List A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...

initialism An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

s ("words made from parts of other words, pronounceable"), and other abbreviations used by the government and the military of the United States. Note that this list is intended to be specific to the United States government and military—other nations will have their own acronyms.

0–9

* 0K – Zero Killed (pronounced OK, as the expression that everything is okay) * 1LT –

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

(U.S. Army) (USMC uses "1stLt" and USAF uses "1st Lt") * 2LT –

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

(U.S. Army) (USMC uses "2ndLt" and USAF uses "2nd Lt") * 2IC –

Second In Command ''Second in Command'' is a 2006 American action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and directed by Simon Fellows. The film was released direct-to-DVD in the United States on May 2, 2006. Plot Commander Sam Keenan (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a decor ...

* 1SG – First Sergeant (E-8 Army) * 777 – (Pronounced triple 7) Refers to the

M777 howitzer The M777 howitzer is a British towed 155 mm artillery piece in the howitzer class. It is used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and the United States. It was first used in combat during the US w ...

, a towed 155 mm artillery weapon. It succeeded the

M198 howitzer The M198 is a medium-sized, towed 155 mm artillery piece, developed for service with the United States Army and Marine Corps. It was commissioned to be a replacement for the World War II-era M114 155 mm howitzer. It was designed and prototyped at ...

in the United States Marine Corps and United States Army in 2005. The M777 is also used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, India and Saudi Arabia. It made its combat debut in the War in Afghanistan.

A

* A – Analog * A1C – Airman First Class (USAF E-3) * A2C2 – Army Airspace Command And Control * A-3 – (Operations Directorate (COMAFFOR)) * A-5 – (Plans Directorate (COMAFFOR)) * AA –

Anti-Aircraft Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...

* AA – Armed Forces America * AA – Assembly Area * AA – Assessment Agent * AA – Avenue Of Approach * AAA – Army Audit Agency * AAA –

Antiaircraft Artillery Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...

* AAA – Arrival And Assembly Area * AAA – Assign Alternate Area * AAAD – Airborne Anti-Armor Defense * AAAS – Amphibious Aviation Assault Ship * AABB – American Association of Blood Banks * AABWS – Amphibious Assault Bulk Water System * AAC – Activity Address Code * AACG – Arrival Airfield Control Group * AADC – Area Air Defense Commander * AADP – Area Air Defense Plan * AA&E – Arms, Ammunition, And Explosives * AAEC – Aeromedical Evacuation Control Team * AAFC –

Australian Air Force Cadets The Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC), known as the ''Air Training Corps (AIRTC)'' until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Along with the Australian ...

(Australia) * AAFES –

Army and Air Force Exchange Service The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES, also referred to as The Exchange and The PX or The BX) is the retailer in U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide. The Exchange is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and its director/chief exe ...

* AAFIF – Automated Air Facility Information File * AAFS – Amphibious Assault Fuel System * AAFSF – Amphibious Assault Fuel Supply Facility * AAGS – Army Air-Ground System * AAI – Air-To-Air Interface * AAM –

Air-To-Air Missile The newest and the oldest member of Rafael's Python family of AAM for comparisons, Python-5 (displayed lower-front) and Shafrir-1 (upper-back) An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying a ...

* AAMDC – US Army Air And Missile Defense Command * AAOE – Arrival And Assembly Operations Element * AAOG – Arrival And Assembly Operations Group * AAP – Allied Administrative Publication * AAP – Assign Alternate Parent * AAR –

After Action Report An after action report (or AAR) is any form of retrospective analysis on a given sequence of goal-oriented actions previously undertaken, generally by the author themselves. The two principal forms of AARs are the literary AAR, intended for recrea ...

* AAR – After Action Review * AAS – Army Apprentice School (Australia) * AAST – Aeromedical Evacuation Administrative Support Team * AAT – Automatic Analog Test * AAT – Aviation Advisory Team * AAU – Analog Applique Unit * AAV –

Amphibious Assault Vehicle The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAVP-7A1 (formerly known as Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 abbr. LVTP-7)—is a fully tracked amphibious vehicle, amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Ar ...

* AAW – Antiair Warfare * AB –

Airbase An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...

* AB –

Airman Basic Airman basic (AB) is the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force immediately below airman. The pay grade for airman basic is E-1. As opposed to all other USAF enlisted and officer ranks, airman basic has no rank insignia affiliated. ...

(USAF E-1) * ABCA – American, British, Canadian, Australian Armies Program * ABCS –

Army Battle Command System {{Short description, American digital military system The Army Battle Command System (ABCS) is a digital Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence ( C4I) system for the US Army. It includes a mix of fixed/semi-fixed and mobile net ...

* ABD – Airbase Defense * ABU –

Airman Battle Uniform The Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is a U.S. camouflage combat uniform formerly worn by members of the United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and some civilian employees of the U.S. Department of the Air Force until April 2021. It repl ...

(U.S. Air Force) * ABV –

Assault Breacher Vehicle The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) is a U.S. military mine- and explosives-clearing vehicle, based on the M1 Abrams chassis, equipped with a mine plow and line charges. Its first large scale use by the US Marines was in the joint ISAF-Af ...

(U.S. Army) * ABFC – Advanced Base Functional Component * ACU –

Army Combat Uniform The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force. Within U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern) Uniform ...

(U.S. Army) * ADOS – Active Duty, Operational Support * ADSW – Active Duty, Special Work * AE – Armed Forces Europe * AEW&C –

Airborne Early Warning And Control Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

* AFI – Awaiting Further Instruction/

Air Force Instruction An Air Force Instruction (AFI) is a documented instruction for members of the United States Air Force intended for use by active duty, guard, and reserve members and associated civilians. It is one of many forms of directives published by the Air F ...

(requirement guide) * AFMC – Armed Forces Medical College * AFOQT – Air Force Officer Qualifying Test * AFOSI –

United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force. OSI is also a U.S. Air Force field operating agency under the administrative ...

* AFSC –

Air Force Specialty Code The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

* AHA – Ammunition Holding Area * AIM – Airborne Intercept Missile (U.S. Military) * AIP - Assignment Incentive Pay * AIPD – Army Institute For Professional Development * AIS –

Automated Information System An automated information system (AIS) is an assembly of computer hardware, software, firmware, or any combination of these, configured to accomplish specific information-handling operations, such as communication, computation, dissemination, proc ...

* AIT –

Advanced Individual Training United States Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) is the recruit training program of the United States Army, for service in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, or the Army National Guard. Some trainees attend basic combat training along with their ad ...

(U.S. Army) * Amn –

Airman An airman is a member of an air force or air arm of a nation's armed forces. In certain air forces, it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank. An airman can also be referred as a soldier in other definitions. In civilian aviation usage, t ...

(USAF E-2) * ALCON – All Concerned (U.S. Military) * AMU – Aircraft Maintenance Unit * AMXG – Aircraft Maintenance Group * AMXS – Aircraft Maintenance Squadron * ANG –

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

(USAF) * AOC –

Air Operations Center An Air Operations Center (AOC) is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air operations.Absent Over Leave (U.S. Navy) * AO –

Area Of Operations In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire op ...

* AOR –

Area of responsibility Area of responsibility (AOR) is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan (UCP), that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and cond ...

* A&P – Administrative And Personnel * AP – Armed Forces Pacific * AP –

Armor-Piercing Armour-piercing ammunition (AP) is a type of projectile designed to penetrate either body armour or vehicle armour. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armour-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armour carried on many warsh ...

* APC –

Armored Personnel Carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

* APFSDS –

Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), long dart penetrator, or simply dart ammunition, is a type of kinetic energy penetrator ammunition used to attack modern vehicle armour. As an armament for main battle tanks, it succeeds ...

* APFT –

Army Physical Fitness Test The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) was designed to test the muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of soldiers in the United States Army. Soldiers were scored based on their performance in three events consistin ...

(U.S. Army) * APFU – Army Physical Fitness Uniform (U.S. Army) * APO –

Army Post Office Military mail, as opposed to civilian mail, refers to the postal services provided by armed forces that allow serving members to send and receive mail. Military mail systems are often subsidized to ensure that military mail does not cost the sende ...

; See Also FPO * APPN – Appropriation Number (U.S. Military) * APRT – Army Physical Readiness Test (U.S. Army) * ARCENT/TUSA – US Army Central/HQ Third US Army (TUSA)US CENTCOM Command Structure *

ARPANET The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) was the first wide-area packet-switched network with distributed control and one of the first networks to implement the TCP/IP protocol suite. Both technologies became the technical fou ...

–

Advanced Research Projects Agency Network The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) was the first wide-area packet-switched network with distributed control and one of the first networks to implement the TCP/IP protocol suite. Both technologies became the technical foun ...

(e.g., 1969 to 1989; antecedent of the information superhighway; now

DARPA The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Adv ...

) * ARM –

Anti-Radar Missile An anti-radiation missile (ARM) is a missile designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source. Typically, these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communications can also be t ...

* ARM –

Anti-Radiation Missile An anti-radiation missile (ARM) is a missile designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source. Typically, these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communications can also be ...

* ARMS – Automated Recruit Management System (U.S. Military) * ARMS – Aviation Resource Management System (USAF) * ARNG –

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

(U.S. Army) * ARS – Air Refueling Store * ART – Alarm Response Team (USAF) *

ARVN The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. It is estimated to have suffe ...

– Army Of The Republic Of (South) Viet Nam (U.S. Military) * ASAP – Army Substance Abuse Program (U.S. Military) * ASAP – As Soon As Possible *

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

– Association Of South East Asian Nations * ASM –

Air-to-Surface Missile An air-to-surface missile (ASM) or air-to-ground missile (AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea. There are also unpowered guided glide bombs not considered missiles. The two most common prop ...

* ASCM – Anti-Ship Cruise Missile *

ASROC The RUR-5 ASROC (for "Anti-Submarine Rocket") is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed ...

– Anti-Submarine ROCket * ASV – Anti-Surface Vessel (airborne radar) * ASVAB –

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces. It is of ...

* ASW –

Anti-Submarine Warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...

* ATC –

Air Training Corps The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British volunteer-military youth organisation. They are sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force. The majority of staff are volunteers, and some are paid for full-time work – including C ...

* ATC –

Air Traffic Control Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airs ...

* ATFU – Ate The Fuck Up (not squared away) * ATO – Air Tasking Order * ATO – Antiterrorism Officer * ATRRS – Army Training Requirements And Resources System * AWACS –

Airborne Warning and Control System Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

* AWOL –

Absent Without Leave Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which a ...

B

* BAH –

Basic Allowance for Housing Basic allowance for housing (BAH) is a United States military entitlement given to many military members. It was previously called Basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) and is administered by the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO). How it works ...

* BAMCIS – Begin planning, Arrange recon, Make the plan, Complete the plan, Issue the order, Supervise (U.S. Marine Corps

five paragraph order The five paragraph order or five paragraph field order is a style of organizing information about a military situation for a unit in the field. It is an element of United States Army, United States Marine Corps and United States Navy Seabees of sm ...

) * BAR –

Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the . ...

* BAS - Basic Allowance for Subsistence * BAU – Behavioral Analysis Unit * BCD – Battlefield Coordination Detachment * BCD –

Bad Conduct Discharge A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. Each country's military has different types of discharge. They are generally based on whether the persons completed their training and the ...

(aka Big Chicken Dinner) * BCG –

Birth Control Glasses Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...

(U.S. military slang) * BCT – Basic Combat Training (U.S. Army) * BCT –

Brigade Combat Team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its assigned support and fire units. A brigade is normally commanded by a ...

* BDA –

Bomb Damage Assessment Bomb damage assessment (BDA), also known as battle damage assessment, is the practice of assessing damage inflicted on a target from a Standoff missile, stand-off weapon, most typically a bomb or air launched missile. It is part of the larger disc ...

or Battle Damage Assessment * BDE –

Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

(U.S. Army) * BDF –

Barbados Defence Force The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The headquarters for the ...

(Barbados) * BDU –

Battle Dress Uniform The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every br ...

(U.S. military) * Be – Beriev (Russian) * BEA – Budget Execution Authority (U.S. Navy) * BEQ – Batchelor Enlisted Quarters (U.S. military) * BFT – Blue Force Tracker (U.S. military) * BG – Bodyguard * BGHR – By God He's Right (U.S. military) * BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front (U.S. military) * BMNT – Begin Morning Nautical Twilight (U.S. Army) * BMOW – Boatswain's Mate Of The Watch (U.S. Coast Guard) * BN –

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

(U.S. Army) * BOHICA – Bend Over Here It Comes Again (U.S. military slang) * BRAC –

Base Realignment And Closure Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end o ...

* BRAT (American) – Born Raised And Transferred (American usage, refers to dependent children of military personnel) Usually pronounced "Military Brat" (Or "Air Force BRAT", or Army "Brat", Navy "Brat" etc.). * BRAT (British) – British Regiment Attached Traveler (British military usage, may have been the original usage, which was later adapted to the American military: Means "child that travels with a soldier"), or "Born, Raised and Trapped". Usually pronounced "Military Brat" or "Base Brat". * BUB – Battle Update Brief * BVR –

Beyond Visual Range A beyond-visual-range missile (BVR) is an air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) that is capable of engaging at ranges of or beyond. This range has been achieved using dual pulse rocket motors or booster rocket motor and ramjet sustainer motor. In additio ...

(USAF) * BX –

Base Exchange An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...

(USAF) * BZ – spoken "

Bravo Zulu The combination of the Bravo and Zulu nautical signal flags, i.e., Bravo Zulu, also referred to as "BZ," is a naval signal, typically conveyed by flaghoist or voice radio, meaning "Well Done" with regard to actions, operations or performance. In ...

", meaning "congratulations, job well done"

C

* C1 – Command * C2 –

Command And Control Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...

* C3 – Command Control And Communication * C4ISTAR – Command, Control, Communication, Computers; Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, And Recognition * C6ISR – Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber-defense and Combat systems, and Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance * CAC –

Common Access Card The Common Access Card, also commonly referred to as the CAC is a smart card about the size of a credit card. It is the standard identification for Active Duty United States Defense personnel, to include the Selected Reserve and National Guard, ...

(U.S. DoD, pron. "cac") * CAG –

Commander, Air Group A carrier air wing (abbreviated CVW) is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadron (aviation), squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing and rotorcraft, rotary-wing aircr ...

(U.S. Navy, pron. "cag") * CAG – Civil Affairs Group. Term used for military members assigned to assist civilian governments with restoring infrastructure (All U.S. branches, pron. "cag") * CAGE –

Commercial and Government Entity The Commercial and Government Entity Code, or CAGE Code, is a unique identifier assigned to suppliers to various government or defense agencies, as well as to government agencies themselves and various organizations. CAGE codes provide a standardi ...

CALL Call or Calls may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * Call, a type of betting in poker * Call, in the game of contract bridge, a bid, pass, double, or redouble in the bidding stage Music and dance * Call (band), from Lahore, Paki ...

– Center for Army Lessons Learned * CAP -

Combat Air Patrol Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...

* CAP -

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded mem ...

* CAPT –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

(U.S. Navy, USCG O-6) * Capt –

(USMC O-3) * CPT –

(U.S. Army, USAF O-3) * CAS –

Close Air Support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...

* CASEX – Coordinated Anti-Submarine EXercise * CASEVAC –

Casualty Evacuation Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" is ...

* CAT – Combat Application Tourniquets *

CBRN Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consi ...

– Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear * CBU – Cluster Bomb Unit * CCIP – Continually Calculated Impact Point (USAF/USMC Aviation) * CCIR – Commanders Critical Information Requirements * CCP – Casualty Collection Point * CCRP – Continually Calculated Release Point (USAF/USMC Aviation) * CDAT – Computerized Dumb Ass Tanker (

M1 Abrams The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest ta ...

Crewmen) * CDIAC –

Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) was an organization within the United States Department of Energy that had the primary responsibility for providing the US government and research community with global warming data and analysi ...

* CDRUSPACOM – Commander United States Pacific Command * CENTCOM – Central Command (U.S. Military) * CF – Cluster Fuck (always pronounced phonetically "Charlie Foxtrot") * CHU –

Containerized Housing Unit A containerized housing unit, usually abbreviated as CHU (and sometimes called containerized living unit or CLU) is an ISO shipping container pre-fabricated into a living quarters. Such containers can be transported by container ships, railroad ...

* Chief –

Chief Warrant Officer Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Pakistan Air Force, the Israel Defense Forces, the South African National Defence Force, the Lebanese Armed Forces and, since 2012, th ...

* CIA –

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...

* CIB –

Combat Infantry Badge The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is a United States Army military decoration. The badge is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat while assigned as members of ei ...

* CIC – Command Intelligence Center (U.S. Navy) * CINCLANT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002) * CINCLANTFLT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Fleet (U.S. Navy before 2002) * CINCPAC – Commander-in-chief, Pacific Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002) * CIWS –

Close-In Weapon System A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of ...

* CJOTUS – Chief Justice of the United States * CMB –

Combat Medical Badge The Combat Medical Badge is an Badges of the United States Army, award of the United States Army which was first created in January 1945. Any member of the Army Medical Department, at the rank of colonel or below, who is assigned or attached to a ...

* CMSgt – Chief Master Sergeant (USAF E-9; highest AF enlisted rank) * CMSAF –

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (acronym: CMSAF) is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. The holder of this rank and position of office represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force, ...

(USAF E-9 – Senior Enlisted Member) * CO –

Commanding Officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

* COA – Course of Action * COB –

Chief Of the Boat The chief of the boat (COB) is an enlisted sailor on board a U.S. Navy submarine who serves as the senior enlisted advisor to both the Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (XO). Overview The COB assists with matters regarding the ...

(Chief Petty Officer in charge of the Boat usually a Master Chief (USN Submariner Terminology)) * CoB – Close of Business (End of the duty day) * COCOM – Combatant Commander * CODELS – Congressional Delegations * COL –

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

* COMINT –

Communications Intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is list of intelligence gathering disciplines, intelligence-gathering by interception of ''Signal, signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from ele ...

* COMPACFLT – Commander, Pacific Fleet (U.S. Navy) * COMSEC – Communication Security * CONUS –

Continental United States The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...

(U.S. military, pron. "cone-us") * CONUSA – Continental

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Army (numbered Armies of U.S. military) * CORDS – Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (U.S. military,

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

era) * COP – Combat Out Post * CoS –

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

* COT – Commissioned Officer Training * CPL –

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...

(U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-4) * CPO –

Chief Petty Officer A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards. Canada "Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxi� ...

(USCG/USN E-7) * CPT –

(U.S. Army O-3) * CP –

Check Point Check Point is an American-Israeli multinational provider of software and combined hardware and software products for IT security, including network security, endpoint security, cloud security, mobile security, data security and security managem ...

(Usually Numbered i.e. "CP1") * CPX – Command Post Exercise * CQB –

Close Quarters Battle Close-quarters combat (CQC) or close-quarters battle (CQB) is a tactical situation that involves a physical fight with firearms involved between multiple combatants at short range. It can occur between military units, police/corrections officer ...

* CRC – CONUS Replacement Center (a military processing center at

Fort Benning Fort Benning is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama–Georgia border. Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employees ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, US) * CSM –

Command Sergeant Major A command sergeant major (CSM) is a non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted member of a color-bearing Army unit (battalion or higher). The CSM is ap ...

(U.S. Army E-9 highest Army enlisted rank)) * CSAR –

Combat Search And Rescue Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones. A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, aerial refuelin ...

* CT –

Counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

Team * CTA – Common Table of Allowances * CTR – Close Target Reconnaissance * CUB – Commander Update Brief * CVN – Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (NOTE: the V comes from the expression "heavier than air flying machine") * CWO –

* CZN – Nuclear-powered

Airship An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air. In early ...

Carrier (NOTE: the Z comes from the use of the word

Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp ...

although non-Zeppelin airships would also be transported on a CZN)

D

* DA –

Defence Attaché Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indust ...

* DAC – Department of the Army Civilian * DAGO – Department of the Army General Officer * DAGR –

Defense Advanced GPS Receiver The AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR; colloquially, "dagger") is a handheld GPS receiver used by the United States Department of Defense and select foreign military services. It is a military-grade, dual-frequency receiver, and has t ...

– Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (U.S. Military) * DASA – Division Artillery Security Area * DAT – Dumb Ass Tanker * DC3 –

Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center The Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) is designated as a Federal Cyber Center by National Security Presidential Directive 54/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 23, as a Department of Defense (DoD) Center Of Excellence for Digit ...

* DCAA –

Defense Contract Audit Agency The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense under the direction of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). It was established in 1965 to perform all contract audits for the Department of ...

* DCMA –

Defense Contract Management Agency The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is an agency of the United States federal government reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. It is responsible for administering contracts for the United States D ...

* DD-214 – Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty * DEROS – Date Estimated Return From Overseas *

DEVGRU The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), abbreviated as DEVGRU ("Development Group") and commonly known as SEAL Team Six, is the United States Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The unit is often referre ...

– United States Naval Special Warfare DEVelopment GRoUp * DFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military) * DFAS –

Defense Finance and Accounting Service The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense (DOD), headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. DFAS was established in 1991 under the authority, direction, and control of the Under Secreta ...

(U.S. Military) * DIA –

Defense Intelligence Agency The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense, specializing in defense and military intelligence. A component of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the I ...

* DIFM - Due In From Maintenance * DINFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military) * DISA –

Defense Information Systems Agency The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), known as the Defense Communications Agency (DCA) until 1991, is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) combat support agency composed of military, federal civilians, and contractors. DISA prov ...

* DLA –

Defense Logistics Agency The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a combat support agency in the United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Defense (DoD), with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. Located in 48 state ...

* DLB – Dead Letter Box * DMDC –

Defense Manpower Data Center The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) serves under the Office of the Secretary of Defense to collate personnel, manpower, training, financial, and other data for the Department of Defense. This data catalogues the history of personnel in the mili ...

* DME – Depot Maintenance Enterprise (U.S. Military) * DMEA – Defense Microelectronics Activity * DMS –

Defense Message System The Defense Message System or Defense Messaging System (DMS) is a deployment of secure electronic mail and directory services in the United States Department of Defense. DMS was intended to replace the AUTODIN network, and is based on implementati ...

(U.S. Military) * DMZ –

Demilitarized Zone A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or bounda ...

* DOA –

Dead on Arrival Dead on Scene ('' 'DOS' '') Found dead before first responders get on scene and no medical treatment was given. Dead on arrival (DOA), also dead in the field and brought in dead (BID), are terms which indicate that a patient was found to be ...

* DoDAAC – Department of Defense Activity Address Code (U.S. Military) * DoDAF –

Department of Defense Architecture Framework The Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) is an architecture framework for the United States Department of Defense (DoD) that provides visualization infrastructure for specific stakeholders concerns through viewpoints organized b ...

(U.S. Military) * DoDIC – Department of Defense Identification Code (U.S. Military) * DOEHRS – Defense Occupational and Environmental Health Readiness System (U.S. Military) * DOP – Drop-Off Point * DPMs – Disruptive Pattern M * DRT – Dead Right There; wounded in such a way as to indicate immediate and/or unavoidable death; often used as a sarcastic form of the civilian acronym DOA (Dead On Arrival) * DTO – Daily Tasking Order * DTRA –

Defense Threat Reduction agency The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosives). Accor ...

* DZ –

Drop Zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In ...

E

* E&E – Escape and Evade * EA – Electronic Attack * ECP – Entry Control Point * EDCSA – Effective Date of Change of Strength Accountability (obsolete for U. S. Army) * EFP -

Explosively Formed Penetrator An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile (EFP), a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is the product of a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor effectively. As the name suggests, the ...

* EHRS – Electronic Health Records (Software) * EI – Engineering and Installation *

EIS Eis or EIS may refer to: Education * Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne, in Australia * Educational Institute of Scotland, a trade union * Ekamai International School, in Bangkok, Thailand * English for Integrated Studies, a program in T ...

– Engineering and Installation Squadron, Environmental Impact Statement * EIB –

Expert Infantry Badge The Expert Infantryman Badge, or EIB, is a special skills badge of the United States Army. The EIB was created with the CIB by executive order in November 1943 during World War II. Currently, it is awarded to U.S. Army personnel who hold infan ...

* EI SIT – Engineering and Installation Site Implementation Team * EKIA – Enemy Killed in Action *

ELINT Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...

– Electronic Intelligence * EMI – Extra Military Instruction * ENS –

Ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

(U.S. Navy junior officer rank, O-1) * EOD –

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the militar ...

* EOS – End of Service * EP – Electronic Protection * EPR − Enlisted Performance Report * EPW – Enemy Prisoner of War * ERV – Emergency Rendezvous * ESSENCE – Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (U.S. Military) * ETA –

Estimated time of arrival The estimated time of arrival (ETA) is the time when a ship, vehicle, aircraft, cargo, emergency service, or person is expected to arrive at a certain place. Overview One of the more common uses of the phrase is in public transportation where the ...

* ETS – Expiration Term of Service * EUCOM –

European Command The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia ...

(U.S. Military) * EW –

Electronic Warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...

(comprises EA, EP) *

Exfil In military tactics, extraction (also exfiltration or exfil) is the process of removing personnel when it is considered imperative that they be immediately relocated out of a hostile environment and taken to an area either occupied or controlle ...

– Exfiltration (Opposite of infiltration; exiting undetected)

F

* FA –

Field Artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the early 20t ...

* FAK –

First Aid Kit A first aid kit or medical kit is a collection of supplies and equipment used to give immediate medical treatment, primarily to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions. There is a wide variation in the contents of first aid ...

* FAR –

Federal Acquisition Regulation The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules regarding Government procurement in the United States,. and is codified at Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations, . It covers many of the contracts issued by ...

FBCB2 Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) is a Linux-based communication platform designed for commanders to track friendly and hostile forces on the battlefield. It increases a vehicle commander's situational awareness of the battlef ...

– Force XXI Battlefield Command Brigade and Below * FBI –

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...

* FEBA –

Forward Edge of the Battle Area A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an armed force's personnel and equipment, usually referring to land forces. When a front (an intentional or unint ...

* FFE – Fire for effect * FIDO – Fire Direction Officer * FIGMO – Fuck It, Got My Orders * FIST – Fire Support Team * FISTer – Member of a Fire Support Team * FIST-V – Fire Support Team Vehicle * FISINT –

Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence, FISINT (''F''oreign ''I''nstrumentation ''S''ignature ''INT''elligence) is intelligence from the interception of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment o ...

* FISHDO – Fuck It, Shit Happens, Drive On * FitRep –

Fitness Report {{unreferenced, date=November 2011 A Fitness Report (FITREP) is an evaluation form used by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Navy officers are given Fitness Reports, while Navy chief petty officers (E-7 to E-9) are given "Chi ...

* FLOT – Forward Line of Troops * FLOTUS –

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

(U.S. – see

POTUS The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

) * FM –

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

; more commonly "

Field Manual ''Field Manual'' is the debut solo album by Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla, released on January 29, 2008 on Barsuk Records. This is Walla's first album under his own name. It was previously speculated that Walla may use a moniker, mo ...

" * FMC – Fully Mission Capable * FMTV –

Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) is a series of military vehicles that are based on a common chassis and vary by payload and mission requirements. The FMTV is derived from the Austrian Steyr 12M18 truck, but substantially m ...

(U.S. Army) * FNG – Fucking New Guy * FO –

Forward Observer An artillery observer, artillery spotter or forward observer (FO) is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire onto a target. It may be a ''forward air controller'' (FAC) for close air support (CAS) and spotter for naval gunfire sup ...

* FO – Foxtrot Oscar (i.e. Fuck Off) (US/UK Forces) * FOB –

Forward Operating Base A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward Operational level of war, operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfi ...

* FOD – Foreign Object Damage (U.S.) * FOD – Foreign Object Debris (U.S.) * FOI – Field of Imaging * FPO –

Fleet Post Office Military mail, as opposed to civilian mail, refers to the postal services provided by armed forces that allow serving members to send and receive mail. Military mail systems are often subsidized to ensure that military mail does not cost the sen ...

; See also APO * FRACU – Flame-Resistant Army Combat Uniform (U.S. Army) * FSA – Force Structure Allowance * FSTE – Foreign Service Tour Extension * FTG – Fleet Training Group (U.S. Navy) or Fuck The Guard (U.S. Coast Guard) * FTUS – Full Time Unit Specialist * – Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition or Fucked Up Beyond All Repair * FYSA – For Your Situational Awareness * FYI – For Your Information

G

* G1 – General Staff Level office for Personnel and Manpower (Division and Above) * G2 – General Staff Level office for Military Intelligence (Division and Above) * G3 – General Staff Level office for Operations and Plans (Division and Above) * G4 – General Staff Level office for Logistics (Division and Above) * G5 – General Staff Level office for Military/Civil Affairs (Division and Above) * G6 – General Staff Level office for Signal and Communication (Division and Above) * G7 – General Staff Level office for Training and Exercises (Division and Above) * G8 – General Staff Level office for Force Development and Analysis (Division and Above) * G9 – General Staff Level office for Civil Operations (Division and Above) * GBU – Guided Bomb Unit * GEN –

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

* GI – Government Issue * GIG –

Global Information Grid The Global Information Grid (GIG) is a network of information transmission and processing maintained by the United States Department of Defense. More descriptively, it is a worldwide network of information transmission, of associated processes, a ...

* GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out * GM – Gone Mersault * GO –

General Officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

* GOCO – Government owned, contractor operated * GPMG –

General Purpose Machine Gun A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, usually belt-fed machine gun that can be adapted flexibly to various tactical roles for light and medium machine guns. A GPMG typically features a quick-change barrel design calibered for ...

* GPS –

Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...

* GS –

General Schedule The General Schedule (GS) is the predominant pay scale within the United States civil service. The GS includes the majority of white collar personnel (professional, technical, administrative, and clerical) positions. , 71 percent of federal civili ...

H

* HAAMS – High Altitude Airdrop Missions * HAHO – High Altitude High Opening * HALO –

High Altitude Low Opening High-altitude military parachuting, or military free fall (MFF), is a method of delivering military personnel, military equipment, and other military supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. Tw ...

(

Airborne Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

) * HAU – * HBL – Holiday Block Leave (U.S. Army) * HE – High Explosive * HEAT –

High-Explosive Anti-Tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...

* HEP – High Explosive, Plastic (U.S. usage for HESH) * HESH –

High-explosive squash head High explosive squash head (HESH) in British terminology, or high explosive plastic/plasticized (HEP) in American terminology, is a type of explosive projectile which uses a plastic explosive that conforms to the surface of a target before detonat ...

(British anti-tank and anti-fortification round) * HIMARS –

High Mobility Artillery Rocket System The M142 HIMARS (M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a light multiple rocket launcher developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army and mounted on a standard United States Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) truc ...

* HMAS – Her Majesty's Australian Ship (

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

) * HMCS – Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

) * HMFIC – Head Motherfucker In Charge – colloquialism for the highest-ranking person present; more commonly used by NCO's than by officers (

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

) * HMMWV –

High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...

(U.S. Military) (Pronounced Humvee) * HMNZS – Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

) * HMS – ''Hans Majestäts Skepp'' (His Majesty's ship,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

) * HMS – Her Majesty's Ship (Royal Navies such as British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

) (His Majesty's Ship if King) * Hr.Ms –

His/Her Dutch Majesty's Ship The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...

(Dutch Royal Navy ship) * HOMSEC – Homeland Security * HRAP – Hometown Recruiter Assistance Program * HQ –

Headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

* HHB – Headquarters and Headquarters

Battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

(artillery units) * HHC –

Headquarters and Headquarters Company In United States Army units, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) is a company-sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. Considered one unit, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company is essentially two elements with ...

* HHT – Headquarters and Headquarters

Troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...

(cavalry units) * HUMINT –

Human Intelligence Human intelligence is the intellectual capability of humans, which is marked by complex cognitive feats and high levels of motivation and self-awareness. High intelligence is associated with better outcomes in life. Through intelligence, humans ...

(intelligence gathering) * HVI – High Value Individual * HVT –

High Value Target In United States military terminology, a high-value target (HVT) is the term given to a person or resource that an enemy commander requires to complete a mission. The term has been widely used in the news media for Osama Bin Laden and high-ranking ...

* HYT –

High Year Tenure High Year Tenure (HYT) is a term used by the United States Armed Forces to describe the maximum number of years enlisted members may serve at a given rank without achieving promotion, after which they must separate or retire. HYT is applicable to ...

I

* IAF –

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

* IAF –

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...

* IAVA –

Information Assurance Vulnerability Alert {{Unreferenced, date=August 2010 An information assurance vulnerability alert (IAVA) is an announcement of a computer application software or operating system vulnerability notification in the form of alerts, bulletins, and technical advisories iden ...

(U.S. Military) * ICBM –

Intercontinental ballistic missile An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...

* ICE – Individual Carrying Equipment, e.g.

All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) is a set of load-carrying equipment adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973 to replace the M-1956 Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE) and M-1967 Mo ...

* ID – IDentification * IED –

Improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...

* IFAK – Individual

First aid kit A first aid kit or medical kit is a collection of supplies and equipment used to give immediate medical treatment, primarily to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions. There is a wide variation in the contents of first aid ...

* IFF –

Identification Friend or Foe Identification, friend or foe (IFF) is an identification system designed for command and control. It uses a transponder that listens for an ''interrogation'' signal and then sends a ''response'' that identifies the broadcaster. IFF systems usual ...

* IFF – Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (USAF) * IG –

Inspector General An inspector general is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is "inspectors general". Australia The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Australia) (IGIS) is an independent statutory off ...

(U.S. Military) * IFV –

Infantry Fighting Vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forc ...

* Il –

Ilyushin The public joint stock company Ilyushin Aviation Complex, operating as Ilyushin (russian: Илью́шин) or as Ilyushin Design Bureau, is a former Soviet and now a Russian aircraft manufacturer and design bureau, founded in 1933 by Sergey Vl ...

, Russian aircraft company * IN –

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

* INSCOM –

United States Army Intelligence and Security Command The United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) is a direct reporting unit that conducts intelligence, security, and information operations for United States Army commanders, partners in the Intelligence Community, and nationa ...

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...

– International Criminal Police Organization * IOC –

Initial Operational Capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...

* ISO – Inter School Course * ISR –

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance ISTAR stands for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing t ...

* IYAAYAS – "If You Ain't

AMMO Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other wea ...

, You Ain't Shit"

J

* JA –

Judge Advocate Judge-advocates are military lawyers serving in different capacities in the military justice systems of different jurisdictions. Australia The Australian Army Legal Corps (AALC) consists of Regular and Reserve commissioned officers that provi ...

eneral*

JAFO ''Blue Thunder'' is a 1983 American action thriller film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Gordon Carroll, Phil Feldman, and Andrew Fogelson and directed by John Badham. The Blue Thunder helicopter itself did exist as two copies of modified ...

– Just Another Fucking Observer * JAG – Judge Advocate General * JDAM –

Joint Direct Attack Munition The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs", into all-weather precision-guided munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Pos ...

* JSF –

Joint Strike Fighter program Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands ...

JATO JATO (acronym for jet-assisted take-off) is a type of assisted take-off for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets. The term ''JATO'' is used interchangeably with the (more specific ...

– Jet-assisted Take Off * JETDS –

Joint Electronics Type Designation System The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Depar ...

* JNN – Joint Network Node (U.S. Army) * JSAM –

Joint Service Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to rece ...

* JSTARS –

Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force airborne ground surveillance, battle management and command and control aircraft. It tracks ground vehicles and some aircraft, col ...

* JSOC –

Joint Special Operations Command The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equip ...

* JTF – Joint Task Force * JTAC - Joint Terminal Attack Controller * JEEP – "Just Enough Essential Parts"

K

* KATUSA –

Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Korean Augmentation To the United States Army (KATUSA Korean language, Korean: :ko:카투사, 카투사) is a branch of the Republic of Korea Army that consists of Korean drafted personnel who are augmented to the Eighth United States Army (E ...

(also known by lower ranking U.S. soldiers as "Koreans Aggravating The U.S. Army") * KIA – Killed In Action * KFOR –

Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Its operations are gradually reducing until Kosovo Security Force, Kosovo's Security Force, established in 2 ...

* KISS –

Keep It Simple, Stupid KISS, an acronym for "Keep it simple, stupid!", is a design principle noted by the U.S. Navy in 1960. First seen partly in American English by at least 1938, the KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather tha ...

* KO – Contracting Officer, Navy * KP –

Kitchen Police KP duty means "kitchen police" or "kitchen patrol" work under the kitchen staff assigned to junior Enlisted rank, U.S. enlisted military personnel. "KP" can be either the work or the personnel assigned to perform such work. In the latter sense i ...

or Kitchen Patrol * KBO – Keep Buggering On

L

* LAAD – Low Altitude Air Defense *

LAAT ''Laat'' (Sindhi language, Sindhi لاٽ) is a children's magazine in Sindhi language, Sindhi published by Mehran Publication Hyderabad, Sindh. It started in 1988 and got immediate attention of Sindhi children. It was founded by Altaf Malkani and ...

– Low Altitude Assault Transport * LAV – Light Armored Vehicle * LCDR –

Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

(U.S. Navy) * LCpl –

Lance Corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...

(U.S. Marines) * LES –

Leave and Earnings Statement A Leave and Earnings Statement, generally referred to as an LES, is a document given on a monthly basis to members of the United States military which documents their pay and leave status on a monthly basis. Employees in the civil service receive ...

*LIC –

Low Intensity Conflict A low-intensity conflict (LIC) is a military conflict, usually localised, between two or more state or non-state groups which is below the intensity of conventional war. It involves the state's use of military forces applied selectively and with ...

* LP – Listening Post * LP/OP – Listening Post Observation Post * LPC – Leather Personnel Carrier (boot) * LGOP – Little Group Of Paratroopers * LMTV –

Light Medium Tactical Vehicle The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) is a series of military vehicles that are based on a common chassis and vary by payload and mission requirements. The FMTV is derived from the Austrian Steyr_90_series#Military_career, Steyr 12M ...

(U.S. Army) * LPO – Leading Petty Officer (U.S. Navy) * LT –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

* LTC or Lt Col or LtCol–

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

(U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force) * LTG or Lt Gen or LtGen –

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

(U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force) * LTJG –

Lieutenant, Junior Grade Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), i ...

(U.S. Navy) * LRIP – Low-Rate Initial Production * LUP – Lying-Up Point * LZ –

Landing Zone In military terminology a landing zone (LZ) is an area where aircraft can land. In the United States military, a landing zone is the actual point where aircraft, especially helicopters, land (equivalent to the commonwealth landing point.) In ...

M

* MACV/SOG – Military Assistance Command Vietnam / Studies and Observation Group * MAJ –

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

* MARCORSYSCOM –

MARine CORps SYStems COMmand Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) is the acquisition command of the United States Marine Corps, made up of Marines, sailors, civilians and contractors. As the only systems command in the Marine Corps, MCSC serves as Head of Contracting Authority ...

(U.S. Military) * MARCENT Marine Corps Central Command * MARFORRES –

MARine FORces REServe The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command, by assigned pe ...

(U.S. Marine Corps) * MARSOC –

Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that comprises the Marine Corps' contribution to SOCOM. Its core capabilities are direct action, spe ...

* MAV – Micro Air Vehicle * MAW – Maximum Allowable Weight * MBT –

Main battle tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...

* MC 326/2 – ″NATO Medical Support Principles and Policies″, approved by Military Committee, second revision. * MCCS – Marine Corps Community Services (also known by the humorous

backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...

"Marine Corps Crime Syndicate") * MCEN – Marine Corps Enterprise Network (U.S. Military) * MCEITS – Marine Corps Enterprise Information Technology Service (U.S. Military) * MCPO – Master Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-9) * MCPOCG –

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

(U.S. Coast Guard E-9 – Senior Enlisted Member) * MedEvac –

Medical evacuation Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...

* MFA –

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

* MG –

Machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...

* MG –

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

* MI –

Military Intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...

* Mi –

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (russian: Московский вертолётный завод им. М.Л. Миля) is a Soviet, and later a Russian designer and producer of helicopters headquartered in Tomilino. It is a subsidiary of Russian Heli ...

(Russian) * MIA –

Missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...

* MICAP – Mission Impaired Capability Awaiting Parts * MICV – Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle ( an

Infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forc ...

) *

MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" (russian: Российская самолётостроительная корпорация „МиГ“, Rossiyskaya samolyotostroitel'naya korporatsiya "MiG"), commonly known as Mikoyan and MiG, was a Russi ...

– Mikoyan-Gurevich (Russian) * MILCON – Military Construction * MK –

Mark Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fi ...

* MK –

Machinery Technician Machinery Technician (MK) is an enlisted rating in the United States Coast Guard that is responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of a cutter's propulsion, auxiliary equipment and outside equipment, internal combustion engines (gaso ...

(U.S. Coast Guard rating) * MLRS –

Multiple Launch Rocket System A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple launchers which are fixed to a single platform, and shoots its rocket ordnance in a fashion similar to a volle ...

* MMFD – Miles and Miles of F...ing Desert (unofficial report in Gulf War) * MOA – Military Operating Area (USAF Airspace) * MOAB –

Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB , colloquially known as the "Mother of All Bombs") is a large-yield bomb, developed for the United States military by Albert L. Weimorts, Jr. of the Air Force Research Laboratory. It was first tes ...

, also known as "Mother Of All Bombs". * MOAC – Mother of All Coffee (Green Bean Coffee) * MOB –

Main Operating Base Main operating base (MOB) is a term used by the United States military defined as a "permanently manned, well protected base, used to support permanently deployed forces, and with robust sea and/or air access". This term was used to differentiate ...

* MOBCOM – MOBile COMmand * MOPP –

Mission Oriented Protective Posture MOPP (an acronym for "Mission Oriented Protective Posture"; pronounced "mop") is protective gear used by U.S. military personnel in a toxic environment, e.g., during a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) strike: * Protective ...

* MOS –

Military Occupation Specialty A United States military occupation code, or a military occupational specialty code (MOS code), is a nine-character code used in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps to identify a specific job. In the United States Air Force, a sy ...

* MOUT –

Military Operations in Urban Terrain Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and ...

* MPDS – Military Planning Data Allowance *

MRAP Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP; ) is a term for United States Armed Forces, United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IE ...

– Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected * MRE –

Meal, Ready-to-Eat A Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging purchased by the United States Department of Defense for its service members for use in combat or field conditions where other food is not availab ...

(U.S. Military) * MRX – Mission Rehearsal Exercise * MSG – Master Sergeant (US Army E-8) * MSgt – Master Sergeant (USAF E-7) * MSO – Marine Safety Office (U.S. Coast Guard) * MTOE – Modified Table Of Organizational Equipment * MTS+ – Movement Tracking System Plus * MTV – Medium Tactical Vehicle (U.S. Army) * MSDC+ – Marine Science Diving Club (Diving Club Of Hasanudin University) * MSR –

Main Supply Route A main supply route (MSR) is the route or routes designated within an area of operations upon which the bulk of traffic flows in support of military operations and humanitarian operations. MSR is a term that is also used in insurgency and irregul ...

* MSR – Major Supply Route * MWR – Morale Welfare Recreation

N

* NAFTA –

North American Free Trade Agreement The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...

* NAS – Naval Air Station *

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

– North Atlantic Treaty Organization * NCIS –

Naval Criminal Investigative Service The United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is the primary law enforcement agency of the U.S. Department of the Navy. Its primary function is to investigate criminal activities involving the Navy and Marine Corps, though its ...

(U.S. Navy) * NAVAIR –

Naval Air Systems Command The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...

* NAVCENT – Naval Forces Central Command (U.S. Navy) * NAVOCEANO –

Naval Oceanographic Office The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), located at John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, comprises approximately 1,000 civilian, military and contract personnel responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to all ...

* NBACC –

National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) is a government biodefense research laboratory created by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and located at the sprawling biodefense campus at Fort Detrick in Fred ...

* NCI –

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...

* NCO –

Non-Commissioned Officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

* NCOIC –

Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge The designation Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, usually abbreviated to NCOIC (or NCO I/C), signifies an individual in the enlisted ranks of a military unit who has limited command authority over others in the unit. An example would be a squad ...

* NCOES – Non-Commissioned Officer Education System * ND –

Negligent Discharge An unintentional discharge is the event of a firearm discharging (firing) at a time not intended by the user. An unintended discharge may be produced by an incompatibility between firearm design and usage, such as the phenomenon of cooking off a ...

* NDP – Night Defensive Position * NEFF – New Equipment Fielding Facility * NIBC National Interagency Biodefense Campus * NICBR – National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research * NLT – No Later Than * NMC – Not Mission Capable * NME – Non-Mission Essential * NMCI – Naval Marine Corps Intranet (U.S. Navy) * NNMSA – Non-Nuclear Munitions Storage Area * NOC – Non Official Cover *

NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection ...

– North American Aerospace Defense Command * NPDES –

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters; recognizing the responsibiliti ...

* NS – Network Services * NSA –

National Security Agency The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...

* NSW – Naval Special Warfare * NSWDG –

Naval Special Warfare Development Group The Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), abbreviated as DEVGRU ("Development Group") and commonly known as SEAL Team Six, is the United States Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). The unit is often referre ...

* NUB – Non-Useful Body / Nuclear Unqualified Bitch (U.S. Nuclear Navy)

O

* OBE – Overcome/Overrun By Events * OCONUS – Outside

* OCP –

Operational Camouflage Pattern Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), originally codenamed Scorpion W2, is a military camouflage pattern adopted in 2015 by the United States Army for use as the U.S. Army's main camouflage pattern on the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). This pattern ...

(U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force) * OCS –

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. ...

* ODA – Operational Detachment-Alpha (the standard 12-man team composed of

U.S. Army Special Forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army. The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal m ...

operators) * ODU – Operational Dress Uniform (U.S. Coast Guard) * OIC – Officer in Charge * OIG –

Office of Inspector General In the United States, Office of Inspector General (OIG) is a generic term for the oversight division of a federal or state agency aimed at preventing inefficient or unlawful operations within their parent agency. Such offices are attached to ma ...

* OM – On the Move (Normally just spelled out Oscar Mike) * O&M, MC – Operations & Maintenance,

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

(

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

) * O&M, N – Operations & Maintenance, Navy (U.S. Navy) *

OODA The OODA loop is the cycle ''observe–orient–decide–act'', developed by military strategist and United States Air Force Colonel John Boyd. Boyd applied the concept to the combat operations process, often at the operational level during mi ...

– Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act * OP –

Observation Post An observation post (commonly abbreviated OP), temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers (such as in trench warfare), or to direct fire. In strict military terminology, an ...

* OPFOR –

Opposing Force An opposing force (alternatively enemy force, abbreviated OPFOR) is a military unit tasked with representing an enemy, usually for training purposes in war game scenarios. The related concept of aggressor squadron is used by some air forces. T ...

or Opposition Force * OPR – Officer Performance Report * OPT – Operational Planning Team * ORM –

Operational Risk Management Operational risk management (ORM) is defined as a continual recurring process that includes risk assessment, risk decision making, and the implementation of risk controls, resulting in the acceptance, mitigation, or avoidance of risk. ORM is the ...

* Oscar –

Man overboard "Man overboard!" is an exclamation given aboard a vessel to indicate that a member of the crew or a passenger has fallen off of the ship into the water and is in need of immediate rescue. Whoever sees the person's fall is to shout, "Man overboa ...

* OSM – Oh Shit Moment (U.S. Marine Corps) * OSP – On Site Procurement * OSP – Orbital Services Program * OPORD –

Operations Order Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

* OPSEC –

Operations Security Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, a ...

* OTF – Out There Flapping (Airborne) * OTS –

Officer Training School Officer Training School (OTS) is a United States Air Force and United States Space Force commissioning program located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Overview Officer Training School is a part of the Jeanne M. Holm Center fo ...

* OTV –

Outer Tactical Vest The Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System (IBA) is a bullet-resistant body armor system that was used by the United States Armed Forces during the 2000s, with some limited usage into the mid-2010s. IBA and its design replaced the older stan ...

P

* PACOM – Pacific Command *

PACAF Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...

–

Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...

* PAQ – PALACE Acquire * PCS – Permanent Change of Station * PDS – Permanent Duty Station (U.S. Military) * PDT – Pre-Deployment Training * PE –

Plastic Explosive Plastic explosive is a soft and hand-moldable solid form of explosive material. Within the field of explosives engineering, plastic explosives are also known as putty explosives or blastics. Plastic explosives are especially suited for explos ...

* PFC –

Private First Class Private first class (french: Soldat de 1 classe; es, Soldado de primera) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in a number of armed forces. French speaking countries In France and other French speaking countries, the rank (; ) ...

(U.S. Military) * PFM – Pure Fuckin Magic (U.S. Military) * PFT –

Physical Fitness Test An examination (exam or evaluation) or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verba ...

* PII –

Personally Identifiable Information Personal data, also known as personal information or personally identifiable information (PII), is any information related to an identifiable person. The abbreviation PII is widely accepted in the United States, but the phrase it abbreviates ha ...

or Personal Identity Information * PL –

Platoon Leader {{unreferenced, date=February 2013 A platoon leader (NATO) or platoon commander (more common in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth militaries and the United States Marine Corps, US Marine Corps) is the officer in charge of a platoon. This pers ...

(U.S. Army) * PLL – Prescribed Load List (U.S. Army) * PLT –

Platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...

(U.S. Army) * PMC – Partially Mission Capable * PME –

Professional Military Education Professional Military Education (PME) refers to the professional training, development, and schooling of military personnel. It encompasses many schools, universities, and training programs designed to foster leadership in military service members. ...

* PMS – Planned Maintenance Schedule (U.S. Navy) * PNG – Passive Night Goggles * PO –

Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

* PO1 – Petty Officer 1st Class (USCG/USN E-6) * PO2 –

Petty Officer 2nd Class Petty may refer to: People * Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist * Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player * Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host * Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Amer ...

(USCG/USN E-5) * PO3 – Petty Officer 3rd Class (USCG/USN E-4) * POBCAK – Problem Occurs Between Chair And Keyboard * POL – Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (U.S. Air Force) * POC –

Point Of Contact A point of contact (POC) or single point of contact (SPOC) is a person or a department serving as the coordinator or focal point of information concerning an activity or program. A POC is used in many cases where information is time-sensitive and ...

* POTUS –

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

* POG – Person Other than Grunt (All non-combat arms job fields i.e. any

MOS MOS or Mos may refer to: Technology * MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor * Mathematical Optimization Society * Model output statistics, a weather-forecasting technique * MOS (filmm ...

or CMF other than

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

armor Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or fr ...

, and

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

; among infantrymen, refers to anyone other than infantry or

Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

) *

POW A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...

–

Prisoner Of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

* POV – Privately Owned Vehicle * PPG – PT Parade Games * PPPPPPP, (the Seven P's) – Proper Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully (

colloquially Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...

"Piss") Poor Performance * PRP – Personnel Reliability Program * PRP – Pretty Retarded Program * PRT –

Provincial Reconstruction Team A Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) was a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRT ...

* PRT – Physical Readiness Training (U.S. Army) * PT –

Physical Training Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical ...

* PTB – Powers That Be * PV2 – Private 2nd class (U.S. Army E-2) * PVT –

Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

(U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-1) * PX –

Post Exchange An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls. Exact terminology varies by armed service; some examp ...

(U.S. Army)

R

* RAAF –

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

* RAF –

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(UK) * RAN –

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

* RATELO – Radiotelephone Operator * RATO – Rocket Assisted Take Off * RCSC –

Royal Canadian Sea Cadets The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (RCSC; french: links=no, Cadets de la Marine royale du Canada) is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the civilian Navy League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, t ...

(Canada) *

REMF Pogue is American pejorative military slang for non-infantry MOS (military occupational specialty) staff, and other rear-echelon or support units. History and etymology The term was used as early as the First World War by US Marines to refer t ...

– Rear Echelon Mother Fucker * RFL – Response Force Leader * RMC –

Royal Military College of Canada '') , established = 1876 , type = Military academy , chancellor = Anita Anand ('' la, ex officio, label=none'' as Defence Minister) , principal = Harry Kowal , head_label ...

* RN –

(UK) * ROE –

Rules Of Engagement Rules of engagement (ROE) are the internal rules or directives afforded military forces (including individuals) that define the circumstances, conditions, degree, and manner in which the use of force, or actions which might be construed as pro ...

* ROMA Data, Right Out of My Ass Data. Unverifiable created data (different from SWAG) * ROWPU –

Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that uses a partially permeable membrane to separate ions, unwanted molecules and larger particles from drinking water. In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used to overcome osmotic p ...

* RNZAF –

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

* ROZ – Restricted Operating Zone * RP – Rendezvous point * RPG –

Rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are a ...

* RPM –

Rounds per minute Round or rounds may refer to: Mathematics and science * The contour of a closed curve or surface with no sharp corners, such as an ellipse, circle, rounded rectangle, cant, or sphere * Rounding, the shortening of a number to reduce the numbe ...

(Rate of fire) * RS – RatShit (Australia – related to U.S. – Unserviceable) * RSS –

Regional Security System The Regional Security System (RSS) is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region with future expansion planned with South America. History The Regional Security System was created in 1982 to counter ...

(Caribbean) * RTB – Return To Base * RV – rendezvous * RTO –

Radiotelephone A radiotelephone (or radiophone), abbreviated RT, is a radio communication system for conducting a conversation; radiotelephony means telephony by radio. It is in contrast to '' radiotelegraphy'', which is radio transmission of telegrams (mes ...

Operator

S

* SA –

Seaman Apprentice Constructionman Apprenticevariation Fireman Apprenticevariation Airman Apprenticevariation Seaman Apprenticeinsignia Collarinsignia Seaman apprentice is the second lowest enlisted rate in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and ...

(USCG/USN E-2) * SA –

Situation Awareness Situational awareness or situation awareness (SA) is the perception of environmental elements and events with respect to time or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their future status. An alternative definition is tha ...

* SAAS – Standard Army Ammunition System (U.S. Army) * SAM –

Surface-to-Air Missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

* SAR –

Search and Rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

(U.S. Coast Guard) * SARS – Search and Rescue Swimmer * SARSS – Standard Army Retail Supply System (U.S. Army) * SAS –

Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling and in 1950, it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terro ...

(British special forces) * SBS –

Special Boat Service The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Roya ...

(British special forces) * SCIF – Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility * SCO – Squadron Commander (Squadron as used in the

U.S. Army Regimental System The United States Army Regimental System (USARS) is an organizational and classification system used by the United States Army. It was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to provide each soldier with continu ...

) * SCOTUS –

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

* SCPO –

Senior Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer ''(SCPO)'' is an enlisted rank in the navies of some countries. United States U.S. Coast Guardsenior chiefpetty officercollar device U.S. Coast Guardsenior chiefpetty officerinsignia Senior chiefpetty officer ...

(USCG/USN E-8) * SD – "Status Destroyed" or "Salty Dog". (Equipment that is written off as unrepairable and unsalvageable. ) * SDD – Solution Delivery Division (Military Health) * SEAC –

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) is the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) position overall in the United States Armed Forces. The SEAC is appointed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of ...

of the Joint Chiefs of Staff * SFAS – Special Forces Assessment Selection *

SEAL Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

– Sea, Air and Land (U.S. Navy SEALs) * SERE – Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape * SFC – Sergeant First Class (U.S. Army E-7) *SFOD-A –

United States Army Special Forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service Berets of the United States Army, headgear, are a special operations special operations force, force of the United States Ar ...

Operational Detachment Alpha – U.S. Special Forces team (see ODA) *SFOD-B – Special Forces Operational Detachment Bravo – U.S. Special Forces support group *SFOD-C – Special Forces Operational Detachment Charlie – U.S. Special Forces command group * SFOD-D – Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta (U.S. Army counter-terrorism unit) * SGM –

Sergeant Major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the ...

(U.S. Army E-9 – Sometimes referred to as Staff Sergeant Major) * SGT –

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

(U.S. Army E-5) (U.S. Marines uses Sgt) * SHORAD – Short Range Air Defense * SITREP –

Situation Report A command center (often called a war room) is any place that is used to provide centralized command for some purpose. While frequently considered to be a military facility, these can be used in many other cases by governments or businesses. ...

* SJA –

Staff Judge Advocate The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army, also known as the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is the legal arm of the United States Army. It is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at a ...

* SLAM – Standoff Land Attack Missile * SLBM –

Submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead ...

* SLOTUS –

Second Lady of the United States The second gentleman or second lady of the United States (SGOTUS or SLOTUS respectively) is the informal title held by the spouse of the vice president of the United States, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. Coined in contrast ...

* SMA –

Sergeant Major of the Army The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is servin ...

(U.S. Army E-9 – Senior Enlisted Member) * SMEAC – Situation Mission Execution Admin/logistics Command/signal (U.S. Marine Corps basic knowledge) * SMSgt – Senior Master Sergeant (USAF E-8) * SN –

Seaman Seaman may refer to: * Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew * Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies * Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name) * ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...

(USCG/USN E-3) *

SNAFU SNAFU is an acronym that is widely used to stand for the sarcastic expression Situation normal: all fucked up. It is a well-known example of military acronym slang. It is sometimes bowdlerized to "all fouled up" or similar. It means that the ...

– Situation Normal: All Fucked/Fouled Up * SOCCENT –

Special Operations Command Central The Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) is a sub-unified command of the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM). It is responsible for planning special operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR), planning and conducting pea ...

* SOCOM –

United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Arm ...

* SOFA –

Status of Forces Agreement A status of forces agreement (SOFA) is an agreement between a host country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country. SOFAs are often included, along with other types of military agreements, as part of a comprehensive security ...

* SOL – Shit Out of Luck (U.S. Army) * SOLJWF – Shit Out of Luck and Jolly Well Fucked (U.S. Marines) * SOP –

Standard Operating Procedures A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance, while reducing misc ...

* SOS – Shit On a Shingle, or creamed

chipped beef Chipped beef is a form of pressed, salted and dried beef that has been sliced into thin pieces. Some makers Smoking (cooking), smoke the dried beef for more flavor. The modern product consists of small, thin, flexible leaves of partially dried be ...

on toast. * SPC – Specialist (U.S. Army E-4) * SPORTS – Slap, Pull, Observe, Release, Tap, Shoot. * SR –

Seaman Recruit Seaman recruit (SR) is the lowest enlisted rate in the United States Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps just below seaman apprentice; this rank was formerly known as seaman third class. Two separate pay grades exist with ...

(USCG/USN E-1) * SrA – Senior Airman (USAF E-4) * SRBM –

Short Range Ballistic Missile A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of about or less. In past and potential regional conflicts, these missiles have been and would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their rela ...

* SRR –

Special Reconnaissance Regiment The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) is a special reconnaissance unit of the British Army. It was established on 6 April 2005 and is part of the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF). The regiment conducts a wide range of classified activitie ...

(British special Forces) *

SSBN A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – ...

– Nuclear-Powered

Ballistic missile submarine A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – t ...

* SSDD – Same Shit Different Day * SSDDBS – Same Shit Different Day Bigger Shovel * SSG –

Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

(U.S. Army E-6) *

SSGN A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles (SLCMs and anti-ship missiles) as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a vessel's ability to attack surface combatants and strike land targets, and alt ...

– Nuclear-Powered

Cruise missile submarine A cruise missile submarine is a submarine that carries and launches cruise missiles (SLCMs and anti-ship missiles) as its primary armament. Missiles greatly enhance a vessel's ability to attack surface combatants and strike land targets, and alt ...

* SSgt –

(U.S. Air Force E-5) (U.S. Marines E-6) * SSN – Nuclear-powered

attack submarine An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants and merchant vessels. In the Soviet and Russian navies they were and are called ...

* STOVL – Short Takeoff, Vertical Landing *

SUSFU SNAFU is an acronym that is widely used to stand for the sarcastic expression Situation normal: all fucked up. It is a well-known example of military acronym slang. It is sometimes bowdlerized to "all fouled up" or similar. It means that the s ...

– Situation Unchanged, Still Fucked Up * SWAG – Scientific Wild Ass Guess * SWAK – Sealed With A Kiss

T

* TACP –

Tactical Air Control Party The Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is a small team of military personnel who provide coordination between aircraft and ground forces when providing close air support. Australia Australian TACPs are provided by the RAAF ...

(USAF) * TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (U.S. Military) * TAO – Tactical Action Officer (U.S. Military) * TBD –

To Be Determined To be announced (TBA), to be confirmed (TBC), to be determined or decided or declared (TBD), and other variations, are placeholder terms used very broadly in event planning to indicate that although something is scheduled or expected to happen, a ...

* TC3 –

Tactical Combat Casualty Care Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC or TC3) are the United States military guidelines for Major trauma, trauma life support in Battlefield medicine, prehospital combat medicine, designed to reduce preventable deaths while maintaining operatio ...

* TCCC –

* TDPFO – Temporary Duty Pending Further Orders (U.S. Military) * TDY – Temporary Duty (U.S. Military) * TEL –

Transporter Erector Launcher A transporter erector launcher (TEL) is a missile vehicle with an integrated tractor unit that can carry, elevate to firing position and launch one or more missiles. History Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-su ...

* TF – Task Force * TFOA – Things Falling Off Aircraft * TG6 – Task Group 6 (group designation for NZ SAS – NZ Army) * TOC –

Tactical Operations Center A tactical operations center (TOC) is a command post for police, paramilitary, or military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically au ...

* TIC – Troops In Contact * TSgt –

Technical Sergeant Technical sergeant is the name of two current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States Armed Forces, as well as in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. Outside the United States, it is used only by the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and the ...

(USAF E-6) * TU – Tits Up (dead, inoperable), a.k.a. " Tango Uniform" * TARFU – Things Are Really Fucked Up, or Totally And Royally Fucked Up * TRADOC- U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command

U

* UA – Unauthorized Absence * UA -

Urinalysis Urinalysis, a portmanteau of the words ''urine'' and ''analysis'', is a panel of medical tests that includes physical (macroscopic) examination of the urine, chemical evaluation using urine test strips, and microscopic examination. Macroscopic e ...

* UAS – Unmanned Aerial System * UAV –

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...

* UCP –

Universal Camouflage Pattern The Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) is a digital military camouflage pattern formerly used by the United States Army in their Army Combat Uniform. Technicians at Natick Soldier Systems Center attempted to devise a uniform pattern that wou ...

(U.S. Army) * UCAV –

Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also known as a combat drone, colloquially shortened as drone or battlefield UAV, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance ...

* ULLS – Unit Level Logisitics System (U.S. Army) * UMA – Unit Mobilization Assistor * UN –

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

* US – Unserviceable * USS – United States Ship * USSS –

United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...

* USAF –

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

* USAFA – the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...

at Colorado Springs, Colorado * USAFE –

United States Air Forces in Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

* USAMRICD –

United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD) is a military medical research institute located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, US. It is the leading science and technology laboratory of the Department of Def ...

* USAMRIID – United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease * USAMRMC – United States Army Medical Research and Materiél Command * USAMRAA – United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity *

USA PATRIOT Act The USA PATRIOT Act (commonly known as the Patriot Act) was a landmark Act of Congress, Act of the United States Congress, signed into law by President of the United States, President George W. Bush. The formal name of the statute is the Uniti ...

– Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act * USAREC – US Army REcruiting Command *

USAREUR United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) /Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICO ...

– U.S. Army European Command * USASOC –

U.S. Army Special Operations Command The United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) (USASOC ( )) is the command charged with overseeing the various special operations forces of the United States Army. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it is the largest ...

* USFK -

United States Forces Korea United States Forces Korea (USFK) is a Unified Combatant Command#Subordinate Unified Command, sub-unified command of United States Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). USFK is the joint headquarters for U.S. combat-re ...

* USCG –

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

* USCGC –

United States Coast Guard Cutter United States Coast Guard Cutter is the term used by the U.S. Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. They are or greater in length and have a permanently assigned crew with accommodations aboard. They carry the ship prefix USCGC. Histor ...

* USMA –

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

(U.S. Army) at West Point, New York * USMC –

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

* USN –

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

* USNA –

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

(U.S. Navy) at Annapolis, Maryland * USO –

United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

(U.S. Military) * USR – Unit Status Report * UUV –

Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), sometimes known as underwater drones, are submersible vehicles that can operate underwater without a human occupant. These vehicles may be divided into two categories: remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROU ...

* UXB – Unexploded Bomb (bomb disposal; British) * UXO – Unexploded Ordnance

V

* VBIED – Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device * VDM – Visual Distinguishing Mark * VFD – Volunteer Fire Department * VFR – Volunteer Fire and Rescue (or in Aviation

Visual Flight Rules In aviation, visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better ...

) * VPOTUS –

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...

W

* WIA –

Wounded In Action Wounded in Action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...

* WO1 – Warrant Officer 1 * WSA – Weapons Storage Area * WMD –

Weapons of Mass Destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natura ...

* WILCO – Will Comply * WCS – Worst Case Scenario * WORM – War operating ready material

X

* XO –

Executive Officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...

Y

* YGBSM – You Gotta Be Shitting Me

References

External links

AcronymFinder – Military and Government

Abbreviation.com – Military Abbreviations

All Acronyms – Military Acronyms

{{DEFAULTSORT:Government and military acronyms U.S. Government Government-related lists United States military-related lists

Acronyms An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

Military terminology of the United States