The military seems to have a language of its own, with many terms and acronyms that aren't generally used in the "civilian world." Here is a list I've compiled of those acronyms and terms in case you're wondering what any of them mean. Hope this helps!
Acronyms
---A---
AAA - Antiaircraft Artillery
AAFES - Army Air Force Exchange System
ACAP - Army Career and Alumni Program (helps soldiers separating from the military)
ACP - Access Control Point
ACS - Army Community Services (provides family services)
AD - Active Duty
ADA - Air Defense Artillery
AER - Army Emergency Relief (emergency funds for families and soldiers)
AFN - Armed Forces Network
AFTB - Army Family Team Building (teaches dependents about military life)
AG - Adjutant General
AIT - Advanced Individual Training
AOB - Armor Officer Basic
ANCOC - Advanced Noncommisioned Officer Course (needed for promotion to E-7)
ANG - Air National Guard
APC - Armored Personnel Carrier
APFT - Army Physical Fitness Test
APO - Army Post Office
ASAP - Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program
ATC - Annual Training Conference
AWOL - Absent Without Leave
---B---
BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing (money for rent for soldiers with dependents)
BAS - Basic Allowance for Sustinence (money for food for soldiers with dependents)
BCT - Basic Combat Training (formerly known as boot camp)
BDE - Brigade
BDU - Battle Dress Uniform (camouflage uniforms)
BOQ - Bachelor Officer Quarters
BN - Battalion
BNCOC - Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (needed for promotion to E-6)
BX - Base Exchange (Air Force main exchange)
---C---
CAC - Community Action Counsel
CG - Commanding General (in charge of the base or post)
CDC - Child Development Center
CENTCOM - Central Command
CID - Criminal Investigation Division
CO - Commanding Officer
COB - Close of Business
COLA - Cost of Living Allowance (given in Hawaii, Alaska and overseas)
CONUS - Continental United States
CPS - Child Protective Services
CQ - Charge of Quarters
CY - Calendar Year
---D---
DA - Department of the Army
DCU - Desert Camouflage Uniform
DeCa - Defense Commissary Agency (run grocery stores on base or post)
DEERS - Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
DEROS - Date of Estimated Return from Overseas
DFAS - Defense Finance Accounting System (in charge of our pay)
DI - Drill Instructor
DITY - Do It Yourself (in relation to moving...I do not recommend this...lol)
DLA - Dislocation Allowance (money to help with the cost of moving)
DoD - Department of Defense
DOR - Date of Rank
DPP - Deferred Payment Plan (military credit card, now called the Star Card)
DPW - Directorate of Public Works (maintains the base or post)
DSN - Defense Switched Network (secured communication lines)
---E---
EEO - Equal Employment Opportunity
EER - Enlisted Evaluation Report
EFMB - Excellence in Field Medicine Badge
EFMP - Exceptional Family Member Program (helps with special medical needs)
EIA - Excellence in Armor
EIB - Excellence in Infantry Badge
EM - Enlisted Member
ETS - Estimated Time of Separation (date that you may leave the military)
EWC - Enlisted Wives Club
---F---
FAC - Family Assistance Center/Family Advocacy Commitee
FAQ - Family Advocacy Program
FCP - Family Care Plan
FDU - Full Dress Uniform
FLO - Family Liason Officer
FM - Field Manual
FORSCOM - Forces Command
FRG - Family Readiness Group (provides support to families)
FRO - Family Readiness Officer
FSA - Family Seperation Allowance (paid to married soldiers gone for 30+ days)
FTX - Field Training Exercise
FY - Fiscal Year (begins 1 Oct. and ends 30 Sep.)
---G---
GO - General Officer
GS - General Schedule (pay schedule for civilian employees)
---H---
HFP - Hostile Fire Pay
HHC - Headquarters and Headquarters Company
HHT - Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
HQ - Headquarters
HQDA - Headquarters, Department of the Army
HS - Home Station
---I---
IE - Initial Entry
IET - Initail Entry Training (basic training)
IG - Inspector General (investigates questionable situations on base or post)
ITO - Information Travel Office
---J---
JAG - Judge Advocate General (military lawyers)
JUMPS - Joint Uniform Military Pay System
---K---
KIA - Killed in Action
KP - Kitchen Patrol
---L---
LES - Leave Earnings Statement (military pay stub)
LN - Local National
LOD - Line of Duty
LZ - Landing Zone
---M---
MACOM - Major Army Command
MEDDAC - Medical Department Activity
METL - Mission Essential Task List
MI - Military Intelligence
MIA - Missing in Action
MILPO - Military Personnel Office
MOS - Military Occupational Specialty (job)
MP - Military Police
MRE - Meal Ready to Eat (field rations)
MTF - Military Treatment Facility (military hospital)
MWR - Morale, Recreation and Welfare
---N---
NBC - Nuclear Biological Chemical
NCO - Noncommissioned Officer
NCOER - Noncommissioned Officer Evaluation Report
NCOIC - Noncommissioned Officer in Charge
NEX - Navy Exchange
NG - National Guard
NPD - No Pay Due (instills panic...lol)
---O---
OBC - Officer Basic Course
OCONUS - Outside Continental United States
OCS - Officer Candidate School
OD - Officer of the Day
OER - Officer Evaluation Report
OIC - Officer in Charge
OWC - Officers Wives Club
---P---
PAO - Public Affairs Officer
PAM - Pamphlet
PCS - Permanent Change of Station (moving time)
PERSCOM - Army Personnel Command (in charge of promotion, movement, etc.)
PFU - Physical Fitness Uniform
PLDC - Primary Leadership Development Course (needed for promotion to E-5)
PLT - Short for Platoon
PM - Provost Marshall
PMOS - Primary Military Occupational Specialty (primary job)
POA - Power of Attorney
POC - Point of Contact
POV - Privately Owned Vehicle
POW - Prisoner of War
PT - Physical Training
PX - Post Exchange (store on base or post)
PZ - Primary Zone (in reference to promotion)
---Q---
QM - Quarter Master
---R---
R&R - Rest and Recreation
RA - Regular Army
RC - Reserve Component
RCP - Retention Control Point (gives cutoffs for promotion)
RD - Rear Detatchment (soldiers who stay behind from a deployment or exercise)
RDC - Rear Detatchment Commander
RDF - Rapid Deployment Force
REG - Regulation
RIF - Reduction in Force
---S---
SBP - Survivor Benefit Plan
SCO - Squadron Commanding Officer
SDNCO - Staff Duty Noncommissioned Officer
SDO - Staff Duty Officer
SGLI - Soldiers Group Life Insurance
SIDPERS - Standard Installation/Division Personnel Reporting System
SMO - Squadron Maintnence Officer
SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
SRB - Selective Reenlistment Bonus
SSI - Single Soldier Initiative
SSN - Social Security Number
SZ - Secondary Zone (in reference to promotion)
---T---
TDY - Temporary Duty Assignment
TIG - Time in Grade
TLA - Temporary Living Allowance
TLE - Temporary Lodging Expense
TM - Training Manual
TRADOC - Training and Doctrine Command
---U---
UCDPP - Uniform Clothing Deferred Payment Plan (military credit plan for clothing)
UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice (military law)
USAR - United States Army Reserve
USARC - United States Army Reserve Command
USAREC - United States Army Recruiting Command
USMA - United States Military Academy
USO - United Service Organization
UTA - Unit Training Assembly
---V---
VA - Veteran Affairs
VHA - Variable Housing Allowance
---W---
WMD - Weapons of Mass Destruction
WO - Warrant Officer
WOAC - Warrant Officer Advanced Course
WOC - Warrant Officer Candidate Course
WOCS - Warrant Officer Candidate School
WOSC - Warrant Officer Senior Course
---X---
XO - Executive Officer
Terms
Alert - call to be ready on short notice
Allotment - deduction from pay to bank or individual
Allowance - special pay or compensation
Article 15 - punitive action
Billets/Barracks/Dorms - where single soldiers live
Chow hall - dining facility (AKA mess hall)
Dependent - family member entitled to military benefits
Detail - job or assignment
Dining in - social gathering for soldiers only
Dining out - social gathering for soldiers and spouses
Garrison - post or community
GI Party - cleanup duty
Grade - pay level
Guidon - unit flag
Hash marks - stripes on uniform to show time in service
Hoo ah - slang meaning something is acknowledged and understood
Insignia - indicates branch of service
Jody call - cadence
Klick - slang for Kilometer
Latrine - restroom
Motor pool - area where vehicles are kept and maintained
Orderly room - company office
Orders - written or spoken directive
Organization day - outing that is usually mandatory for soldiers and optional for families
Poge bait - snacks
Police call - cleanup duty
Rank - official title of the service member
Re-up - reenlist
Reveille - bugle call at the begining of the day
Retreat - bugle call at the end of the day
Sick call - where soldiers go for medical treatment
Short timer - someone who is about to leave the military
Short tour - unaccompanied overseas tour
Staff Duty - 24 hour watch over the unit area and barracks
TA50 - field gear
Tricare - our medical insurance
United Concordia - dental insurance for family members
