The War After Armageddon

SCOTT, Walter Robert Burns “Scottie,” major general, commander, 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One).

STRAMARA, James Jason “J.J.,” major general, commander, 1st Cavalry Division (The First Team).

WALKER, James Ryan “Jake,” captain, company commander, 1-18 Infantry.

WILLING, John Jude, major, aide-de-camp to Lieutenant General Harris. Collects books, primarily classic fiction, a hobby he conceals from his peers.

GLOSSARY

A

ABRAMS: M-1 series main battle tank, named in honor of General Creighton Abrams. Widely introduced into the U.S. Army in the 1980s, it remains the finest tank in the world.

ATGM: Antitank guided missile.

B

BIG RED ONE: 1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army.

BMNT: Begin Morning Nautical Twilight. The predawn point at which sailors pretend they can see things.

BMO: Battalion Maintenance Officer. Expected to fix what the other officers break.

“BOOTS AND SADDLES”: Old Cavalry expression for “Mount up!” or just “Let’s get moving.”

BRADLEY: Large, tracked Infantry combat vehicle, first widely introduced in the U.S. Army in the 1980s. Named in honor of General Omar Bradley.

BUNDESGRENZSCHUETZEN: German federal border police.

C

CANISTER ROUND: Tank main gun or artillery round containing hundreds or thousands of small steel balls. Used against attacking personnel, “soft-skin” vehicles, or to clear a street.

CAP: Combat Air Patrol; fighter aircraft (manned or UAVs) flying missions to protect other aircraft with specialized roles, such as ground attack or reconnaissance. A mission Air Force pilots love when faced with inferior enemies.

CHART: Christian Heritage Advance Rescue Team. Biblical-archaeology reconaissance element deployed by MOBIC forces.

COMPUTER PLAGUES: Later-generation computer viruses that, after penetrating a system, can overcome all internal defenses.

D

DEUCE: Nickname for the primary staff officer for intelligence at all tactical and operational levels; from the formal nomenclature “G-2.”

DRONE: 1.) Nickname for an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV. In this war, they aren’t passive drones, but, once launched, can think for themselves, swarm “instinctively,” locate targets, act singly or as an integrated force, and duel with other UAVs or manned aircraft. 2.) Any Air Force general.

DSI-40 SATELLITE: Multipurpose intelligence-gathering satellite.

E

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM: The invisible realm of wavelengths through which systems communicate. Disruptions, such as jamming, can interfere with everything from radio reception to satellite transmissions, depending on the frequencies attacked and the sophistication of the attacker’s weapons.

EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse. Destructive wave generated by a nuclear detonation or simluation thereof. Burns out electronic circuits to a catastrophic, irreparable degree.

EMP MINE: A landmine designed to simulate an EMP wave on a local level.

EXPLORER ATGM: A French-designed, Russian-enhanced antitank missile system with an effective range of eight kilometers maximum, but which detects a target as early as eight and a half to nine kilometers away. Can be programmed to launch itself, taking the human being out of the decisionmaking process. After lock-on, it ignores all additional commands. Built under license or pirated by various countries, including China, Pakistan, and South Africa.

F

FAO: Foreign Area Officer. A U.S. Army officer trained in foreign languages and culture. A good FAO will go alone into enemy territory to support his commander.

FIFTY CAL.: M-2.50 caliber machine gun, nicknamed “Ma Deuce.” Introduced into U.S. Army service early in the 20th century, it remains the world’s most effective and most reliable heavy machine gun.

FRAGO: Fragmentary Order. A brief, swiftly issued outline of a forthcoming order. Intended to give subordinate commanders and staffs additional time to prepare for a mission. Sometimes preceded by a Warning Order. Followed by a full OPORD, or Operations Order, once the controlling headquarters staff has completed it.

G

G-2: Primary staff officer for intelligence at the division and corps levels. Also known as “the Two,” or “the Deuce.”

G-3: Primary staff officer for operations — combat activities — at the division and corps levels. Also known as “the Three,” or “that sonofabitch.”

G-4: Primary staff officer for logistics. Has to supply the elaborate schemes concocted by the G-3. Also known as “the Four.”