Halfway Between

  Halfway Between by Jana Leigh

  Halfway Between

  Taming Team TEN

  Book Five

  By Jana Leigh

  © Copyright November 2013 JK Publishing, Inc.

  ISBN#9781310844447

  All cover art and logo © Copyright November 2013 by JK Publishing, Inc.

  All rights reserved.

  Edited by M. L. Hill and Caroline Kirby

  Artwork by JK Publishing, Inc.

  Published by JK Publishing, Inc.

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  Dedication

  I want to dedicate this book to all of the Veteran past, present, and future. Your sacrifice is appreciated. I also specifically dedicate this book to my husband, who has endured my using his issues. We have fought a long and hard road with his PTSD, and we have finally gotten to the point it is manageable. I love you, and your fights are mine.

  Richard Gabriel, No More Heroes

  Nations customary measure the "cost of war" in dollars, lost production, or the number of soldiers killed or wounded. Rarely do military establishments attempt to measure the cost of war in terms of individual human suffering. Psychiatric breakdown remains one of the costly items of war.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Character Glossary

  Part One

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Part Two

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Part Three

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty–One

  Epilogue

  Books by Jana Leigh

  Excerpt from Boots, Chaps, and Cowboy Hats

  Excerpt from Raising a Cowgirl

  Excerpt from Deadly Spurs

  Excerpt from Fire and Ice

  Excerpt from Healing Hearts

  Character Glossary

  Meet the Sexy Men of SEAL Team TEN

  Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Alex “Boyscout” Prain-Strout: Technician Plans and Targeting/ Intel

  Lead Petty Officer (LPO) Frank “Wolfman” Smithe: Training

  Lieutenant Commander Thane “LC” Grete: OIC or Officer in Charge

  Platoon Chief Gage “Master Chief” Loman: Technical Sergeant

  Sergeant Brian “Frogman” Lipit: Quick Recon Force or QRF

  Sergeant Ted “Raider” Farat: Communication or COM

  Petty Officer Mark “Emo” Plater: Technician Intelligence or Intel

  Sergeant Mason “Voodoo” Patrick: Logistics

  NCO Jessie “Ice” James: Communication or COM

  LPO Drake “Lobo” Viser: Plans and Targeting

  Ensign John “Dagwood” Marse: Logistics

  Ensign Sam “Clipper” Roge: Air/Medical

  Acronyms

  CIA: Central Intelligence Agency

  SOG: Special Operations Group

  OIC: Officer in Charge

  COM: Communications

  Keywords for SEALs that will be in this series not necessarily in this book:

  Mission Name: Charlie Exec

  Mission Launch Code Word: Irene, Eagle Eye

  Joint Operation Center: JOC

  ABORT - Directive to cease action/attack/event/mission.

  ACTION - Directive to initiate a briefed attack sequence or maneuver.

  ALPHA CHECK - Request for bearing and range to the described point.

  ANCHOR - Orbit about a specific point; ground track flown by tanker. Information call indicates a turning engagement about a specific location.

  ANGELS - Height of aircraft in thousands of feet.

  ALAMO - Training term used to denote simulated launch of enemy, all-aspect radar missile.

  ARMED (Safe/Hot) - Select armament (safe/hot) or armament is safe/hot.

  AUTHENTICATE - To request or provide a response for a coded challenge.

  BANDIT - Known enemy aircraft and type ordnance capability, if known.

  BASE - Reference number used to indicate such information as headings, altitudes, fuels, etc.

  BELLYCHECK - A momentary unloaded bank to check the blind side of a turning aircraft.

  BENT - Identified system inoperative.

  BLIND - No visual contact with friendly; opposite of term "VISUAL."

  BOGEY - A radar/visual contact whose identity is unknown.

  DOPE - Request for target information as briefed/available.

  BRACKET - Indicates geometry where aircraft will maneuver to a position on opposing sides either laterally or vertically from the target.

  BREAK (Up/Down/Right/Left) - Directive to perform an immediate maximum performance turn in the indicated direction. Assumes a defensive situation.

  BREVITY - Term used to d
enote radio frequency is becoming saturated/degraded and briefer transmissions must follow.

  BROADCAST - Request/directive to switch to Broadcast Control.

  BROKE LOCK - Loss of radar/IR lock-on (advisory).

  BUDDY SPIKE (Position/Azimuth/Altitude) - Receiving friendly AI RWR.

  BUGOUT (Direction) - Separation from that particular engagement/attack; no intent to reengage.

  BULLSEYE - An established reference point from which the position of an aircraft can be determined.

  BUMP - A fly-up to acquire line of sight to the target or laser designation.

  BUNT - A pushover maneuver.

  BURNER - Directive to select/deselect afterburner.

  BUZZER - Electronic communications jamming.

  CAP - An orbit at a specified location. Establish a combat air patrol.

  CHAMPAGNE - An attack of three distinct groups with two in front and one behind. The leading two groups are attempting to bracket with the trailing third group flying up the middle.

  CHATTERMARK - Begin using briefed radio procedures to counter comm jamming.

  CHECK - A directive statement made to momentarily monitor (specified items/systems). No response is required if status is normal.

  CHICKS - Friendly fighter aircraft.

  CHRISTMAS TREE - Directive to briefly turn on exterior lights to enable visual acquisition.

  CLEAN - No radar contacts; used to confirm a good battle damage check (i.e., no air-to-surface ordnance remaining on the wingman's aircraft).

  CLEARED - Requested action is authorized (no engaged/support roles are assumed).

  CLEARED DRY - Ordnance release not authorized.

  CLEARED HOT - Ordnance release is authorized.

  CLOSING - Bandit/bogey/target is getting closer in range.

  COMMIT - Fighter intent to engage/intercept; weapons director (WD) continues to provide information.

  CONTACT - Radar/IR contact at the stated position; should be in bearing, range, altitude (BRA), Bull’s-eye, or geographic position format.

  CONTINUE - Continue present maneuver; does not imply clearance to engage or expend ordnance.

  COVER - Directive to assume briefed support position and responsibilities.

  CUTOFF - Request for, or directive to, intercept using cutoff geometry.

  DEADEYE - Informative call by an airborne laser designator indicating the laser is inoperative.

  DEPLOY - Directive for the flight to maneuver to brief positioning.

  DIVERT - Proceed to alternate mission/base.

  DOLLY - Data link equipment.

  ELEMENT - Formation of two aircraft.

  ENGAGED - Maneuvering with the intent of achieving a kill. If no additional information is provided (bearing, range, etc.), ENGAGED implies visual/radar acquisition of target.

  ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival.

  EYEBALL - Fighter with primary visual identification responsibility.

  FADED - Previous radar contact is lost.

  FEET WET/DRY - Flying over water/land.

  FENCE - Boundary separating hostile and friendly area.

  FENCE CHECK - Set cockpit switches as appropriate.

  FLARES - Flares have been detected or directive to deploy flares.

  FLASH - Temporary activation of IFF transponder on desired mode/code.

  FLOAT - Directive/informative to expand the formation laterally within visual limits to maintain a radar contact or prepare for a defensive response.

  FOLLOW DOLLY - Follow data-link commands.

  FOX - Air-to-air weapons employment.

  FOX ONE - Simulated/actual launch of radar-guided missile.

  FOX TWO - Simulated/actual launch of infrared-guided missile.

  FOX THREE - Simulated/actual launch of AMRAAM/Phoenix missile.

  FOX FOUR - Bomber gunner has simulated firing on a target.

  FOX MIKE - VHF/FM radio.

  FURBALL - A turning fight involving multiple aircraft.

  GADGET - Fire control radar.

  GO SECURE - Activate secure voice communications.

  GORILLA - Large force of indeterminable numbers and formation.

  GREEN (Direction) - Direction determined to be clearest of enemy air-to-air activity.

  HEADS DOWN - Call to inform aircrew that leader/wingman is head-down in the cockpit and wingman/leader is responsible for clearing.

  HEADS UP - Enemy/bogey got through; no kill.

  HOLDING HANDS - Aircraft in visual formation.

  HOME PLATE - Home airfield.

  HOT - In context, attack geometry will result in rollout in front of the target.

  HOTEL FOX - HF radio.

  HOUND DOG - Informative call from support fighter to engaged fighter within visual arena that a shot opportunity exists. Implies tally/visual.

  JINK - Unpredictable maneuvers to negate a gun tracking solution.

  JOKER - separation/bugout/event termination should begin.

  KILL - Directive to commit on target with clearance to fire; in training, a fighter call to indicate kill criteria have been fulfilled.

  MICKEY - Have Quick time-of-day (TOD) signal.

  MIDNIGHT - Informative call advising that command and control functions (GCI/AWACS) are no longer available.

  MUSIC - Electronic radar jamming. On AI radar, electronic deceptive jamming.

  NO JOY - Aircrew does not have visual contact with the target/bandit; opposite of term "TALLY."

  PACKAGE - Geographically isolated collection of groups/contacts/formations.

  PADLOCKED - Informative call indicating aircrew cannot take eyes off an aircraft/ground target without risk of losing tally/visual.

  PAINT - Friendly AAI/APX interrogation.

  PIGEONS - Magnetic bearing and range to a specified point.

  PLAYTIME - Amount of time aircraft can remain on station.

  POINT - Directive for an element either to turn toward each other as a defensive response or to reestablish a mutually supportive formation.

  POP - Starting climb for air-to-surface attack.

  POPEYE - Flying in clouds or area of reduced visibility.

  POSIT - Request for position; response normally in terms of a geographic landmark, or off a common reference point.

  POST ATTACK (Direction) - WD transmission to indicate desired direction after completion of intercept/engagement.

  POST HOLE - Rapid descending spiral.

  POWER - Reminder to set the throttles appropriately considering the IR threat and desired energy state.

  PRESS - Directive to continue the attack; mutual support will be maintained. Supportive role will be assumed.

  PUMP - A briefed maneuver to stop closure on the threat or geographical boundary while maintaining situation awareness.

  PURE - Call indicating pure pursuit is being used or directive call to go pure pursuit.

  PUSH (Channel) - Go to designated frequency.

  ROGER - Indicates aircrew understands the radio transmission; does not indicate compliance or reaction.

  SANDWICHED - A situation where an aircraft/element finds themselves between opposing aircraft/elements.

  SEPARATE - Leaving a specific engagement; may or may not reenter.

  SHADOW - Follow indicated target.

  SICK - Described equipment is degraded.

  SILENT - "GO SILENT" directive to initiate briefed EMCON procedures.

  SPARKLE - Target marking by a gunship or FAC using incendiary rounds.

  SPLASH* - Target destroyed (air-to-air); weapons impact (air-to-ground).

  SPOOFING - Informative that voice deception is being employed.

  SPOT - Informative that laser target designation is being received.

  SQUAWK - Operate IFF as indicated or IFF is operating as indicated.

  STACK - Two or more groups/contacts/formations with a high/low altitude separation in relation to each other.

  STATUS - Request for an individual's tactical situation; response is normally "offensive," "defensive," or "neutral." May be suffixe
d by position and heading.

  STINGER - Formation of two or more aircraft with a single in trail.

  STRANGER - Unidentified traffic that is not a participant in the mission.

  STRANGLE - Turn off equipment indicated.

  SUPPORTING - The act of assisting the engaged fighter in killing the bandit while maintaining overall battle situation awareness.

  TALLY - Sighting of a target/bandit; opposite of "NO JOY."

  TARGET- Specification of sort responsibility.

  TIED - Positive radar contact with element/aircraft.

  TRACK - A series of related contacts indicating direction of travel.

  TRAIL - Tactical formation of two or more aircraft following one another.

  TRASHED - Informative call; missile in flight has been defeated.

  TUMBLEWEED - Indicates limited situation awareness; no tally, no visual; a request for information.

  VICTOR - VHF/AM radio.

  VISUAL - Sighting of a friendly aircraft; opposite of "BLIND."

  WEEDS - Indicates that aircraft are operating close to the surface.

  WILCO - Will comply with received instructions.

  ZIPPER - Acknowledge radio transmissions with two clicks of the mike button.

  Part One

  The Beginning or the End

  "Is this turning into a near death experience...possibly. Does this add to the adventure...absolutely!"

  Jase Duck Dynasty

  Prologue

  Drake "Lobo" Viser leaned his head against the airplane seat. He wasn't sure how he felt at the present. They just left the island, only the guys from the team, the ghosts, and Vince. All they were missing was a partridge in a pear tree, to make this a comical song. He smiled when he thought of how it would sound.

  On the Twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Twelve M16s,