| 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 |
