Defense and military terminology · MLC-0115

Defense and military terms: D (97)

• damage criteriaThe weapons effects required to create specified levels of damage.
• dangerous cargoCargo subject to special regulations because of its dangerous properties.
• data elementIn electronic recordkeeping, a combination of characters or bytes referring to one separate item of...
• D-dayThe unnamed day on which a particular operation commences or is to commence.
• decentralized controlIn air defense, the normal mode whereby a higher echelon monitors unit actions, making direct target...
• decentralized executionDelegation of execution authority to subordinate commanders.
• deceptive demonstrationA non-offensive show of force or capability meant for adversary observation that is intended to deceive...
• deceptive displayA static portrayal of an activity, personnel, or equipment intended to deceive the adversary or adversary...
• decisionIn an estimate of the situation, a clear and concise statement of the line of action intended to be followed...
• decision pointA point in space and the latest time when the commander or staff anticipates making a key decision concerning...
• decision support templateA combined intelligence and operations graphic based on the results of wargaming that depicts decision...
• decisive pointKey terrain, key event, critical factor, or function that, when acted upon, enables commanders to gain a...
• decompressionIn personnel recovery, the process of normalizing psychological and behavioral reactions that recovered...
• decontaminationThe process of making any person, object, or area safe by destroying, neutralizing, making harmless, or...
• decoyAn imitation, in any form, of a person, object, or phenomenon intended to deceive adversary sensors and...
• defended asset listA listing of those assets from the critical asset list prioritized by the joint force commander to be...
• defense coordinating elementStaff and military liaison officers who assist the defense coordinating officer in facilitating coordination...
• defense coordinating officerDepartment of Defense point of contact for military support of domestic emergencies.
• defense critical infrastructureDepartment of Defense and non-Department of Defense networked assets and facilities essential to project...
• defense human intelligence executorThe senior Department of Defense intelligence official as designated by the head of each of the Department of...
• defense industrial baseThe Department of Defense, government, and private sector worldwide industrial complex with capabilities to...
• Defense Information Systems NetworkThe integrated network providing dedicated, point-to-point, switched voice and data, imagery, and video...
• Defense Sexual Assault Incident DatabaseA Department of Defense database that captures uniform data provided by the Military Services; maintains all...
• Defense Switched NetworkThe component of the Defense Communications System that handles Department of Defense voice, data, and video...
• Defense Transportation SystemThat portion of the worldwide transportation infrastructure that supports Department of Defense...
• defensive counterairAll defensive measures designed to neutralize or destroy enemy forces attempting to penetrate or attack...
• defensive cyberspace operationsMissions to preserve the ability to utilize and protect blue cyberspace capabilities and data by defeating...
• defensive cyberspace operations-internal defensive measuresA defensive cyberspace operations mission in which defense actions occur within the defended portion of...
• defensive cyberspace operations-response actionsA defensive cyberspace operations mission executed external to the defended network or portion of cyberspace...
• defensive minefield1. In naval mine warfare, a minefield laid in international waters or international straits with the declared...
• defensive space operationsActions taken to preserve friendly freedom of action in space.
• defilade1. Protection from hostile observation and fire provided by an obstacle such as a hill, ridge, or bank.
• definitive careCare to conclusively manage a patient’s condition, for the full range of preventive, curative acute...
• delayed entry programA program under which an individual may enlist in a Reserve Component of a Service and specify a future...
• delegation of authorityThe action by which a commander assigns part of his or her authority, commensurate with the assigned task, to...
• demobilization1. The process of transitioning a conflict or wartime military establishment and defense-based civilian...
• denial measureAn action to hinder or deny the enemy the use of territory, personnel, or facilities, to include destruction...
• denied areaAn area under enemy or unfriendly control in which friendly forces cannot expect to operate within existing...
• Department of Defense civilianA federal civilian employee of the Department of Defense directly hired and paid from appropriated or...
• Department of Defense componentsThe Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
• Department of Defense construction agentThe United States Army Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, or other Department...
• Department of Defense deception activityA policy-guided operation conducted by a combatant command, Service, agency, or other components which employ...
• Department of Defense health care providerAny member of the uniformed Services; civilian employee of the Department of Defense; or personal services...
• Department of Defense information networkThe information capabilities and associated processes owned or leased by the Department of Defense for...
• Department of Defense information network operationsOperations to secure, configure, operate, extend, maintain, and sustain Department of Defense cyberspace to...
• Department of Defense Intelligence Information SystemThe combination of Department of Defense personnel, procedures, equipment, computer programs, and supporting...
• Department of Defense support to counterdrug operationsSupport provided by the Department of Defense to law enforcement agencies to detect, monitor, and counter the...
• departure airfieldAn airfield on which troops and/or materiel are enplaned for flight.
• departure pointA navigational check point used by aircraft as a marker for setting course.
• dependentAn employee’s spouse; child who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or who, regardless of age, is...
• deploymentThe movement of forces into and out of an operational area.
• deployment health surveillanceThe collection, analysis, archiving, interpretation, and distribution of health-related data for monitoring...
• deployment order1. A directive for the deployments of forces for operations or exercises.
• deployment planningOperational planning directed toward the movement of forces and sustainment resources from their original...
• desired mean point of impactA point designated as the center for impact of multiple weapons or area munitions.
• desired point of impactA precise point associated with a target and assigned as the designated impact point for a single unitary...
• detaineeAny person captured, detained, or otherwise under the control of Department of Defense personnel.
• detainee collection pointA facility or other location where detainees are assembled for subsequent movement to a detainee holding area.
• detainee debriefingThe process of using direct questions to elicit intelligence information from a cooperative detainee to...
• detainee holding areaA facility or other location where detainees are administratively processed and provided custodial care...
• detectionIn chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environments, the act of locating chemical, biological...
• deterrenceThe prevention of action by the existence of a credible threat of unacceptable counteraction and/or belief...
• direct actionShort-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation to seize...
• direct air support centerThe principal air control agency of the United States Marine Corps air command and control system responsible...
• direct fireFire delivered on a target using the target itself as a point of aim for either the weapon or the director.
• direct liaison authorizedThat authority granted by a commander (any level) to a subordinate to directly consult or coordinate an...
• direct supportA mission requiring a force to support another specific force and authorizing it to answer directly to the...
• directed energyAn umbrella term covering technologies that relate to the production of a beam of concentrated...
• directed-energy warfareMilitary action involving the use of directed-energy weapons, devices, and countermeasures.
• directed-energy weaponA weapon or system that uses directed energy to incapacitate, damage, or destroy enemy equipment, facilities...
• direction findingA procedure for obtaining bearings of radio frequency emitters by using a highly directional antenna and a...
• directive authority for cyberspace operationsThe authority to issue orders and directives to all Department of Defense components to execute global...
• directive authority for logisticsCombatant commander authority to issue directives to subordinate commanders to ensure the effective execution...
• director of mobility forcesThe designated agent for all air mobility issues in the area of responsibility or joint operations area...
• disaster assistance response teamA team deployed by the United States Agency for International Development, if a large-scale, urgent, and/or...
• dislocated civilianA broad term primarily used by the Department of Defense that includes a displaced person, an evacuee, an...
• dispersalRelocation of forces for the purpose of increasing survivability.
• dispersion1. The spreading or separating of troops, materiel, establishments, or activities, which are usually...
• displaced personA broad term used to refer to internally and externally displaced persons collectively.
• disseminationIn intelligence usage, the delivery of intelligence to users in a suitable form.
• distant retirement areaIn amphibious operations, the area located seaward of the close support area to which assault ships may...
• distinctive emblemsThe red cross, red crescent, red crystal, and other recognized symbols designating persons, places, or...
• distressed personAn individual who requires search and rescue assistance in a permissive environment.
• distribution managerThe executive agent for managing distribution within the combatant commander’s area of responsibility.
• distribution pipelineContinuum or channel through which the Department of Defense conducts distribution operations, representing...
• distribution planA reporting system comprising reports, updates, and information systems feeds that articulate the...
• distribution pointA point at which supplies and/or ammunition, obtained from supporting supply points by a division or other...
• distribution systemThat complex of facilities, installations, methods, and procedures designed to receive, store, maintain...
• domestic emergencyA civil defense emergency, civil disturbance, or major disaster affecting the public welfare and occurring...
• domestic intelligenceIntelligence relating to activities or conditions within the United States that threaten internal security...
• dominant userThe principal consumer of a particular common-user logistics supply or service within a joint or...
• drop zoneA specific area upon which airborne troops, equipment, or supplies are airdropped.
• drug interdictionA continuum of events focused on interrupting illicit drugs smuggled by air, sea, or land.
• dual-role tankerAn aircraft that can carry support personnel, supplies, and equipment for the deploying force while escorting...
• dwell timeThe length of time a target is expected to remain in one location.
• dynamic targetingTargeting that prosecutes targets identified too late or not selected for action in time to be included in...
• dynamic threat assessmentA defense strategic intelligence assessment developed by the Defense Intelligence Agency to support combatant...

97 of 1,781 terms in Defense and military terminology (MLC-0115). Request the full dataset.