's a
no-go condition!".
-
NO HOLDS BARRED :
-
see RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE), LAWS OF WAR, COUP DE PIED DE
L'ANE, ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR, DOG-EAT-DOG, TOOTH 'n' NAIL,
HARDBALL, CUTTHROAT, UPHILL BATTLE, DIRTY FIGHTER, WET WORK,
ROMAN HOLIDAY, WHEN IN ROME, WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' BADGES,
OFF THE RESERVATION. [v: omo lupus homini (Latin: man is a wolf
to man)]
-
NOISE :
-
informal term for the directed transmittal of jamming signals
intended to interfere with detection or communication; see CHAFF,
MUSIC, MIJI, FANFARE, ECM. Also, the existence of STATIC,
CROSS-TALK, CHATTER, STATIC, or other deterioration in a
broadcast causing low-grade reception; see SQUELCH, RADIO. Also,
excess data or extraneous information; see THE SILLY SEASON.
Also, baleful or rancorous gossip; see SCUTTLEBUTT, RUMOR. Also,
any unusual or inappropriate sound, often harsh, startling, or
confusing; see GRIDE, BOMBINATE, CREPITATE, SCRAPE, DRUMFIRE,
FUSILLADE, ROCK 'n' ROLL, SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW, FIREWORKS,
WATERWORKS, THUNDERSTRUCK, WHIZ BANG, WHISTLER, HORN, BOXCAR
CHARLIE, DOODLEBUG, PETARD, FIZGIG, FIRECRACKER, FIZZLE, SOUND
AND FURY, ACOUSTIC SHADOW. [nb: a MURPHY LAW of Combat says:
"Noise attracts even more noise (of the wrong kind!) and
multiplies it."]
-
NOISE DISCIPLINE :
-
the security of attached gear and carried weapons by troops on
the move in a combat zone such that action blends as naturally as
possible with the surrounding environment, whether urban or bush,
including breath control; since total silence is not only
unnatural, but also impossible, the objective is to move without
notice ... quietly, surreptitiously, or stealthily. Compare LIGHT
DISCIPLINE.
-
NOISOME :
-
offensive or disgusting, as an odor; odoriferous or malodorous,
stinking or putrid, foul-smelling or abominable, fetid or
mephitic. Also, harmful or injurious to health; noxious or
virulent, deleterious or injurious, baneful or poisonous,
damaging or hurtful. See PUTREFY, PTOMAINE, CADAVERINE, SOUP,
RICE KRISPIES, CREATURE FEATURE, PICNIC, BODY BAG, ROTTEN TO THE
CORE, SOMETHING'S ROTTEN IN DENMARK. [nb: soldiers often used
PETROL, either dabbed directly into their nostrils or soaked into
an improvised mask, to disguise the mephitic smell and taste
associated with corpse recovery; with the civilian equivalent
being Vicks "VapoRub"; see JUJUBE]
-
NO JOY :
-
informal expression of failure or dissatisfaction, of unsuccess
or incompleteness, of unfulfilledness or fruitlessness; an
apparent Britishism adopted by aviators. This expression's aspect
of "unattained gratification" stands in marked contrast with
military CAN DO professionalism, hence is typical of droll
English humor. This expression basically admits of being unable
to complete the task or to score against the target; but it's not
a complaint about not having any fun, because every MIL-PERS
knows that just going off to work everyday is more fun than most
people can imagine ... where they get to use really big machines
and really powerful weapons and go places nobody else gets to go!
Although failure will make anyone sad because they couldn't quite
finish what they started or to accomplish what they intended,
it's important to remember that just doing the job is its own
reward. See NO-GO; compare JOY, SPLASH, SMOOGE.
-
NOK :
-
Next Of Kin; the person designated for notification in the
event of injury or death. See KINFORMING, HUG SQUAD, CACO, GHOUL,
SGLI, WIA, DOW, KIA, PERSONAL EFFECTS, SKY PILOT, MORTUARY
AFFAIRS, GRAVES REGISTRATION.
-
NOMAD SHADOWS :
-
Operation Nomad Shadows conducted from 5 November 2007; see GULF
WAR, WAR ON TERROR.
-
NO MAN'S LAND / NO-MAN'S LAND :
-
an area between warring armies that no one controls (or,
conversely, that both sides attempt to control); also called
"zone of contention"; compare DMZ, OVER THE TOP, McNAMARA'S WALL,
OVER THE FENCE, DEMILITARIZE, BUFFER ZONE, TALLY-HO. Also, an
unclaimed tract of usually barren land; a desolate and forbidding
region. Also, any area where guidelines or authority are not
clear; compare CHOP LINE.
-
NOM DE GUERRE :
-
war name, assumed name or pseudonym; see COVER, CODENAME,
NICKNAME, SIGNATURE, CALL-SIGN, WAR FACE, FLINT FACE, WAR PAINT.
[v: will-o'-the-wisp]
-
NOMENCLATURE :
-
the set of names or the terminological system that's particular
to an art or science, a discipline or profession; typically
extended to an admixture of pseudo nomenclature, such as "the
official M1A1 HAIRY EYEBALL", "the olive drab MILITARY MIND", or
similar accommodations; see JARGON, MIL-SPEAK, ALPHABET SOUP,
VERNACULAR, POLYGLOT, LINGUA FRANCA. [v: nomenclatura; cf:
nomenklatura]
-
NOMEX :
-
proprietary name of a flame-retardant nylon fabric constructed of
a synthetic aramid fiber (extruded long-chain polyamide) that
protects the wearer against burns (but not overheating);
typically worn as a one-piece coverall by aircrew members; see
FLIGHT SUIT.
-
NON / NON LA :
-
broad conical hat made of rice straw, part of traditional
Vietnamese costume; see BASKET HEAD, HEADGEAR.
-
NON CARBORUNDUM :
-
see ILLEGITIMIS NIL CARBORUNDUM, HARD-ASS.
-
NONCHALANCE / NONCHALANT :
-
a cool indifference or casual unexcitedness; a lack of concern,
as derived from a lack of warm-heartedness; compare CHARISMA,
FINESSE, TACT, SOCIAL GRACES. [cf: savoir-faire, beseem, nicety]
-
NON-COM :
-
shortening of Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), being the
"hard-stripe" sergeant and petty officer RANKs (from E-4),
exclusive of technical and specialist ratings, that are in the
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND; also known as "nun-skum" or SARGE. See BUCK,
CHIEF, GUNNY, TOP, DI, SUPER GRADE, ROCKER, RIGHT ARM.
-
NONCOMBATANT :
-
anyone who is not a COMBATANT, such as a civilian in wartime; see
PACIFIST, CO, NEUTRAL, PROTESTOR, APPEASE, PEACE. Also, any
member of a military force who is not a fighter, such as a
surgeon (BONE CUTTER) or chaplain (SKY PILOT); compare COMBAT
BUM, TOUR BABY, TWO-FISTED, LIFER. [nb: "Non-combatant: a dead
Quaker." by Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce]
-
IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS :
-
a statement arrogating exclusion or exclusivity, or a presumptive
declaration of privacy; also represented as "It's none of my
business!" and "It's none of our business!" when advocating some
expectation of autonomy; this latitude extended to sentient
adults for decision-making, or the freedom inherent in sovereign
nations for self-rule entails responsibility for any concomitant
consequences ... this "hands-off" attitude has also been
expressed as "I ain't got no dog in this fight." and "None of the
monkeys or clowns in this circus belong to us.", wherein such a
disclaimer of responsibility is a counter of the former
assertion, the ultimate effect remains the same. [cf: "Mind your
own business!" (MYOB)]
-
NON-FLAMMABLE / NONFLAMMABLE :
-
compare INFLAMMABLE, FLAMMABLE, INCENDIARY. [nb: with the great
influx of new recruits during WWII, the military was obliged to
change 'inflammable' to "flammable" and to coin 'nonflammable' in
order to avoid confusion and ensure safety] [v: phlogiston]
-
NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT :
-
in the enforcement of the PUNITIVE LAWS that're catalogued in the
Uniform Code of Military Justice, those summary punishments that
may be imposed on the malefactor by his immediate commander (CO)
for infractions thereof, including extra duty (ADY), fines or
forfeitures [mulct], or confinement to the STOCKADE/BRIG or to
quarters (QTR); NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT does not become a
permanent part of a serviceman's record. See DRUMHEAD, ARTICLE
15, OFFICE HOURS, CAPTAIN'S MAST, ROCKS 'n' SHOALS, UCMJ.
-
NON LA :
-
see NON.
-
NON-LETHAL WEAPONS :
-
(forthcoming); see BANGER, FLASHBANG / FLASH BANG, HEIP,
CONCUSSION GRENADE, CS, MCCM, WASTER, WOODEN SWORD; [v: Joint
Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate]
-
NON-LINE OFFICER :
-
see RESTRICTED LINE; compare LINE OFFICER, CHAIN-OF-COMMAND.
-
NON-SMOKING :
-
see SMOKING, SMOKE, GASPER, PIGTAIL, BUTT, FAG, SOLDIER'S
BREAKFAST, FIELD STRIP, BUTT CAN, POLICE CALL, CHEW, SNUFF,
SMOKER.
-
NOOGIE :
-
slang term for a light blow, a poke or jab, that's made to
someone's head or upper arm, abdomen or back, accompanied by a
twisting motion, with the curled fist prominently extending one
or two central knuckles, so as to administer a rough gesture of
affection or a playful (albeit painful) prank; also spelled
"nuggie" or "nugie". This somewhat boorish greeting was common
among male peers during the post-WWII period extending into the
Vietnam-era; it's not unlike the adolescent torments of the Dutch
rub and Indian burn. See PISSING CONTEST, MACHO.
[v: "chest bump", being a short-lived fad between the Vietnam-era
and the Gulf-era where MACHO males expressed their solidarity and
camaraderie by jumping at each other so as to slam their chests
together ... requiring a modicum of coordination and strength,
this theatrical gesture probably dissipated with the occurrence
of 'nose bumps' and the onset of potbellies; nb: not to be
confused with the MACHO contest commonly known as "Texas Chest
Slapping", wherein two men (typically drunk) stand facing within
arm's length of one another, alternately exchanging open-handed
slaps to each other's chest in a DUEL to determine who will
forfeit (alpha male) primacy by being made to stagger or fall
from his position]
-
NO QUARTER :
-
a refusal to show MERCY or indulgence, as by declining surrender
or by executing prisoners, as in a state of total war; see BLACK
FLAG, RED FLAG, PLAY CHARLEMAGNE, LAST STAND.
[nb: the so-called "Jolly Roger", featuring a skull with crossed
bones on a black field, that was purportedly flown by pirates, as
a declaration of "no quarter" and "non-alliance", originated as
the "Jolie Rouge", a plain red flag] [nb: baucans (or
bauccedillian) was a plain red streamer, flown from a ship's
masthead, signifying that "no quarter" would be given; which
antedates the "flag of defiance" or "colors of defiance", also
known as the "bloody flag", a practice abandoned after 1800]
-
NORAD :
-
acronym for NORth [American] Air/Aerospace Defense command, a
combined U.S. and Canadian air forces command responsible for
detecting aircraft and space vehicles deemed a threat to the
continental airspace, and to enable continental protection.
-
NORDIC :
-
designates cross-country (X-C) skiing, as originated in
Scandinavia; distinguished from alpine (downhill or slalom)
practices. Compare SNOWSHOE; see BUNNY BOOTS, MICKEY MOUSE BOOTS,
K-9, SCOUT DOG, WEASEL, IRON DOG, CAT-TRAIN, MOUNTAINEER, NWTC,
WINTER WARRIOR. [nb: National Ski Patrol (NSP) established in
Stowe, VT (1938); chartered by Congress (1980)]
-
NORDO :
-
a contraction of NO RaDiO, being AvnSpeak for a loss of COMMO /
communications, except by primitive visual signals.
-
NO REST :
-
a widely misquoted sentiment that's commonly expressed as "no
rest for the weary", "no rest for the righteous", or "no rest for
the wicked", depending upon perspective and commiseration; the
concept represents endless work, and properly derives from "There
the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest."
[Job 3:17 Bible]. See OP 'TIL YOU DROP, OP TEMPO, OPSCHED, GOOD
TO GO, COMBAT LOADED, MISSION READY, SADDLE-UP, MOVE OUT,
JUMP-START, HOOPLA, BATTAILOUS; compare EYELID MAINTENANCE, KIP,
PAC / PAC TIME, COMBAT NAP.
-
NO REST FOR THE RIGHTEOUS :
-
see NO REST.
-
NO REST FOR THE WEARY :
-
see NO REST.
-
NO REST FOR THE WICKED :
-
see NO REST.
-
NORS :
-
(norse) Not Operationally Ready -- (due to short) Supply.
-
NORTHCOM :
-
NORTHern COMmand, also represented as USNORTHCOM; being one of
nine unified joint US military commands, headquartered at
Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs; NORTHCOM is
responsible for defending the United States, Canada, and Mexico
against attacks from air, sea, or land, and coordinating civil
and military responses to disruptive conflicts. See CENTCOM.
-
NORTHERN WATCH :
-
interdiction operation in the Mid-East from 1 Jan 1997 to 18 Mar
2003; compare SOUTHERN WATCH.
-
NOSE :
-
(forthcoming);
"sniffer" device, molecular detector; see CBR, HAZMAT [cf:
forensic molecular detector for diagnosis (eg: vaginitis) or
search (eg: cadaver)].
see COCKPIT, CHIN BUBBLE, CHOPPER, FUSELAGE, BIRD.
see WAR NOSE, FUZE, WARHEAD, E-WARHEAD, PAYLOAD.
-
NOSE ART :
-
(forthcoming); images depicted on the front of an aircraft as an
expression of morale or pride, such as a unit mascot or to
animate the "machinery of war"; compare PIN-UP.
-
NOSE COUNT / NOSE-COUNT :
-
a collegial form of polling ("head-count") that shares
responsibility (or distributes guilt) in a manner imitative of
corporate and political compromises, as favored among BROWN
NOSERs and MILICRATs; being a harmonizing or acquiescent practice
among STAFFers that is antithetical to the hierarchal sole
responsibility of command authority. See RUN IT UP THE FLAGPOLE,
EYE-CHECK, POPULARITY CONTEST, BULLFROG CHORUS, RUNNING DOG,
REASSURANCE, COMMAND RATIO, LDR, HEADQUARTERISM.
Also, to itemize or enumerate each ("head-count") of the
components so as to ascertain the quantity of the whole; see BY
THE NUMBERS, COUNT-OFF, ACCOUNTABILITY.
-
NOSEDIVE :
-
the plunge of an aircraft with the forward part pointing
downward, especially a headfirst crash; also spelled "nose-dive"
or "nose dive". See AUGER-IN, PANCAKE, GROUND LOOP, ALUMINUM
RAIN, BOUNCE, TOUCHDOWN, ALS, AUTO-ROTATE, CHOPPER, BIRD.
[nb: the distinction between a head-first AUGER-IN (or NOSEDIVE)
and a belly-flopping PANCAKE is less about aircraft orientation
than the potential survivability of passengers and crew]
[nb: during the period of aeronautical experimentation, before
powered flight was successful, headfirst or nose-down crashes
were so common that the Wright brothers characterized their
efforts as "well drilling"]
-
NO-SEE-UM :
-
pseudo-AmerIndian version of "You cannot see them.", being an
allusion to the biting or bloodsucking gnat, midge, or punkie;
see FLY, MAGGOT, SANDFLY, SKEETER, MOSQUITO, VECTOR, DISEASE.
-
NOSGPAC :
-
Naval Operations Support Group, PACific Fleet
-
NOSS :
-
Naval Ocean Surveillance System, being a satellite system that
detects and tracks vessels by focusing on radio transmissions.
-
NOSTALGIA :
-
a longing for home, or anything that elicits a desire for or
remembrance of home; homesickness. Also, a wistful or sentimental
longing for places, things, acquaintances, or conditions
belonging to the past.
-
NO SWEAT :
-
informal catch-phrase for can do, easily done, or not a problem
to accomplish; see PIECE OF CAKE, CAKEWALK, LAUGH A MINUTE, WALK
IN THE PARK, MILK RUN, DUCK SOUP, TURKEY SHOOT.
-
NOTAM :
-
NOtice To Airmen and Mariners, being hazard and/or safety
warnings issued to all aircraft and vessels in the area; compare
SECURITE, PAN, MAYDAY.
-
NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT :
-
an idiomatic expression identifying that which is not exceptional
or extraordinary, as "That big shindig weren't nuthin' ta write
home about."; being basic, ordinary, regular, simple,
undifferentiated, typical, average, plain vanilla, plain Jane,
unadorned, unembellished, unornamented, undistinguished,
everyday, quotidian, commonplace, unremarkable, prosaic, routine,
mundane, workaday, run-of-the-mill, garden-variety, just another
square on the checkerboard, bog standard (Briticism). Compare
RANK, FILE, FORGOTTEN MAN, THINK PURPLE, GOOD IRON DOES NOT MAKE
NAILS NOR DO GOOD MEN BECOME SOLDIERS, EDC, STROLLER.
-
NOT INVENTED HERE :
-
see NIH, REINVENT THE WHEEL.
-
NOT ONE STONE LEFT UPON ANOTHER :
-
an expression representing the thoroughness of intense combat,
with its deliberate destructiveness clearly manifest. Commonly
attributed to the Bible ["There shall not be left here one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Matthew 24:2],
wherein the destruction of the temple forebodes the last days of
the world, but the utter devastation of the Third Punic War (149
- 146BC) is a valid harbinger, wherein the Romans left no
Carthaginian stone upon another, salted the earth, executed all
adult males, selling all women and children into slavery. This
phrase represents the inhumanity of mankind toward his fellows
... arguably the more so with more technologically sophisticated
weapons. See BOMB 'EM BACK TO THE STONE AGE, BOUNCE THE RUBBLE,
BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK, KNOCK INTO A COCKED HAT, ROMAN HOLIDAY,
OUTGUN, OVERKILL, BRINKMANSHIP. [nb: "So when you see a mouse in
your kitchen, you decide to napalm your whole house and then
release a thousand snakes into the ashes ... but now, smart guy,
where the hell ya gonna live?!" paraphrase of Aidan Truhen
(2018)]
-
NOT WITH A BANG BUT A WHIMPER :
-
literary allusion to man's pitiful life and pathetic affairs,
wherein his grandiose schemes arouse only contempt; as derived
from a passage ("This is the way the world ends, not with a bang
but a whimper.") in the novella "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph
Conrad [Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski (1902)], which
expression was made famous by the poetic passage: "This is the
way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper." by Thomas
Stearns Eliot in The Hollow Men (1925). See APOCALYPSE,
HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE, OVERKILL, MASSACRE, KILL 'EM ALL, WARMONGER,
KNOCK INTO A COCKED HAT, RETALIATION, REPRISAL, RETRIBUTION,
ARMAGEDDON, DAY OF RECKONING, HOLY WAR, JUST WAR; compare SOUND
AND FURY, SHOCK 'n' AWE, FIREWORKS, SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW,
WATERWORKS.
[nb: "I have discovered that all human evil comes from a single
cause: man's inability to sit still in a room." paraphrase of
Blaise Pascal; "Man finds nothing so intolerable as to be in a
state of complete rest, without passions, without occupation,
without diversion, without effort. Then he feels his nullity,
loneliness, inadequacy, dependence, helplessness, emptiness." by
Blaise Pascal; "Boredom is ... a vital problem for the moralist,
since at least half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of
it." by Bertrand A.W. Russell; "The world is a force, not a
presence." by Wallace Stevens; "The world only exists in your
eyes -- your conception of it. You can make it as big or as small
as you want to." by F. Scott Fitzgerald; "The eternal silence of
these infinite spaces fills me with dread." by Blaise Pascal;
"Modern man likes to pretend that his thinking is wide-awake. But
this wide-awake thinking has led us into the mazes of a nightmare
in which the torture chambers are endlessly repeated in the
mirrors of reason." by Octavio Paz; "Global persecution,
unremitting greed, and worldwide catastrophe cannot be attributed
to the petty mischief inspired by childish boredom, no matter how
indulgent the gods may be with their insipid creations ... this
is not a lapse in proper development, but a willfully malicious
tantrum by vicious beasts. The horrors are now so ubiquitous that
the wretched screams of the dispossessed no longer startle us and
the agonized cries no longer distress us, such that misery is now
commonplace and suffering is simply the background noise of
modern civilization. The ultimate question is not whether anyone
hears the broken tree fall in the forest, but can anyone hear
anything at all if everyone is wailing at the top of their
lungs?!"]
-
NOVEMBER :
-
the word assigned to represent the letter "N" in the
international phonetic alphabet; at various times in different
spelling schemes, it has also been acrophonetically represented
as Nan and Nap. This is a "governing flag" in US Navy signals
that also represents "negative". See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC
ALPHABET. [v: Alphabet Codes & Signal Flags]
-
NPFF :
-
Republic of Vietnam National Police Field Force; see WHITE MICE,
QC, NPSS, POLICE.
-
NPG :
-
former abbreviation for the U.S. Navy Post-graduate School, which
is properly cited as NPS (qv).
-
NPRC :
-
National Personnel Records Center; consolidated archive of
military records from all service branches. See PERSCOM, BUPERS.
-
NPS :
-
U.S. Navy Post-graduate School, being a center for advanced
technical training situated in Monterey CA; originally devoted to
nautical subjects, including nuclear physics, but the curriculum
has been expanded to include unconventional warfare (UW), and the
student body extended to other service branches; also known as
Naval Post-graduate School, and formerly cited as NPG.
-
NPSS :
-
Republic of Vietnam National Police and Security Service; see
WHITE MICE, NPFF, QC, POLICE.
-
NRL :
-
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
-
NRO :
-
National Reconnaissance Office, established 25 Aug 1960 by a
technology transfer from DARPA, to administer and coordinate
satellite development and operations for the U.S. intelligence
community, and monitor developments; later renamed National
Reconnaissance Organization, but is commonly known as "Big
Black". The satiric motto of the NRO is: "Yesterday's technology
at tomorrow's prices!".
-
NROTC :
-
Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps; see ROTC.
-
NRP :
-
National Response Plan; see DHS, NSPG, NIMS, NCTC,
ANTI-TERRORISM, COUNTER-TERRORISM, TERRORIST.
-
NSA :
-
Naval Support Activity. Also, National Security Agency, now known
as National Security Administration; may be re-interpreted as "No
Such Agency", "Never Say Anything", or "Never Sleeps at All", due
to the sensitivity of the data it processes; colocated (CRYPTO
CITY) with Fort Meade, this so-called "shadow factory"
(established 1952) is the successor to the Armed Forces Security
Agency (AFSA), founded 1949; this cryptologic organization
gathers and analyzes foreign intelligence as well as coordinates
protection of U.S. information systems.
-
NSAID :
-
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug; see ASA, APC, CANDY,
BISCUIT, RANGER CANDY, CHEERIOS. [v: acetaminophen / paracetamol
(para-acetamidophenol)]
-
NSC :
-
National Security Council, a U.S. government agency, established
by the 1947 National Security Act, is responsible for
planning,coordinating, and evaluating the nation's defense
policies, being staffed by the President, Vice-President,
Secretarys of State and Defense, and Directors of the Central
Intelligence Agency and the Office of Emergency Preparedness. The
NSC is an advisory body, like the president's cabinet, and is not
in the CHAIN-OF-COMMAND. See NSPG, TIWG, PNSA. [nb: JCS is not
included in this Executive Branch conclave]
Also, National Simulation Center (including Mission Command
Training Support program, Global Simulation Capability, TCM
Virtual and Gaming, etc) in the Combined Arms Command, Fort
Leavenworth, KS.
-
NSD :
-
Naval Supply Depot, aka: NAVSUPDEP; see DEPOT, DUMP, DRMO, MOTHER
SHIP, SOG LOG, HOUSE 240, PRE-POS, LOGISTICS. Also, National
Security Directive; also identified as National Security Decision
Memorandum (NSDM) and as National Security Action Memorandum
(NSAM).
-
NSFO :
-
Navy Standard Fuel Oil; see BUNKER, JUICE, PETROL.
-
NSGTMO :
-
the abbreviation for Naval Station Guantanamo, and commonly
called the "Pearl Harbor of the Atlantic"; see GITMO.
-
NSIC :
-
National Strategy Information Center.
-
NSN :
-
National Stock Number, the stock number identifying every
part, component, or item in government inventory, for purchase,
issue, requisition, or accountability. The National Stock Number
is a 13-digit inventory sequence, consisting of the 4-digit
Federal Supply Classification code and the 9-digit National Item
Identification Number, which replaced the 11-digit Federal Stock
Number on 30 Sep 1974, and is NATO compatible.
[nb: in an effort to control costs and reduce waste, the DoD has
instituted a policy of "non-duplication" in military procurement
(Military Adaptable Commercial Item {MACI}), such that a mil-spec
contract will NOT be let whenever a commercial "off the shelf"
(COTS) product is "close enough for government work" and does not
require special features; so some name brand items are now in
logistical inventory]
-
NSPD-51 :
-
National Security Presidential Directive 51, or Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 20, which was signed into existence on 4
May 2007 by President George W. Bush, being a partially
classified Presidential Directive that asserts the authority to
execute all necessary procedures to sustain the continuity of the
federal government in the event of a "catastrophic emergency".
Executive Directive 51 construes such emergency to be "any
incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary
levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely
affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment,
economy, or government functions." Although the intent of NSPD-51
seems to be similar to the amendment on presidential succession,
as inferred from the unclassified portion released to the public,
there is some concern that some of the provisions of Executive
Directive 51 may be unconstitutional (eg: conjoin separate
branches for checks and balances, subordination of formerly
coequal branches to the executive for essential allocations,
wholesale reorganization by the chief executive, insinuates the
chief of staff of the executive into a supervisory position over
the coequal branches, creates a new "National Continuity
Coordinator" as supervening authority, fails to stipulate when
the emergency may be concluded, etc). Compare EXECUTIVE
PRIVILEGE; see EXECUTIVE ORDER, FINDING, NATIONAL SECURITY.
-
NSPG :
-
National Security Planning Group; see NSC, TIWG.
-
NSWC :
-
Naval Special Warfare Command, being the supervisory element for
BUD/S SEAL training and the several SEAL teams; commonly
designated WAR COM.
-
NSWG :
-
Naval Special Warfare Group, formed in 1967 from Naval Operations
Support Group, which includes UDT (until 1983) and SEAL
organizations.
-
NSWDG :
-
Naval Special Warfare Development Group, being the designation
for U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6.
-
NTC :
-
(en-tee-see) National Training Center; a live-fire armor (ARM),
cavalry (ACAV / ACR), and air cavalry (AIR CAV / AIRMOBILE) field
exercise area at Fort Irwin using OPFOR CADRE known as
"Krasnovyans". The Desert Training Center was established before
WWII to prepare troops for combat in north Africa, with the
Center renamed the California-Arizona Maneuver Area in 1943.
Compare JRTC, RED FLAG; see EXERCISE, OPFOR, MILES.
-
NTDS :
-
Naval Tactical Data System
-
NTF :
-
Nutrition Task Force, a new military nutrition research division
that was established in 1983 at the U.S. Army Research Institute
of Environmental Medicine so as to complete an intensive field
trial of rations in order to determine food appeal and
acceptance, the occurrence of weight gain or loss, the incidence
of disease or malnutrition from a steady diet over a prolonged
period of consumption, including exposure to high altitudes and
severe temperatures. In 1986, the Nutrition Task force became the
Military Nutrition Division. This division, in collaboration with
the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, is responsible for
developing the high-energy HOOAH! BAR and the supplemental ERGO
drink so as to enhance the performance of healthy individuals
performing military functions in extreme environments.
-
NTSB :
-
National Transportation Safety Board, being the government agency
that investigates accidents involving vehicles engaged in
interstate commerce, such as plane crashes, train derailments,
and so forth.
-
NUBUSH :
-
(new-bush or nub-bush) a BLACK woman (especially Afro-American)
or a female of mixed race with pronounced Negroid
characteristics, especially head and pubic hair; as a contraction
of 'Nubian' + 'bushy'. See LULU THE ZULU, CHOCOLATE BUNNY.
-
NUGATORY :
-
trifling, worthless, ineffective, or futile; as derived from
something of little value or no consequence; being typical of
semi-literate MIL-SPEAK which mixes hieratic esoterica with slang
and obscenity to form a unique patois; see MISTER, DUD, LOOSE
CANNON, FIDO, PAPER TIGER. [nb: not to be confused with
"negatory"; see NEGATIVE] [v: Sisyphean]
-
NUGGET :
-
slang for a sailor on his first FLOAT or initial cruise
on-board a ship; see SWABBY, SQUID, CHUM, DRYBACK, TADPOLE,
POLLYWOG, FRESH CATCH, CHERRY, SHOWER SHOE, FNG, NEWBEE.
Also, by extension of the basic meaning of gob, glob, or lump, an
infantryman who is a small element in the vast army but remains
individually valuable; sometimes expressed as "nug"; see GRUNT,
SNUFFY, GROUND POUNDER, BLUELEG, BOONIE RAT, BUSHMASTER, CRUNCHY.
-
NUKE :
-
informal usage for a nuclear or thermonuclear weapon; derived
from "nut"; see BOMB, A-BOMB, H-BOMB, N-BOMB, ZERO POINT, GROUND
ZERO, OVERKILL, WMD, FOOTBALL, PAL, EWO, CBR, CBRNE, BACKPACK,
SRAM, PENTAGONAL, DARPA, MANHATTAN PROJECT, BIKINI, ENIWETOK,
BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK, GENIE, YELLOWCAKE, HEAVY WATER, HOT
GREASE, HEU, FIZZLE, HOT SPOT, FLASH BURN, SCRAM, DRAGON SHIT,
ALPHA RADIATION, BETA RADIATION, RAD, REM, ROENTGEN, FALLOUT,
RADIATION SICKNESS, EMP, DRAGON'S BREATH, CONTAINMENT, DOSIMETER,
CHIRPER, BANG READER, NEST, FOREST GREEN, BROKEN ARROW, WALKING
GHOST, CHINA SYNDROME, PAPER TIGER; compare SUBATOMIC WEAPONS.
[nb: the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963 by 99
nations, permitting only underground testing (limited to 150
kilotons in 1974), while prohibiting detonations in the
atmosphere, in outer space, at or under the sea; the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was ultimately signed by 140
nations, which aimed to prevent the further spread of nuclear
weapons, to foster peaceful uses of atomic energy, and to
encourage negotiations to end the nuclear arms race; v: 1972
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I), 1979 Strategic Arms
Limitation Talks (SALT II), 1982 Strategic Arms Reduction Talks
(START), 1993 Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START II)]
[nb: "We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our
arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt
that they will never be employed." by John F. Kennedy (20 Jan
1961); "So in your discussions of the nuclear freeze proposals, I
urge you to beware the temptation of pride -- the temptation
blithely to declare yourselves above it all and label both sides
equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the
aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms
race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from
the struggle between right and wrong, good and evil." by Ronald
W. Reagan (8 Mar 1983)]
Also, slang for utter destruction or total desolation, as when
completely obliterating a topic or when erasing a bad idea, being
figurative usage of its literal sense.
Also, slang for heating or cooking in a microwave oven; a
conventional misnomer for this extremely high frequency
electromagnetic wave radiation.
-
NULLITY :
-
any meaningless symbol or invalid sign used in cryptography,
especially one used to mislead or inhibit decipherment; see CODE,
ENCODE, ENCRYPT, DECODE, DECRYPT, ALPHABET SOUP, KAK, KEK, KEY,
SHACKLE, SCRAMBLE, CIPHER, BURST, TAP CODE, DUNGEON, CRYPER,
INTEL. Also, a person or thing of no value or import, something
worthless, as naught, nil, aught, rush, zilch; see ZERO, ZIP,
CIPHER, SQUAT, DIDDLY.
-
NUMBER :
-
the pronunciation of numbers or numerals in voice communication
is dictated by the conventions of Radio Telephone Procedure (RTP)
and Procedure Words (PROWORD), such as stating only single digits
(ie: 'one-one', not eleven), 'niner' (not nine), 'zero' (not
"oh"), 'five' (not "fiver"). In early literate societies (eg:
Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek), before the introduction of distinct
Arabic numerals, letters were also used as numbers [gematria /
gimetria], either in context or with the addition of a number
sign to cue [q/quando] the reader, which practice is still used
in braille and TAP CODE but not in sign language or MORSE CODE.
See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [nb: Roman numerals: I = 1,
V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, E = 250, D = 500, M = 1000] [v:
Alphabet Codes &
Signal Flags]
-
NUMBER ONE :
-
(numba whon) slang for good, excellent, fine, superb, prime, as
based on numeric rating scale, from earlier use of Japanese
"ichi-ban" during the KOREAN WAR; see UCGC. Also, the self or
self-interest, as "looking out for number one". [nb: Vietnamese
term: so mot] [nb: this flattering or manipulative attribution is
often wholly an assessment of a G.I.'s largess or gullibility ...
any MIL-PERS who didn't contribute to the Vietnamese economy was
ipso facto not a "good guy" or "nice person", hence the
Vietnamese resentment of the South Koreans (ROK) who knew the
scam that was being played upon these credulous Americans]
-
NUMBER SIXTY :
-
(numba sixee / numba sicksee) M-60 machinegun (MG), being a pun
on the slang value rating of #1 - #10,000 as "bad news" or
deadly; a CREW-SERVED WEAPON that's also called PIG.
-
NUMBER TEN :
-
(numba ten) slang for bad on a numeric rating scale from earlier
use of Japanese "juu" during the KOREAN WAR ... especially a
thrifty or stingy, niggardly or miserly CHEAP CHARLIE. [nb:
Vietnamese term: so mudi]
-
NUMBER TEN-THOUSAND :
-
(numba ten-thou) slang for extremely bad, indescribably awful,
the worst, on a numeric rating scale from earlier use of Japanese
"ichiman" during the KOREAN WAR ... especially a thrifty or
stingy, niggardly or miserly CHEAP CHARLIE. [nb: Vietnamese term:
so xau lam] [cf: Chinese "wan-sue", Japanese "banzai" meaning
ten-thousand years, used as a battle cry]
-
NUMB NUTS :
-
slang for a stupid or worthless person, such as a blockhead,
dolt, lunkhead, dunderhead, bonehead, knucklehead, numskull,
scrot (shortening of 'scrotum'); see DEADHEAD, PUKE, DUD, LOOSE
CANNON, DOPE, YARDBIRD, MAGGOT, PYHOOYA, TURD, SOS, FUCK-UP,
SMACK, SHIT MAGNET, DOUCHE BAG, FIELD REJECT.
[nb: "Artificial intelligence is no match for natural
stupidity."]
-
NUMERAL :
-
the pronunciation of numbers or numerals in voice communication
is dictated by the conventions of Radio Telephone Procedure (RTP)
and Procedure Words (PROWORD), such as stating only single digits
(ie: 'one-one', not eleven), 'niner' (not nine), 'zero' (not
"oh"), 'five' (not "fiver"). In early literate societies (eg:
Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek), before the introduction of distinct
Arabic numerals, letters were also used as numbers [gematria /
gimetria], either in context or with the addition of a number
sign to cue [q/quando] the reader, which practice is still used
in braille and TAP CODE but not in sign language or MORSE CODE.
See ALPHABET SOUP, PHONETIC ALPHABET. [nb: Roman numerals: I = 1,
V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, E = 250, D = 500, M = 1000] [v:
Alphabet Codes &
Signal Flags]
-
NUNG :
-
non-Indonesian ethnic Chinese peoples INDIGenous to the
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS and North Vietnam; this ethnic minority served
primarily in SPECIAL FORCES projects. See CHINK, INDIG.
-
NUNKY PAYS FOR ALL :
-
see STAND SAM.
-
NUNNERY :
-
slang for the on-base enclosure reserved for the housing of
female servicemembers from 1942 to 1978, when all separate
women's military service corps were dissolved, and female
servicemembers were integrated into the RANKs; so-called by
comparison to the cloistered convent for religious devotees. See
SKIRT.
-
NUOC :
-
(nook) Vietnamese term for water; see THE DRINK, JUICE, BUG
JUICE, GI JOE, WATERWORKS, CANTEEN, JERRY CAN, LISTER BAG,
EVAPORATOR, SOLAR STILL, WATER PURIFICATION TABLET, THE DEVIL'S
WATER.
[aka: hobo soda, Adam's ale, snow float, Nature's own elixir]
[nb: "Have a drink of pure sweet water? It's filtered by dirt. It
lays low and grows scum. It erodes solid stone. It rots wood. It
rusts metal. Fish have sex in it. Little boys pee in it. Bugs and
such drown in it. And I'm expected to drink it?! NO thanks!"]
[nb: a Vietnam-era bon mot proposed: "Instant Space Age Water has
been scientifically formulated to replicate Nature's own
elemental distillate, clean and clear and odorless, fortified and
purified with a neutral pH, at only a fraction of the weight of
the original regular substance; a man-made improvement developed
for ready consumption, alone or as an additive, having been
designed for better living through chemistry! ... to reconstitute
this marvelous product, just add water."]
[nb: 1 liter (1000cc/1.0567qt) of pure water weighs 1 kilogram
(1000g/2.2046#)]
[nb: "When drinking the water, don't forget those who dug the
well." Chinese proverb]
-
NUOC DA :
-
(nook day) Vietnamese term for ice; see THE DRINK, JUICE, BUG
JUICE, GI JOE, CA PHE SUA DA, CANTEEN, JERRY CAN, LISTER BAG,
WATER PURIFICATION TABLET. [nb: the first patent application for
an Ice Cube Tray with Lever Ejector Mechanism was filed in 1950
by Arthur J. Frei]
-
NUOC MAM / NUOS NAM :
-
(noouk mom) a pungent Vietnamese condiment, a fermented and
concentrated fish sauce used to flavor RICE; known as "nam pla"
(Thailand), "tuk trey" (Cambodia), "kechap" (Malaya/Malaysia),
and called "armpit sauce" by many Americans.
[nb: a similar fish sauce, garum, was a common ingredient in
ancient Greek and Roman cultures since the eighth century BC;
being a pungent extract of fermenting fish, this seasoning was
a popular alternative to salt. Salt, spices, and seaweed were
combined with various fishes (eg: mackerel, prawns, sardines,
anchovies, tuna, salmon, red mullet, or oysters) and fermented
for as long as three months; whence the residual liquid was
strained, then carefully decanted and sealed. The fermenting fish
undergo "enzymic proteolysis", an interactive process that
produces an acrid brine; the odor of its manufacture banishing
garum production to remote locales. This sauce is not "rotten
fish" or "spoiled meat" ... the "enzymic proteolysis" does not
lead to decay and putrefaction (ie: ptomaine), but is a bacterial
action that preserves and eventually dissolves the fish. This
fermentation is similar to the production of beer, vinegar,
cheese, and yogurt. The attractive "full-bodied" flavor of
fermented foods is due to a high content of "glutamate", an amino
acid.]
[nb: more common fish soup/stew dishes: ragout, pepper pot,
matelote, cioppino, bouillabaisse, chowder, bisque/bisk, newburg,
thermidor, and similar fare; v: CHOW, SOUP]
-
NUTCRACKER / NUTCRACKING :
-
slang for a difficult task or challenging assignment; so-called
after the process of breaking the shells of nuts, as "This job is
a nutcracker!" See BALL BUSTER, UPHILL BATTLE, BALLS TO THE WALL,
HARDBALL. Also, slang for breaking open a safe or other secure
container, by analogizing safecracking with breaking the shell of
a nut; see FLAPS 'n' SEALS, TRADECRAFT.
-
NUT KNOCKING :
-
see GANGES GROIN GOUGE.
-
NUTRITIONAL PERFORMANCE BAR :
-
see SOLDIER FUEL, HOOAH! BAR, POWERBAR.
-
NUTS :
-
slang for testes, testicles, or gonads of the male; see ONIONS;
compare PRICK, CU, SPLIT, STRANGE. Also, the purported reply by
BG Anthony C. McAuliffe, acting commander of the 101st Airborne
Division, to the surrender terms proffered at Bastogne (Belgium)
during the Battle of the Bulge (22 December 1944). [cf: the
Cossacks of Saporog drafting a manifesto, or reply of the
Zaporozhian Cossacks (Zaporozhye, Ukraine) to an ultimatum by
Sultan Mehmed IV of the Ottoman Empire (1676); Bolshevik leaders
of the Soviet draft a letter of defiance in reply to George
Curzon of England (1923)]
-
NVA :
-
North Vietnamese Army, or a uniformed soldier in the regular
army of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV); also known as:
GOMER or BO DOI. The North Vietnamese Army deployed twenty-three
infantry divisions (ie: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 101D, 304th,
304B, 308th, 308B, 312th, 316th, 320th, 320B, 324B, 325th, 330th,
338th, 341st, 380th, 711th, with 5th and 9th VC/NVA), together
with their supporting artillery regiments and armored brigades,
throughout North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. NVA rank
designations changed from shoulder-strap to collar-tab during the
1960s, but was uniformly red background with yellow markings. NVA
ranks during the VIETNAM WAR-era: Private Second Class, 1 star;
Private First Class, 2 stars; Corporal, 1 star in stripe;
Sergeant, 2 stars in stripe; Senior Sergeant, 3 stars in stripe;
Cadet or student officer, 1 bar; Second Lieutenant, star and bar;
Senior Lieutenant, 2 stars and bar; Captain, 3 stars and bar;
Senior Captain, 4 stars and bar; Major, star and 2 bars;
Lieutenant Colonel, 2 stars and 2 bars; Colonel, 3 stars and 2
bars; Senior Colonel, 4 stars and 2 bars; Major General, star in
border; Lieutenant General, 2 stars in border; Colonel General, 3
stars in border; Senior General, 4 stars in border. Enemy weapons
of the Vietnam-era included: SKS, PPSh-41, PPS-43, MP-40, MAT-49,
K-50M, AK-47, AKM, Type 50 (unlicensed PRC copy w/30rd mag). See
PAVN, VC, CHARLIE, NLF, PLA, PRG, VIET MINH, PASF, VPA.
-
NVAF :
-
North Vietnamese Air Force, which began air-to-air engagements
over North Vietnam during post-Tet '68 reprisals; compare VNAF.
[nb: sorties were purportedly flown against Lima Site 85 on 12
January 1968 by the NVAF piloting four Soviet-made Anotov An-2
biplanes, which fired 57mm rockets and dropped 120mm mortar bombs
by hand in an attempt to destroy the RADAR installation, but two
biplanes were shot down and the other two were driven off by an
Air America UH-1D helicopter]
-
NVD :
-
Night Vision Device, which is mounted on a weapon for enemy
targeting; encapsulated by the 1980s catch-phrase: "own the
night", the latest generations of light-intensifying goggles
offer multiple views, pointing options, range finding, aiming and
marking sequences, and coupling to a Global Positioning System
(GPS). See ENVIS, NVG, MNVD, VIPER, NOD, GREEN-EYE, STARLIGHT,
I2, PEEPERS.
-
NVG :
-
Night Vision Goggles (eg: AN/PVS-7), the improved ambient-light
technology made more compact in a set of binocular head-mounted
goggles which lack good depth perception and constrict peripheral
vision, making watchfulness by other crewmembers in moving
vehicles or aircraft essential. Because the objective lens shows
a luminous GREEN-EYE during operational scanning, and because the
binocular NVG interferes with aimed firing of individual weapons,
and because any sudden flare of intense illumination (eg:
explosion, FLASHLIGHT, etc) will destroy the operator's adapted
night vision, a head-mounted Monocular Night Vision Device (MNVD)
with an on/off switch is issued to RECON and SOF personnel, who
wear it over their non-dominant eye. See NOD, GREEN-EYE,
STARLIGHT, I2, PEEPERS, FIELD GLASSES.
-
NVN :
-
abbreviation for North Viet Nam, the informal designation of
the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), later becoming the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV); see VN.
-
NWTC :
-
Northern Warfare Training Center, being the site of the
three-week Northern Warfare training course at Fort Greely
Alaska. The mountain phase of the course includes climbing,
rappelling, and medical evacuation. The watercourse phase covers
boat operations, stream crossing, river charting and navigation.
The glacier phase covers crevasse rescue, step cutting, group
climbing, belaying and anchors. Acquired skills include basic
knots, mountain walking techniques, and route selection. The
schooling emphasizes mobility in mountainous terrain, on
glaciers, and inland waterways, culminating in a three-day field
exercise (FTX) situated on Gulkana Glacier. The Army's training
center for cold weather and mountain warfare was initially setup
on Mount Rainier at Camp Lewis in 1941, then relocated to Camp
Hale in 1942, Camp Carson after WWII, and finally to Big Delta
Alaska in 1948 for its range of arctic and subarctic conditions;
with the Arctic Indoctrination School at Fort Greely redesignated
the U.S. Army Cold Weather and Mountain School in 1957, then in
1963 its mission was changed from individual to unit instruction,
so was renamed U.S. Army Northern Warfare Training Center. NWTC
offers the following courses to active and reserve components:
Cold Weather Orientation Course (CWOC), Cold Weather Leaders
Course (CWLC), Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC), Assault
Climbers Course (ACC), Arctic Light Individual Training (ALIT).
See MOUNTAINEER, WINTER WARRIOR.
[nb: due to axial tilt during earth's rotation, the hemispheric
seasons are not the same length, with the southern summer /
northern winter being the shortest season, and northern summer /
southern winter being the longest]
-
NYLON LETDOWN :
-
aviator's catch-phrase for the PARACHUTE ride subsequent to an
emergency ejection (PUNCH-OUT) from a disabled aircraft, usually
connected to the pilot's chair (also called "hot seat" or "panic
rack"), complete with survival equipment; being a play on words
that extends the meaning of LETDOWN (a descent from a higher to a
lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing);
also spelled "nylon let-down".
-
NZATTV :
-
New Zealand Army Training Team; see KIWI, NZV FORCE, TAN TAY LAN,
ANZAC, AATTV, ATFV, FANK TRAINING COMMAND, KANZUS, ANZUS, ASEAN.
[v: Down Under Military Glossary]
-
NZV FORCE :
-
New Zealand [Army] Force Vietnam; see KIWI, NZATTV, TAN TAY LAN,
ANZAC, AATTV, ATFV, FANK TRAINING COMMAND, KANZUS, ANZUS, ASEAN.
-
NZSAS :
-
[Royal] New Zealand Special Air Service; formed 1955 and
patterned on the British Special Air Service (SAS), it was
attached to the Australian SAS regiment in Vietnam from November
1968 through October 1971, where it was named 1st Ranger
Squadron. See ASAS, KIWI, TAN TAY LAN.
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