Sabot Sucker

Army term meaning to use someone else to draw fire or draw the enemy's attention. Sabot is the main gun round on a tank. Using someone as a sabot sucker means you're intentionally sending them to do something that will cause them to get shot (usually by a tank).

So if you were in a training exercise and wanted to know where the enemy was hiding you might send one vehicle into the open. Once they're fired on you now know where the enemy is. That vehicle would be a Sabot Sucker. You might also use a sabot sucker to draw attention in a different direction so you can sneak around another way, etc.

Many times at the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA active duty Army units are assigned a National Guard unit to go through the rotation with them. It's common practice to send the useless National Guard units first as sabot suckers. NOTE = Anyone to be used as a sabot sucker will be decieved into thinking their role is critical when really its a diversion.

Army Captain: We've been very impressed with your unit, we want YOU to lead the charge. You'll be the tip of the spear, the point element in our critical advance.
National Guard Captain: YES! We've been training all year for this, we won't let you down.

Army Captain (under breath): see ya Sabot Sucker.

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