ArmyspeakArmy slang explained.ANAAfghan National Army. Very brave. Not as safety conscious as you’d like.Army 100Sharp shooting competition to find the top 100 shots in the army.AtmosphericsThe vibeATOTLA for Ammunition Technical Officer. ‘The bomb guy’ who does the long walk to defuse the bomb (see also Render Safe) Balls of galvanized steel required.Beep TestStandard fitness test used through the world in various services.Blast PantsSomething to protect your crown jewels from the explosion should the unthinkable happen.ContactEngaging the enemy in more than a casual conversation. Bullets involved.DetThe room/tent where the EOD Detachment are based.Drills and SkillsA general encouragement to rely on your training (drills) and your expertise (skills).EODExplosive Ordnance Disposal. Ie. The guys that get rid of stuff that goes bang, like IEDs.HTEAThe tiresome necessity of Having To Explain Acronyms.HexiblocksA small hexamine fuel block, like a slow burning fire lighter.Hexi-tellyWhen you’re sitting around in the middle of nowhere, and the only thing to watch is a burning hexiblock.Hook and lineKit the ATO uses to pull the IED out of the ground. Like fishing. But for bombs.IEDImprovised Explosive Device. Or bomb. Handmade by the Taliban and planted by a road or pathway.Mark One EyeballThe ultimately searching device that has never been improved. The human eye.Op BarmaSweeping an area for IEDs with a Vallon.Op MinimiseCommunications shut down so that relatives can be the first to be informed about an injury or fatality of a soldier.PadreA Chaplain. Like an army vicar. Always called Padres (which means ‘Father’) even if they're women. S’pose we should call them Madres. But we don’t. Always good for sweets.PE7Plastic Explosive used to blow stuff up.PhotsPhotos. For when you just don’t have time to say the word photos.Pressure PlateOne of the triggers for an IED. Tread on it and it goes bang.ProffSteal. Pinch. Reassign for personal use.Queen’s RegsHer Majesty’s Big Book of How She’d Like Her Troops to Behave. Optimistic.QGMQueen’s Gallantry Medal.Render SafeDefuse Bomb.SA80Like all military hardware, the standard issue SA80 rifle was designed at immense cost, delivered late and found wanting. Much-maligned but begrudgingly accepted.ScreechUnpalatable powder that the army insists can be turned into a form of drinkable squash. Possibly radioactive.Spin the DitTell the story. The recycled, apocryphal and obscene story.TerpInterpreter. You’re not meant to call them this for some reason. But they do.The WedgeRoyal Engineers. Why they are called this is a matter of debate and mystery.Thursday NightsYou might just have to ask a soldier to explain that one. Bear in mind Bird’s Boogie Night was always held on a Thursday.TLAThree Letter Acronym.Like ATO, EOD, RLC, TLA and IED. As you can see, the army likes TLAs. You’d better get used to them PDQ.VallonMetal detector for sweeping an area.WarryDescribes those time when the politicians says it’s a peaceful operation, but you can’t help notice you’re being shot at.WISWONot amazing wizard, but a Weapons Intelligence Specialist Warrant Officer. Much easier to call them a WISWO.50-CalFifty mm calibre machine-gun that will hurt – in the sense that it will cut you in half.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4C2f916ZMmZ4kN82Rt5Dj2d/armyspeak