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Personnel
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AC
Aircraft Commander. The pilot in charge of the aircraft.
ace
A flyer credited with shooting down at least five enemy aircraft in air-to-air
combat; also means "good." Can be multiplied as in "double ace," "triple ace,"
etc.
AHO
Aircraft Handling Officer, aka The Handler. A member of the air wing responsible
for spotting and movement of aircraft on the flight deck.
AIO
Air intelligence officer, aka Spy. Squadron officer responsible for dissemination
of intelligence and threat assessment to squadron pilots during briefings.
Air Boss
One of the most reviled members of the Air Wing. Said to have spontaneously
spawned from the combination of kerosene, anti-skid, and steam. Sometimes
seen in PriFly wearing a yellow shirt, snapping at flys. Actually the head
of the air dept. and God.
bear
A backseat pilot or navigator in a two-seat tandem aircraft.
C.O.
Commanding Officer. The officer in command of a squadron, ship, or unit.
CAG
Commander, Air Group. The commanding officer of the carrier air wing. The
term CAG refers to Commander, Air Group and is still used in spite of the
fact it's outdated. CAG sounds much better than CAW.
CINC
Commander IN Chief. Overall, this would be the President (for U.S. forces).
Can also be used in reference to the leaders of specific organizations or
areas, e.g. CINCLANT and CINCPAC are the CINCs of the Atlantic and Pacific
Fleets, respectively.
CNO
Chief of Naval Operations. The top operational post in the USN.
DCO
Deputy Commander for Operations. Just one of a Commander's right hand men,
in this case tasked with operational responsibilities.
DO
Deputy commander for Operations. Directly supervises all Air Force wing air
operations for the wing commander.
engineer
A flight engineer; an enlisted man or NCO who monitors and maintains aircraft
operation in-flight and otherwise aids the air crew.
FAC
Forward Air Controller. An airborne controller who directs air attacks in
the forward area of battle.The airborne director of strikes against ground
targets; the FAC spots targets and then helps attacking aircraft locate them.
FAGs
Fighter/Attack Guys. A derisive moniker for F/A-18 pilots bestowed by the
Fighter community.
FNG
Freakin' New Guy, aka nugget. An inexperienced flyer.
GIB
Guy In Back. The pilot or navigator who flies in the back seat of any tandem,
two-seat aircraft.
JCS
Joint Chiefs of Staff. The highest ranking officers in the US Armed Forces;
at the Pentagon they advise the SecDef and the President, as well as oversee
their respective services.
jock
A fighter pilot; possibly derives from "jockey" or "jockstraps," since those
who wear them are usually athletic, manly, and rugged.
Lead
Leader, or flight leader, the number-one or command aircraft in a formation.
LSO
Landing Signal Officer, aka Paddles. One who assists pilots recovering aboard
an aircraft carrier.
NCO
Non-Commissioned Officer. Term for higher ranking enlisted men, who although
not commissioned officers, have nevertheless become leaders of their fellow
enlistees due to their experience, professionalism and time in service.
OIC
Officer In Command. The person in charge of a given operation, task or watch
period.
Old heads
Experienced flyers, as opposed to FNGs.
OPFOR
Opposing FORces. The opposition or "Red Team" adversaries, especially in war
games.
PJ
ParaJumper. A paramedic who leaves a rescue helicopter to assist a downed
flyer.
RAG
Replacement Air Group. Group of training squadrons for training new or rotating
aircrew in specific A/C types.
RIO
Radar Intercept Officer, aka GIB/Wizzo. Naval officer responsible for the
operation of radar and weapon systems. Protected by the bird deflector up
front.
scanner
The boom operator of a tanker aircraft such as the KC-135 who rides on his
stomach in the tail; he faces aft and "scans" or looks through a large window.
switchblades
Aircrews of the variable wing geometry F-111 Aardvark.
WSO
Weapon Systems Officer, aka Wizzo. "Officer responsible for operation of weapon
systems, usually aboard US Air Force aircraft."
X.O.
Executive Officer. The second in command of a squad or unit.