Military Acronyms

Military acronyms are words formed from the first letters of other words. They are used in publications, regulations, and conversations to make communication more efficient. They are also used to protect sensitive information from uninformed outsiders. Examples of military acronyms include medevac, MRE, and AWOL. medevac is a medical evacuation, and MRE stands for Meal, Ready-to-Eat, which are meals in a flexible bag that can be eaten during training or while on operations where food service facilities are unavailable. AWOL means absent without leave and refers to an individual who is missing from their unit or station. The use of military slang helps soldiers communicate efficiently and bond in life-threatening situations. The list below contains some of the most common military slang terms and their meanings.

While you probably won’t be communicating with fellow service members via radio in the middle of battle, knowing military acronyms can make you sound more knowledgeable and may help in a number of everyday situations. For example, the term MEPS refers to Military Entrance Processing Stations, where prospective enlistees take an Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test to determine whether they are a good fit for the military.

The letter “F” has a lot of different sounds, and the same goes for the letters “E” and “O.” That’s why all branches of the military use an alphabet to ensure clear communication. It is known as the NATO phonetic alphabet and ICAO international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, and it flattens language to eliminate pronunciation differences and reduce miscommunication during oral communications. This alphabet is also used in aviation, medicine and some amateur radio communications. It’s a familiar alphabet you hear in war movies and on customer service calls with the infamous 17-digit confirmation code.

The Most Common Military Acronyms

Military organizations are known for their extensive use of acronyms to communicate quickly and efficiently. While there are countless acronyms used within different branches of the military, here are some of the most common and widely recognized ones:

A

• ACU: Army Combat Uniform
• AD: Active Duty
• AFB: Air Force Base
• AIT: Advanced Individual Training
• ALMS: Army Learning Management System
• AO: Area of Operations
• AOR: Area of Responsibility
• APU: Auxiliary Power Unit
• ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
• AWOL: Absent Without Leave

B

• BCT: Basic Combat Training
• BDU: Battle Dress Uniform
• BMT: Basic Military Training
• BZ: Bravo Zulu (Well Done)

C

• CBRN: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear
• CO: Commanding Officer
• CONUS: Continental United States
• CQB: Close Quarters Battle
• CWO: Chief Warrant Officer

D

• DOD: Department of Defense
• DOR: Date of Rank
• DZ: Drop Zone

E

• EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
• ETS: Expiration of Term of Service

F

• FOB: Forward Operating Base
• FTX: Field Training Exercise

G

• GI: Government Issue
• GCM: General Court-Martial

H

• HAZMAT: Hazardous Materials
• HQ: Headquarters

I

• IED: Improvised Explosive Device
• IG: Inspector General
• IP: Initial Point
• ISR: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

J

• JAG: Judge Advocate General (Legal Department)
• JROTC: Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps

K

• KIA: Killed in Action

L

• LES: Leave and Earnings Statement
• LRP: Long-Range Patrol

M

• MIA: Missing in Action
• MOS: Military Occupational Specialty
• MRE: Meal, Ready-to-Eat

N

• NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
• NBC: Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
• NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer
• NCOIC: Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge

O

• OCONUS: Outside Continental United States
• OER: Officer Evaluation Report
• OPORD: Operations Order

P

• PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
• POW: Prisoner of War
• PT: Physical Training
• PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

R

• R&R: Rest and Recuperation
• ROE: Rules of Engagement
• RPG: Rocket-Propelled Grenade

S

• SITREP: Situation Report
• SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
• SRB: Selective Reenlistment Bonus
• SSG: Staff Sergeant

T

• TACP: Tactical Air Control Party
• TAP: Transition Assistance Program
• TDY: Temporary Duty
• TOE: Table of Organization and Equipment
• TTP: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures

U

• UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
• USO: United Service Organizations

V

• VBIED: Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device
• VC: Viet Cong
• VFW: Veterans of Foreign Wars

W

• WIA: Wounded in Action

Please note that military acronyms can vary between different countries and branches. This list is not exhaustive, but it covers many commonly used acronyms in military contexts.