US Army Dictionary of Military Terms

can operate as a single unit, but normally the battalions plan and conduct operations from widely separated locations. The group provides general operational direction and synchronizes the activities of subordinate battalions. Although principally structured for unconventional warfare, special forces group units are capable of task-organizing to meet specific requirements. Also called SFG. (JP 3-05)

special forces operations base — A command, control, and support base established and operated by a special forces group or battalion from organic and attached resources. The base commander and his staff coordinate and synchronize the activities of subordinate and forwarddeployed forces. A special forces operations base is normally established for an extended period of time to support a series of operations. Also called SFOB. (JP 3-05)

special hazard — (*) In aircraft crash rescue and fire-fighting activities: fuels, materials, components, or situations that could increase the risks normally associated with military aircraft accidents and could require special procedures, equipment, or extinguishing agents.

special information operations —

Information operations that by their sensitive nature and due to their potential effect or impact, security requirements, or risk to the national security of the United States, require a special review and approval process. Also called SIO. See also information; information operations; operation. (JP 3-13)

special interest target — In counterdrug operations, a contact that may be outside initial sorting criteria but still requires special handling, such as controlled deliveries or other unusual situations. Also

called SIT. See also suspect; track of interest.

specialist intelligence report — A category of specialized, technical reports used in the dissemination of intelligence. Also called

SPIREP. See also intelligence reporting.

specialization — An arrangement within an alliance wherein a member or group of members most suited by virtue of technical skills, location, or other qualifications assume(s) greater responsibility for a specific task or significant portion thereof for one or more other members.

special mission unit — A generic term to represent a group of operations and support personnel from designated organizations that is task-organized to perform highly classified activities. Also called SMU. (JP 3-05.3)

special operations — Operations conducted by specially organized, trained, and equipped military and paramilitary forces to achieve military, political, economic, or informational objectives by unconventional military means in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive areas. These operations are conducted across the full range of military operations, independently or in coordination with operations of conventional, non-special operations forces. Political-military considerations frequently shape special operations, requiring clandestine, covert, or low visibility techniques and oversight at the national level. Special operations differ from conventional operations in degree of physical and political risk, operational techniques, mode of employment, independence from friendly support, and dependence on detailed operational intelligence and indigenous assets. Also called SO. (JP 3-05)

special operations combat control team —

A team of Air Force personnel organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. Under clandestine, covert, or low-visibility conditions, these teams establish and control air assault zones; assist aircraft by verbal control, positioning, and operating navigation aids; conduct limited offensive direct action and special reconnaissance operations; and assist in the insertion and extraction of special operations forces. Also called SOCCT. See also combat control team. (JP 3-05.3)

special operations command — A subordinate unified or other joint command established by a joint force commander to plan, coordinate, conduct, and support joint special operations within the joint force commander’s assigned operational area. Also called SOC. See also special operations. (JP 3-05)

special operations command and control element — A special operations command and control element (SOCCE) that is the focal point for the synchronization of special operations forces activities with conventional forces. It performs command and control functions according to mission requirements. It normally collocates with the command post of the supported force. The SOCCE can also receive special operations forces operational, intelligence, and target acquisition reports directly from deployed special operations elements and provide them to the supported component headquarters. The SOCCE remains under the operational control of the joint force special operations component commander or commander, joint special operations task force. Also called SOCCE. See also command and control; joint force special operations component commander; special operations; special operations forces. (JP 3-05.1)

special operations forces — Those Active and Reserve Component forces of the Military Services designated by the Secretary of Defense and specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. Also called

SOF. See also Air Force special operations forces; Army special operations forces; naval special warfare forces. (JP 3-05.3)

special operations liaison element — A special operations liaison team provided by the joint force special operations component commander to the joint force air component commander (if designated) to coordinate, deconflict, and integrate special operations air and surface operations with conventional air operations. Also called SOLE. See also joint force air component commander; joint force special operations component commander; special operations. (JP 3-05)

special operations mission planning folder

— The package that contains the materials required to execute a given special operations mission. It will include the mission tasking letter, mission tasking package, original feasibility assessment (as desired), initial assessment (as desired), target intelligence package, plan of execution, infiltration and exfiltration plan of execution, and other documentation as required or desired. Also called SOMPF. (JP 3-05.5)

special operations naval mobile environment team — A team of Navy personnel organized, trained, and equipped to support naval special warfare forces by providing weather, oceanographic, mapping, charting, and geodesy support. Also called SONMET. (JP 3-05.3)

special operations-peculiar — Equipment, material, supplies, and services required for special operations mission support for

which there is no broad conventional force requirement. This includes standard items used by other Department of Defense (DOD) forces but modified for special operations forces (SOF); items initially designed for, or used by, SOF until adapted for use as Service-common by other DOD forces; and items approved by the Commander in Chief, US Special Operations Command (USCINCSOC) as critically urgent for the immediate accomplishment of a special operations mission but not normally procured by USCINCSOC. Also called SO-peculiar.

See also special operations. (JP 3-05)

special operations terminal attack controller — United States Air Force combat control personnel certified to perform the terminal attack control function in support of special operations forces missions. Special operations terminal attack controller operations emphasize the employment of night infrared, laser, and beacon tactics and equipment. Also called

SOTAC. See also special operations; special tactics team; terminal. (JP 3-09.1)

special operations weather team/tactical element — A task-organized team of Air Force personnel organized, trained, and equipped to collect critical weather observations from data-sparse areas. These teams are trained to operate independently in permissive or uncertain environments, or as augmentation to other special operations elements in hostile environments, in direct support of special operations. Alsocalled SOWT/TE. (JP3-05)

special operations wing — An Air Force special operations wing. Also called SOW. (JP 3-05.5)

special (or project) equipment —

Equipment not authorized in standard equipment publications but determined as essential in connection with a contemplated

operation, function, or mission. See also equipment.

special purpose Marine air-ground task force — A Marine air-ground task force organized, trained, and equipped with narrowly focused capabilities. It is designed to accomplish a specific mission, often of limited scope and duration. It may be any size, but normally it is a relatively small force — the size of a Marine expeditionary unit or smaller. Also called SPMAGTF.

See also aviation combat element; combat service support element; command element; ground combat element; Marine air-ground task force; Marine expeditionary force; Marine expeditionary force (forward); Marine expeditionary unit; task force.

special-purpose vehicle — A vehicle incorporating a special chassis and designed to meet a specialized requirement.

special reconnaissance — Reconnaissance and surveillance actions conducted by special operations forces to obtain or verify, by visual observation or other collection methods, information concerning the capabilities, intentions, and activities of an actual or potential enemy or to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area. It includes target acquisition, area assessment, and post-strike reconnaissance. Also called SR. (JP 3-05.5)

special staff — All staff officers having duties at a headquarters and not included in the general (coordinating) staff group or in the personal staff group. The special staff includes certain technical specialists and heads of services, e.g., quartermaster officer, antiaircraft officer, transportation officer, etc. See also staff.

special tactics team — US Air Force special operations forces consisting of combat

control, pararescue, and combat weather personnel who are organized, trained, and equipped to establish and control the airground interface at an airhead in the objective area. Functions include assault zone reconnaissance and surveillance, establishment, and terminal control; combat search and rescue; combat casualty care and evacuation staging; special operations terminal attack control; and tactical weather observations and forecasting. Also called

STT. See also air traffic controller; combat search and rescue; special operations; special operations forces; special operations terminal attack controller. (JP 3-05.1)

special unloading berth — Berths established in the vicinity of the approach lanes into which transports may move for unloading, thus reducing the running time for landing craft and assisting in the dispersion of transports. (JP 3-02.2)

special weapons — A term sometimes used to indicate weapons grouped for special procedures, for security, or other reasons. Specific terminology, e.g., “nuclear weapons” or “guided missiles,” is preferable.

specific intelligence collection requirement

— An identified gap in intelligence holdings that may be satisfied only by collection action, and that has been validated by the appropriate requirements control authority. Also called SICR.

specific search — Reconnaissance of a limited number of points for specific information.

specified combatant command — See specified command. (JP 0-2)

specified command — A command that has a broad, continuing mission, normally functional, and is established and so

designated by the President through the Secretary of Defense with the advice and assistance of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It normally is composed of forces from a single Military Department. Also called specified combatant command. (JP 5-0)

spectrozonal photography — (*) A photographic technique whereby the natural spectral emissions of all objects are selectively filtered in order to image only those objects within a particular spectral band or zone and eliminate the unwanted background.

spectrum management — Planning, coordinating, and managing joint use of t h e e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c s p e c t r u m through operational, engineering, and administrative procedures. The objective of spectrum management is to enable electronic systems to perform their functions in the intended environment without causing or suffering unacceptable interference. See also electromagnetic spectrum. (JP 3-51)

speed of advance — (*) In naval usage, the speed expected to be made good over the ground. Also called SOA. See also pace; rate of march.

speed of sound — (*) The speed at which sound travels in a given medium under specified conditions. The speed of sound at sea level in the International Standard Atmosphere is 1108 ft/second, 658 knots, 1215 km/hour. See also hypersonic; sonic; subsonic; supersonic; transonic.

spillover — The part of the laser spot that is not on the target because of beam divergence or standoff range, improper boresighting of laser designator, or poor operator illuminating procedures. See also laser spot. (JP 3-09.1)

spin stabilization — Directional stability of a projectile obtained by the action of gyroscopic forces that result from spinning of the body about its axis of symmetry.

split cameras — (*) An assembly of two cameras disposed at a fixed overlapping angle relative to each other.

split pair — See split vertical photography.

split-up — See break-up.

split vertical photography — (*)

Photographs taken simultaneously by two cameras mounted at an angle from the vertical, one tilted to the left and one to the right, to obtain a small side overlap.

spoiling attack — A tactical maneuver employed to seriously impair a hostile attack while the enemy is in the process of forming or assembling for an attack. Usually employed by armored units in defense by an attack on enemy assembly positions in front of a main line of resistance or battle position.

sponsor — Military member or civilian employee with dependents.

spoke — The portion of the hub and spoke distribution system that refers to transportation mode operators responsible for scheduled delivery to a customer of the “hub”. See also distribution; distribution system; hub; hub and spoke distribution.

(JP 4-01.4)

spot — (*) 1. To determine by observation, deviations of ordnance from the target for the purpose of supplying necessary information for the adjustment of fire. 2. To place in a proper location. 3. (DOD only) An approved shipboard helicopter landing site. See also ordnance. (JP 3-04.1)

spot elevation — (*) A point on a map or chart whose elevation is noted.

spot jamming — (*) The jamming of a specific channel or frequency. See also barrage jamming; electronic warfare; jamming.

spot net — Radio communication net used by a spotter in calling fire.

spot report — A concise narrative report of essential information covering events or conditions that may have an immediate and significant effect on current planning and operations that is afforded the most expeditious means of transmission consistent with requisite security. Also called SPOTREP. (Note: In reconnaissance and surveillance usage, spot report is not to be used.) See Joint Tactical

Air Reconnaissance/Surveillance Mission Report.

spot size — (*) The size of the electron spot on the face of the cathode ray tube.

spotter — An observer stationed for the purpose of observing and reporting results of naval gunfire to the firing agency and who also may be employed in designating targets. See also field artillery observer; naval gunfire spotting team.

spotting line — (*) Any straight line to which the fall of shot of projectiles is related or fire is adjusted by an observer or a spotter. See also gun-target line; observer-target line.

spray dome — (*) The mound of water spray thrown up into the air when the shock wave from an underwater detonation of a nuclear weapon reaches the surface.

spreader bar — A device specially designed to permit the lifting and handling of

containers or vehicles and breakbulk cargo. (JP 4-01.6)

spreading fire — Anotification by the spotter or the naval gunfire ship, depending on who is controlling the fire, to indicate that fire is about to be distributed over an area.

sprocket — (*) In naval mine warfare, an anti-sweep device included in a mine mooring to allow a sweep wire to pass through the mooring without parting the mine from its sinker.

squadron — 1. An organization consisting of two or more divisions of ships, or two or more divisions (Navy) or flights of aircraft. It is normally but not necessarily composed of ships or aircraft of the same type. 2. The basic administrative aviation unit of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. 3. Battalion-sized ground or aviation units in US Army cavalry regiments.

squib — A small pyrotechnic device that may be used to fire the igniter in a rocket or for some similar purpose. Not to be confused with a detonator that explodes.

squirt — (*) In air-to-air refuelling, a means of providing visual detection of a nearby aircraft. In practice this is achieved by the donor aircraft dumping fuel and/or the receiver aircraft selecting afterburners, if so equipped.

staballoy — Metal alloys made from high-density depleted uranium mixed with other metals for use in kinetic energy penetrators for armor-piercing munitions. Several different metals, such as titanium or molybdenum, can be used for the purpose. The various staballoy metals have low radioactivity that is not considered to be a significant health hazard.

stabilized glide slope indicator — An electrohydraulic optical landing aid for use

on air-capable ships. With it, a pilot can visually establish and maintain the proper glide slope for a safe approach and landing. The visual acquisition range is approximately 3 miles at night under optimal conditions. Also called SGSI. See also air-capable ship. (JP 3-04.1)

stabilized patient — A patient whose airway is secured, hemorrhage is controlled, shock treated, and fractures are immobilized. See also patient. (JP 4-02.2)

stable base film — (*) A particular type of film having a high stability in regard to shrinkage and stretching.

stable patient — A patient for whom no inflight medical intervention is expected but the potential for medical intervention exists. See also patient. (JP 4-02.2)

staff — See multinational staff; general staff; integrated staff; joint staff; parallel staff; special staff.

staff estimates — Assessments of courses of action by the various staff elements of a command that serve as the foundation of the commander’s estimate.

staff supervision — The process of advising other staff officers and individuals subordinate to the commander of the commander’s plans and policies, interpreting those plans and policies, assisting such subordinates in carrying them out, determining the extent to which they are being followed, and advising the commander thereof.

stage — (*) 1. An element of the missile or propulsion system that generally separates from the missile at burnout or cut-off. Stages are numbered chronologically in order of burning. 2. To process, in a specified area, troops which are in transit

from one locality to another. See also marshalling; staging area.

staged crews — Aircrews specifically positioned at intermediate airfields to take over aircraft operating on air routes, thus relieving complementary crews of flying fatigue and speeding up the flow rate of the aircraft concerned.

staging — Assembling, holding, and organizing arriving personnel, equipment, and sustaining materiel in preparation for onward movement. The organizing and preparation for movement of personnel, equipment, and materiel at designated areas to incrementally build forces capable of meeting the operational commander’s requirements. See also staging area. (JP 3-35)

staging area — 1. Amphibious or airborne

— A general locality between the mounting area and the objective of an amphibious or airborne expedition, through which the expedition or parts thereof pass after mounting, for refueling, regrouping of ships, and/or exercise, inspection, and redistribution of troops. 2. Other movements — A general locality established for the concentration of troop units and transient personnel between movements over the lines of communications. Also called SA. See also airborne; marshalling; stage; staging.

(JP 3-35)

staging base — 1. An advanced naval base for the anchoring, fueling, and refitting of transports and cargo ships as well as replenishment of mobile service squadrons. 2. A landing and takeoff area with minimum servicing, supply, and shelter provided for the temporary occupancy of military aircraft during the course of movement from one location to another.

standard advanced base units — Personnel and materiel organized to function as advanced base units, including the functional components that are employed in the establishment of naval advanced bases. Such advanced base units may establish repair bases, supply bases, supply depots, airfields, air bases, or other naval shore establishments at overseas locations.

standardization — The process by which the Department of Defense achieves the closest practicable cooperation among the Services and Defense agencies for the most efficient use of research, development, and production resources, and agrees to adopt on the broadest possible basis the use of: a. common or compatible operational, administrative, and logistic procedures; b. common or compatible technical procedures and criteria; c. common, compatible, or interchangeable supplies, components, weapons, or equipment; and d. common or compatible tactical doctrine with corresponding organizational compatibility.

standard operating procedure — See standing operating procedure.

standard parallel — (*) A parallel on a map or chart along which the scale is as stated for that map or chart.

standard pattern — (*) In land mine warfare, the agreed pattern to which mines are normally laid.

standard positioning system — One of two levels of service provided by the global positioning system, the standard positioning system normally offers users a horizontal accuracy of 100 meters or better with a 95% probability. Also called SPS.

standard route — In naval control of shipping, a pre-planned single track that is

assigned a code name and connects positions within the main shipping lanes.

standard unit — A type unit whose unit-type code and movement characteristics are described in the type unit characteristics file.

standard use Army aircraft flight route —

Routes established below the coordinating altitude to facilitate the movement of Army aviation assets. Routes are normally located in the corps through brigade rear areas of operation and do not require approval by the airspace control authority. Also called SAAFR. (JP 3-52)

Standby Reserve — Those units and members of the Reserve Components (other than those in the Ready Reserve or Retired Reserve) who are liable for active duty only, as provided in the US Code, title 10 (DOD), sections 10151, 12301, and 12306. See also active duty; Ready Reserve; Reserve Components; Retired Reserve. (JP 4-05)

stand fast — (*) In artillery, the order at which all action on the position ceases immediately.

standing operating procedure — (*) A set of instructions covering those features of operations which lend themselves to a definite or standardized procedure without loss of effectiveness. The procedure is applicable unless ordered otherwise. Also called SOP.

standing order — (*) A promulgated order which remains in force until amended or cancelled.

state and regional defense airlift — The program for use during an emergency of civil aircraft other than air carrier aircraft.

stateless person — Civilian who has been denationalized or whose country of origin cannot be determined or who cannot

establish a right to the nationality claimed. See also dislocated civilian; displaced person; evacuee; expellee; refugee.

(JP 3-07.6)

state of readiness — See defense readiness condition; weapons readiness state.

state of readiness--state 1--safe — The state of a demolition target upon or within which the demolition charge has been placed and secured. The firing or initiating circuits have been installed, but not connected to the demolition charge. Detonators or initiators have not been connected nor installed. See also state of readiness--state

2--armed.

state of readiness--state 2--armed — The state of a demolition target in which the demolition charges are in place, the firing and priming circuits are installed and complete, and the charge is ready for immediate firing. See also state of readiness--state 1--safe.

static air temperature — (*) The temperature at a point at rest relative to the ambient air.

static line (air transport) — A line attached to a parachute pack and to a strop or anchor cable in an aircraft so that, when the load is dropped, the parachute is deployed automatically.

static line cable — See anchor cable.

static marking — (*) Marks on photographic negatives and other imagery caused by unwanted discharges of static electricity.

station — 1. A general term meaning any military or naval activity at a fixed land location. 2. A particular kind of activity to which other activities or individuals may come for a specific service, often of a technical nature, e.g., aid station. 3. An

assigned or prescribed position in a naval formation or cruising disposition; or an assigned area in an approach, contact, or battle disposition. 4. Any place of duty or post or position in the field to which an individual, group of individuals, or a unit may be assigned. 5. One or more transmitters or receivers or a combination of transmitters and receivers, including the accessory equipment necessary at one location, for carrying on radio communication service. Each station will be classified by the service in which it operates permanently or temporarily.

station authentication — A security measure designed to establish the authenticity of a transmitting or receiving station.

station time — (*) In air transport operations, the time at which crews, passengers, and cargo are to be on board and ready for the flight.

status-of-forces agreement — An agreement that defines the legal position of a visiting military force deployed in the territory of a friendly state. Agreements delineating the status of visiting military forces may be bilateral or multilateral. Provisions pertaining to the status of visiting forces may be set forth in a separate agreement, or they may form a part of a more comprehensive agreement. These provisions describe how the authorities of a visiting force may control members of that force and the amenability of the force or its members to the local law or to the authority of local officials. To the extent that agreements delineate matters affecting the relations between a military force and civilian authorities and population, they may be considered as civil affairs agreements. Also called SOFA. See also civil affairs agreement. (JP 3-07.2)

stay behind — Agent or agent organization established in a given country to be

activated in the event of hostile overrun or other circumstances under which normal access would be denied.

stay behind force — (*) A force which is left in position to conduct a specified mission when the remainder of the force withdraws or retires from the area.

stellar guidance — A system wherein a guided missile may follow a predetermined course with reference primarily to the relative position of the missile and certain preselected celestial bodies.

stepped-up separation — (*) The vertical separation in a formation of aircraft measured from an aircraft ahead upward to the next aircraft behind or in echelon.

stereographic coverage — Photographic coverage with overlapping air photographs to provide a three-dimensional presentation of the picture; 60 percent overlap is considered normal and 53 percent is generally regarded as the minimum.

sterilize — (*) 1. In naval mine warfare, to permanently render a mine incapable of firing by means of a device (e.g., sterilizer) within the mine. 2. (DOD only) To remove from material to be used in covert and clandestine operations, marks or devices which can identify it as emanating from the sponsoring nation or organization.

sterilizer — (*) In mine warfare, a device included in mines to render the mine permanently inoperative on expiration of a pre-determined time after laying.

stick (air transport) — A number of paratroopers who jump from one aperture or door of an aircraft during one run over a drop zone.

stick commander (air transport) — A designated individual who controls

paratroops from the time they enter the aircraft until their exit. See also jumpmaster.

stimulants — Controlled drugs that make the user feel stronger, more decisive, and self-possessed; includes cocaine and amphetamines. (JP 3-07.4)

stockage objective — The maximum quantities of materiel to be maintained on hand to sustain current operations. It will consist of the sum of stocks represented by the operating level and the safety level. See also level of supply.

stock control — (*) Process of maintaining inventory data on the quantity, location, and condition of supplies and equipment due-in, on-hand, and due-out, to determine quantities of material and equipment available and/or required for issue and to facilitate distribution and management of materiel. See also inventory control.

stock coordination — A supply management function exercised usually at department level that controls the assignment of material cognizance for items or categories of material to inventory managers.

stock level — See level of supply.

Stock Number — See National Stock

Number.

stockpile to target sequence — 1. The order of events involved in removing a nuclear weapon from storage and assembling, testing, transporting, and delivering it on the target. 2. A document that defines the logistic and employment concepts and related physical environments involved in the delivery of a nuclear weapon from the stockpile to the target. It may also define the logistic flow involved in moving nuclear weapons to and from the stockpile for quality assurance testing, modification and

retrofit, and the recycling of limited life components.

stock record account — A basic record showing by item the receipt and issuance of property, the balances on hand, and such other identifying or stock control data as may be required by proper authority.

stop-loss — Presidential authority under Title 10 US Code 12305 to suspend laws relating to promotion, retirement, or separation of any member of the Armed Forces determined essential to the national security of the United States (“laws relating to promotion” broadly includes, among others, grade tables, current general or flag officer authorizations, and E8 and 9 limits). This authority may be exercised by the President only if Reservists are serving on active duty under Title 10 authorities for Presidential Selected Reserve Callup, partial mobilization, or full mobilization. See also mobilization; partial mobilization; Presidential Selected Reserve Callup Authority. (JP 1-0)

storage — 1. The retention of data in any form, usually for the purpose of orderly retrieval and documentation. 2. A device consisting of electronic, electrostatic, electrical, hardware, or other elements into which data may be entered, and from which data may be obtained as desired. See also ammunition and toxic material open space; bin storage; bulk storage; igloo space; large-lot storage; medium-lot storage; open improved storage space; open unimproved wet space; small-lot storage.

storage life — (*) The length of time for which an item of supply, including explosives, given specific storage conditions, may be expected to remain serviceable and, if relevant, safe. See also shelf life.