What is the meaning of IA?
IA is the “Immediate Action” that a soldier is trained to take when his weapon fails to operate. The most common reason for weapon stoppage is lack of ammunition. The “First IA” addresses that. If the weapon still fails to operate another, the “Second IA” takes further steps to remedy the situation. These are drilled into every soldier endlessly so that in the heat of battle he responds instinctively.
