0–9

• 1LT
  First Lieutenant
  First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
  
   – First Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "1st Lt")
• 2LT
  Second Lieutenant
  Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
  
   – Second Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "2d Lt")
• 2IC – Second In Command

A

• A – analog
• A1C
  Airman First Class
  Airman first class is the third enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman and below senior airman. The rank of airman first class is considered a junior enlisted rank, with the non-commissioned officers and senior non-commissioned officers above it.Airman first class is a...
  
   – Airman 1st Class (USAF E-3)
• A2C2 – Army airspace command and control
• A-3 – (Operations Directorate (COMAFFOR))
• A-5 – (Plans Directorate (COMAFFOR))
• AA
  Anti-aircraft warfare
  NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
  
   – Anti-Aircraft
• AA – assembly area
• AA – assessment agent
• AA – avenue of approach
• AAA – antiaircraft artillery
• AAA – arrival and assembly area
• AAA – assign alternate area
• AAAS – amphibious aviation assault ship
• AABB – American Association of Blood Banks
• AABWS – amphibious assault bulk water system
• AAC – activity address code
• AAC – Army Air Corps (British)
• AAC
  Australian Army Cadets
  The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
  
   – Australian Army Cadets (Australia)
• AACG – arrival airfield control group
• AADC – area air defense commander
• AADP – area air defense plan
• AA&E – arms, ammunition, and explosives
• AAEC – aeromedical evacuation control team
• AAFC
  Australian Air Force Cadets
  The Australian Air Force Cadets , known as the Air Training Corps until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force...
  
   – Australian Air Force Cadets (Australia)
• AAFES
  Army and Air Force Exchange Service
  The Exchange is an agency of the United States Department of Defense. Its dual missions are to provide quality merchandise and services of necessity and convenience to authorized customers at uniform low prices, and to generate reasonable earnings to supplement appropriated funds for the support...
  
   – Army and Air Force Exchange Service
• AAFIF – automated air facility information file
• AAFS – amphibious assault fuel system
• AAFSF – amphibious assault fuel supply facility
• AAGS – Army air-ground system
• AAI – air-to-air interface
• AAM – air-to-air missile
• AAMDC – US Army Air and Missile Defense Command
• AAOE – arrival and assembly operations element
• AAOG – arrival and assembly operations group
• AAP – Allied administrative publication
• AAP – assign alternate parent
• AAR – after action report
• AAR – after action review
• AAS – Army Apprentice School (Australia)
• AAST – aeromedical evacuation administrative support team
• AAT – automatic analog test
• AAT – aviation advisory team
• AAU – analog applique unit
• AAV – amphibious assault vehicle
• AAW – antiair warfare
• AB – airbase
• AB – Airman Basic (USAF E-1)
• ABCA – American, British, Canadian, Australian Armies Program
• ABCS – Army Battle Command System
• ABD – airbase defense
• ABFC – advanced base functional component
• ACF – Army Cadet Force (UK Military)
• ADF
  Australian Defence Force
  The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
  
   – Australian Defence Force (Australia)
• ADFA
  Australian Defence Force Academy
  The Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
  
   – Australian Defence Force Academy (Australia)
• ADFC
  Australian Defence Force Cadets
  The Australian Defence Force Cadets are a community-based, youth development organisation of approximately 22,000 cadets and 2,200 cadet staff in 464 units and squadrons across Australia. Coordination of the Australian Defence Force Cadets is via the Cadet Policy Branch...
  
   – Australian Defence Force Cadets (Australia)
• ADOS – Active Duty, Operational Support
• ADSW – Active Duty, Special Work
• AFI – Awaiting Further Instruction
• AFO – Another Fucking Observer
• AFOSI
  Air Force Office of Special Investigations
  The Air Force Office of Special Investigations , is a Field Operating Agency of the United States Air Force that provides professional investigative services to commanders throughout the Air Force...
  
   – Air Force Office of Special Investigations
• AHA – AmmunitionHoldingArea
• AIM – Airborne Intercept Missile (U.S. military)
• AIPD – Army Institute For Professional Development
• AIRTC
  Australian Air Force Cadets
  The Australian Air Force Cadets , known as the Air Training Corps until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force...
  
   – Air Training Corps (former name for the Australian Air Force Cadets
  Australian Air Force Cadets
  The Australian Air Force Cadets , known as the Air Training Corps until 2001, is a Federal Government funded youth organisation. The parent force of the AAFC is the Royal Australian Air Force...
  
  )
• AIT – Advanced Individual Training (U.S. Army)
• Amn
  Airman
  An airman is a member of the air component of a nation's armed service. In the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force , it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank...
  
   – Airman (USAF E-2)
• ALCON – All CONcerned (U.S. military)
• AMU – Aicraft Maintenance Unit
• AMXG – Aircraft Maintenance Group
• AMXS – Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
• An
  Antonov
  Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
  
   – Antonov (Russian)
• ANZAC
  Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
  The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
  
   – Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
• AOL – Absent Over Leave (U.S. Navy)
• AO – Area of Operations
• A&P – administrative and personnel
• AP – Armor-Piercing
• APC
  Armoured personnel carrier
  An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
  
   – Armored Personnel Carrier
• APFSDS
  Kinetic energy penetrator
  A kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
  
   – Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot
• APO
  Military mail
  A primary feature of military mail systems is that normally they are subsidized to ensure that military mail posted between duty stations abroad and the home country does not cost the sender any more than normal domestic mail traffic...
  
   – Army Post Office; See also FPO
• APPN – Appropriation Number (U.S. Military)
• APRT – Army Physical Readiness Test (U.S. Army)
• ARA – Australian Regular Army (Australia)
• ARes
  Australian Army Reserve
  The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
  
   – Army Reserve (Australia)
• ARM
  Anti-radiation missile
  An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
  
   – Anti-Radar Missile
• ARM
  Anti-radiation missile
  An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
  
   – Anti-Radiation Missile
• ARMS – Automated Recruit Management System (U.S. military)
• ARMS – Aviation Resource Management System (USAF)
• ARMY
  United States Army
  The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
  
   - Aren't Ready for Marines Yet (U.S. Marines)
• ART – Alarm Response Team (USAF)
• ARVN – Army of the Republic of (South) Viet Nam (U.S. Military)
• ASAP – Army Substance Abuse Program (U.S. military)
• ASAP – As Soon As Possible
• ASEAN – Association of South East Asian Nations
• ASM
  Air-to-surface missile
  An air-to-surface missile is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both...
  
   – Air to Surface Missile
• ASCM – Anti-Ship C Missile
• ASV – Anti-Surface Vessel (airborne radar)
• ASVAB
  Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
  The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States armed forces...
  
   – Armed Services Voccasional Aptitude Battery
• ASW
  Anti-submarine warfare
  Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
  
   – Anti-Submarine Warfare
• ATC
  Air Training Corps
  The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
  
   – Air Training Corps
• ATC
  Air traffic control
  Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
  
   – Air Traffic Control
• ATO – Air Tasking Order
• ATO – Antiterrorism Officer
• ATTRS – Army Training Requirements And Resources Development
• AWOL – Absent With Out Leave
• AFMC- ARMED FORCES MEDICAL COLLEGE

B

• BAMCIS – Begin planning Arrange Recon Make the plan Complete the plan Issue the order Supervise (US Navy Seabees)
• BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing
• BAR - Browning Automatic Rifle
• BAU – Behavioural Analysis Unit
• BCG – Birth Control Glasses (U.S. Military)
• BCT – Basic Combat Training (U.S. Army)
• BDF – Barbados Defence Force (Barbados)
• BDU
  Battle Dress Uniform
  The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
  
   – Battle Dress Uniform (U.S. Military)
• Be – Beriev (Russian)
• BEA – Budget Execution Authority (U.S. Navy)
• BG – Bodyguard
• BGHR – By God He's Right (U.S Military)
• BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front (US Military)
• BMNT – Begin Morning Nautical Twilightight (U.S Army)
• BOHICA
  BOHICA
  BOHICA is an acronym that stands for "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again". It is used colloquially to indicate that an adverse situation is about to repeat itself, and that acquiescence is the wisest course of action. It is commonly understood as a reference to being sodomized...
  
   – Bend Over Here It Comes Again (US Military)
• BRAC – Base Realignment And Closure Comission
• BRAT (American)– Born RaisedAndTransferred (American usage, refers to dependent children of military personnel) Usually Pronounced "Military Brat" (Or "Air Force BRAT", or Army "Brat", Navy "Brat" etc.).
• BRAT (British)– British RegimentAttachedTraveler (British military usage, may have been the original usage, which was later adapted to the American military: Means "child that travels with a soldier") Usually pronounced "Military Brat" or "Base Brat".
• BUB - Battle Update Brief
• BVR – Beyond Visual Range (USAF)
• BX
  Base exchange
  A Base Exchange is a type of retail store operating on United States military installations worldwide...
  
   – Base Exchange (USAF)

C

• C1 – Command
• C2 – Command And Control
• C3 – Command Control And Communication
• C4IR – Command Control Communication Computers Intelligence And Recognition
• CAC
  Common Access Card
  The Common Access Card is a United States Department of Defense smart card issued as standard identification for active-duty military personnel, reserve personnel, civilian employees, other non-DoD government employees, state employees of the National Guard, and eligible contractor personnel.The...
  
   – Common Access Card (U.S. DoD, pron. "cac")
• CAG – Commander, Air Group (U.S. Navy, pron. "cag")
• CAGE
  Commercial and Government Entity
  The Commercial And Government Entity Code, or CAGE Code, is a unique identifier assigned to suppliers to various government or defense agencies, as well as to government agencies themselves and also various organizations...
  
   – Commercial and Government Entity
• CAS
  Close air support
  In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
  
   – Close Air Support
• CASEX – Coordinated Antil-Submarine EXercise
• CAT – Combat Application Tourniquets
• CBRN
  CBRN
  CBRN is an initialism for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is used to refer to situations in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves. The term CBRN is a replacement for the cold war term NBC , which had replaced the term ABC that was used in the fifties...
  
   – Chemical Biological Nuclear Radiological
• CBU – Cluster Bomb Unit
• CCIR – Commanders Critical Information Requirements
• CDIAC
  Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
  The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center is an organization within the United States Department of Energy that has the primary responsibility for providing the US government and research community with global warming data and analysis as it pertains to energy issues...
  
   – Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
• CDRUSPACOM Commander United States Pacific Command
• CENTCOM – Central Command (U.S. Military)
• CF – Cluster Fuck (always pronounced phonetically "Charlie Foxtrot")
• CH - Cunt Hair (a unit of measurement)
• CIA – Central Intelligence Agency
• CIC – Command Intelligence Center (U.S. Navy)
• CINCLANT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002)
• CINCLANTFLT – Commander-in-chief, Atlantic Fleet (U.S. Navy before 2002)
• CINCPAC – Commander-in-chief, Pacific Forces (U.S. Navy before 2002)
• CIWS – Close-In Weapon System
• CMSgt – Chief Master Sergeant (USAF E-9; highest AF enlisted rank)
• CMSAF – Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (USAF E-9 – Senior Enlisted Member)
• CO – Commanding Officer
• CO – Company
• COA – Course of Action
• COCOM – Combatant Commander
• CODELS – Congressional Delegations
• COMINT – Communications Intelligence
• COMPACFLT – Commander, Pacific Fleet (U.S. Navy)
• COMSEC' – Communication Security
• CONUS – Continental United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   (U.S. military, pron. "cone-us")
• CONUSA – Continental United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   Army (numbered Armies of U.S. military)
• CORDS – (U.S. military, Vietnam
  Vietnam
  Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
  
   era)
• CoS – Chief of Staff
• CPL – Corporal (U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-4)
• CPO – Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-7)
• CPT – Captain
• CPX – Command Post Exercise
• CQB – Close Quarters Battle
• CRC – CONUS Replacement Center (a military processing center at Fort Benning
  Fort Benning
  Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
  
  , Georgia
  Georgia (U.S. state)
  Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
  
  , US)
• CSM – Command Sergeant Major (U.S. Army E9 highest Army enlisted rank))
• CT – Counter-terrorism
  Counter-terrorism
  Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
  
   Team
• CTR – Close Target Reconnaissance
• CUB - Commander Update Brief
• CVN
  Nuclear marine propulsion
  Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
  
   – Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (NOTE: the V comes from the expression "heavier than air flying machine")
• CZN – Nuclear-powered Airship
  Airship
  An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
  
   Carrier (NOTE: the Z comes from the use of the word Zeppelin
  Zeppelin
  A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
  
   although non-Zeppelin airships would also be transported on a CZN)

D

• DA – Defence Attaché
• DAGR – Defense Advanced GPS Receiver
• DARPA
  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military...
  
   – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (U.S. Military)
• DCAA
  Defense Contract Audit Agency
  The Defense Contract Audit Agency , under the authority, direction, and control of the United States Under Secretary of Defense , is responsible for performing all contract audits for the United States Department of Defense , and providing accounting and financial advisory services regarding...
  
   - Defense Contract Audit Agency
• DFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)
• DFAS
  Defense Finance and Accounting Service
  The Defense Finance and Accounting Service is an agency of the United States Department of Defense that provides finance and accounting services for the civil and military members of the Department. Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, it was activated on Jan. 18, 1991...
  
   – Defense Finance and Accounting Service (U.S. Military)
• DINFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)
• DISA - Defense Information Systems Agency
• DLB – Dead Letter Box
• DMS – Defense Message System (U.S. Military)
• DMZ
  Demilitarized zone
  In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
  
   – Demilitarized Zone
• DoDAAC
  DoDAAC
  The Department of Defense Activity Address Code is a six position code that uniquely identifies a unit, activity, or organization that has the authority to requisition and/or receive material...
  
   – Department of Defense Activity Address Code (U.S. Military)
• DoDAF – Department of Defense Architectural Framework (U.S. Military)
• DoDIC – Department of Defense Identification Code (U.S. Military)
• DOP – Drop-Off Point
• DPMs – Disruptive Pattern Material
• DRT - Dead Right There; wounded in such a way as to indicate immediate and/or unavoidable death; often used as a sarcastic form of the civilian acronym DOA
  Dead on arrival
  Dead on arrival or D.O.A. is a term used to indicate that a patient was found to be already clinically dead upon the arrival of professional medical assistance, often in the form of first responders such as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, or police...
  
   (Dead On Arrival)
• DZ – Drop Zone

E

• E&E – Escape and Evade
• ECP – Entry Control Point
• ELINT – Electronic Intelligence
• EPW – Enemy Prisoner of War
• EOD – Explosive Ordnance Disposal
• EI - Engineering and Installation
• EIS - Engineering and Installation Squadron
• EI SIT - Engineering and Installation Site Implementaion Team
• ENS - Ensign (US Navy junior officer rank, O-1)
• ERV – Emergency Rendezvous
• ETA – Estimated time of arrival
• ETS – Estimated Termination of Service
• EUCOM – European Command (U.S. Military)
• Exfil – Exfiltration
• EMP- Electronic Magnetic Pulse
• "EMI" - "'E'"xtra "'M'"ilitary "'I'"nstruction

F

• FA – Field Artillery
• FABS - Fetus Aborted By Squad
• FAK – First Aid Kit
• FAR – Federal Acquistion Regulation
• FBCB2
  FBCB2
  Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below is a Linux based communication platform designed for commanders to track friendly and hostile forces on the battlefield. It increases a vehicle commander's situational awareness of the battlefield by gathering information near real-time based on vehicle...
  
   – Force XXI Battlefield Command Brigade and Below
• FBI
  Federal Bureau of Investigation
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
  
   – Federal Bureau of Investigation
• FEBA – Forward Edge of the Battle Area
• FIDO – FIre Direction Officer
• FIFO – First In First Out
• FIIGMO - Fuck It, I've Got My Orders
• FISINT
  FISINT
  FISINT stands for Foreign Instrumentation Signals INTelligence from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of non-US aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems." Since it deals with signals that are not exchanged by humans, it is...
  
   – Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence
• FISHDO – Fuck It, Shit Happens, Drive On
• FitRep – Fitness Report
• FLOT – Forward Line of Troops
• FLOTUS
  First Lady of the United States
  First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
  
   – First Lady of the United States (U.S. – see POTUS)
• FM - Field Marshal
• FMC – Fully Mission Capable
• FMS – Fuck Me Sideways (exclamatory)
• FNG – Fucking New Guy (US Military/British Army)
• FOB
  Forward Operating Base
  A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
  
   – Forward Operating Base
• FOD – Foreign Object Damage (U.S.)
• FOD – Foreign Object Debris (U.S.)
• FPO
  Military mail
  A primary feature of military mail systems is that normally they are subsidized to ensure that military mail posted between duty stations abroad and the home country does not cost the sender any more than normal domestic mail traffic...
  
   – Fleet Post Office; See also APO
• FSA – Force Structure Allowance
• FSTE – Foreign Service Tour Extension
• FTUS – Full Time Unit Specialist
• FUBAR
  FUBAR
  FUBAR is an acronym that commonly means "fucked up beyond all recognition/any repair/all reason".-Etymology and history:The Oxford English Dictionary lists Yank, the Army Weekly magazine as its earliest citation: "The FUBAR Squadron.....
  
   – Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
• FUBAR - Fucked Up Beyond Any Repair
• FUBIJAR - Fuck yoU Buddy, I'm Just A Reservist
• FUC - Female Ugly Commander

G

• G1 – General Staff Level office for Personnel and Manpower (Division and Above)
• G2 – General Staff Level office for Military Intelligence (Division and Above)
• G3 – General Staff Level office for Operations and Plans (Division and Above)
• G4 – General Staff Level office for Logistics (Division and Above)
• G5 – General Staff Level office for Military/Civil Affairs (Division and Above)
• G6 – General Staff Level office for Signal and Communication (Division and Above)
• G7 – General Staff Level office for Training and Exercises (Division and Above)
• G8 – General Staff Level office for Force Development and Analysis (Division and Above)
• G9 – General Staff Level office for Civil Operations (Division and Above)
• GBU – Guided Bomb Unit
• GEN
  General
  A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
  
   – General
• GI – Government Issue
• GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out
• GM - Gone Mersault
• GO – General Officer
• GOCO – Government owned, contractor operated
• GPMG – General Purpose Machine Gun
• GPS
  Global Positioning System
  The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
  
   – Global Positioning System
• GROM – Polish Special Operations Team (Polish Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego)
• Gulag
  Gulag
  The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
  
   – The Chief Administration of Collective Labor Camps (Russian Главное Управление Лагерей, "Glavnoye Upravleniye Lagerey")

H

• HALO – High Altitude Low Opening (Airborne
  Airborne forces
  Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
  
  )
• HE
  Explosive material
  An explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
  
   – High Explosive
• HEAT – High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead
• HMAS – Her Majesty's Australian Ship (Australia
  Australia
  Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
  
  )
• HMCS
  Her Majesty's Canadian Ship
  The designation Her Majesty's Canadian Ship , is applied as a prefix to any Canadian Forces warship. In the reign of a king, the designation changes to His Majesty's Canadian Ship; the French version of the title remains unchanged in this instance...
  
   – Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (Canada
  Canada
  Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
  
  )
• HMFIC - Head Motherf*cker In Charge - colloquialism for the highest ranking person present; more commonly used by NCO
  Non-commissioned officer
  A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
  
  's than by officers (U.S. Military
  Military of the United States
  The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
  
  )
• HMMWV – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (U.S. Military
  Military of the United States
  The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
  
  )
• HMNZS – Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (New Zealand
  New Zealand
  New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
  
  )
• HMS – Hans Majestäts Skepp (His Majesty's ship, Sweden
  Sweden
  Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
  
  )
• HMS
  Her Majesty's Ship
  Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time...
  
   – Her Majesty's Ship (Royal Navies such as Royal British Navy
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
  ) (His Majesty's Ship if King)
• HOMSEC
  Homeland security
  Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
  
   – Homeland Security
• HQ
  Headquarters
  Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
  
   – Headquarters
• HUMINT
  HUMINT
  HUMINT, a syllabic abbreviation of the words HUMan INTelligence, refers to intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact, as opposed to the more technical intelligence gathering disciplines such as SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT...
  
   – Human Intelligence
• HYT
  High Year Tenure
  High Year of Tenure is a term used by the US Air Force to describe the maximum number of years a member may serve before he or she must separate or retire. HYT is only applicable to personnel in the ranks of Senior Airman through Chief Master Sergeant...
  
   – High Year Tenure (USAF
  United States Air Force
  The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
  
  )

I

• IAF
  Indian Air Force
  The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
  
   – Indian Air Force
• IAF
  Israeli Air Force
  The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
  
   – Israeli Air Force
• ICBM
  Intercontinental ballistic missile
  An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
  
   – Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
• ICE – Individual Carrying Equipment
• ID – IDentification
• IED
  Improvised explosive device
  An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
  
   – Improvised Explosive Device
• IFAK – Individual First Aid Kit
• IFF – Identification Friend or Foe
• IFF – Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (USAF)
• IG – Inspector General (US Military)
• IFV
  Infantry fighting vehicle
  An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
  
   – Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• INSCOM – United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
• Il
  Ilyushin
  Open Joint Stock Company «Ilyushin Aviation Complex» , operating as Ilyushin or Ilyushin Design Bureau, is a Russian design bureau and aircraft manufacturer, founded by Sergey Vladimirovich Ilyushin. Ilyushin was established under the Soviet Union. Its operations began on January 13, 1933, by...
  
   – Ilyushin
• Interpol
  Interpol
  Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
  
   – International Criminal Police Organization
• ISO – Inter School Course
• ISR – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconaissance
• IYAAYAS
  AMMO (U.S. Air Force)
  The Munitions Systems Specialist career field , commonly referred to as AMMO, is the munitions and weapons branch of the U.S. Air Force.-Career Field Description:...
  
   – If You Aint AMMO, You Ain't Shit

J

• JAG – Judge Advocate General
• JATO
  JATO
  JATO is an acronym for jet-fuel assisted take off. It is a system for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets....
  
   – Jet-fuel Assisted Take Off
• JETDS
  Joint Electronics Type Designation System
  The Joint Electronics Type Designation System , which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Department during World War II for assigning an unclassified designator to...
  
   – Joint Electronics Type Designation System
• JSAM - Joint Service Achievement Medal
• JSTAR – Joint Surveillance Target Acquisition Radar
• JSOC – Joint Special Operations Command
• JDAM
  Joint Direct Attack Munition
  The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...
  
   - Joint Direct Attack Munition

K

• KATUSA
  KATUSA
  KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation To the United States Army. Qualified Korean draftees who demonstrate a high level of English fluency and aptitude via a standardized written exam may apply for a KATUSA slot...
  
   - Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army
• KIA – Killed In Action
• KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid - USAF
• KP – Kitchen Police or Kitchen Patrol
• KBO - Keep Buggering On

L

• LAAD  – Low Altitude Air Defense
• LCDR
  Lieutenant Commander
  Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
  
   – Lieutenant Commander (US Navy)
• LCPL
  Lance Corporal
  Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
  
   – Lance Corporal (US Marines)
• LES
  Leave and Earnings Statement
  A Leave and Earnings Statement, generally referred to as an LES, is a document given on a monthly basis to members of the United States military which documents their pay and leave status on a monthly basis....
  
    – Leave and Earnings Statement
• LP  – Listening Post
• LP/OP  – Listening Post Observation Post
• LGOP – Little Group Of Paratroopers
• LLMF – Lost Like a Mother Fucker
• LT
  Lieutenant
  A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
  
   – Lieutenant
• LTC
  Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
  In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
  
   or Lt Col – Lieutenant Colonel
• LTG
  Lieutenant General (United States)
  In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
  
   or Lt Gen – Lieutenant General
• LTJG – Lieutenant, Junior Grade (US Navy)
• LUP – Lying-Up oint
• LZ
  Landing Zone
  A Landing Zone or "LZ" is a military term for any area where an aircraft can land.In the United States military, a landing zone is the actual point where aircraft land...
  
   – Landing Zone

M

• MARCORSYSCOM – MARine CORps SYStems COMmand (U.S. Military)
• MARINE - My Ass Really Is Navy Equipment (U.S. Navy)
• MARINE - My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment (U.S. Navy)
• MARINE - Muscles Are Required; Intelligence, Not Essential
• MARFORRES – MARine FORces REServe (U.S. Marine Corps)
• MAW Maximum Allowable Weight
• MBT
  Main battle tank
  A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
  
   – Main Battle Tank
• MCEN – Marine Corps Enterprise Network (U.S. Military)
• MCEITS – Marine Corps Enterprise Information Technology Service (U.S. Military)
• MCPO – Master Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-9)
• MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• MG
  Major General
  Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
  
   – Major General
• MI
  Military intelligence
  Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
  
   – Military Intelligence
• Mi
  Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
  Mil Helicopters is the short name of the Soviet Russian helicopter producer Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant , named after the constructor Mikhail Mil. Mil participates in the Euromil joint venture with Eurocopter....
  
   – Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (Russian)
• MIA
  Missing in action
  Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
  
   – Missing In Action
• MedEvac – Medical Evacuation
• MICV – Mechanized Infantry
  Infantry
  Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
  
   Combat Vehicle
• MiG
  Mig
  -Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
  
   – Mikoyan-Gurevich (Russian)
• MK – Mark
• MK – Machinery Technician (U.S. Coast Guard)
• MLRS
  M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
  The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is an armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher; a type of rocket artillery.Since the first M270s were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983, the MLRS has been adopted by several NATO countries. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured in the...
  
   - Multiple Launch Rocket System
• MOA – Military Operating Area (USAF Airspace)
• MOAB – Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (U.S. military)
• MOB – Main Operating Base
• MOBCOM – MOBile COMmand
• MOPP
  MOPP
  MOPP is a military term used to describe protective gear to be used in a toxic environment, i.e., during a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear strike:* Protective mask — Commonly referred to as a gas mask or pro mask...
  
   – Mission Oriented Protective Posture
• MPDS – Military Planning Data Allowance
• MRAP – Mine
  Land mine
  A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
  
   Resistant Ambush Protected
• MRE
  MRE
  The Meal, Ready-to-Eat — commonly known as the MRE — is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging bought by the United States military for its service members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available...
  
   – Meal Ready to Eat (U.S. Military)
• MRX – Mission Rehearsal Exercise
• MSgt – Master Sergeant (USAF E-7)
• MTOE – Modified Table Of Organizational Equipment
• MTS+ – Movement Tracking System Plus
• MSDC+ – Marine Science Diving Club (Diving Club Of Hasanudin University)

N

• NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
• NAS – Naval Air Station
• NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
• NCIS
  Naval Criminal Investigative Service
  The United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service is the primary security, counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of the Navy...
  
   – Naval Criminal Investigative Service (U.S. Navy)
• NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer
• ND – Negligent Discharge
• NMC – Not Mission Capable
• NMCI – Naval Marine Corps Internet (U.S. Navy)
• NNMSA – Non-Nuclear Munitions Storage Area
• NS - Network Services
• NSA – National Security Agency

O

• OBE – Overcome by Events (DoD
  United States Department of Defense
  The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
  
  )
• OCONUS – Outside Continental United States
• OFO – Out Fucking Off
• OFP – Own Fucking Program
• OM – On the Move (Normally just spelled out Oscar Mike)
• O&M, MC – Operations & Maintenance, Marine Corps
  United States Marine Corps
  The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
  
   (U.S. Navy
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
  )
• O&M, N – Operations & Maintenance, Navy (U.S. Navy)
• OODA – Observe, Orient, Decide, And Act
• OP – Observation Post
• ORM – Operational Risk Management
• OSM – Oh Shit Moment (U.S. Marine Corps)
• OPORD – Operations Order
• OPSEC
  Operations security
  Operations security is a process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by adversary intelligence systems, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate...
  
   – Operations Security
• OTF – Out There Flapping (Airborne)
• OTV – Outer Tactical Vest

P

• PACOM – Pacific Command
• PDS – Permanent Duty Station (U.S. Military)
• PDT – Pre-Deployment Training
• PE – Plastic Explosive
• PFC – Private First Class (U.S. Military)
• PFT – Physical Fitness Test
• PLT – Platoon (U.S. Army)
• PMC – Partially Mission Capable
• PME – Professional Military Education
• PMS – Planned Maintenance Schedule (U.S. Navy)
• PNG – Passive Night Goggles
• PO
  Post office
  A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
  
   – Post Office
• PO1 – Petty Officer 1st Class (USCG/USN E-6)
• PO2 – Petty Officer 2nd Class (USCG/USN E-5)
• PO3 – Petty Officer 3rd Class (USCG/USN E-4)
• POBCAK – Problem Occurs Between Chair And Keyboard
• POC – Point Of Contact
• POTUS
  President of the United States
  The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
  
   – President of the United States
• POG – Person Other than Grunt (All non-combat arms job fields i.e. any MOS
  United States military occupation code
  A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...
  
   or CMF
  CMF
  CMF, a three letter acronym, may stand for:* California Medical Facility, a male-only state prison in CA, USA* Campus MovieFest, the world's largest student film festival* Centre of mass frame in mechanics...
  
   other than infantry
  Infantry
  Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
  
  , cavalry
  Cavalry
  Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
  
  , armor, and artillery
  Artillery
  Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
  
  ; among infantrymen, refers to anyone other than infantry or Special Forces
  Special forces
  Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
  
  )
• POW
  Prisoner of war
  A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
  
   – Prisoner Of War
• POV – Privately Owned Vehicle
• PRP – Personell ReliabilityProgram
• PRP – Pretty Retarted Program
• PRT – Provincial Reconstruction Team
• PRT - Physical Readiness Training (U.S. Army)
• PT – Physical Training
• PV2 – Private 2nd class (U.S. Army E-2)
• PVT – Private (U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-1)
• PX – Post Exchange (U.S. Army)

R

• RAAF
  Royal Australian Air Force
  The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
  
   – Royal Australian Air Force (Australia)
• RAF
  Royal Air Force
  The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
  
   – Royal Air Force (UK)
• RAN
  Royal Australian Navy
  The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
  
   – Royal Australian Navy (Australia)
• RATO – Rocket Assisted Take Off
• RCSC
  Royal Canadian Sea Cadets
  Royal Canadian Sea Cadets is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Navy League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in the local...
  
   – Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (Canada)
• REMF
  Pogue
  POG is a pejorative military slang term used to describe non-infantry, staff, and other rear-echelon or support units. "POG" frequently describes those who don't have to undergo the stresses that the infantry does, and is generally used as a diminutive for any non-infantry personnel who disagrees...
  
   – Rear Echelon Mother Fucker
• RFL
  Pogue
  POG is a pejorative military slang term used to describe non-infantry, staff, and other rear-echelon or support units. "POG" frequently describes those who don't have to undergo the stresses that the infantry does, and is generally used as a diminutive for any non-infantry personnel who disagrees...
  
   – Response Force Leader
• RMC
  Royal Military College of Canada
  The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
  
   – Royal Military College of Canada
  Royal Military College of Canada
  The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
  
   (Canada) in Kingston, Ontario
  Kingston, Ontario
  Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
  
  
• RN
  Royal Navy
  The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
  
   – Royal Navy (UK)
• ROE – Rules Of Engagement
• ROMA Data, Right Out of My Ass Data. Unverifiable created data (different from SWAG)
• ROWPU – Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit
• RNZAF
  Royal New Zealand Air Force
  The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
  
   – Royal New Zealand Air Force (New Zealand)
• RPG – Rocket-Propelled Grenade
• RPM
  Rate of fire
  Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. It is usually measured in rounds per minute , or per second .-Overview:...
  
   – Rounds per minute
• RS – RatShit (Australia – related to US – Unserviceable)
• RSS
  Regional Security System
  The Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
  
   – Regional Security System (Caribbean)
• RTB – Return To Base
• RV – Rendez-Vous

S

• SA – Seaman Apprentice (USCG/USN E-2)
• SAS
  Special Air Service
  Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
  
   – Special Air Service (British special forces)
• SBS
  Special Boat Service
  The Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. Together with the Special Air Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment and the Special Forces Support Group they form the United Kingdom Special Forces and come under joint control of the same Director Special...
  
   – Special Boat Service (British special forces)
• SAAS – Standard Army Ammunition System (U.S. Army)
• SAM
  Surface-to-air missile
  A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
  
   – Surface-to-air Missile
• SARSS – Standard Army Retail Supply System (U.S. Army)
• SCPO – Senior Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-8)
• SEAL
  United States Navy SEALs
  The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
  
   – Sea, Air and Land (US Navy SEALs)
• SFC
  Sergeant First Class
  Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
  
   – Sergeant First Class (U.S. Army E7)
• SGM – Sergeant Major (U.S. Army E9 – Sometimes referred to as Staff Sergeant Major)
• SGT – Sergeant (U.S. Army E5)(U.S. Marines uses Sgt)
• SITREP – Situation Report
• SMA
  Sergeant Major of the Army
  The Sergeant Major of the Army is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Army. The holder of this rank is the most senior enlisted member of the Army, unless an Army NCO is serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, when in that case that NCO will be the most senior...
  
   – Sergeant Major of the Army (U.S. Army E9 – Senior Enlisted Member)
• SMEAC Situation Mission Execution Admin/logistics Command/signal (US Marine Corps basic knowledge)
• SMSgt – Senior Master Sergeant (USAF E-8)
• SN – Seaman (USCG/USN E-3)
• SNAFU
  SNAFU
  SNAFU is an acronym that stands for situation normal: all fucked up. It is sometimes bowdlerized to all fouled up or similar. In simple terms, it means that the normal situation is in a bad state, as it always is, therefore nothing unexpected. It is usually used in jest, or as a sign of frustration...
  
   – Situation Normal: All Fucked Up
• SOCOM
  United States Special Operations Command
  The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
  
   – United States Special Operations Command
• SOFA
  Status of Forces Agreement
  A status of forces agreement is an agreement between a host country and a foreign nation stationing forces in that country. SOFAs are often included, along with other types of military agreements, as part of a comprehensive security arrangement...
  
   – Status of Forces Agreement
• SOP – Standard Operating Procedures
• SOS – Shit On a Shingle, or creamed chipped beef on toast.
• SPC – Specialist (U.S. Army E-4)
• SR – Seaman Recruit (USCG/USN E-1)
• SrA – Senior Airman (USAF E-4)
• SRR – Special Reconnaissance Regiment (British special Forces)
• SSDD - Same Shit Different Day
• SSDDBS - Same Shit Different Day Bigger Shovel
• SSG – Staff Sergeant (US Army E-6)
• SSgt – Staff Sergeant (US Air Force E-5)(U.S. Marines E-6)
• SOL – Shit Out of Luck (US Army)
• SUSFU - Situation Unchanged, Still Fucked Up
• SWAG - Scientific Wild Ass Guess

T

• TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (U.S. Military)
• TBD - To Be Determined
• TDY – Temporary Duty (U.S. Military)
• TFOA
  TFOA
  TFOA is a United States Navy acronym meaning "Things Falling Off Aircraft"; occasionally pronounced as "toe-fa", similar to "tofu".Despite its somewhat humorous name, TFOA is a serious condition requiring the submission of a category 1 hazardous material report within twenty-four hours of the...
  
   – Things Falling Off Aircraft
• TIC – Troops In Contact
• TSgt – Technical Sergeant (USAF E-6)
• TU – Tits Up (Dead, Inoperable), a.k.a. "tango uniform"
• TARFU – Things Are Really Fucked Up, or Totally And Royally Fucked Up

U

• UA – Unauthorized Absence
• UAS – Unmanned Aerial System
• UAV
  Unmanned aerial vehicle
  An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
  
   – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
• UCAV
  Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
  An unmanned combat air vehicle or combat drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed to deliver weapons without an onboard pilot. Currently operational UCAVs are under real-time human control, but future version may enable autonomous operation, for example with pre-programmed route and...
  
   – Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
• ULLS – Unit Level Logisitics System (U.S. Army)
• UMA – Unit Mobilization Assistor
• UN
  United Nations
  The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
  
   – United Nations
• US – Unserviceable
• USSS
  United States Secret Service
  The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
  
   – United States Secret Service
• USAF
  United States Air Force
  The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
  
   – United States Air Force
• USAFE
  United States Air Forces in Europe
  The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
  
   – United States Air Forces in Europe
• USA PATRIOT Act
  USA PATRIOT Act
  The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
  
   – Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act
• USAREC – US Army REcruiting Command
• USAREUR – US Army European Command
• USMC
  United States Marine Corps
  The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
  
   – United States Marine Corps
• USN
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
   – United States Navy
• USO
  United Service Organizations
  The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
  
   – United Service Organizations (U.S. Military)
• USR – Unit Status Report
• UUV
  Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
  An autonomous underwater vehicle is a robot which travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes non-autonomous remotely operated underwater vehicles...
  
   – Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
• UXB – Unexploded Bomb (bomb disposal; British)
• UXO – Unexploded Ordnance

V

• VBIED – Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device
• VDM – Visual Distinguishing Mark
• VFD – Volunteer Fire Department
• VFR – Volunteer Fire and Rescue

W

• WAG - Wild Ass Guess (non-scientific, as opposed to a SWAG)
• WIA
  Wounded in action
  Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
  
   – Wounded In Action
• WO1
  Warrant Officer (United States)
  In the United States military, the rank of warrant officer is rated as an officer above the senior-most enlisted ranks, as well as officer cadets and candidates, but below the officer grade of O-1...
  
   – Warrant Officer 1
• WSA – Weapons Storage Area
• WMD – Weapons of Mass Destruction
• WILCO - WILl COmply
• WFK - Who Fucking Know
• WTF - What The Fuck

See also

• List of acronyms
• List of U.S. Air Force acronyms and expressions
• List of U.S. Marine Corps acronyms and expressions
• List of U.S. Navy acronyms

External links

• AcronymFinder – Military and Government
• Abbreviation.com – Military Abbreviations
• All Acronyms – Military Acronyms
• Acronyms List – US Military Acronyms