Dedication
To Captain Jerry Allison, USAF Academy Class of 1976—friend and fighter pilot extraordinaire: his untimely death at REDFLAG was our nation’s loss.
Acknowledgments
To: Dr. Clifford E. Rhoades, Jr., for the idea for this novel; Kevin J. Anderson, Michael Berch, Esq., Alan R. Gould, Colonel “Moose” Millard, Major Dave Harris, and the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing for their detailed help and suggestions; my agent, Richard Curtis; to my editor, Eric Tobias, for his patience and insight in making this book what it is; to Cindy, my wife, for her editing; and again to Kevin J. Anderson, for pushing me to rewrite this novel for e-book publication.
Language of the Air Force
AAFES—Army Air Force Exchange Service (see BX)
ACC—Air Combat Command
AGL—Above Ground Level
AMC—Air Mobility Command
APC—Armored Personnel Carrier
APU—Auxiliary Power Unit
BASE OPS—Base Operations
BDU—Battle Dress Uniform (camouflaged fatigues)
BG—Brigadier General
BX—Base eXchange
CINCSTRAT—Comander IN Chief, Strategic Command
CMSGT—Chief Master Sergeant
COMM—communications
CP—Command Post
DTRA—Defense Threat Reduction Agency
DoD—Department of Defense
DO—Director of Operations (Operations Officer)
Dooley—a freshman at the USAF Academy (translated as “slave” from Greek)
DSN—Defense Switch Network
ECM—Electronic Counter Measures
ETA—Estimated Time of Arrival
FAC—Forward Air Controller
Firstie—a senior, or First Classman at the USAF Academy
Full Bull—Colonel
GUARD—Emergency radio frequency
Hole in the Ground—Snack bar on Wendover AFB
IFF—Identification Friend or Foe
IG—Inspector General
INF—Intermediate Nuclear Forces
IR—Infrared
IRST—Infrared Search and Track
JP-4—high-grade jet fuel
MPC—Military Personnel Command
NCOIC—Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge
NEST—Nuclear Emergency Search Team
NTS—Nevada Test Site Nonrated—a support officer, a nonflyer
NOTAM—NOtes To AirMen
NSA—National Security Agency
O’Club—Officer’s Club
OD—Officer of the Day
OER—Officer Efficiency Report
OI—Operating Instructions
OJT—On the Job Training
ORI—Operational Readiness Inspection
PALS—Permissive Action Links (Anti-Nuclear Theft Devices)
PME—Professional Military Education
POST Stinger—anti-aircraft missile using Passive Optical Sensing Technology
POW—Prisoner of War
RAIDS—Radar Airborne Intrusion Detection System
Rated—a pilot or navigator, a flyer
ROTC—Reserve Officer Training Corps
RON—Remain Over Night
SAP—Security air police
Sky Cop—a SAP
Sixpack—a six passenger truck
SOP—Standard Operating Procedure
STRATCOM—Strategic Command
TDY—Temporary DutY
Touri—slang for tourist
VFR—Visual Flight Rules
USAFA—United States Air Force Academy
Quote
On the strength of one link in the cable
Dependeth the might of the chain:
Who knows when thou mayest be tested?
So live that thou bearest the strain.
Ronald Arthur Hopwood
The Laws of the Navy, Stanza 5