Exfiltration

Definition

Extracting military personnel or assets from a hostile area—the military's version of a strategic retreat, but with less shame.

Example Usage

The special forces team executed exfiltration under cover of darkness.

Origin

Military operations terminology, popularized in WWII

Fun Fact

Often the most dangerous phase of covert operations

Source: Military Special Operations Doctrine

Related Terms

Beginner

mike

Phonetic alphabet for 'M,' commonly used to mean minute or meter in military communications. As in 'five mikes' equals five minutes of your life you'll never get back.

🎖️ Military / Defense

Intermediate

Entrenchment

Digging in so deep that the enemy has to physically remove you, both literally and figuratively. A defensive position that's fortified and reinforced for long-term resistance.

🎖️ Military / Defense

Beginner

bombardment

The military act of relentlessly pounding a target with artillery shells, bombs, or missiles until it ceases to exist as originally structured. It's also used metaphorically for any overwhelming assault, whether of emails, questions, or particles in physics. When 'a lot' just doesn't capture the sheer volume of destructive force involved.

🎖️ Military / Defense

Beginner

pha

Periodic Health Assessment—a mandatory annual health screening for service members. A bureaucratic checkbox that occasionally catches real medical issues but mostly confirms you're still breathing.

🎖️ Military / Defense

Intermediate