Glossary of Common Military Terms

GEOG 680 Military Geography

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences

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Glossary of Common Military Terms

-- A -----
ACTIVE DEFENSE: A multi-layered defense in depth via multiple engagements. The defending unit is
typically mobile and does not fight from one position.

AERIAL PORT OF DEBARKATION: An airfield for sustained air movement at which personnel and material
are discharged from aircraft.

AERIAL PORT OF EMBARKATION: An airfield for sustained air movement at which personnel and material
board or are loaded aboard aircraft to initiate an aerial movement.

AIR STRIKE: An attack on specific objectives by fighter, bomber, or attack aircraft on an offensive
mission.

AIR SUPPORT: All forms of support given by air forces on land or sea.

AIR SUPREMACY: The degree of air superiority wherein the opposing air force is incapable of effective
interference.

AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION: An attack launched from the sea by naval and landing forces embarked in
ships involving a landing on a hostile shore.

ASSAULT: To make a short, violent, well-coordinated attack against an objective.

ASSAULT FORCE: In an amphibious, airborne, ground or air assault operation, those units charged with
the seizure of an objective or lodgment area.

ATTACK: An offensive action characterized by movement supported by fire.

ATTRITION: The reduction of the effectiveness of a force caused by loss of personnel and equipment or
supplies.

AVENUE OF APPROACH: An air or ground route of an attacking force leading to its objective or key
terrain in its path.

AXIS OF ADVANCE: A line of advance for the purpose of control; often a road or a group of roads; or a
designated series of locations, extending in the direction of the enemy.

-- B -----
BALLISTIC MISSILE: Any missile, which does not rely on its aerodynamic surfaces to produce lift and
consequently follows a ballistic trajectory when thrust is terminated.

BASE: A locality from which operations are projected or supported.

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BATTALION: An independent tactical unit of approximately 500-1,000 soldiers; composed of 4-5
companies. A battalion typically includes its own fire and logistical support apparatus.

BATTLE: A series of related tactical engagements that last longer than an engagement, involve larger
forces, and could affect the course of the campaign. They typically occur when division, corps or army
commanders fight for a significant objective.

BEACHHEAD: A designated area on a hostile shore that, when seized and held, ensures the continuous
landing of troops and material, and provides maneuver space requisite for subsequent operations
ashore.

BREACH: A tactical task where any means available are employed to break through or secure passage
through an enemy defense, obstacle, minefield, or fortification.

-- C -----
CAMPAIGN: A series of related military operations aimed at accomplishing a strategic or operational
objective within a given time and space.

CANALIZE: To restrict operations or movement to a narrow zone by the use of terrain, obstacles or fire.

CAPTURE: To take into custody a hostile force, equipment, or personnel as the result of military
operations -- to take control of terrain.

CASUALTY: Any person who is lost to the organization by having been declared dead, missing, ill,
wounded, or injured.

CEASE-FIRE: A command or status given to any unit or individual firing a weapon to stop engaging the
target.

CHAIN OF COMMAND: The succession of commanding officers from superior to subordinate through
which command is exercised.

CHOKE POINT: A geographic location on land or water that restricts the movement of forces and can be
natural or man-made.

COLLATERAL DAMAGE: Unintended and undesirable civilian personnel injuries or material damage
adjacent to a target produced by the effects of friendly weapons.

COMBAT POWER: Combat power has eight elements: leadership, information, mission command,
movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection. The Army collectively
describes the last six elements as the warfighting functions. Commanders apply combat power through
the war fighting functions using leadership and information.

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COMBAT SUPPORT: Units and soldiers that provide critical combat functions in conjunction with combat
arms units.

COMBINED ARMS MANEUVER: The application of the elements of combat power in unified action to
defeat enemy ground forces; to seize, occupy, and defend land areas; and to achieve physical, temporal,
and psychological advantages over the enemy to seize and exploit the initiative.

COMPANY: A small tactical organization of 75-150 combat soldiers usually organized into 3-4 platoons.
Led by a captain and capable of limited combat tasks; but cannot fight independently for long periods.

COMPARTMENT: Areas bounded on at least two sides by terrain features affected by drainage and
relief, such as woods, ridges, or ravines, that limit observation or observed fire into an area from points
outside the area; and effect avenues of approach.

COVERING FORCE: A covering force operates apart from the main body to develop the situation early;
and deceives, disorganizes, and destroys enemy forces. Unlike screening or guard forces, a covering
force is tactically self-
service support (CSS) forces to operate independently of the main body.

COUNTERATTACK: Attack by all or part of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such
specified purposes as regaining lost ground, or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units.

COUNTERINSURGENCY: Those military, paramilitary, political, economic, psychological and civic actions
taken by a government to defeat an insurgency.

COUNTERTERRORISM: Offensive measures taken to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorism.

CORPS: An administrative headquarters to which divisions and support units are attached. A typical
corps may consist of two or three divisions and the attendant combat support and combat service
support units.

CROSS-COMPARTMENT: A terrain compartment, its long axis generally perpendicular to the direction of
movement of a force.

CULTURAL RESOURCE: Monuments, nationality, identifiable or distinctive buildings and structures,

archives and libraries, ancient artifacts and structures, archeologically important sites, historically
important sites, mosques, churches, cathedrals, temples or other sacred structures, sacred sites or
areas, museums, and works of art.

-- D -----
D-DAY: An unnamed day on which a particular operation commences. The execution date of the
operation.

DEBARKATION: The unloading of troops, equipment or supplies from a ship or aircraft.

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DECISIVE ACTION: Includes: the simultaneous combinations of offensive, defensive, and stability or
defense support of civil authorities tasks; operations outside the U. S. and its territories simultaneously
combine three elements—offense, defense, and stability; within the U. S. and its territories, decisive
action combines the elements of defense support of civil authorities (DSCA) and, as required, offense
and defense to support homeland defense; with emphasis on different elements of decisive action
changes with echelon, time, and location.

DECISIVE ENGAGEMENT: In land and naval warfare, an engagement in which a unit is considered fully
committed and cannot maneuver or extricate itself. The action must be fought to a conclusion and the
unit will either win or lose.

DEFEAT: May or may not entail the destruction of any part of the enemy army; rather, the objective is to
disrupt or nullify his plan and/or subdue his will to fight so that he is unwilling or unable to pursue his
course of action.

DEFEND: A combat operation designed to defeat an attacker and prevent him from achieving his
objectives.

DEFILE: A narrow gorge or pass that tends to prevent easy movement of troops.

DELAYING OPERATION: An operation usually conducted when the commander needs time to
concentrate or withdraw forces, to establish defenses in greater depth, to economize in an area, or to
complete offensive actions elsewhere. In the delay, the destruction of the enemy force is secondary to
slowing his advance to gain time.

DELIBERATE ATTACK: An attack planned and carefully coordinated with all concerned elements based on
thorough reconnaissance, evaluation of all available intelligence and relative combat strength, analysis
of various courses of action, and other factors affecting the situation. It is generally conducted against a
well-organized defense when a hasty attack is not possible or has failed.

DELIBERATE CROSSING: A crossing of an inland water obstacle that requires extensive planning and
detailed preparation.

DEMONSTRATION: An attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought. Made with the
aim of deceiving the enemy. It is similar to a feint except that enemy contact is not sought.

DEPLOYMENT: (1) The movement of forces within an area of operations. (2) The positioning of forces in
preparation for battle. (3) The relocation of forces and material to a designated area or theater of
operations. (4) All activities from a home station as part of a movement to a continental or
intercontinental locations.

DESTROY: A tactical task to physically render the enemy force combat ineffective.

DESTRUCTION: Renders enemy force combat ineffective unless reconstituted. Puts a target out of action
permanently.

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DISRUPTION: To counter attacker's initiative and prevent him from concentrating overwhelming combat
power against a part of the defense. The defender must disrupt the synchronization of enemy's
operation.

DIVERSION: The act of drawing the attention of forces of an enemy from the point of the principal
operation.

DIVISION: A large tactical unit consisting of 10-11 battalions organized into three or four brigade-sized
forces. A division is capable of sustained, long-term operations.

DOCTRINE: Fundamental principles by which the military force or elements thereof guide their actions in
support of national objectives.

-- E -----
ECHELON: A sub-division of a headquarters or separate level of command.

ECONOMY OF FORCE: The allocation of minimal combat capacity or strength to secondary efforts.

EMBARKATION: The process of putting personnel or material into ships or aircraft.

ENCIRCLEMENT: The loss of freedom of maneuver to one force resulting from an enemy force’s control
of all routes of egress or reinforcement.

ENGAGEMENT: A small tactical conflict usually between maneuver forces.

ENVELOPMENT: Basic form of maneuver or doctrine seeking to apply strength against weakness.
Envelopments avoid enemy's front where his forces are most protected and fires most easily
concentrated. Successful envelopment requires discovery or creation of an assailable flank. It places a
premium on agility since its success depends on reaching enemy's vulnerable rear before he can shift
forces and fires. An offensive maneuver where main attacking force passes around or over enemy's
principal defensive positions to secure objectives in his rear.

EXPLOITATION: An offensive operation that usually follows a successful attack to take advantage of
weakened or collapsed enemy defenses. Its purpose is to prevent reconstitution of enemy defenses, to
prevent enemy withdrawal, and secure deep objectives.

-- F -----
FEINT: An offensive operation intended to draw the enemy's attention away from the area of the main
attack, which induces him to move reserves or shift fire support in reaction to the feint. Feints must
appear real; therefore, some contact with enemy is required. Usually a limited-objective attack ranging
in size from a raid to a supporting attack is conducted.

FIX: To hold an enemy force in place through an attack or demonstration.

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FORCE PROJECTION: The movement of military forces from the Continental United States or theater in
response to requirements of war or stability and support operations.

FRONT: The line of contact between opposing forces.

FRONTAL ATTACK: An offensive maneuver in which the main action is directed against the front of the
enemy forces, and over the most direct approaches.

-- G -----
GUERRILLA WARFARE: Military or paramilitary operations conducted in enemy-held or hostile territory
by irregular, predominantly indigenous forces.

-- H -----
HASTY ATTACK: An offensive operation without extensive preparations. It is conducted with resources
immediately available in order to maintain momentum or take advantage of enemy situation.

HASTY CROSSING: The crossing of an inland water obstacle using the means at hand and made with
pausing operations for elaborate preparations.

H-HOUR: The specific hour on D-Day in which a particular operation commences.

HOST NATION: A country which receives the forces and/or supplies of allied or coalition nations to be
located on, to operate in, or to transit through its territory.

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: Programs conducted to relieve or reduce the results of natural or man-
made disasters or other endemic conditions such as human pain, disease, suffering, hunger or privation
that might present a serious threat to life or that can result in great damage to or loss of property.

-- I -----
IN EXTREMIS: A situation of such exceptional urgency that immediate action must be taken to minimize
the imminent loss of life or catastrophic degradation of the political or military situation.

INFILTRATION: Covert movement of the attacking force through enemy lines to favorable positions in
their rear. Successful infiltration requires above all, avoidance of detection. Since that requirement
limits the size and strength of the infiltrating force, infiltration can rarely defeat the defense by itself,
but rather, is normally used in conjunction with some other form of maneuver.

INITIATIVE: The ability to set or change the terms of battle; implies an offensive spirit.

INSURGENCY: An organized movement aimed at the overthrow of a constituted government using

subversion and armed conflict.

INTERNAL SECURITY: The state of law and order prevailing within a nation.

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INTERVISIBILITY: The condition of being able to see one point from another. This condition may be
interrupted by weather, fog, smoke, or terrain.

IRREGULAR FORCES: Armed individuals or groups who are not members of the regular armed forces,
police or other internal security forces.

ISOLATE: The tactical task given to a unit to seal off an enemy force from its source of support, to deny
enemy freedom of movement, and prevent enemy units from having contact with other enemy units.

-- J -----
JOINT FORCE: A general term applied to force composed of significant elements of two or more Military
Departments, operating under the command of a single joint force commander.

-- K -----
KEY TERRAIN: Any locality or area, the seizure or retention of which affords a marked advantage to
either combatant.

-- L -----
LANDING BEACH: That portion of a shoreline usually required for the landing of a battalion landing
team. However, it may also be that portion of a shoreline constituting a tactical locality over which a
larger force may be landed.

LIAISON: That contact or intercommunication maintained between elements of military forces to ensure
mutual understanding and unity of purpose and action.

LINE OF CONTACT: A general trace delineating the location where two opposing forces are engaged.

LINE OF DEPARTURE: A coordination line or feature to coordinate the departure of friendly forces as
they move forward to contact the enemy.

LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS: All routes, land, water and air, which connect an operating military force
with its base of operations and along which military supplies and military forces move.

-- M -----
MAIN ATTACK: The principal attack or effort into which the commander places the bulk of offensive
capability at his disposal. An attack directed against a chief objective of the campaign or battle.

MANIFEST: A document specifying in detail the passengers or items carried for a specific destination.

MEDICAL THREAT: The composite of all on going or potential enemy actions and environmental
conditions that reduce the performance and effectiveness of the soldiers. Effectiveness can be reduced
through wounds, injuries or diseases.

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MILITARY OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR (MOOTW): Operations that focus on deterring war, resolving
conflict, promoting peace, and supporting civil authorities.

MOBILITY CORRIDORS: Areas where a force will be canalized because of terrain constrictions. The
mobility corridor is usually free of obstacles and allows a military force to move freely along the axis of
the corridor.

MOBILE DEFENSE: Focus on destruction of an attacking force by permitting enemy advance into a
position, which exposes him, to counterattack and envelopment by mobile reserves.

MOVEMENT TO CONTACT: An offensive operation designed to gain initial ground contact with the
enemy or to regain lost contact.

-- N -----
NATION ASSISTANCE: Civil and/or military assistance rendered to a nation by foreign forces within that
nation’s territory during peacetime, crises or emergencies, or war based on agreements mutually
concluded between nations.

NEUTRALIZE: (1) To render ineffective or unusable. (2) To render enemy personnel or material incapable
of interfering with a particular operation. (3) To render safe mines, bombs, missiles and booby traps. (4)
To make harmless anything contaminated with chemical agents.

NON-BATTLE INJURY: A person who becomes a casualty due to circumstances not directly attributable to
hostile action or terrorist activity.

NONCOMBATANT: An individual, in an area of combat operations, who is not armed and is not
participating in any activity in support of any factions or forces involved in combat.

-- O -----
OBJECTIVE: The clearly defined, decisive, definable aims, which every military operation should be
directed towards.

OPERATION: A military action or the carrying out of a strategic, tactical, service, training or
administrative military mission.

OPERATIONAL ART: Operational art is the use of critical and creative thinking by commanders andstaffs
to design strategies, campaigns, major operations, battles, andengagements to organize and employ
military forces.

OPERATIONAL CONTROL: Authority delegated to a commander to direct forces assigned so that he may
accomplish specific missions or tasks that are usually limited by function, time, or location.

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OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT: A composite of the conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect
the employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the commander. Replaces “battlespace” as
a term.

ORDER OF BATTLE: The identification, strength, command structure, and

-- P -----
PARAMILITARY FORCES: Forces or groups that are distinct from regular armed forces of a country, but
resembling them in organization, equipment, training and mission.

PEACE BUILDING: Post-conflict actions, predominantly diplomatic and economic, that strengthen and
rebuild governmental infrastructure and institutions in order to avoid a relapse into conflict.

PEACE ENFORCEMENT: Application of military force or the threat of its use, normally pursuant to
international authorization, to compel compliance with resolutions or sanctions designed to maintain or
restore peace and order.

PEACEKEEPING: Military operations undertaken with the consent of all major parties in a dispute,
designed to monitor and facilitate implementation of an agreement and support diplomatic efforts to
reach long-term political settlement.

PEACEMAKING: The process of diplomacy, mediation, negotiation, or other forms of peaceful

settlements that arranges the end of a dispute.

PENETRATION: Used when enemy flanks are not assailable and when time does not permit some other
form of maneuver. Attempts to rupture enemy defenses on a narrow front and thereby create both
assailable flanks and access to enemy's rear. Penetrations typically comprise three stages: 1) initial
rupture of enemy positions; 2) roll-up of flanks on either side of the gap; and 3) exploitation to secure
deep objectives. Because the penetration itself is vulnerable to flank attack, especially in its early stages,
penetrating forces must move rapidly and follow-on forces must close behind to secure and widen the
shoulders.

PHASE: A particular part of an operation – usually defined by a period of time or by a geographic

objective.

PURSUIT: An attempt to annihilate fleeing enemy forces requiring unrelenting pressure to prevent their
reconstitution or evasion. An offensive operation against a retreating enemy force. It follows a
successful attack or exploitation and is ordered when the enemy cannot conduct an organized defense
and attempts to disengage. Its object is to maintain relentless pressure on the enemy and completely
destroy him.

-- R -----

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RAID: An operation, usually small-scale, involving a swift penetration of hostile territory to secure
information, confuse the enemy, or to destroy installations. It ends with the planned withdrawal of the
raiding force.

RANGE OF MILITARY OPERATIONS: The range of military operations is a fundamental construct that
helps relate military activities and operations in scope and purpose. The potential range of military
activities and operations extends from military engagement, security cooperation, and deterrence in
times of relative peace up through large-scale combat operations.

RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE: A limited-objective operation conducted by at least a battalion task force

to obtain information, locate and test enemy dispositions, strengths and reactions. Although a
reconnaissance in force is executed primarily to gather information, the force conducting the operation
must seize any opportunity to exploit tactical success. If the enemy situation must be developed along a
broad front, reconnaissance in force may consist of strong probing actions to determine enemy situation
at selected points.

RECONSTITUTION: Focused action to restore ineffective units to a specified level of combat

effectiveness.

REORGANIZATION: Action taken to shift resources within an attritted unit to increase its level of combat
effectiveness. Consists of measures such as internal redistribution of equipment and personnel and
formation of composite units.

RIVER CROSSING: An operation required before ground combat power can be projected and sustained
across a water obstacle.

RIVERINE OPERATIONS: Operations conducted by forces organized to cope with and exploit the unique
characteristics of a riverine area and inland waterways.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: Directives issued by a competent military authority which delineate the
circumstances and limitations under which U.S. forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement
with other forces encountered.

-- S -----
SALIENT: Protrusion or bulge in the trace of the front lines.

SECURE: To gain possession of a position or terrain feature, with or without force, and deploy in such a
manner to prevent its destruction or loss to enemy action.

SECURITY ASSISTANCE: Group of programs authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The
provision of military training, equipment and other defense-related services by grant, loan, credit, or
cash sales in the furtherance of national policy.

SEIZE: Clear and gain control of a designated area.

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STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT: An agreement, which defines the legal position of a visiting military
force, deployed in the territory of a friendly state.

STRATEGY: The art and science of developing and using political and military force as needed during
peace and war to achieve national objectives.

SUPPORT FORCE: Those forces charged with providing intense direct over-watching fires to assault and
breaching forces.

SUPPRESSION: Direct and indirect fires, electronic countermeasures (ECM), or smoke brought to bear on
enemy personnel, weapons, or equipment to prevent effective fire on friendly forces.

-- T -----
TACTICS: The employment of units in combat.

TERRAIN ANALYSIS: The collection, analysis and evaluation, and interpretation of geographic information
on the natural and man-made features of the terrain, combined with other relevant factors, to predict
the effect of the terrain on military operations.

TRAFFICABILITY: capability of the terrain to bear traffic.

TURNING MOVEMENT; A variation of the envelopment in which the attacking force passes around the
enemy’s principal defensive positions to secure objectives deep in his rear to force the enemy to
abandon his position or divert major forces to meet the threat.

-- U -----
UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE: The broad spectrum of military and paramilitary operations normally of
long duration, predominantly conducted by indigenous forces, which are organized and equipped by an
external source.

UNIFIED ACTION: The synchronization, coordination, and/or integration of the activities of governmental
and non-governmental entities with military operations to achieve unity of effort.

UNIFIED LAND OPERATIONS: describes how the Army seizes, retains, and exploits the initiative to gain
and maintain a position of relative advantage in sustained land operations through simultaneous
offensive, defensive, and stability operations in order to prevent or deter conflict, prevail in war, and
create the conditions for favorable conflict resolution. Unified Land Operations replaces Full Spectrum
Operations as the Army’s Operational Concept.

-- W -----
WAR FIGHTING FUNCTIONS: The eight elements of combat power include the six warfighting
functions—movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, mission command, and
protection—multiplied by leadership and complemented by information. Provides organization for

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common critical tasks. The Warfighting Functions align with the Joint operational and tactical functions,
and parallel the USMC Warfighting Functions.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION: Weapons that are capable of a high order of destruction and/or
being used in such a manner as to destroy large numbers of people.

WIDE AREA SECURITY (WAS): The application of the elements of combat power in unified action to
protect populations, forces, infrastructure, and activities; to deny the enemy positions of advantage;
and to consolidate gains in order to retain the initiative.

WITHDRAWAL: A planned operation in which a force in contact disengages from an enemy force.

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