Abbreviations
Full Terms:
Active Duty: Abbreviated AD. Full-time duty in any branch of the armed forces except National Guard reserves.
Admiral's Mast: When an Admiral considers imposing a NJP on an officer that has committed a non-court-martialable offense. The accused has a right to being notified of their offense and evidence supporting the offense. Also, they may attend a hearing held by the commanding officer, have a spokesperson, present counter-evidence, and request witnesses be brought forth. After the hearing the commanding officer may then sentence the accused to NJP or acquit the accused.
Aircraft Handling Officer: Abbreviated AHO. An AHO is in charge of spotting and moving airplanes on the flight deck.
Air Intelligence Officer: Abbreviated AIO. In charge of compiling intelligence report in order to give reports to pilots during briefing.
Article 32: A preliminary trial that determines whether a case will proceed to court martial. The right to an Article 32 hearing may be waived by the defendant. The hearing officer may recommend a general court-martial, a special court-martial, Non-Judicial Punishment, or that the case be dismissed. The defendant has the right to a lawyer.
Bermuda Triangle: A triangular area near Puerto Rico and Florida where numerous planes and ships have reportedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Captain's Mast: When an Captain considers imposing a NJP on an officer that has committed a non-court-martialable offense. The accused has a right to being notified of their offense and evidence supporting the offense. Also, they may attend a hearing held by the commanding officer, have a spokesperson, present counter-evidence, and request witnesses be brought forth. After the hearing the commanding officer may then sentence the accused to NJP or acquit the accused.
Captain's Review Board: A group of senior Naval officers assigned to choose what Commanders have the qualifications for a promotion to Captain.
Carrier Air Traffic Control Center: Abbreviated CATCC(pronounced cat-see). In charge of all air traffic landing, taking off, etc. on an aircraft carrier.
Chief of Naval Operations: Abbreviated CNO. The top operational Navy post.
Combat Air Patrol: Abbreviated CAP. An air mission designed to protect important air or surface assets.
Commander in Chief.: Abbreviated CINC. Usually refers to the President, but the Commander of the Pacific Fleet(CINCPAC), the Commander of the Atlantic Fleet(CINCANT), and others use modified versions of CINC.
Commander of an Air Group: Abbreviated CAG. The commanding officer of a carrier's air group. An outdated term, but still used instead of CAW
Commander of an Air Wing: Abbreviated CAW. The meaning is identical to CAG and is currently the official term.
Commanding Officer: Abbreviated CO. The officer in command of any given squadron, unit, ship, or other military group.
Crossing-the-line: An almost ritualistic ceremony performed by a ship's crew when they sail across the equator. Someone pretending to be "King Neptune"(usually the most senior member of those who have already crossed the line, called shell-backs) summons those who haven't crossed the line to him, but, before they can go, they have to do often disgusting things like eating garbage.
Court(s)-Martial: The are three types of court-martials: General, Special, and Summary.
This court can try anyone who has committed a UCMJ offense. Cases are heard by either a military judge only or a military judge and at least 5 military members of a jury including at least 1/3s of them being enlisted. The court can award any legal sentence, up to, and including, death.
Special Court Martial
This court can try anyone accused of a non-capital UCMJ offense. Cases are hear by either a military judge only or a military judge and at least 3 military members of a jury with at least 1/3 of them being enlisted. The maximum sentence is 6 months in jail, forfeiture of 2/3 pay and allowances, reduction in rank or grade to the lowest pay level, and a bad conduct discharge. The defendent has a right to a lawyer.This court is composed any commissioned officer above the rank/grade of Lieutenant in the Navy or Coast Guard or the rank/grade of Captain in the Army, Air Force, or Marines. The officer investigates both sides of the matter brought before him and can give a maximum punishment of 30 days confinement, forfeiture of 2/3 pay and allowances for 1 month, and reduction to the lowest pay grade. The accused has no right to a lawyer or other council.
Distinguished Flying Cross: Abbreviated DFC. A decoration for heroism or extraordinary achievement during an aerial mission.
Dropmaster: A member of the military who is qualified to prepare, perform acceptance inspections, load, lash, and eject materials for an airdrop. Also, it can be used for a crew member who relays information between the pilot and jumpmaster during parachute operations.
Executive Officer: Abbreviated XO. The second-in-command of a ship, squad, unit, etc.
Forward Air Controller: Abbreviated FAC. Directs air strikes against ground targets.
Fraternization: The charge of forbidden business or personal relationships between an officer and an enlisted person. This includes loans, business partnerships, sexual relationships, living together, and dating. Depending on the branch of service, it can also include gambling, relationships with civilian employees of the military, relationships that cause disregard or disrespect of rank, or relationships that cause favoritism.
Greenie Board: A board used by naval aviators to record the number of traps pilots have made. Being the "King of the Greenie Board"(having the most traps) is a sought-after position.
Heads Up Display: Abbreviated HUD. Uses a plate of glass to project critical information to the pilot.
Interpol: A kind of international police. Interpol was founded to help with the tracking and arrest of criminals who operate in multiple countries, as well as assisting in anti-terrorist and other crime-prevention activities.
Jamming: Mechanical or electronic information that can disrupt radar.
Jock: A commonly used term for a fighter pilot.
Joint Chiefs of Staff: Abbreviated JCS. The highest ranking officers in the military. They advise the President and the SecDef
Judge Advocate General: Called JAG, which can also refer to Judge Advocate General's Corps. The Judge Advocate General is in charge of all military lawyers.
Judge Advocate General's Corps: Sometimes called JAG, the Judge Advocate General's Corps consists of the military lawyers.
Mach: The ratio of airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 when an aircraft travels at the speed of sound.
Martin Baker Fan Club: Martin Baker is the manufacturer of ejection seats. To "join the Martin Baker Fan Club" is to be forced to eject from a plane.
Medal of Honor: Established in 1782, the Medal of Honor recognizes "any singularly meriorious action" by a single individual. Orginally called Badge of Military Merit, it virtually disappeared from the Revolutionary War until the Civil War, although it never really became popular until 1932.
Missing in Action: MIA. When a member of military disappears during combat, they are given this designation. It allows for the possibility that they were captured, lost their memory, deserted, or were killed and their body not found.
Naval Air Station: Abbreviated NAS. Airfield and military installation operated by the Navy.
Non-Commissioned Officer: Abbreviated NCO. Term for enlisted men who have achieved a high level of rank. To see what ranks qualify, just click here
Non-Judicial Punishment: Punishment determined by an Admiral or Captain after an Admiral's Mast or a Captain's Mast. Punishment is restricted to forfeiture of pay for up to a month's pay over a two month period, restriction to base or ship for up to 60 days, restriction to quarters for up to 30 days, as well as a reprimand.
No Radio: Abbreviated NORDO. Refers aircraft who don't have or have lost the ability to communicate by radio.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Abbreviated NATO. Designed as a preventionary alliance against the Communists, NATO is a civil and military organization that works to protect some Western countries. Originally comprised of only North Atlantic countries, it has since expanded. It was extremely valuable during the "Cold War," but its usefulness has been debated in recent times.
Officer's Candidate School: Abbreviated OCS. Refers to either a way for enlisted soldiers to become officers or to the way for a member of the enlisted ranks or the commissioned ranks to acquire a speciality. For example, a speciality might be field artillery, aviation, or other such things.
Officer In Command: Abbreviated OIC. Refers to any officer in command of a shift, operation, task, etc.
Officers Club: Abbreviated O-Club. A recreational facility for officers and their families.
Perjury: Lying while under an oath to tell the truth.
Position of Intended Movement: Abbreviated PIM. The projected position of an aircraft carrier that pilots are told, at the briefing, to head for after their mission.
Prohibited Area: An area where flight is prohibited.
Punch Out: To eject from a plane or other aircraft.
Purple Heart: An award to a member of the military who has been wounded in the line of duty.
Radio Detecting and Ranging: Usually abbreviated Radar. Using high-frequency radio pulses, radar detects distant objects and can determine their position, velocity, and some other characteristics like size.
Radar Intercept Officer: Abbreviated RIO. Naval officer in charge of the operation of the weapons and radar systems on a F-14 or other similar plane.
Recovery: Also called a trap. An airplane landing onto an aircraft carrier.
Replacement Air Group: Abbreviated RAG. Groups of training squadrons who train newbies or rotate aircrew.
Rules of Engagement: Abbreviated ROE. The guidelines of when the military is allowed to open or return fire.
SEAL: Sea, Air, Land. The Naval special forces, trained for all conditions, thus the name.
Situational Awareness: Abbreviated SA. Being aware of what is happening around one to help one make a correct decision.
Secretary of Defense: Abbreviated SecDef. The member of the President's cabinet, formerly called the Secretary of War, in charge of defensive and offensive military matters.
Secretary of the Navy: Abbreviated SecNav. The member of the President's cabinet in charge of Naval matters.
Six: The six o'clock position of an airplane, behind the airplane's tail.
Temporary Duty Assignment: Abbreviated TDA. A short-term break from one's normal duty assignment in order to perform another duty.
Trap: Also called a Recovery. The landing of an aircraft on an aircraft carrier.
Uniform Code of Military Justice: UCMJ. The rules and regulations about what can and cannot be prosecuted. Includes instructions for how trials are to conducted, etc.
Vector: The compass heading of an aircraft, group of people, etc.
Wave-Off: When a LSO orders a pilot to abort a landing.
Wing: A group of several squadrons with about 25 planes per squadron.
Wings: Refers to the gold wings an aviator, from any branch of military service, wears. The wings represent the ability to fly. To "gain one's wings" mean one has graduated to the aviator position. To "lose one's wings" means that one has lost permission to fly.
Abbreviations:
Active Duty: Abbreviated AD. Full-time duty in any branch of the armed forces except National Guard reserves.
AHO: Aircraft Handling Officer. An AHO is in charge of spotting and moving airplanes on the flight deck.
AIO: Air Intelligence Officer. In charge of compiling intelligence report in order to give reports to pilots during briefing.
CAG: Commander, Air Group. The commanding officer of a carrier's air group. An outdated term, but still used instead of CAW
CAP: Combat Air Patrol. An air mission designed to protect important air or surface assets.
CATCC: Carrier Air Traffic Control Center. Pronounced cat-see. In charge of all air traffic landing, taking off, etc. on an aircraft carrier.
CAW: Commander, Air Wing. The meaning is identical to CAG and is currently the official term.
CINC: The Commander in Chief. Usually refers to the President, but the Commander of the Pacific Fleet(CINCPAC), the Commander of the Atlantic Fleet(CINCANT), and others use modified versions of CINC.
CNO: Chief of Naval Operations. The top operational Navy post.
CO: Commanding Officer. The officer in command of any given squadron, unit, ship, or other military group.
DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross. A decoration for heroism or extraordinary achievement during an aerial mission.
FAC: Forward Air Controller. Directs air strikes against ground targets.
HUD: Heads Up Display. Uses a plate of glass to project critical information to the pilot.
JAG: Judge Advocate General. Can also refer to Judge Advocate General's Corps. The Judge Advocate General is in charge of all military lawyers. The Judge Advocate General's Corps consists of the military lawyers.
JCS: Joint Chiefs of Staff. The highest ranking officers in the military. They advise the President and the SecDef
LSO: Landing Signal Order. Directs pilots during landing.
MIA: Missing in Action. When a member of military disappears during combat, they are given this designation. It allows for the possibility that they were captured, lost their memory, deserted, or were killed and their body not found.
NAS: Naval Air Station. Airfield and military installation operated by the Navy.
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer. Term for enlisted men who have achieved a high level of rank. To see what ranks qualify, just click here
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Designed as a preventionary alliance against the Communists, NATO is a civil and military organization that works to protect some Western countries. Originally comprised of only North Atlantic countries, it has since expanded. It was extremely valuable during the "Cold War," but its usefulness has been debated in recent times.
NORDO: No Radio. Refers aircraft who don't have or have lost the ability to communicate by radio.
O-Club: Officers Club. A recreational facility for officers and their families.
OIC: Officer In Command. Refers to any officer in command of a shift, operation, task, etc.
OCS: Officer's Candidate School. Refers to either a way for enlisted soldiers to become officers or to the way for a member of the enlisted ranks or the commissioned ranks to acquire a speciality. For example, a speciality might be field artillery, aviation, or other such things.
PIM: Position of Intended Movement. The projected position of an aircraft carrier that pilots are told, at the briefing, to head for after their mission.
Radar: Radio Detecting and Ranging. Using high-frequency radio pulses, radar detects distant objects and can determine their position, velocity, and some other characteristics like size.
RAG: Replacement Air Group. Groups of training squadrons who train newbies or rotate aircrew.
RIO: Radar Intercept Officer. Naval officer in charge of the operation of the weapons and radar systems on a F-14 or other similar plane.
R & R: Rest and Rehabilitation.
ROE: Rules of Engagement. The guidelines of when the military is allowed to open or return fire.
SEAL: Sea, Air, Land. The Naval special forces, trained for all conditions, thus the name.
SecDef: Secretary of Defense. The member of the President's cabinet, formerly called the Secretary of War, in charge of defensive and offensive military matters.
SecNav: Secretary of the Navy. The member of the President's cabinet in charge of Naval matters.
SA: Situational Awareness. Being aware of what is happening around one to help one make a correct decision.
TAD: Temporary Additional Duty. Usually a short-term assignment away from one's usual military assignment.
UCMJ: Uniform Code of Military Justice. The rules and regulations about what can and cannot be prosecuted. Includes instructions for how trials are to conducted, etc.
XO: Executive Officer. The second-in-command of a ship, squad, unit, etc.
If you haven't found the term you're looking for here, please visit the Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms