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Navy Terms and Acronyms

AAFES

Army and Air Force Exchange Services

Aboard

on or in a ship. Close aboard; near a ship.

AC

Active Component

ADAPT

Active Duty Assistance Program Team

ADSW

Active Duty for Special Work

ADT

Active Duty for Training

Advance Pay

an advance on your base pay for a move. This must be repaid.

Aft

toward the stern; opposite of forward.

Airdale

slang, a naval aviator.

Allotment

assignment of part of military pay directly to a person or bank.

Alongside

beside a pier, wharf, or ship.

Anchor

the hook used at the end of a chain and dropped to the sea bottom to hold a ship in one particular place. The smallest Navy anchors can be lifted by one person; anchors used by an aircraft carrier can each weigh up to 30 tons.

Anchorage

a suitable place for a ship to anchor. A designated area of a port or harbor.

Anchors Aweigh

said of the anchor when just clear of the bottom.

AOC

Aviation Officer Candidate

APO

Army and Air Force Post Office

ARC

American Red Cross

ASAP

As soon as possible

AT

Annual Training

AWOL

Absent without leave

Aye-Aye

a term used to acknowledge receipt of a command or order from a senior. It means “I have heard the order; I understand it; I will carry it out.”

BAH

Basic Allowance for Housing

Barnacle

a small marine animal that attaches itself to hulls and pilings.

BAS

Basic Allowance for Subsistence

Belay

to cancel an order; stop; firmly secure a line.

BEQ

Bachelor Enlisted Quarters

Berth

space assigned ship for anchoring or mooring.

Berthing

where Sailors sleep onboard ship.

Billet

an allotted sleeping space; an individual’s position in the ship’s organization.

Black Shoe

an officer who is not an aviator; the latter is a brown shoe. Usually only used by Surface Warfare Officers.

Bluejacket

Navy enlisted member below the grade of CPO.

Boatswain

pronounced “bosun,” refers to the mate, warrant officer, or petty officer in charge of boats, rigging, and ground tackle aboard a ship.

Bow

the most forward part of a ship.

Bravo Zulu (BZ!)

Good job!

Bridge

platform or area from which ship is steered, navigated, and conned; usually located in the forward part of a ship.

Brig

Sailor’s universal term for jail.

Brow

large gangplank leading from a ship to a pier, wharf, or float; usually equipped with handrails.

Bulkhead

one of the upright, crosswise partitions dividing a ship into compartments.

BUMED

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

BUPERS

Bureau of Naval Personnel

CACO

Casualty Assistance Calls Officer

CACP

Casualty Assistance Calls Program

Captain

rank, or commanding officer of a ship or squadron.

Carry On

to proceed with any duty.

Catapult

a shipboard mechanism for launching aircraft.

CDC

Child Development Center

Chain of Command

the military’s management concept.

Chaplain

the military men and women of the cloth who nurture the spiritual well-being of service members.

CHINFO

Chief of Information

CIAC

Command Individual Augmentee Coordinator

Classified Matter

information or material of aid to a possible enemy, if improperly divulged. There are currently three categories: Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential.

CMC

Command Master Chief

CMDCM

Command Master Chief

CNAFR

Commander Naval Air Force Reserve

CNIC

Commander, Navy Installations Command

CNO

Chief of Naval Operations

CNP

Chief of Naval Personnel

CNR

Chief of Naval Reserve

CNRFC

Commander Navy Reserve Forces Command

CO

Commanding Officer

COB

Chief of the Boat

COLA

Cost of Living Allowance

Commissary

grocery store on or near a base where service members and families can purchase food, beverages, etc., at prices usually lower than in civilian stores.

Commission

to activate a ship or station; written order giving an officer rank and authority.

Commissioning Ceremonies

ceremonies during which a new ship is placed in service. It is customary to invite friends of officers and others interested to attend the ceremony, along with the sponsor who christened the ship.

Commodore

the title of an officer commanding a squadron or flotilla of submarines, destroyers, or smaller ships.

Compartment

space enclosed by bulkheads, deck, and overhead, same as a room in a building.

COMRATS

Commuted Rations

CONUS

the Continental United States. (48 states and the District of Columbia.) Flying in CONUS determines certain limitations to space-available travel on military aircraft.

CORE

Continuum of Resources and Education

Course

direction steered by a ship or plane.

Court-Martial

military court for the trial of serious offenses. There are three types: summary, special, and general courts-martial.

CPO

Chief Petty Officer

Crow

slang, eagle on petty officer’s rating badge.

Cruise

to sail with no definite destination. More commonly used to describe the round trip.

CST

Command Support Team

Deck

a floor or platform extending from end to end of a ship.

DEERS

Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System

Deploy

a tactical term used for dispersal of troops; also the disposition of ships in battle formations.

Detailer

the person responsible for deciding your Sailor’s next duty station.

DIC

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

Division

in the organization of ship or plane groups, the unit between sections and squadrons; in a shipboard organization, Sailors and officers grouped together for command purposes.

DLA

Dislocation Allowance

DoD

Department of Defense

DoDDS

Department of Defense Dependents Schools

DoDEA

Department of Defense Education Activity

DRT

Deployment Readiness Training

DSN

Defense Switched Network; Department of Defense internal telephone system (formerly Autovon).

DTF

Military Dental Facilities

DTS

Defense Travel System

EAOS

End of Active Obligated Service

ECC

Emergency Coordination Center

EFMP

Exceptional Family Member Program

Embark

to go aboard a ship preparatory to sailing.

Enlisted Evaluation

written report of enlisted service member’s performance of duty, informally referred to as an EVAL.

Ensign

lowest ranking commissioned officer.

ESGR

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

ETA

Estimated time of arrival

ETD

Estimated time of departure

Exchange

department store run by the military.

Executive Officer (XO)

regardless of rank, the officer second in command of a ship, squadron, or shore activity. In the early days, such an officer was the first lieutenant.

Fair Winds and Following Seas

A salutation meant to wish good fortune.

Fantail

the aft end of the main deck.

FAP

Family Advocacy Program

Fathom

in measuring the depth of water, six feet. From Anglo-Saxon faehom. Originally distance spanned by man’s outstretched arms.

FERP

Family Employment Readiness Program

FFSP

Fleet and Family Support Program

Fitness Report

a written report of an officer’s performance of duty, including chief petty officers, informally referred to as a FITREP.

FITREP

Fitness Report

Flag at Half-Mast

this tradition began in times of mourning in old sailing days to indicate that grief was so great it was impossible to keep things shipshape. Half masting of colors is the survival of days when slack appearance characterized mourning on shipboard.

Flag Officer

Rear Admiral, Lower Half; Rear Admiral, Upper Half; Vice Admiral; Admiral, and Fleet Admiral are flag officers.

Flank Speed

certain prescribed speed increase over standard speed; faster than full speed; as fast as a ship can go.

Fleet

from Anglo-Saxon fleet. Organization of ships and aircraft under one commander.

Flight Deck

the deck of the ship on which planes land, takeoff.

FMF

Fleet Marine Force

Forecastle

pronounced “focsul.” In the days of Columbus, ships were fitted with castle-like structures fore and aft. The structures have disappeared, but the term forecastle remains; refers to the upper deck in the forward part of the ship. Abbreviated fo’c’sle.

Forward

toward bow; opposite of aft.

FPCON

Force Protection Condition

FPO

Fleet Post Office

FRG

Family Readiness Group

FRO

Family Readiness Officer

Frogman

slang, member of underwater demolition team or SEALs.

Galley

the kitchen of the ship.

Gangplank

see Brow.

Gangway

opening in bulwarks or rail of the ship to give entrance; order to stand aside and get out of the way.

Geedunk

slang, ice cream soda, malted milk, anything from the soda fountain or Geedunk stand.

General Quarters

battle stations for all hands.

Gouge

the real story behind rumors and stories which may or may not be accurate.

Grunt

slang, a Marine.

GTMO

abbreviation for U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Gung-Ho

slang, eager and aggressive beyond normal requirements.

Hash Mark

slang, service stripe worn on the uniform of enlisted personnel.

Head

place in a ship or onshore station that might otherwise be called a restroom, washroom, or toilet.

Holiday Routine

followed aboard ship on authorized holidays and Sundays.

Honors

ceremonies conducted in honor of a visiting dignitary, usually involving sideboys and, occasionally, a band and honor guard.

IDT

Inactive Duty Training

IDTT

Inactive Duty Training Travel

IRR

Individual Ready Reserve

ISP

Individual Service Plans

JAG

Judge Advocate General (lawyer)

JCS

Joint Chiefs of Staff

JFSAP

Joint Family Support Assistance Program

JNROTC

Junior Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps

Knee-Knockers

A passageway opening through a bulkhead. The lower lip of the opening sits at shin height.

Knock Off

cease what is being done; stop work.

Knot

measure speed for ships and aircraft, as “the destroyer was making 30 knots,” or “the top speed of the plane is 400 knots.”

KVN

Key Volunteer Network

Ladder

in a ship, corresponds to stairs in a building.

LDO

Limited Duty Officer

Leatherneck

term probably applied to U.S. Marines by Sailors because of the leather-lined collar once part of Marine Corps uniforms. The collar, about the same height as that of the present uniform collar, was designed to give a greater military appearance to the uniform; when damp with perspiration, it was highly uncomfortable and caused throat trouble. Abolished by Marine Corps in about 1875.

LES

Leave and Earnings Statement

Line Officer

an officer who may succeed in operational command as opposed to a staff corps officer who normally exercises authority only in a specialty (e.g., hospitals, supply centers, etc.).

Lookout

seaman assigned to watch and report any objects of interest; lookouts are “the eyes of the ship.”

Mast

captain’s mast, or merely mast, derived from the fact that in early sailing days, the usual setting for this type of naval justice was on the weather deck near the ship’s mainmast. Currently, it means a type of hearing with commanding officer presiding, in which any punishment administered is non-judicial in nature and is an alternative to court-martial.

MCAS

Marine Corps Air Station

MCPON

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

MEB

Marine Expeditionary Brigade

MEF

Marine Expeditionary Force

MESP

Military Spouse Employment Partnership

Mess

meal; a place or group of officers and crew who eat together as in “crew is at mess,” “meeting was held in CPO mess,” or “she was the guest of wardroom mess.” Mess comes from Latin mensa, or table.

MEU

Marine Expeditionary Unit

MFIT

Military Families in Transition

Mid-Watch

Watch from 0001-0400 or 0001-0600 based upon the ship’s schedule, usually results in no sleep before or after this watch.

Military Clause

protects you from paying the rest of a rental home’s lease, if you are asked to move due to military orders.

MKC

Military Kids Connect

MOS

Military Occupational Specialty

MSCCN

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network

Muster

to assemble crew; roll call.

MWR

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation

MyCAA

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Program

NAS

Naval Air Station

NAVFAC

Naval Facility

NAVSTA

Naval Station

NCO

Non-commissioned Officer

NECC

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command

NEX

Navy Exchange

NFAAS

Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System

NLSO

Naval Legal Service Office

NMC

Naval Medical Command

NMCB

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion

NMCRS

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

NOK

Next of Kin

NOSC

Navy Operational Support Center

NPS

New Parent Support

NROTC

Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps

NSF

Naval Support Facility

OCNR

Office of the Chief of the Navy Reserve

OCONUS

Outside Continental United States

OCS

Officer Candidate School

Old Man

seaman’s term for the captain of a ship.

OMBUDSMAN

Official liaison between a command and its families

OOD

Officer of the Deck

OPNAV

Office of Chief of Naval Operations

OPSEC

Operational Security

OSD

Office of the Secretary of Defense

OSO

Operational Support Officer

PAO

Public Affairs Officer

Passageway

corridor or hallway on a ship.

PCO

Prospective Commanding Officer

PCS

Permanent Change of Station

PHOP

Psychological Health Outreach Program

Plan of the Day

schedule of day’s routine and events approved by Executive Officer (XO); published daily aboard ship or at shore activity.

POC

Point of Contact

POD

Plan of the Day

POE

Port of Embarkation

Port

left side of the ship looking forward.

POW

Plan of the Week

PSD

Personnel Support Detachment

PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PXO

Prospective Executive Officer

Quarterdeck

part of main (or other) deck reserved for honors and ceremonies and the station of the officer of the deck (OOD) in port.

Quarters

living spaces assigned to personnel aboard ship; government-owned housing assigned to personnel at shore stations; assembly of personnel for drill, inspection, or meeting.

Rank

grade or official standing of commissioned and warrant officers.

RAP

Relocation Assistance Program

RAPIDS

Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System

Rate

grade or official standing of enlisted personnel; identifies pay grade or level of advancement; within each rating, a rate reflects levels of aptitude, training, experience, knowledge, skill, and responsibility.

Rating

job classification with the Navy, such as electronics technician.

RC

Reserve Component

RCC

Reserve Component Command

ROTC

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps

RWW

Returning Warrior Workshop

SADT

Special Active Duty for Training

Sailor

When capitalized “Sailor” is used to demote a Navy service member – from Seaman to Admiral.

SAPR

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

SATO

Scheduled Airlines Ticket Office

SBP

Survivors Benefit Plan

Scuttlebutt

a drinking fountain in the Navy is called scuttlebutt. Scuttlebutt in old days was a cask that had openings in the side, fitted with a spigot; also rumor, from the fact that Sailors used to congregate at the scuttlebutt or cask of water to gossip or report on day’s activities – sometimes true, sometimes not.

SEA

Senior Enlisted Advisor

Sea Bag

large canvas bag for stowing gear and clothing.

Sea Duty (or Sea Tour)

assignment to ship whose primary mission is accomplished while underway/deployed.

SECDEF

Secretary of Defense

SECNAV

Secretary of the Navy

SECO

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities

SEL

Senior Enlisted Leaders

SELRES

Selected Reserve

SGLI

Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance

Shakedown Cruise

cruise of a newly commissioned ship to test machinery and equipment and train crew as a working unit.

Shipmate

anyone who is attached to the same command as a Sailor—ship or not.

Short Timer

one whose enlistment or tour of duty is almost completed.

Sick Bay

ship’s hospital or dispensary.

Sideboys

impeccably-uniformed Sailors who participate in honors ceremonies on the quarterdeck.

SITREP

Situation Report

Skipper

from Dutch schipper, meaning captain.

SMCR

Selected Marine Corps Reserve

SOCNAV

Servicemember’s Opportunity Colleges

SOPA

Senior Officer Present Afloat

SPACE A

Space Available

Spouse

wife or husband.

Starboard

right side of the ship looking forward.

Stern

aft part of a ship.

Stow

to put gear in its proper place.

Swab

rope or yarn mop; also an unflattering term for a Sailor.

TAD

Temporary Additional Duty

TAMP

Transition Assistance Management Program

TBD

To be determined

TDP

Tricare Dental Plan

TDY

Temporary Duty

TLA

Temporary Lodging Allowance

TNR

The Navy Reservist

TO

Transportation Office

Topside

from Pidgin English, meaning upper level, or above decks.

Tricare

Health Care Program for the Uniformed Services

TSP

Thrift Savings Plan

Turn To

an order to begin work.

UA

Unauthorized Absence

UCMJ

Uniformed Code of Military Justice

USERRA

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994

USO

United Service Organizations

VA

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

WAAN

Wide Area Alert Network

Wardroom

a compartment aboard a ship near officers’ stateroom used as officers’ mess room.

Watch

watch standing concerns the positioning of qualified personnel, in various time increments, to operate a ship or other naval asset continuously around the clock.’

WO

Warrant Officer

XO

Executive Officer

YRRP

Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program

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