Essential vocabulary for the ArcGIS defense and intelligence communities

The following table describes terms used in the Defense and intelligence book of ArcGIS Desktop Help. The definitions reflect the usage that is specific to defense and intelligence in ArcGIS.

Term	Description
C2 military operations features	Military features that represent mission planning features, such as troop movement arrows, obstacles, and areas of operation. These are also known as tactical graphics.
C2 UEI features	Command and control units, equipment, and installations features. Also known as tactical symbols, these military features in ArcGIS represent force units, equipment, and installations. C2 UEI features are also known as force units.
feature template	A template, stored in a map document or layer file, that contains all the information required to create a feature, such as which layer will store the feature and which attributes the feature will have. Feature templates let you focus on adding features instead of concerning yourself with the underlying data considerations, such as which layer the feature must go in due to its geometry type (generally, a layer's type is determined by its geometry--point, line, or polygon). Also see military feature template.
friendly forces	Force units considered to be on the same side as the map creator of, typically, a battle or skirmish. These are also known as blue forces because they are symbolized on the map with a blue background, per the military symbol specifications ArcGIS supports. Forces are also known as tactical symbols and force elements.
hostile forces	Force units that the map creator considers to be on the opposing side of, typically, a battle or skirmish. They are also known as red forces because they are symbolized on the map with a red background, per the military symbol specifications ArcGIS supports. Hostile forces are also known as enemy units. Forces are also known as tactical symbols and force elements.
label	Text placed on or near a feature that describes or identifies it. An example of a label for a military feature is the name (unique designation) of an infantry platoon, such as alpha. Labels are also known as modifiers or text modifiers.
military features	In ArcGIS, a group of defense- and intelligence-related features you can add to your map. They are derived from military symbol specifications. Examples include main attack arrows and friendly force unit features, such as infantry platoons. Such features are also known as military symbology or war fighting symbols. For more information, see Military features.
military feature template	An ArcGIS feature template with built-in military characteristics. For more information, see Military feature templates.
military symbol specifications	Specification publications, also known as mil standards documents, used by ArcGIS as a basis for its military features. For ArcGIS 10 Service Pack 2, the main symbol specification that ArcGIS military features are based on is the following: MIL-STD-2525C (and its related publication, FM 1-02 Operational Terms and Symbols)
MGRS	Military Grid Reference System. This is a grid-based system used to represent locations on the universal transverse Mercator (UTM) and universal polar stereographic (UPS) grid systems. MGRS coordinates, expressed as an alphanumeric string, define an area on the earth's surface, as opposed to a specific point. For more information, see Support for MGRS in ArcGIS.
picture marker	A bitmap (.bmp file) or Windows enhanced metafile (.emf) graphic used by ArcGIS to draw the frame and icon components of a military feature. An example frame and icon picture marker is the frame and icon for the infantry unit military feature: .
schema-only layer package	An ArcGIS layer package that contains a schema but, unlike typical layer packages, contains no data. You can use the Military Overlay layer package, which is a schema-only layer package, to add military features to your map. It contains a database schema designed for military features based on the military symbol specifications supported by ArcGIS.