Military Glossary

Commanding officer of troops
(DOD) On a ship that has embarked units, a designated officer, usually the senior embarking unit commander, who is responsible for the administration, discipline, and training of all embarked units.

Command-sponsored dependent
(DOD) A dependent entitled to travel to overseas commands at Government expense and endorsed by the appropriate military commander to be present in a dependent's status.

Commodity loading
(DOD, NATO) A method of loading in which various types of cargoes are loaded together, such as ammunition, rations, or boxed vehicles, in order that each commodity can be discharged without disturbing the others.

Common operating environment
(DOD) The common operating environment provides a familiar look, touch, sound, and feel to the commander, no matter where the commander is deployed. Information presentation and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence system interfaces are maintained consistently from platform to platform, enabling the commander to focus attention on the crisis at hand.

Common-user sealift
(DOD) The sealift services provided on a common basis for all Department of Defense agencies and, as authorized, for other agencies of the US Government. The Military Sealift Command, a transportation component command of the US Transportation Command, provides common-user sealift for which users reimburse the transportation accounts of the Transportation Working Capital Fund.

Communications security material
(DOD) All documents, devices, equipment, or apparatus, including cryptomaterial, used in establishing or maintaining secure communications.

Compass direction
(DOD, NATO) The horizontal direction expressed as an angular distance measured clockwise from compass north.

Computer network attack
(DOD) Operations to disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy information resident in computers and computer networks, or the computers and networks themselves.

Concept of logistic support
(DOD) A verbal or graphic statement, in a broad outline, of how a commander intends to support and integrate with a concept of operations in an operation or campaign.

Confirmation of information (intelligence)
(DOD) An information item is said to be confirmed when it is reported for the second time, preferably by another independent source whose reliability is considered when confirming information.

Consolidation psychological operations
(DOD) Psychological operations conducted in foreign areas inhabited by an enemy or potentially hostile populace and occupied by United States forces, or in which United States forces are based, designed to produce behaviors by the foreign populace that support United States objectives in the area.

Container Fleet Division
(DOD) Subordinate element of Military Traffic Management Command responsible for administration of all Army containerized ammunition distribution system and United States Transportation Command common-use containers.

Contaminated remains
(DOD) Remains of personnel which have absorbed or upon which have been deposited radioactive material, or biological or chemical agents.

Contingency ZIP Code
(DOD) A ZIP Code assigned by Military Postal Service Agency to a contingency post office for the tactical use of the Armed Forces on a temporary basis. The number consists of a five digit base with a four digit add-on to assist in routing and sorting.

Controlled dangerous air cargo
(DOD, NATO) Cargo which is regarded as highly dangerous and which may only be carried by cargo aircraft operating within specific safety regulations.

Controlled effects nuclear weapons
(DOD) Nuclear weapons designed to achieve variation in the intensity of specific effects other than normal blast effect.

Control of electromagnetic radiation
(DOD) A national operational plan to minimize the use of electromagnetic radiation in the United States and its possessions and the Panama Canal Zone in the event of attack or imminent threat thereof, as an aid to the navigation of hostile aircraft, guided missiles, or other devices.

Convoy dispersal point
(DOD, NATO) The position at sea where a convoy breaks up, each ship proceeding independently thereafter.

Cooperative logistics
(DOD) The logistic support provided a foreign government/agency through its participation in the US Department of Defense logistic system with reimbursement to the United States for support provided.

Coordinating review authority
(DOD) An agency appointed by a Service or combatant command to coordinate with and assist the primary review authority in doctrine development, evaluation, and maintenance efforts. Each Service or combatant command must assign a coordinating review authority. If so authorized by the appointing Service or combatant command, coordinating review authority comments provided to designated primary review authorities should represent the position of the appointing Service or combatant command with regard to the publication under development. See also joint doctrine; joint publication; joint tactics, techniques, and procedures; lead agent; joint test publication; primary review authority.

Cost sharing contract
(DOD) A cost reimbursement type contract under which the contractor receives no fee but is reimbursed only for an agreed portion of its allowable costs.

Countermine operation
(DOD, NATO) In land mine warfare, an operation to reduce or eliminate the effects of mines or minefields. See also countermine; countermining; mine warfare.

Country cover diagram
(DOD, NATO) A small scale index, by country, depicting the existence of air photography for planning purposes only.

Cover (military)
(DOD) Actions to conceal actual friendly intentions, capabilities, operations, and other activities by providing a plausible, yet erroneous, explanation of the observable.

Crash rescue and fire suppression
(DOD) Extraction of aircrew members from crashed or burning aircraft and the control and extinguishing of aircraft and structural fires.

Critical joint duty assignment billet
(DOD) A joint duty assignment position for which, considering the duties and responsibilities of the position, it is highly important that the assigned officer be particularly trained in, and oriented toward, joint matters. Critical billets are selected by heads of joint organizations, approved by the Secretary of Defense and documented in the Joint Duty Assignment List.

Critical supplies and materiel
(DOD, NATO) Those supplies vital to the support of operations, which owing to various causes are in short supply or are expected to be in short supply.

Cryptographic information
(DOD) All information significantly descriptive of cryptographic techniques and processes or of cryptographic systems and equipment, or their functions and capabilities, and all cryptomaterial.

Curb weight
(DOD) Weight of a ground vehicle including fuel, lubricants, coolant and on-vehicle materiel, excluding cargo and operating personnel.

Cutoff attack
(DOD) An attack that provides a direct vector from the interceptor's position to an intercept point with the target track.

CV
See attack aircraft carrier.

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