“Prep School” – USAFA Preparatory School
1/C – 1st Classman or Senior
2/C – 2nd Classman or junior
3/C – 3rd Classman or sophomore
4/C – 4th Classman or freshman
A&F – Accounting and Finance
AAP – Academy Admissions Partner (USCGA)
AAR – After Action Review
ACC – Air Combat Command
ACU – Army Combat Uniform
A-day – Acceptance Day (USMA)
AD – Active Duty
AD/DS or AD/DW – Active Duty Dependent Spouse or Active Duty/Dependent Wife
ADO – Assistant Director of Operations
ADSC - Active Duty Service Commitment
ADSO - Active Duty Service Obligation
AFROTC – Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
Aft – Rear of a Ship
AI – Additional Instruction
AIAD – Academic Individual Advanced Development
AIM – Academy Introduction Mission
ALO – Admissions Liaison Officer (USAFA)
ALO – Air Liaison Officer -- calls in air strikes for the Army via AF
ANG – Army National Guard
AOG – Association Of Graduates
APFT – Army Physical Fitness Test
AROTC – Army Reserve Officer Training Corps
AY – Academic Year
BAC – Base Administration Center
BAH – Basic Allowance for Housing
BCG – "Birth Control Glasses" -- otherwise known as prescription glasses
BCT – Basic Cadet Training (USAFA)
Beast – Beast Barracks or USMA’s Cadet Basic Training
BFE – Big Fat envelope
BGO – Blue Gold Officer
BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front (close relative of KISS)
BMC – Branch Medical Clinic
BOQ/VOQ – Bachelor Officer's Quarters/Visiting Officer's Quarter
Bow – Front of a ship
Bright-work – anything shiny, generally needs to be polished daily
BUDS – Basic Underwater Demolitions School
Bulkhead – Wall
BZ/IBZ/ABZ – Below Zone/In/Above --- promotions
C – anything --- cargo/transport i.e 5, 130
Cadet – A Student who is attending USMA, USMAPS, UASFA, USCGA, AROTC and AFROTC
CBT – Cadet Basic Training
CC – Commander of the squadron
CC – Cadet Candidate at USMAPS (West Point Prep)
CCBT – Cadet Candidate Basic Training
CCEB – Cadet Candidate Evaluation Board
CFA – Candidate Fitness Assessment
CFS – Candidate Fitness Score
CFT – Cadet Field Training
CGAS – Coast Guard Academy Scholars program
CGO – Candidate Guidance Office (Admissions Office)
CIET – Cadet Initial Entry Training (summer training for AROTC cadets usually taken after completing the MS-I year)
CLDT – Cadet Leader Development Training
CNO – Chief of Naval Operations
CO – Commanding Officer
COLA – Cost of Living Allowance
Company grade – O-1 to O-3
COR – Cadet Observation Report
COW – Junior at USMA
CSO – Combat Systems Officer
CTLT – Cadet Troop Leadership Training
CTO – Company Training Officer
CULP – Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency
CVW – Candidate Visitation Weekend
CWO – Chief Warrant Officer
DANT – Commandant
DD – Dear daughter
Deck – Floor
DFAS – Paycharts
DG – Distinguished Graduate
DHS – Department of Homeland Security
DITY – Do it yourself
DLA – Dislocation Allowance - paycheck you get for moving
DNP – Do Not Promote
DO – Deputy Ops
DOD – Department of Defense
DoDMERB – Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board
DOR – Drop on Request, quit
DOT – Department of Transportation
DP – Definitely Promote
Dream Sheet/Form 90 – Your wish list submitted for next assignment
DS – Dear son/Dear spouse
DWO – Deck Watch Officer
E – anything --- electronic - EA 6
EA – Early Action admissions
EGA – Eagle Globe and Anchor
EOIT – Engineering Officer in Training
EP – Emergency Procedure
EQ – Exceptionally Qualified (grading system)
EWO – Electronic Warfare Officer
F – anything --- fighters i.e. F-15, 16, 22, 35, etc
FEB – Flight Evaluation Board
FFR - Field Force Representative
Field Grade – O-4 to O-6
Firstie – Senior
Fish – freshman at Texas A&M
Flag – Generals and above
Flight Deck – Top Floor
FNG – Friggin New Guy/Gal
FR&W – Formal Room & Wing Inspection
FS – Fighter Squadron
FTU – Fighter Training Unit
FW – Fighter Wing
GIB – Guy in Back = WSO/RIO
Head – Bathroom
HQ – Head Quarters
I-Day – USNA Induction Day
IC – intercollegiate [athlete]
IFS – Initial Flight Screening
Indoc – USMMA Induction
IOCT – Indoor obstacle course test
IOTC – Indoor Obstacle Training Course
IP/IWSO – Instructor Pilot/WSO
IT – Incentive Training, inspirational Training, Punishment PT
JIATF – Joint Interagency Task Force
JPME – Joint PME
JROTC – Junior Reserve Officer training Corps
JSOTF – JT Special Operations Task Force
JTF – Jt Task Force
Kings Point – United States Merchant Marine Academy
Knob – Freshman at The Citadel
Ladder well – Stairs
LDAC- AROTC, Leader Development and Assessment Course
LDO – Limited Duty Officer, someone commisioned in the Navy having technical expertise in their field, not eligible for command
LE – Law Enforcement
LES – Leave/Earning Statement -- paycheck
LMO – Last Military Obligation
LOA – Letter of Assurance
LOE - Letter of Encouragement (USMA)
Main Deck – Bottom Floor
MALO – USMA Military Academy Liaison Officer
MARAD – Maritime Administration
MIAD – Military Individual Advanced Development
MID/MIDN – Midshipman
Midshipman – A student training to be a commissioned officer at either the USNA, USMMA, or in NROTC
MMA – Massachusetts Maritime Academy
MMI – Marion Military Institute
MOC – member of Congress
MOS – Military Occupational Specialty
MPC – Military Personnel Center (for the AF where your assignment comes from)
MRP – Medical Rehabilitation Platoon
MSC – Military Sealift Command
MSSQ – Mission Support Squadron
Mustang – An Officer in the Naval service that served generally more that 4 years as an enlisted person
NAPS – Naval Academy Preparatory School
NASS – Naval Academy Summer Seminar
New Cadet – USMA cadet during Beast, on A-day they become a cadet
NG – National Guard
NIFT – Navigator Introductory Flight Training
NMMI – New Mexico Military Institute
NROTC – Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps
NROTC (MO) – Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (Marine Option)
nULL – Freshman in the VWIL program at Mary Baldwin College
NWU – Navy Working Uniform
OCC – USMC Officers Candidates Course
OCS – Officers Candidates School
ODU – Operational Dress Uniform
OER/OPR – Officer Evaluation Review or Performance
OML- Order of Merit List
OQT – Officer Qualifying Test
OTS – USAF Officer Training School
P – Promote
PA – Public Affairs --- news
PACAF – Pacific Air Force
PAI – Personal Appearance Inspection
Passageway – (P-Way) Hallway
PCP – Physical Conditioning Platoon (Also known as the “Pork Chop Platoon” You never want to go here)
PCS – Permanent Change of Station
PDA – Public Display of Affection
PEP – Performance Enhancement Program
PFE – Physical Fitness Evaluation
PI – Personnel Inspection
PIAD – Physical Individual Advanced Development
PKT – Plebe Knowledge Test
PLC – USMC Platoon Leaders Course
PLT – platoon
Plebe – a freshman student at either USMA, USNA, or USMMA
PME – Professional Military Education
PMS – Professor of Military Science
Port – left hand side of a ship when facing the Bow
POV – Privately Owned Vehicle
PPQ – Potentially Pilot Qualified
PPW – Plebe parent Weekend
PRT – physical readiness test
PT – Physical Training
P-Way or Passageway – hallway
QMED – Qualified Member of the Engineering Department
QNS – qualified not selected
QNV – qualified no vacancy
Quarterdeck – any entry point for personnel
RA – Regular Admissions (USCGA)
Rack – Bed
RAT – A Freshman at VMI
Rat mass – The entire freshman class at VMI
Ratline – Freshman induction at VMI
RC - Regional Commander
RD – Regional Admissions Director
R-Day – USMA Reception Day and Reporting in day at USCGA.
RHIP- Rank Has Its Privileges
RIF – Reduction in Forces - comparable to lay-offs
RIO – Radio Intercept Officer = WSO
ROCI – Reserve Officer Candidate Indoctrination
ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps
RTO – Regimental Training Officer
RTOA – Regimental Training officer Assistant
RTU – Replacement Training Unit
SA – Service Academy
SAMI – Saturday AM Inspection
SAP – Study Abroad Program
SAR – Search and Rescue
Scuttlebutt – water fountain or gossip
SEAL – SEa Air Land (Navy Special Forces)
SERB – Selective Early Retirement Board
SERE – Survival Evasion Resistance Escape training
Shack – Bulls eye for hitting the target
SLS – Summer Leaders Seminar (West Point)
SMC – Senior Military College
SMP – Simultaneous Membership Program (ANG)
South Com – Southern Command
SQ3R – Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review
SQD – Squad
Starboard – Right hand side of a ship when facing the Bow
SUNT – Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training
SUPE – Superintendent
SUPT – Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training
Swab – USCGA Freshman (4th class Cadet)
TAD – Temporary Assigned Duty
TATTOO – CTO training time with plebes
TBS – USMC “The Basic School”
TDY – Temporary Duty Assignment
TEE – Term End Exam
TemDUINS – Temporary Duty Under INStruction
TLA – Temporary Living Allowance (subsidy for living in a hotel when you PCS)
TLQ – Temporary Living Quarters (hotel/housing on base while you receive TLA)
TM – Team Movement
TMO – Transportation Movement Office (your movers)
TWE – Thin White Envelope
UAV – Predator
UCMJ – Uniform Code of Military justice
UNT – Undergraduate Navigator Training
UPT – Undergraduate Pilot Training
USA – United States Army
USAF – United States Air Force
USAFA – United States Air Force Academy
USAFASS – United States Air Force Academy Summer Seminar
USAFE – USAF Europe
USCG – United States Coast Guard
USCGA – United States Coast Guard Academy
USMA – United States Military Academy
USMAPS – United States Military Academy Preparatory School
USMC – United States Marine Corps
USMMA – United States Merchant Marine Academy
USN – United States Navy
USNA – United States Naval Academy
VMI – Virginia Military institute
VWIL – Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College
Wardroom – Officers Mess or Cafeteria
WCS – Whole Candidate Score
WIC – Weapons Instructor Course - Nellis for AF
WING KING – Commander of the Wing
WO – Warrant Officer
WSO – Weapon System Officer
XO – Executive Officer
Yearling – A Sophomore (at USMA)
Youngster – A Sophomore (at USNA)
YP – Yard Patrol Craft, a small USNA training ship
Yuk – sophomore (At USMA)
Zero Deck – Basement
Thanks to all who contributed to the original thread.