Armyspeak,BBCThree-Bluestone42

ArmyspeakArmyslangexplained.ANAAfghanNationalArmy.Verybrave.Notassafetyconsciousasyou’dlike.Army100Sharpshootingcompetitiontofindthetop100shotsinthearmy.AtmosphericsThevibeATOTLAforAmmunitionTechnicalOfficer.‘Thebombguy’whodoesthelongwalktodefusethebomb(seealsoRenderSafe)Ballsofgalvanizedsteelrequired.BeepTestStandardfitnesstestusedthroughtheworldinvariousservices.BlastPantsSomethingtoprotectyourcrownjewelsfromtheexplosionshouldtheunthinkablehappen.ContactEngagingtheenemyinmorethanacasualconversation.Bulletsinvolved.DetTheroom/tentwheretheEODDetachmentarebased.DrillsandSkillsAgeneralencouragementtorelyonyourtraining(drills)andyourexpertise(skills).EODExplosiveOrdnanceDisposal.Ie.Theguysthatgetridofstuffthatgoesbang,likeIEDs.HTEAThetiresomenecessityofHavingToExplainAcronyms.HexiblocksAsmallhexaminefuelblock,likeaslowburningfirelighter.Hexi-tellyWhenyou’resittingaroundinthemiddleofnowhere,andtheonlythingtowatchisaburninghexiblock.HookandlineKittheATOusestopulltheIEDoutoftheground.Likefishing.Butforbombs.IEDImprovisedExplosiveDevice.Orbomb.HandmadebytheTalibanandplantedbyaroadorpathway.MarkOneEyeballTheultimatelysearchingdevicethathasneverbeenimproved.Thehumaneye.OpBarmaSweepinganareaforIEDswithaVallon.OpMinimiseCommunicationsshutdownsothatrelativescanbethefirsttobeinformedaboutaninjuryorfatalityofasoldier.PadreAChaplain.Likeanarmyvicar.AlwayscalledPadres(whichmeans‘Father’)eveniftheyrewomen.S’poseweshouldcallthemMadres.Butwedon’t.Alwaysgoodforsweets.PE7PlasticExplosiveusedtoblowstuffup.PhotsPhotos.Forwhenyoujustdon’thavetimetosaythewordphotos.PressurePlateOneofthetriggersforanIED.Treadonitanditgoesbang.ProffSteal.Pinch.Reassignforpersonaluse.Queen’sRegsHerMajesty’sBigBookofHowShe’dLikeHerTroopstoBehave.Optimistic.QGMQueen’sGallantryMedal.RenderSafeDefuseBomb.SA80Likeallmilitaryhardware,thestandardissueSA80riflewasdesignedatimmensecost,deliveredlateandfoundwanting.Much-malignedbutbegrudginglyaccepted.ScreechUnpalatablepowderthatthearmyinsistscanbeturnedintoaformofdrinkablesquash.Possiblyradioactive.SpintheDitTellthestory.Therecycled,apocryphalandobscenestory.TerpInterpreter.You’renotmeanttocallthemthisforsomereason.Buttheydo.TheWedgeRoyalEngineers.Whytheyarecalledthisisamatterofdebateandmystery.ThursdayNightsYoumightjusthavetoaskasoldiertoexplainthatone.BearinmindBird’sBoogieNightwasalwaysheldonaThursday.TLAThreeLetterAcronym.LikeATO,EOD,RLC,TLAandIED.Asyoucansee,thearmylikesTLAs.You’dbettergetusedtothemPDQ.VallonMetaldetectorforsweepinganarea.WarryDescribesthosetimewhenthepoliticianssaysit’sapeacefuloperation,butyoucan’thelpnoticeyou’rebeingshotat.WISWONotamazingwizard,butaWeaponsIntelligenceSpecialistWarrantOfficer.MucheasiertocallthemaWISWO.50-CalFiftymmcalibremachine-gunthatwillhurt–inthesensethatitwillcutyouinhalf.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C2f916ZMmZ4kN82Rt5Dj2d/armyspeak