CBO—Congressional Budget Office, provides the U.S. Congress with analyses, information, and estimates required for the congressional budget process
CPA—Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S.–led body that governed Iraq from April 2003 to June 2004
CRS—Congressional Research Office, provides policy analysis to the U.S. Congress
DOD—U.S. Department of Defense
EIA—Energy Information Administration, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that develops surveys, collects energy data, and analyzes and models energy issues
FOIA—Freedom of Information Act, the federal law that establishes the public’s right to obtain information from federal government agencies
GAO—Government Accountability Office, an independent, non-partisan agency that works for Congress and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars
GWOT—Global War on Terror, a term used by the Department of Defense to describe its worldwide campaign against terrorism. The GWOT includes Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan (OEF), and Operation Noble Eagle (ONE)
IAEA—International Atomic Energy Agency, an international organization within the United Nations system that works for the safe, secure, and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology
IED—Improvised explosive device, a device placed or fabricated in an improvised manner and designed to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract; it is often devised from non-military components
ISAF—International Security Assistance Force, a UN-mandated international force, led by NATO, that is supposed to assist the Afghan government in extending and exercising its authority and influence across the country
MRAP—Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, designed to protect the occupants against armor-piercing roadside bombs
OECD—Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, comprised of the advanced industrialized countries, that provides and analyzes statistics and economic and social data
OEF—Operation Enduring Freedom, refers to ongoing operations in Afghanistan, as well as some anti-terror operations in other countries in the region
OIF—Operation Iraqi Freedom, refers to the invasion of Iraq, the defeat of Saddam Hussein’s regime, and the subsequent military, peacekeeping, rebuilding, and counterinsurgency operations in Iraq
OMB—Office of Management and Budget, a White House office that assists the president in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and supervises its administration in executive branch agencies
ONE—Operation Noble Eagle, provides enhanced security at military bases
Operation Herrick—Code name for British operation in Afghanistan, including the British contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and support of the U.S.–led Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Telic—Code name for all British operations in Iraq since 2003
PTSD—Post-traumatic stress disorder, an anxiety disorder that can develop after a person’s exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened
TBI—Traumatic brain injury, which is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain
UNHCR—Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees, mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees, and to resolve refugee problems worldwide
USAID—United States Agency for International Development, an independent federal government agency that extends development assistance to other countries
VA—Department of Veterans Affairs; two of its major branches are the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA)
VSL—Value of statistical life, a systematic procedure that economists have developed for valuing a life lost
WHO—World Health Organization, the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system