Yes, the military does speak a different language. In fact, when I was researching this post, I found out that there are over 12,000 military specific terms and acronyms. No wonder family members get confused!
Learning what all those letters stand for makes military life much easier. Below is a list of common military acronyms. If I left any out feel free to add yours in the comments, as long as they are “G” rated. 🙂
A-B
- AAFES – Army and Air Force Exchange Service (This is the tax-free department store for military members, retirees, and their dependents.)
- ACU – Army Combat Uniform
- AD – Active Duty
- AFPFT – Air Force Physical Fitness Test
- APFT – Army Physical Fitness Test
- APO – Army Post Office (Address used for overseas duty locations. Mailing to an APO costs the same as mailing to a US address.)
- ASVAB – Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (Test recruits take that helps determine what their job will be in the service.)
- AWOL – Absent Without Leave
- BAH – Basic Allowance For Housing (paid to a service member based on location and dependents.)
- BAS – Basic Allowance for Substinence (The money a service member receives for food.)
C-D
- CDO – Command Duty Officer
- CINC – Commander In Chief
- CO – Commanding Officer (The one in charge.)
- COLA – Cost of Living Allowance (Extra pay given to service members in high cost areas, based on area and number of dependents.)
- CONUS – Continental United States
- DEERS – Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (You must be enrolled in this to be eligible for benefits.)
- DITY – Do-It-Yourself move
- DOD – Department of Defense
- DS – Drill Sargeant
E-M
- EFMP – Exceptional Family Member Program (Program for military dependents who need have special physical and or mental needs.)
- FPO – Fleet Post Office
- IG – Inspector General
- JAG – Judge Advocate General (Military Lawyers)
- LES – Leave and Earning Statment (This form, which is available online is your pay stub.)
- TDY – Temporary Duty (Military member is temporarily assigned to a different duty station, may or may not involve travel.)
- MAC – Military Airlift Command
- MCCS – Marine Corps Community Service
- MEPS – Military Entrance Processing Center (Entrance point for your military career.)
- MP – Military Police
- MWR – Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. (Comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers, their families, civilian employees, military retirees, and other eligible participants.)
N-T
- NCO – Non Commissioned Officer
- NCIOC – Non-commissioned Officer In Charge
- NEX – Navy Exchange (Same thing as AAFES, but for the Navy)
- OCONUS – Outside Continental United States (Used to describe duty station location)
- OCS – Officer Candidate School (Boot camp for officers)
- OPR – Officer Performance Report
- PCS – Permanent Change of Station (time to call the movers!)
- PFT – Physical Fitness Test
- POA – Power of Attorney (Every military family must have one of these!)
- POV – Personally Owned Vehicle (Your car, truck, van, bus, etc)
- PRT – Physical Readiness Test (Navy)
- TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (Marines & Navy)
- TAP – Transition Assistance Program (Program to help separating service members during their period of transition into civilian life by offering job-search assistance and related services)
U-X
- USA – United States Army
- USAF – United States Air Force
- USCG – United States Coast Guard
- USMC – United States Marine Corps
- USN – United States Navy
- WO – Warrant Officer
- XO – Executive Officer (Second in Command)
Didn’t see what you are looking for? Check out this site for a comprehensive listing of military acronyms.
Nancy p says
Add usaa the banking and insurance agency that you can only enroll in if a family member has served. Check it out even if it was your dad in the service.
Susan says
Then there are all the acronyms for the commendations, badges, etc. My oldest son got his EFMB….Expert Field Medical Badge & it took me almost as long to learn it as it took him to train, test and get it!
Arlene says
I think the new uniforms are called ABUs now. The names and acronyms are always changing. My dad retired in 2000, but sometimes my husband uses acronyms he doesn’t even know about!
AMANDA says
I can add a couple.
MCCS (Marine Corps Community Service) – its the same as the MWR, but on a Marine Corp Base, and we are a Navy family.
ASYMCA (Armed Services YMCA) sometimes on a military base and sometimes off base. Caters to military families through extra curricular activities, after-school care, field trips, and Mommy & Me groups.
Sherry says
Great list! I had NO idea there were that many acronyms for the military. WOW! LOL!
Mom in High Heels says
When I was growing up my dad was in the Navy, so I was familiar with the Navy terms. After dh and I got married, he joined the Army and I learned that many of the terms are different. Very confusing. Especially when an acronym has multiple meanings or is one thing to one branch and something totally different to another.
As to rank, good golly! A captain in the Army is an O3, but a captain in the Navy is an 06. That is a significant difference in pay grade and how they are treated. A SSG in the AF is an E5, but in the Army a SSG is an E6. Same thing with SGM, in the AF it’s E7, Army E8. The Navy is the only one that has ranks that stand alone (though the way they write them out is nuts). My dad is HMCM (SW) USN RET. WHAT? I know what it means, but only because of exposure.
Fortunately (depending on how you look at it), dh cannot talk about his job, and what little he can tell me is all acronyms, so he might as well be speaking Greek. Ah, the things we live with.
Stina says
This is really helpful. We’ve been in the Army for almost four years and sometimes it is confusing to listen to my husband talk in acronymns. lol.
Oh, and BX is Base Exchange and PX is Post Exchange.
Monica says
This is a very comprehensive list!
And yes, the rank insignia is very confusing to me. I’m still learning the Army’s and I think the entire ranking is different for Air Force and Navy.
Nancy says
Yes, Marines and Navy have TAD while the other services have TDY (temporary duty), which is the same thing. This is one acronym that hasn’t crossed service lines very well, so you may find yourself explaining your terminology, even to an AD NCOIC!
Suggestion for a future post: information about rank insignia. I studied all the Navy stuff before we got our first set of orders…and the Good Lord sent us to an Air Force base. I was completely confused.
TheHappyHousewife says
Oh yes, TAD… forgot to add the Navy and Marine version!
As for rank insignia, I would have to learn that myself if I were to do a post on it! It still confuses me. 🙂
Kristen says
What a great resource! I’ve been married to my Air Force man for 14 years now and STILL get some of these confused!
Thanks for posting and God’s blessings on your day!
Kristen
Angela says
Looking at that list, you can see the changes that have been made. Like BDUs are now ACUs. Great post!!!
Marine Corps Nomad says
One thing that I quickly learned with the military is that the lingo for one branch of the military is not the same as the lingo for another branch.
Example: in the Marine Corps it’s DI (drill instructor), TAD (temporary active duty), MCX (Marine Corps Exchange), PFT (physical fitness test)…
Some of the terms that crack me up are: pogeybait (non-issued snacks), scuttlebutt (gossip/rumors)