| Acronym or Term | Meaning or Definition |
|---|
| A | Alpha |
|---|
| AFB | Air Force Base |
| AWOL | Absent Without Leave |
| AFRC | Air Force Reserve Command |
| AAF | Army Airfield |
| AAFES | Army & Air Force Exchange(Stores on installations that are run by the military.) |
| AB | Air Base |
| ABN/Abn | Airborne |
| ACS | Army Community Service |
| A&FRC | Airmen and Family Readiness Center |
| AD | Active Duty – full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty. |
| AF | Air Force or Armed Forces |
| AFR | Air Force Reserves |
| AGR | Army Guard Reserve – a restricted and specialized active duty program of United States military reserves. |
| AER | Army Emergency Relief – financial assistance to help soldiers and their dependents. |
| AFAF | Air Force Assistance Fund |
| AG | Adjutant General |
| B | Bravo |
|---|
| BAH | Basic Allowance for Housing |
| BAS | Basic Allowance for Subsistence – food allowance meant to offset the cost of meals for the servicemember. |
| BX/PX | Base Exchange/Post Exchange(the military owned store on an installation in which you would locate clothing and incidentals) |
| BDE | Brigade |
| BN | Battalion |
| BENEFITS | Medical, Dental, Commissary, etc. |
| C | Charlie |
|---|
| CDC | Child Development Center |
| CDR | Commander |
| CDS | Child Development Services |
| CG | Commanding General |
| CID | Criminal Investigation Division |
| CO/Co | Commanding Office/Company |
| COLA | Cost of Living Allowance |
| CONUS | Continental United States |
| CYSS | Child, Youth, and School Services |
| CHAIN OF COMMAND | Leadership Structure |
| CLEARING | Obtaining official release from post/base |
| COMMISSARY | Grocery Store for military on installations |
| COURT-MARTIAL | Military Trial System |
| CAC | Common Access Card (Military Issue Identification Card) |
| CHOW HALL | Dining Facility/Cafeteria |
| CQ | Charge of Quarters (a desk duty that is often 24 hours) |
| D | Delta |
|---|
| DA | Department of the Army |
| DRESS UNIFORM | Service members uniform for special occasions or assigned wear/inspection |
| DFAC | Dining Facility/Cafeteria |
| DEERS | Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System |
| DFAS | Defense Finance & Accounting System |
| DLA | Dislocation Allowance – is used to partially reimburse you for expenses incurred relocating your household on a PCS. |
| DO | Duty Officer |
| DOD | Department of Defense |
| DDESS | Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools, located on some installations in Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York, Virgina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Cuba |
| DoDDS | Department of Defense Dependent Schools, a network of schools, both primary and secondary, that serve the dependents of United States military and civilian DoD personnel in three areas of the world; Europe, Pacific, and Eastern United States and Caribbean areas. |
| DOJ | Department of Justice |
| DPP | Deferred Payment Plan |
| DSN | Defense Switch Network (worldwide telephone system) |
| DENTAC | Dental Activity |
| DEPLOYMENT | A mission without family members |
| DETAIL | A job or assignment |
| DISCHARGE | Release from Active Duty |
| DUTY ASSIGNMENT | Job or place of duty |
| E | Echo |
|---|
| EFMP | Exceptional Family Member Program |
| EN | Enlisted (pay grades E-1 to E-9) |
| ENTITLEMENT | Is something you have a right to receive or claim by law |
| ESPRIT DE CORPS | Morale within unit or organization |
| F | Foxtrot |
|---|
| FAC | Family Assistance Center – assist the families of military service members during peacetime and during training or mobilization. A FAC is open to all branches of the military (Air Guard, Army Guard, Active Duty Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy and all Reserve Components). A Family Assistance Center provides a “one-stop shopping” & resource to help family members cope with any issue they encounter as a military dependent. |
| FAP | Family Advocacy Program – supportive programs and services for active duty Soldiers and their Families. The program and services offered range from infant, children, teens, individuals, couples, and parents. |
| FPCON | Force Protection Condition |
| FM | Field Manual |
| FRG | Family Readiness Group – is a command-sponsored organization of family members, volunteers, soldiers and civilian employees associated with a particular unit. |
| FRSA | Family Readiness Support Assistant |
| FSA | Family Seperation Allowance – a pay that is accrued when a servicemember is on orders where they cannot take their family |
| FY | Fiscal Year |
| FAMILY ADVOCACY | Program that assists with child and spouse abuse issues |
| G | Golf |
|---|
| GO | General Officer |
| GOV | Government Owned Vehicle |
| GSA | General Services Administration |
| Garrison | Post or Community |
| GRADE | Corresponds to pay level of service member |
| GUEST HOUSE | Temporary Living Quarters |
| H | Hotel |
|---|
| HIGH SPEED | A way to describe an excellent service member |
| HHC/HHD/HHB | Headquarters Company/Detachment/Battery |
| HOR | Home of Record |
| HQ | Headquarters |
| HRO | Human resources office |
| HARDSHIP TOUR | Unaccompanied tour of duty |
| HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY | Extra pay for duty in hostile area |
| HOMESTEADING | remaining at one duty station for an extended tour or consecutive tours |
| HOUSING OFFICE | Where service members check in to be assigned housing on the installation |
| HOOAH/HOORAH/OORAH/HOOYAH | Shouted by a service member to acknowledge something or show pride |
| I | India |
|---|
| IG | Inspector General |
| ITO | Invitational Travel Order |
| ID Card | Identification Card |
| INSIGNIA | Indicates branch of service |
| J | Juliet |
|---|
| JAG | Judge Advocate General |
| JUMP PAY | Extra pay for parachute status |
| K | Kilo |
|---|
| KIA | Killed in Action |
| KLICK | slang for kilometer |
| L | Lima |
|---|
| LES | Leave and Earnings Statement |
| Latrine | Bathroom/Toilet |
| LEAVE | Approved time away from duty |
| LOCATION ALLOWANCE | Allowance received for PCS move |
| M | Mike |
|---|
| MEDDAC | Medical Department |
| MI | Military Intelligence |
| MIA | Missing In Action |
| MIKES | Minutes |
| MILPO | Military Personnel Office |
| MOAA | Military Officers’ Association of America |
| MOB/DEP | Mobilization and Deployment |
| MOI | Memorandum of Instruction |
| MP | Military Police |
| MOS | Military Occupational Specialty |
| MTF | Military Treatment Facility |
| MRE | Meals Ready to Eat |
| MWR | Morale, Welfare and Recreation |
| N | November |
|---|
| NAF | Non-Appropriated Funds |
| NCO | Non-Commissioned Officer – a position of authority obtained by promotion through the enlisted ranks. |
| NCOIC | Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge |
| O | Oscar |
|---|
| OCONUS | Outside the continental United States |
| OHA | Overseas Housing Allowance |
| OIC | Officer in Charge |
| OPSEC | Operational Security |
| ORDERS | Spoken or written instructions |
| P | Papa |
|---|
| PAC | Personnel Administration Center |
| PAO | Public Affairs Officer |
| PAY GRADE | DOD system if designating a U.S. serviceperson’s pay (E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-5, if applicable, and O-1 through O-10), not to be confused with rank. |
| PC | Patrol Cap |
| PCM | Primary Care Manager |
| PCS | Permanent Change of Station – the official relocation of an active duty military service member – along with any family members living with her or him – to a different duty location, such as a military base. |
| PLT | Platoon (several squads within a company) |
| PMO | Provost Marshall Office |
| POA | Power of Attorney |
| POV | Privately Owned Vehicle |
| PT | Physical Training |
| POLICE CALL | Clean-up |
| PROTOCOL | Customs and Courtesies |
| Q | Quebec |
|---|
| QOL | Quality of Life |
| QM | Quartermaster |
| QUARTERS | Government Housing |
| R | Romeo |
|---|
| RD | Rear Detachment |
| REGT | Regiment |
| RE-UP | Reenlist |
| RANK | Official Title |
| RETREAT | Bugle/flag ceremony at end of day |
| REVEILLE | Bugle call/ceremony at beginning of day |
| S | Sierra |
|---|
| SATO | Scheduled Airlines Ticket Office |
| SBP | Survivor’s Benefit Plan |
| SD | Staff Duty |
| SDO | Staff Duty Officer |
| SECDEF | Secretary of Defense |
| SGLI | Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance |
| SQD | Squad |
| SEPERARTION PAY | Pay for unaccompanied duty |
| SPACE A | Space Available Travel |
| SQUAD | Smallest tactical unit in the Army |
| SQUARED AWAY | A squared away soldier knows what he or she is doing, has outstanding performance, is neat in his or her appearance, and is always on time. |
| T | Tango |
|---|
| TDY | Temporary Duty |
| TIG | Time in Grade |
| TLA | Temporary Living Allowance |
| TAPS | Last bugle call of the day |
| TA-50 | Field Gear |
| U | Uniform |
|---|
| UCMJ | Uniform Code of Military Justice |
| USO | United Service Organization |
| V | Victor |
|---|
| W | Whiskey |
|---|
| X | X-Ray |
|---|
| Y | Yankee |
|---|
| Z | Zulu |
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