Red Card: A red plastic rectangle about four inches wide, eight inches long, and a ½ inch thick. It has a groove down the middle so you can snap it in half and open it to get at the paper card inside. These usually hold nuclear arming codes, the code to the War Fighter Tunnels, and probably who shot JFK. A secure item that you're supposed to keep track of but threw in the back of your desk drawer. You'll be dead before you can open it

REFORGER: REturn of FORces to GERmany. The largest field exercise held yearly to simulate NATO holding off the Soviet Union long enough for reinforcements from the US and other nations to come to the rescue. Looked at as a pain in the ass by the enlisted, the NCO's, the officers, and everyone else who wasn't a politician or General.

REMF: Rear Echelon Mother Fucker, referring to someone with a desk job or a job that keeps them well away from the front. REMF's often look down on those who have non-clerical jobs or field duty and in return are despised by line-slime.

ROTC: Reserve Officer's Training Course. A program through which college students could pay for their education through agreeing to enter the military as an officer. Usually viewed as being completely unaware of how the military actually works when they first leave ROTC and enter a unit. The term "Rot-See" is usually derogatory. Not even other ROTC like these guys.

S-2: Unit Security, usually in charge of secure documents, Military Intelligence briefings, and unit secure items. This guy and his minions can ruin your life by triggering another round of security clearance sweeps, another background check, suspending your clearance, or ordering an early psych-eval. Usually staffed by hellspawn in human form, sociopaths, and sadists. They don't see people when they look at you, they see body count. You're looking for a chance to shoot them before you get killed. Both of you will be killed by the Russians before you can off the other one.

Sergeant of the Guard: The NCOIC of the guard force, if any, that the unit has out. He sits in the tent with the radio, drinking coffee, while everyone else freezes their ass off.

Shammer: Someone who comes up with all kinds excuses to get out of work. More than usual. You usually wait till you get these assholes out to Atlas and beat a work ethic into them.

Short: Referring to less than a year before PCS or ETS. Those with less than a hundred days were often referred to as "double digit midgets". Considered a death sentence in wartime. Everyone hated them who wasn't short. Almost certain death in 2/19th.

Shiner: A brand new 1st Lieutenant. Named so because they were constantly shining their brand new rank. Usually a sadist. He's convinced you're too stupid to pour piss out of a boot. You're convinced he's trying to murder you to get medals. Even the butterbars hate him.

SF: Short for Special Forces, AKA snake eaters. Used often as a catch-all to refer to Rangers, SEALs, Recon, and Air Force Commando. At first these guys seemed like assholes, now you like them and they like you. They understand, even if they think your job makes you a psychopath. Oh, you train them to survive on the nuclear battlefield. Hint: They won't. You will.

SFC: Sergeant First Class, an E-7. He's probably in charge of the platoon. He's the one with the bright ideas that are probably going to get you killed. He either is eyeing a promotion or just wants to finish his time in the military. Either way, he doesn't give a fuck about you. You just ignore him unless he's, like, right in front of you.

SGT: Sergeant, an E-5. It might take them several months to adapt to their lobotomy after their promotion to E-5. He hates everyone above him and below him, and is blamed for the screw-ups of both sides. He's probably a drunk. You look forward to being one too.

Snake: What the special forces dwonks call each other to sound cool. It doesn't.

Snake Eater: Derogatory term for special operations soldiers, mainly because of the rumor that they eat snakes in training. You can't teach these guys anything because their heads are a solid mass of bone. They want you to be one, but you just laugh at them. You'll pass on the required lobotomy.

Softcap: A straight side, flat topped, curved bill hat with ear flaps that can be folded down in cold weather. Yours has been run over by trucks, jammed in back pockets, and slept in.

SOG: Special Operations Group AKA SOCOM (Special Operations COMmand). What the snake-eaters belong to. They think it makes them special and all classified and shit. You know it's nothing but a collection of bone headed idiots who are lucky they don't put VX up their nose or lick nuclear rounds. Familiarity breeds contempt, and you're very familiar with SOG and the uniformed chimps that make it up.

SOP: Standard Operating Procedure. Usually the most complicated and fucked up way of doing something. You usually ignore it and just get shit done.

Soviet Union: Russia and its satellite nations. Came into power after World War Two. You care about as much about them as you do about NATO and the DoD. After all, if they want to kill you, they better get in line.

Specialist: non-combat MOS rank. E4-E-7 were listed as Specialist-# or Spec-E, with E-8 being a Master Sergeant. E-4's were often listed as SPC. Specialists who put in leadership positions were usually laterally promoted to the NCO rank of the same Enlisted Grade. Specialist hate NCO's, and vice versa. If you should be a specialist but have been laterally promoted, everyone hates you. That's OK, you hate them more.

Spetsnaz: Soviet Union snake eaters. Probably as dumb and gung-ho as your side's are. These guys can supposedly walk through walls and all kinds of crap. You don't care, they'll die from VX just like everyone else. Choke on that, "snake."

SSG: Staff Sergeant, an E-6. He's realized that he's somehow gotten trapped in his worst nightmare. If he tries to get away, he'll be sent to Asshole, Alaska, if he stays, he's a fucking dead man. He's got wild eyes and one hand always near his weapon. You kind of like him.

Stateside: AKA The World. The United States of America. You hate everyone who lives there because you aren't there.

TA-50: A soldier's equipment. From his LBE to his helmet, to his flak vest, to his rucksack, TA-50 encompassed all of the soldier's equipment outside of his rifle, uniform, and boots. Considered one of the most important things, usually to the point that the soldier was just considered something to carry the TA-50 and weapons into battle. All of it made by the lowest bidder, and stacked on to you by geniuses who figured out just how much soldiers can carry into battle. Note: None of them are in shape enough to walk down a flight of stairs without chest pains, so to compensate they load you up with enough gear to crush a horse.

TDY: Temporary DutY assignment, an official assignment that puts a soldier into another unit to temporarily fill at TO&E slot or for training. Used by 2/19th to hide the fact that 2/19th was the originating unit. TDY was known to screw up pay, promotions, awards, and your life in general. But hey, it paid an extra $79/month!

Training Accident: Usually what kills people during peace-time. Everything from falling off a truck to being in a helicopter crash to being run over by a drunken officer. In 2/19th you'll be killed by some Soviet asshole and it'll be called a "training accident" for your parents and the public. You guess morticians need training too?

TO&E: Table of Equipment and Organization. The list of how much and what kind of equipment a unit required, as well as the number and types of MOS's that the soldiers within the unit should be made up of. The TO&E also listed the minimum and maximum size of the unit, as well as how the ranks were arranged and how the company was made up. Often referred to as why people who didn't belong in the Army were retained even though everyone hated them, they sucked at their job, and were dumber than a C-DAT. It was all about numbers.

USAREAR: US Army Europe, high command of all US forces stationed in Western Europe. These assholes are why you are here.

Wall Locker: Often an upright lockable cabinet. Used to hold uniforms, TA-50, and civilian clothing and allow the soldier to lock it to prevent theft. In 2/19th the lockers were built into the walls, creating a short, narrow hallway that led into the main room. No matter how neat you make them, something always falls out and hits you in the face during inspection. You suspect a monkey may be hiding in there. It's probably plotting to kill you. Kill it first. With fire.

War stocks: Equipment stored for use if and when war ever occurred. The theory behind the war-stock was that it was better to have full replacements for every soldier's gear than run the risk of their everyday gear having become damaged during training and everyday use. You won't live long enough to use it.

War Fighter Tunnels: An underground complex designed to withstand a near nuclear hit, as well as allow survivors to coordinate the war effort against the Soviet Union. There's one under the 2/19th barracks as well as Atlas. They won't work, and you'll just make burial easy.

Wildflicken: One of the most feared training posts in Western Germany. Nobody wanted to be there, and people who said they did, or said they enjoyed their time there, had Stockholm Syndrome and/or were liars. The place was a hole that had the nickname "Top of the Rock."

WINTEX: WINTer EXercizes, when units go to the field for training to ensure they can fight during the winter. Viewed as a serious pain in the ass by the enlisted, who usually spend the month freezing while the officers and upper NCO's being rated stay in heated tents. You will get frostbite, and you will get bitched at by those assholes in the heated tents for getting it.

XO: eXecutive Officer, the second highest ranking officer in the unit. Often the S-2 OIC. He hates with the burning passion of a 1,000 suns. You hate him so bad you can taste it in your balls. Yes, even if you're a woman.