List of U.S. government and military acronyms

0–9

0K – Zero Killed (pronounced OK, as the expression that everything is okay)

1LT – First Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "1st Lt")

2LT – Second Lieutenant (U.S. Army) (USAF uses "2d Lt")

2IC – Second In Command

1SG – First Sergeant (E-8 Army)

A

A – Analog

A1C – Airman First Class (USAF E-3)

A2C2 – Army Airspace Command And Control

A-3 – (Operations Directorate (COMAFFOR))

A-5 – (Plans Directorate (COMAFFOR))

AA – Anti-Aircraft

AA – Armed Forces America

AA – Assembly Area

AA – Assessment Agent

AA – Avenue Of Approach

AAA – Army Audit Agency

AAA – Antiaircraft Artillery

AAA – Arrival And Assembly Area

AAA – Assign Alternate Area

AAAD – Airborne Anti-Armor Defense

AAAS – Amphibious Aviation Assault Ship

AABB – American Association of Blood Banks

AABWS – Amphibious Assault Bulk Water System

AAC – Activity Address Code

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 (Australia)

AAFES – 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

ABV – Assault Breacher Vehicle (U.S. Army)

ABFC – Advanced Base Functional Component

ADOS – Active Duty, Operational Support

ADSW – Active Duty, Special Work

AE – Armed Forces Europe

AEW&C – Airborne Early Warning And Control

AFI – Awaiting Further Instruction/Air Force Instruction (requirement guide)

AFMC – Armed Forces Medical College

AFOQT – Air Force Officer Qualifying Test

AFOSI – United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations

AFSC – Air Force Specialty Code

AHA – Ammunition Holding Area

AIM – Airborne Intercept Missile (U.S. Military)

AIPD – Army Institute For Professional Development

AIS - Automated Information System

AIT – Advanced Individual Training (U.S. Army)

Amn – Airman (USAF E-2)

ALCON – All Concerned (U.S. Military)

AMU – Aircraft Maintenance Unit

AMXG – Aircraft Maintenance Group

AMXS – Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

AOL – Absent Over Leave (U.S. Navy)

AO – Area Of Operations

A&P – Administrative And Personnel

AP – Armed Forces Pacific

AP – Armor-Piercing

APC – Armored Personnel Carrier

APFSDS – Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot

APO – Army Post Office; See Also FPO

APPN – Appropriation Number (U.S. Military)

APRT – Army Physical Readiness Test (U.S. Army)

ARCENT/TUSA US Army Forces Central Command (CENTCOM)/Hq Third US Army (TUSA)

ARPANET – Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (e.g., 1969 to 1989; antecedent of the information superhighway; now DARPA)

ARM – Anti-Radar Missile

ARM – Anti-Radiation Missile

ARMS – Automated Recruit Management System (U.S. Military)

ARMS – Aviation Resource Management System (USAF)

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

ASCM – Anti-Ship C Missile

ASV – Anti-Surface Vessel (airborne radar)

ASVAB – Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

ASW – Anti-Submarine Warfare

ATC – Air Training Corps

ATC – Air Traffic Control

ATFU – Ate The Fuck Up (not squared away)

ATO – Air Tasking Order

ATO – Antiterrorism Officer

ATRRS – Army Training Requirements And Resources System

AWACS – Airborne Warning and Control System

AWOL – Absent Without Leave

B

BAMCIS – Begin planning Arrange Recon Make the plan Complete the plan Issue the order Supervise (US Marine Corps)

BAH – Basic Allowance for Housing

BAR – Browning Automatic Rifle

BAU – Behavioural Analysis Unit

BCD – Battlefield Coordination Detachment

BCD – Bad Conduct Discharge (aka Big Chicken Dinner)

BCG – Birth Control Glasses (U.S. Military Slang)

BCT – Basic Combat Training (U.S. Army)

BDF – Barbados Defence Force (Barbados)

BDU – Battle Dress Uniform (U.S. Military)

Be – Beriev (Russian)

BEA – Budget Execution Authority (U.S. Navy)

BFT – Blue Force Tracker (U.S. Military)

BG – Bodyguard

BGHR – By God He's Right (U.S Military)

BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front (US Military)

BMNT – Begin Morning Nautical Twilight (U.S Army)

BN – Battalion (U.S. Army)

BDE – Brigade (U.S. Army)

BOHICA – Bend Over Here It Comes Again (US Military Slang)

BRAC – Base Realignment And Closure

BRAT (American)– Born Raised And Transferred (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 (USAF)

BZ – spoken "Bravo Zulu", meaning "congratulations, job well done"

C

C1 – Command

C2 – Command And Control

C3 – Command Control And Communication

C4IR – Command Control Communication Computers Intelligence And Recognition

CAC – Common Access Card (U.S. DoD, pron. "cac")

CAG – Commander, Air Group (U.S. Navy, pron. "cag")

CAG – Civil Affairs Group. Term used for military members assigned to assist civilian governments with restoring infrastructure (All U.S. branches, pron. "cag")

CAGE – Commercial and Government Entity

CALL – Center for Army Lessons Learned

CAPT – Captain (US Navy, USCG O-6)

Capt – Captain (USMC, US Army, USAF O-3)

CAS – Close Air Support

CASEX – Coordinated Anti-Submarine EXercise

CASEVAC – Casualty Evacuation

CAT – Combat Application Tourniquets

CBRN – Chemical Biological Nuclear Radiological

CBU – Cluster Bomb Unit

CCIR – Commanders Critical Information Requirements

CCP – Casualty Collection Point

CDAT – Computerized Dumb Ass Tanker (M1 Abrams Crewmen)

CDIAC – 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)

CHU – Containerized Housing Unit

Chief – Chief Warrant Officer

CIA – Central Intelligence Agency

CIB – Combat Infantry Badge

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

COA – Course of Action

COB – Chief Of the Boat (Chief Petty Officer in charge of the Boat usually a Master Chief (USN Submariner Terminology))

COCOM – Combatant Commander

CODELS – Congressional Delegations

Col – Colonel

COMINT – Communications Intelligence

COMPACFLT – Commander, Pacific Fleet (U.S. Navy)

COMSEC' – Communication Security

CONUS – Continental United States (U.S. military, pron. "cone-us")

CONUSA – Continental United States Army (numbered Armies of U.S. military)

CORDS – (U.S. military, Vietnam era)

COP – Combat Out Post

CoS – Chief of Staff

COT – Commissioned Officer Training

CPL – Corporal (U.S. Army and Marine Corps E-4)

CPO – Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-7)

CPT – Captain (US Army O-3)

CP – Check Point (Usually Numbered i.e. "CP1")

CPX – Command Post Exercise

CQB – Close Quarters Battle

CRC – CONUS Replacement Center (a military processing center at Fort Benning, Georgia, US)

CSM – Command Sergeant Major (U.S. Army E9 highest Army enlisted rank))

CSAR – Combat Search And Rescue

CT – Counter-terrorism Team

CTR – Close Target Reconnaissance

CUB – Commander Update Brief

CVN – Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (NOTE: the V comes from the expression "heavier than air flying machine")

CWO – Chief Warrant Officer

CZN – Nuclear-powered Airship Carrier (NOTE: the Z comes from the use of the word Zeppelin although non-Zeppelin airships would also be transported on a CZN)

D

DA – Defence Attaché

DAC – Department of the Army Civilian

DAGR – Defense Advanced GPS Receiver

DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (U.S. Military)

DC3 – Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center

DCAA – Defense Contract Audit Agency

DCMA – Defense Contract Management Agency

DEVGRU – the United States naval special warfare DEVelopment GRoUp

DFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)

DFAS – Defense Finance and Accounting Service (U.S. Military)

D.I.A – Defensive Intelligence Agency

DINFAC – Dining Facility (U.S. Military)

DISA – Defense Information Systems Agency

DLB – Dead Letter Box

DMDC – Defense Manpower Data Center

DME – Depot Maintenance Enterprise (U.S. Military)

DMEA – Defense Microelectronics Activity

DMS – Defense Message System (U.S. Military)

DMZ – Demilitarized Zone

DOA – Dead on Arrival

DoDAAC – 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)

DTO – Daily Tasking Order

DTRA – Defense Threat Reduction agency

DZ – Drop Zone

E

E&E – Escape and Evade

EA – Electronic Attack

ECP – Entry Control Point

EDCSA – Effective Date of Change of Strength Accountability (obsolete for U. S. Army)

EI – Engineering and Installation

EIS – Engineering and Installation Squadron, Environmental Impact Statement

EI SIT – Engineering and Installation Site Implementation Team

EKIA- Enemy Killed in Action

ELINT – Electronic Intelligence

EMI – Extra Military Instruction

ENS – Ensign (US Navy junior officer rank, O-1)

EOD – Explosive Ordnance Disposal

EOS – End of Service

EP – Electronic Protection

EPW – Enemy Prisoner of War

ERV – Emergency Rendezvous

ETA – Estimated time of arrival

ETS – Estimated Termination of Service

EUCOM – European Command (U.S. Military)

EW – Electronic Warfare (comprises EA, EP)

Exfil – Exfiltration (Opposite of infiltration; exiting undetected)

F

FA – Field Artillery

FAK – First Aid Kit

FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulation

FBCB2 – Force XXI Battlefield Command Brigade and Below

FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation

FEBA – Forward Edge of the Battle Area

FFE – Fire for effect

FIDO – FIre Direction Officer

FIGMO – Fuck It, Got My Orders

FIST – Fire Support Team

FISTer – Member of a Fire Support Team

FIST-V – Fire Support Team Vehicle

FISINT – 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 (U.S. – see POTUS)

FM – Field Marshal; more commonly "Field Manual"

FMC – Fully Mission Capable

FNG – Fucking New Guy

FO – Forward Observer

FO – Foxtrot Oscar (i.e. Fuck Off) (US/UK Forces)

FOB – Forward Operating Base

FOD – Foreign Object Damage (U.S.)

FOD – Foreign Object Debris (U.S.)

FPO – Fleet Post Office; See also APO

FSA – Force Structure Allowance

FSTE – Foreign Service Tour Extension

FTUS – Full Time Unit Specialist

FUBAR – Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition or Fucked Up Beyond All Repair

FYSA – For Your Situational Awareness

FYI – For Your Information

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

GI – Government Issue

GIG – Global Information Grid

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

GS – General Schedule

H

HALO – High Altitude Low Opening (Airborne)

HAHO – High Altitude High Opening

HAAMS – High Altitude Airdrop Missions

HBL – Holiday Block Leave (U.S. Army)

HE – High Explosive

HEAT – High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead

HEP – High Explosive, Plastic (US usage)

HESH – High Explosive Squash Head (British anti-tank round)

HMAS – Her Majesty's Australian Ship (Australia)

HMCS – Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (Canada)

HMFIC – Head Motherfucker In Charge – colloquialism for the highest-ranking person present; more commonly used by NCO's than by officers (U.S. Military)

HMMWV – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (U.S. Military) (Pronounced Humvee)

HMNZS – Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship (New Zealand)

HMS – Hans Majestäts Skepp (His Majesty's ship, Sweden)

HMS – Her Majesty's Ship (Royal Navies such as Royal British Navy) (His Majesty's Ship if King)

Hr.Ms – His/Her Dutch Majesty's Ship (Dutch Royal Navy ship)

HOMSEC – Homeland Security

HRAP – Hometown Recruiter Assistance Program

HQ – Headquarters

HHB – Headquarters and Headquarters Battery

HHC – Headquarters and Headquarters Company

HHT – Headquarters and Headquarters Troop

HUMINT – Human Intelligence

HVI – High Value Individual

HVT – High Value Target

HYT – High Year Tenure

I

IAF – Indian Air Force

IAF – Israeli Air Force

ICBM – Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

ICE – Individual Carrying Equipment

ID – IDentification

IED – 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

IN – Infantry

INSCOM – United States Army Intelligence and Security Command

Il – Ilyushin

Interpol – International Criminal Police Organization

ISO – Inter School Course

ISR – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

IYAAYAS – If You Ain't AMMO, You Ain't Shit

J

JA – Judge Advocate [General]

JAFO – Just Another Fucking Observer

JAG – Judge Advocate General

JDAM – Joint Direct Attack Munition

JSF – Joint Strike Fighter

JATO – Jet-assisted Take Off

JETDS – Joint Electronics Type Designation System

JSAM – Joint Service Achievement Medal

JSTARS – Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System

JSOC – Joint Special Operations Command

JTF – Joint Task Force

JEEP – Just Enough Essential Parts

K

KATUSA – 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

LAV – Land Artillery Vehicle

LCDR – Lieutenant Commander (US Navy)

LCPL – Lance Corporal (US Marines)

LES – Leave and Earnings Statement

LP – Listening Post

LP/OP – Listening Post Observation Post

LPC – Leather Personnel Carrier (boot)

LGOP – Little Group Of Paratroopers

LPO – Leading Petty Officer (US Navy)

LT – Lieutenant

LTC or Lt Col – Lieutenant Colonel

LTG or Lt Gen – Lieutenant General

LTJG – Lieutenant, Junior Grade (US Navy)

LUP – Lying-Up Point

LZ – Landing Zone

M

MACV/SOG – Military Assistance Command Vietnam / Special Operations Group

MAJ – Major

MARCORSYSCOM – MARine CORps SYStems COMmand (U.S. Military)

MARCENT Marine Corps Central Command

MARFORRES – MARine FORces REServe (U.S. Marine Corps)

MARSOC – Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

MAV – Micro Air Vehicle

MAW – Maximum Allowable Weight

MBT – Main Battle Tank

MC 326/2 – ″NATO Medical Support Principles and Policies″, approved by Military Committee, second revision.

MCCS – Marine Corps Community Services (also known by the humorous backronym Marine Corps Crime Syndicate)

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)

MedEvac – Medical Evacuation

MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

MG – Machine Gun

MG – Major General

MI – Military Intelligence

Mi – Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (Russian)

MIA – Missing In Action

MICV – Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle

MiG – Mikoyan-Gurevich (Russian)

MILCON – Military Construction

MK – Mark

MK – Machinery Technician (U.S. Coast Guard)

MLRS – Multiple Launch Rocket System

MMFD – Miles and Miles of F...ing Desert (unofficial report in Gulf War)

MOA – Military Operating Area (USAF Airspace)

MOAB – Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, also known as "Mother Of All Bombs". (U.S. military)

MOAC – Mother of All Coffee (Green Bean Coffee)

MOB – Main Operating Base

MOBCOM – MOBile COMmand

MOPP – Mission Oriented Protective Posture

MPDS – Military Planning Data Allowance

MRAP – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected

MRE – Meal Ready to Eat (U.S. Military)

MRX – Mission Rehearsal Exercise

MSG – Master Sergeant (US Army E-8)

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 (U.S. Navy)

NAVAIR – Naval Air Systems Command

NAVCENT – Naval Forces Central Command (U.S. Navy)

NAVOCEANO – Naval Oceanographic Office

NBACC – National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center

NCI – National Cancer Institute

NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer

NCOIC – Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge

NCOES – Non-Commissioned Officer Education System

ND – Negligent Discharge

NEFF – New Equipment Fielding Facility

NIBC National Interagency Biodefense Campus

NICBR – National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research

NMC – Not Mission Capable

NME – Non-Mission Essential

NMCI – Naval Marine Corps Intranet (U.S. Navy)

NNMSA – Non-Nuclear Munitions Storage Area

NORAD – North American Aerospace Defense Command

NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NS – Network Services

NSA – National Security Agency

NSW – Naval Special Warfare

NSWDG – Naval Special Warfare Development Group

NUB – Non-Useful Body / Nuclear Unqualified Bitch (U.S. Nuclear Navy)

O

OBE – Overcome By Events (DoD)

OCONUS – Outside Continental United States

OCS – Officer Candidate School

ODA – Operational Detachment-Alpha (the standard 12-man team composed of US Army Special Forces operators)

ODU – Operational Dress Uniform (U.S. Coast Guard)

OIC – Officer in Charge

OIG - Office of Inspector General

OM – On the Move (Normally just spelled out Oscar Mike)

O&M, MC – Operations & Maintenance, Marine Corps (U.S. Navy)

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)

OSP – On Site Procurement

OPORD – Operations Order

OPSEC – Operations Security

OTF – Out There Flapping (Airborne)

OTS – Officer Training School

OTV – Outer Tactical Vest

P

PACOM – Pacific Command

PCS – Permanent Change of Station

PDS – Permanent Duty Station (U.S. Military)

PDT – Pre-Deployment Training

PE – Plastic Explosive

PFC – Private First Class (U.S. Military)

PFM – Pure Fuckin Magic (U.S. Military)

PFT – Physical Fitness Test

PII – Personally Identifiable Information or Personal Identity Information

PL – Platoon Leader (U.S. Army)

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

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

POL – Petroleum Oil & Lubricants (U.S. Air Force)

POC – Point Of Contact

POTUS – President of the United States

POG – Person Other than Grunt (All non-combat arms job fields i.e. any MOS or CMF other than infantry, cavalry, armor, and artillery; among infantrymen, refers to anyone other than infantry or Special Forces)

POW – Prisoner Of War

POV – Privately Owned Vehicle

PPG – PT Parade Games

PPPPPPP – Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

PRP – Personnel ReliabilityProgram

PRP – Pretty Retarded Program

PRT – Provincial Reconstruction Team

PRT – Physical Readiness Training (U.S. Army)

PT – Physical Training

PTB – Powers That Be

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 (Australia)

RAF – Royal Air Force (UK)

RAN – Royal Australian Navy (Australia)

RATO – Rocket Assisted Take Off

RCSC – Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (Canada)

REMF – Rear Echelon Mother Fucker

RFL – Response Force Leader

RMC – Royal Military College of Canada (Canada) in Kingston, Ontario

RN – 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 (New Zealand)

ROZ – Restricted Operating Zone

RPG – Rocket-Propelled Grenade

RPM – Rounds per minute

RS – RatShit (Australia – related to US – Unserviceable)

RSS – Regional Security System (Caribbean)

RTB – Return To Base

RV – Rendez-Vous

RTO – Radio Telephone Operator

S

SWAK- Sealed With A Kiss

SA – Seaman Apprentice (USCG/USN E-2)

SA – Situation Awareness

SAS – Special Air Service (British special forces)

SBS – Special Boat Service (British special forces)

SAAS – Standard Army Ammunition System (U.S. Army)

SAM – Surface-to-Air Missile

SARSS – Standard Army Retail Supply System (U.S. Army)

SCIF – Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility

SCO – Squadron Commander (Squadron as used in the U.S. Army Regimental System)

SCOTUS – Supreme Court of the United States

SCPO – Senior Chief Petty Officer (USCG/USN E-8)

SD – "Status Destroyed" or "Salty Dog". (Equipment that is written off as unrepairable and unsalvageable. )

SEAC – Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

SEAL – Sea, Air and Land (US Navy SEALs)

SERE – Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape

SFC – 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

SOCCENT – Special Operations Command CENTCOM

SJA – Staff Judge Advocate

SLAM – Standoff Land Attack Missile

SMA – 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 – Situation Normal: All Fucked/Fouled Up

SOCOM – United States Special Operations Command

SOFA – 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)

SOLJWF – Shit Out of Luck and Jolly Well Fucked (U.S. Marines)

STOVL – Short Takeoff, Vertical Landing

SUSFU – Situation Unchanged, Still Fucked Up

SWAG – Scientific Wild Ass Guess

T

TACP – Tactical Air Control Party (USAF)

TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (U.S. Military)

TAO – Tactical Action Officer (U.S. Military)

TBD – To Be Determined

TC3 – Tactical Combat Casualty Care

TCCC – Tactical Combat Casualty Care

TDPFO – Temporary Duty Pending Further Orders (U.S. Military)

TDY – Temporary Duty (U.S. Military)

TF – Task Force

TFOA – Things Falling Off Aircraft

TG6 – Task Group 6 (group designation for NZ SAS – NZ Army)

TOC – Tactical Operations Center

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

UCAV – Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle

ULLS – Unit Level Logisitics System (U.S. Army)

UMA – Unit Mobilization Assistor

UN – United Nations

US – Unserviceable

USSS – United States Secret Service

USAF – United States Air Force

USAFA – the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado

USAFE – United States Air Forces in Europe

USAMRICD – United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense

USAMRIID – United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease

USAMRMC – United States Army Medical Research and Materiél Command

USAMRAA – United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity

USA PATRIOT Act – 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

USMA – the United States Military Academy (US Army) at West Point, New York

USMC – United States Marine Corps

USN – United States Navy

USNA – the United States Naval Academy (US Navy) at Annapolis, Maryland

USO – United Service Organizations (U.S. Military)

USR – Unit Status Report

UUV – 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 (or in Aviation Visual Flight Rules)

VPOTUS – Vice President of the United States

W

WIA – Wounded In Action

WO1 – Warrant Officer 1

WSA – Weapons Storage Area

WMD – Weapons of Mass Destruction

WILCO – Will Comply

X

XO – Executive Officer

Y

YGBSM – You Gotta Be Shitting Me