Acronyms

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
~Confucius

The world of the Navy, and the military in general, is very complicated. It’s even worse when you realize that we have our own sort of language. A language filled with acronyms.  We realize there are too many. In fact, we have an acronym just for that… JAFA or Just Another F&^$ing Acronym.  LOL.

This list also includes terms that are unique to the Navy Reserve (well, at least the Reserves in general)… Huzzy is still struggling with those! These will be designated by an *.

This list will be continually updated. If you have a Navy/General Military Acronym (yes, I realize Army, Air Force, etc have their own, but I’m going to just stick with ones that apply to the Navy) that you think newbies might need to know, please feel free to add it in a comment.

Navy Acronyms You May Need to Know

AA – Authorized Absence

AC - Active Component (active duty)

AD - Active Duty

ADSW* - Active Duty for Special Work

ADT* – Active Duty Training

AOIC - Assistant Officer in Charge

AOR - Area of Responsibility

AT* – Annual Training (those two weeks a year thing)

AT - Anti-Terrorism

BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing

BAS - Basic Allowance for Subsistence (food allowance for enlisted)

BUMED - Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

BUPERS - Bureau of Naval Personnel

BZ - Bravo Zulu (good job, well done)

CAC - Common Access Card (military ID)

CinC – Commander in Chief

CNO - Chief of Naval Operations

CO - Commanding Officer

COB – Completion of Business OR Chief of the Boat

COLA - Cost of Living Allowance

CONUS - Continental United States

CPO - Chief Petty Officer

CSP - Career Sea Pay

DCO* - Direct Commission Officer

DEERS - Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System

DFAS - Defense Finance and Accounting System

DINFOS - Defense Information School

DLA - Dislocation Allowance

DoD - Department of Defense

DoN- Department of the Navy

ESR - Electronic Service Record

FAP - Family Assistance Program

FFSC - Fleet & Family Support Center

FPCON - Force Protection Condition

FSA - Family Separation Allowance

FY - Fiscal Year (October 1 to September 30)

GMT - General Military Training

GOV or GOVVIE – Government Owned Vehicle

HOR - Home of Record

HYT - High Year Tenure

IA - Individual Augmentee

IA - Information Assurance

IDT* – Inactive Duty Training (a drill)

IDTT* – Inactive Duty Training with Travel

IED - Improvised Explosive Device.

IRR* – Individual Ready Reserve

JAFA - Just Another F-ing Acronym

JAG – Judge Advocate General

JTF – Joint Task Force

LCPO - Lead Chief Petty Officer

LDO - Limited Duty Officer

LES - Leave and Earnings Statement

LPO - Lead Petty Officer

LOD - Line of Duty (as in, injury)

MCPON - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

MEPS - Military Entrance Processing Station

MilSpouse – Military Spouse

MOB* - Mobilization

MTF - Military Treatment Facility (hospital)

NAVSTA - Naval Station

NKO - Navy Knowledge Online

NOSC – Navy Operational Support Center (the reserve center)

NSIPS - Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System

OBLISERVE- Obligated Service

OCONUS - Outside the Continental United States

OIC - Officer in Charge

OEF - Operation Enduring Freedom

OIF - Operation Iraqi Freedom

ORDMOD - Orders Modification

PAO - Public Affairs Officer

PCM - Primary Care Manager (your doctor)

PCS – Permanent Change of Station (or move)

PFA/PRT – Physical Fitness Assessment/Physical Readiness Test

POA - Power of Attorney

POD - Plan of the Day

POM – Plan of the Month

POV – Privately Owned Vehicle (your personal car)

PSD - Personnel Support Activity Detachment

RC - Reserve Component (reservists)

RUIC* - Reserve Unit Identification Code

SECNAV – Secretary of the Navy

SELRES* – Selected Reservist

SGLI - Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance

SRB - Selective Re-enlistment Bonus

TDY – Temporary Duty

TLE - Temporary Lodging Expense

TLF - Temporary Lodging Facility

TNPQ – Temporarily Not Physically Qualified (injured and unable to do full duty)

TSP – Thrift Savings Plan (retirement plan)

UA - Unauthorized Absence

UCMJ - Uniformed Code of Military Justice

UIC - Unit Identification Code

XO - Executive Officer

*Reserve terms