Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
Encyclopedia
The Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms is a compendium of terminology used by the United States Department of Defense
(DOD).
It sets forth standard US military and associated terminology
to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces
of the United States
in both US joint and allied joint operations, as well as to encompass the Department of Defense (DOD) as a whole. These military and associated terms, together with their definitions, constitute approved DOD terminology for general use by all components of the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense, by DOD Directive 5025.12, 23 August 1989, Standardization of Military and Associated Terminology, has directed its use throughout the Department of Defense to ensure standardization of military and associated terminology.
This publication supplements standard English-language dictionaries with standard terminology for military and associated use. However, it is not the intent of this publication to restrict the authority of the joint force commander (JFC) from organizing the force and executing the mission in a manner the JFC deems most appropriate to ensure unity of effort
in the accomplishment of the overall mission.
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DOD).
It sets forth standard US military and associated terminology
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces
Armed Forces
Armed Forces is Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover. It was released in the UK by Radar Records and in the U.S. by Columbia in 1979...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in both US joint and allied joint operations, as well as to encompass the Department of Defense (DOD) as a whole. These military and associated terms, together with their definitions, constitute approved DOD terminology for general use by all components of the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense, by DOD Directive 5025.12, 23 August 1989, Standardization of Military and Associated Terminology, has directed its use throughout the Department of Defense to ensure standardization of military and associated terminology.
This publication supplements standard English-language dictionaries with standard terminology for military and associated use. However, it is not the intent of this publication to restrict the authority of the joint force commander (JFC) from organizing the force and executing the mission in a manner the JFC deems most appropriate to ensure unity of effort
Unity of effort
Unity of effort is the state of harmonizing efforts among multiple organizations working towards a similar objective. This prevents organizations from working at cross purposes and it reduces duplication of effort. Multiple organizations can achieve unity of effort through shared common objectives...
in the accomplishment of the overall mission.