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List of U.S. Navy acronyms

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The United States Navy, like any organization, produces its own acronyms and abbreviations, which often come to have meaning beyond their bare expansions. United States Navy personnel sometimes colloquially refer to these as NAVSpeak. Like other organizational colloquialisms, their use often creates or reinforces a sense of esprit and closeness within the organization.

Official acronyms

For a comprehensive list of unit organizations in the United States Navy, see List of units of the United States Navy.

  • 1MC - 1 Main Circuit, shipboard public address system
  • 3M - Maintenance and Material Management (3M System)
  • 3MC - Maintenance Material Management Coordinator
  • 5MC - 5 Main Circuit, Carrier Flight Deck address system

A

  • A-STRIKE - Assistant STRIKE Operations Officer (Carrier Scheduler/Planner)
  • AA - Airman Apprentice[1]
  • AAW - Anti-Air warfare
  • AB - Aviation Boatswain's Mate[1]
  • ABE - Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Launching and Recovery)[1]
  • ABF - Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels)[1]
  • ABH - Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handling)[1]
  • AC - Air Traffic Controlman[1]
  • ACR - Armored cruiser
  • AD - Aviation Machinist's Mate[1]
  • ADNS - Automated Digital Network System
  • ADSW - Active Duty Special Work (U.S. Navy Reserve, type of active duty orders, typically 6 months in duration)
  • ADT - Active Duty Training (U.S. Navy Reserve, type of active duty orders, typically more than 30 days but less than 6 months)
  • AE - Aviation Electrician's Mate[1]
  • AF - Aviation Photographer's Mate[1]
  • AFC - Aviation Fire Control[1]
  • AFCM - Master Chief Aircraft Maintenanceman[1]
  • AFFF - Aqueous film forming foam
  • AFSB - Afloat Forward Staging Base [2]
  • AG - Aerographer's Mate[1]
  • AIMD - Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (or Detachment)
  • Airedale - Aviation Sailor
  • AK - Aviation Storekeeper[1] (outdated; merged into LS rating)
  • ALNAV - All Navy
  • ALPO - Assistant Lead Petty Officer
  • AM - Aviation Structural Mechanic[1]
  • AME - Aviation Structural Mechanic - Environmental (Air Conditioning, Oxygen, and Ejection Seats), Aviation Mechanical Exception
  • AMH - Aviation Structural Mechanic - Hydraulics
  • AMMRL - Aviation Maintenance Material Readiness List
  • AMO - Assistant Maintenance Officer
  • AMS - Aviation Structural Mechanic - Structures
  • AN - Airman[1]
  • AO - Aviation Ordnanceman[1]
  • AOE - Fast Combat Support-Supply ship, operated by Military Sealift Command (US Merchant Marines)
  • AOW - Auxilliaryman of the Watch
  • AR - Airman Recruit[1]
  • ARRS - Afloat Readiness Reporting System
  • AS - Aviation Support Equipment Technician
  • ASAU - Air Search and Attack Unit
  • ASUW - Anti-surface warfare
  • ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
  • ASW - Auxiliary SeaWater system
  • ASW - Anti-submarine warfare
  • ASWO - Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer
  • AT - Annual Training (U.S. Navy Reserve, type of active duty orders, typically less than 30 days)
  • AT - Aviation Electronics Technician[1]
  • AUTEC - Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center
  • AUXO - Auxiliaries Officer
  • AVCM - Master Chief Avionics Technician
  • AVGAS - AViation Gasoline
  • AWCS - Assistant Work Center Supervisor
  • AZ - Aviation Maintenance Administrationman[3]

B

  • B/N - Bombardier/Navigator; NFO in A-3B Skywarrior, A-5A Vigilante and A-6 Intruder attack aircraft (no longer used)
  • BAM - Bad Ass Marine ("Broad Ass Marine" if used in reference to a female)
  • BB - Battleship
  • BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (also colloquially known as "Big Chicken Dinner")
  • BCGs - Birth Control Glasses
  • BCM - Beyond Capable Maintenance. Equipment status that indicates the item cannot be repaired and must be sent out for rework or disposed.
  • Bird Farm - Aircraft Carrier
  • BJOQ - Blue Jacket of the Quarter
  • BJOY - Blue Jacket of the Year
  • Black shoe - Refers to surface Navy personnel. AKA "shoe". Sometimes used in a derogatory manner among aviation Navy personnel. "Did you see what he did? Yea, he's just a f'in shoe."
  • BM - Boatswain's Mate[1]
  • BMOW - Boatswain's Mate of the Watch
  • BOHICA - Bend Over Here It Comes Again
  • BOL - Bupers Online[4]
  • Boot - Lowest human in Naval Service, rookie, inexperienced
  • Brown shoe - Refers to Aviation officers and Chief Petty Officers who wear brown shoes with khaki uniforms whereas surface Navy officers and CPOs wear black shoes.
  • BT - Boiler Technician
  • BU - Builder[1]
  • Bug Juice - Kool-Aid as typic
  • Bull Ensign - Senior ranking Ensign, usually at the ship or aviation squadron level, in a given Fleet or Shore Establishment command
  • BUMED - Bureau of Medicine and Surgery[5]
  • BUPERS - Bureau of Naval Personnel[6]
  • BuSandA - Bureau of Supplies and Accounts
  • BuWeps - Bureau of Naval Weapons
  • BZ - Bravo Zulu (meaning Well Done)

C

  • CA - Construction Apprentice[1]
  • CA - Heavy Cruiser (outdated)
  • CAG - Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser (outdated) or Commander Air Group
  • CAPT - Captain
  • CDB - Career Development Board
  • CDO - Command Duty Officer
  • CDR - Commander
  • CE - Construction Electrician's Mate[1]
  • CEC - Civil Engineer Corps
  • CEC- Cooperative Engagement Capability
  • CENTCOM - U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)
  • CF - Charlie Foxtrot Polite form of "Cluster Fuck"
  • CG: Guided Missile Cruiser
  • CGN: Guided Missile Cruiser, Nuclear Powered (outdated)
  • CHENG: Chief Engineer (Surface only)
  • CIC - Combat Information Center
  • CICO - Combat Information Center Officer
  • CIS - CASREP Information System
  • CIVLANT - "Civilian Life" as defined by Atlantic Fleet personnel
  • CIVPAC - "Civilian Life" as defined by Pacific Fleet personnel
  • CIWS - Close-In Weapon System
  • CM - Construction Mechanic [1]
  • CMC - Command Master Chief
  • CMC - Command Master Chief [3]
  • CMDCM - Command Master Chief
  • CMDCS - Command Senior Chief
  • CMS-ID - Career Management System-Interactive Detailing
  • CN - Constructionman [1]
  • CNATRA - Chief of Naval Air Training
  • CNAVRES - Chief of Navy Reserve
  • CNET - Command Naval Education and Training
  • CNO - Chief of Naval Operations
  • CO - Commanding Officer[NB 1]
  • COB - Chief Of the Boat (traditionally found only on submarines; pronounced "cob"). Can also be used for "close of business" (pronounced "C-O-B").
  • COD - Carrier Onboard Delivery
  • COMCVW - Commander, Carrier Air Wing
  • COMDESGRU - COMmander, DEStroyer GRoUp
  • COMDESRON - COMmander, DEStroyer squadRON
  • COMEX - Commence Exercise
  • COMLANTFLT - COMmander, u.s. atLANTic FLeeT (see CINCLANTFLT)
  • COMMO - COMMunications Officer
  • COMNAVAIRES - COMmander, NAVal AIR force, REServe
  • COMNAVAIRFOR - COMmander, NAVal AIR FORces
  • COMNAVAIRLANT - COMmander, NAVal AIR force, atLANTic
  • COMNAVAIRPAC - COMmander, NAVal AIR force, PACific
  • COMNAVRESFOR - COMmander, NAVy REServe FORces
  • COMNAVSEASYSCOM - COMmander, NAVal SEA SYStems COMmand
  • COMNAVSECGRU - COMmander, NAVal SECurity GRoUp
  • COMPACFLT - COMmander, PACific FLeeT (formerly CINCPACFLT)
  • COMPATRECONGRU - Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group
  • COMPATRECONWING - Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing
  • COMPTUEX - COMPosite Training Unit EXercise
  • COMSEC - COMmunications SECurity
  • COMSUBFOR - COMmander, SUBmarine FORce
  • COMSUBLANT - COMmander, SUBmarine force AtLANTtic
  • COMTACGRU - Commander, Tactical Air Control Group
  • COMTRAWING - Commander, Training Air Wing
  • CORTRAMID - Career Orientation and Training for Midshipmen
  • COS (also CoS) - Flag Officer's Chief of Staff
  • CPO - Chief Petty Officer
  • CPOM - Chief Petty Officer's Mess
  • CR - Construction Recruit[1]
  • CRG - Coastal Riverine Group
  • CS - Culinary Specialist[1]
  • CSADD - Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions
  • CSC - Combat Systems Coordinator
  • CSC - Command Senior Chief
  • CSC - Culinary Specialist Chief (E-7)
  • CSEC - Computerized Self Evaluation Checklist
  • CSMC - Combat Systems Maintenance Center
  • CSOOW - Combat Systems Officer of the Watch
  • CSOSS - Combat Systems Operational Sequencing Systems
  • CT - Cryptologic Technician
  • CTI - Cryptologic Technician Interpretive
  • CTM - Cryptologic Technician Maintenance
  • CTN - Cryptologic Technician Networks
  • CTR - Cryptologic Technician Collection
  • CTT - Cryptologic Technician Technical
  • CVN - Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear),[7] i.e. CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln
  • CVW - Carrier Air Wing
  • CWO - Chief Warrant Officer
  • Carrier (Lighter-than-air) (No longer in use)

D

  • DAPA - Drug and Alcohol Programs Advisor
  • DC - Damage Controlman[1]
  • DCA - Damage Control Assistant
  • DCAG - Deputy Air Wing Commander (see CAG)
  • DCC - Damage Control Central
  • DCO - Damage Control Officer (Chief Engineer)or Direct Commission Officer
  • DCPO - Damage Control Petty Officer
  • DD - Destroyer
  • DDG - Guided Missile Destroyer
  • DDR - Radar Picket Destroyer
  • DE - Destroyer Escort
  • DESDIV - DEStroyer DIVision
  • DESRON - DEStroyer squadRON
  • DEVGRU - Naval Special Warfare DEVelopment GRoUp, formerly (and informally still) SEAL Team SIX
  • DFM - Diesel Fuel Marine (F-76), standard Navy bunker fuel
  • DIRNSA - DIRector of the National Security Agency
  • DL - Destroyer Leader (outdated)
  • DLG - Guided Missile Destroyer Leader (outdated)
  • DLGN - Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Destroyer Leader (outdated)
  • DM - Destroyer Minelayer (outdated)
  • DM - Illustrator Draftsman
  • DMHRSi - Defense Medical Human Resources System - internet
  • DoD - Department Of Defense
  • DON - Department Of the Navy
  • DRB - Discipline Review Board
  • DRRS-N - Defense Readiness Reporting System - Navy
  • DSG - Defense Strategic Guidance [2]

E

  • EAOS - End of Active Obligated Service
  • EAWS - Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist
  • ECRC - Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center
  • EDMC - Engineering Department Master Chief (Submarines)
  • EDO - Engineering Duty Officer
  • EEBD - Emergency Escape Breathing Device
  • EIDWS - Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialist
  • EM - Electrician's Mate[1]
  • EM - Emergency Management
  • EMCON - Emissions Control
  • EMI - Extra Military Instruction
  • EMO - Electronics Materiel Officer
  • EN - Engineman[1]
  • ENS - Ensign
  • EO - Equipment Operator[1]
  • EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • EOOW - Engineering Officer of the Watch
  • EOS - Enclosed Operating Space
  • EOSS - Engineering Operational Sequencing Systems
  • ERS - Engineroom Supervisor
  • ESWS - Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist
  • ET - Electronics Technician[1]
  • EW - Electronic Warfare
  • EWS - Engineering Watch Supervisor
  • EXW - Expeditionary Warfare

F

  • F/MC - Fleet (or Force) Master Chief
  • FA - Fireman Apprentice[1]
  • FAC - Forward Air Controller
  • FAC/A - Forward Air Controller/Airborne
  • FC - Fire Controlman[1]
  • FCDSSA - Fleet Combat Direction Systems Support Activity
  • FCF - Functional Check Flight
  • FCPCP - Fleet Computer Programming Center of the Pacific
  • FCPOM - First Class Petty Officer's Mess
  • FDO - Flight Deck Officer
  • FICEURLANT - Fleet Intelligence Center Europe & Atlantic
  • FIS - Fire Inhibit Switch
  • Flag Officer - Commissioned officer in the rank of Rear Admiral (Lower Half and Upper Half), Vice Admiral, Admiral or Fleet Admiral
  • Flat Top - Aircraft Carrier
  • FMF - Fleet Marine Force
  • FMSS - Field Medical Service School
  • FN - Fireman[1]
  • FOD - Foreign Object Damage (Debris and Detection also used in some cases)
  • FR - Fireman Recruit[1]
  • FRC - Fleet Readiness Center
  • FRS - Fleet Replacement Squadron (Formerly RAG)
  • FSA - Food Service Attendant
  • FSO - Food Service Officer
  • FTN - Forget the Navy (Polite Form)
  • FTN - Full-time Navy (Humorous Form)
  • FTS - Full-time Support (full time active duty personnel in U.S. Navy Reserve)

G

H

  • HA - Hospital Apprentice[1]
  • HEDSUPPACTLANT - Headquarters, Support Activity Atlantic
  • HELO - Helicopter
  • Hinge - LCDR
  • HM - Hospital Corpsman[1]
  • HMFIC - Head Mother Fucker In Charge (See SOPA Below)
  • HN - Hospitalman[1]
  • Hoover - S-3A and S-3B Viking
  • HR - Hospital Recruit[1]
  • HS - Helicopter Squadron (HS-4 Black Knights)
  • HT - Hull Maintenance Technician[1]
  • Hummer - E-2C and E-2D Hawkeye

I

  • IAMM - Individual Augmentation Manpower Management
  • IAP - In Assignment Processing
  • IAW - "in accordance with"
  • IC - Interior Communications Electrician[1]
  • ICO - "in case of" "in care of"
  • IHO - Industrial Hygiene Officer
  • IMF - Intermediate Maintenance Facility
  • IMRL - Individual Material Readiness List
  • IP - Irish Pennant - A loose thread of a Naval or Marine uniform.
  • IRT - "in reference to..."
  • IT - Information System Technician
  • ITS - Information Technology Submarines

J

K

L

M

  • MAA - Master At Arms
  • MALS - Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron
  • MC - Mass Communication Specialist
  • MCO - Material Control Officer
  • MCPO - Master Chief Petty Officer
  • MCPON (pronounced "Mick Pon") - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
  • Metalsmith - AMS
  • MIDN - Midshipman
  • MIDRATS - MIDnight RATions
  • MM - Machinist's Mate[1]
  • MMCO - Maintenance/Material Control Officer
  • MMCPO - Maintenance Master Chief Petty Officer
  • MO - (pronounced "Moe") Maintenance Officer
  • MOA - Memorandum of Agreement
  • MOU - Memorandum of Understanding
  • MPA - Main Propulsion Assistant
  • MPA - Military Patrol Craft (P-3 Orion, etc.)
  • MRDB - Material Readiness Database
  • MSG - Message
  • MSW - Main Seawater System
  • MT - Missile Technician
  • MTS - Master Training Specialist
  • MU - Musician

N

O

P

  • PACOM - Pacific Command
  • PAPERCLIP - People Against People Ever Reenlisting Civilian Life is Preferred
  • PAX - Passengers[11]
  • PCO - Prospective Commanding Officer
  • PCS - Permanent Change of Station
  • PDHA - Post-Deployment Health Assessment
  • PDHRA - Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment
  • PFA - Physical Fitness Assessment
  • PHA - Physical Health Assessment
  • PHRA - Physical Health Re-Assessment
  • PIR - Pass In Review
  • Plane Captain - Naval Aviation Crew Chief
  • PO(3/2/1) - Petty Officer (Third/Second/First Class)
  • POC - Point Of Contact
  • POD - Plan of the Day
  • POM - Plan of the Month
  • POOW - Petty Officer of the Watch
  • POTUS - President of the United States
  • POW - Plan of the Week
  • POW - Prisoner of War
  • PRD - Projected Rotation Date
  • PRIFLY - PRImary FLight Control (Aircraft carriers)
  • PRT - Physical Readiness Test
  • PSNS and IMF - Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility
  • PT - Physical Training
  • PTS - Perform to Serve
  • PWD - Public Works Department
  • PXO - Proespective Executive Officer

Q

  • QAWTD/QAWTH - Quick Acting Water Tight Door/Quick Acting Water Tight Hatch
  • QM - Quartermaster[1]
  • QMOW - Quartermaster of the Watch

R

S

T

  • TACK - Meaning dash or hyphen.
  • TAD - Temporary Additional Duty
  • TADCEN - Training and Distribution Center
  • TAO - Tactical Action Officer (Fights the ship under the supervision of the Captain)
  • TAR - Training and Administration of the Reserve (U.S. Navy Reserve, former designation for FTS personnel)
  • TE - Task Element
  • TF - Task Force
  • TFO - Temporary Flight Orders. Non-aircrew personnel that have passed the minimum requirements to act as part of the aircrew for some purpose, e.g. secondary door gunner.
  • TFOA - Things Falling Off Aircraft
  • TG - Task Group
  • TILLIE - Large mobile crane on Flight Deck to pick up and move disabled aircraft. Came from original crane designation: T1-E
  • TM - Torpedoman's Mate[1]
  • TOPGUN - United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
  • TSP - Troubled Systems Process
  • TU - Task Unit

U

V

  • VA/VAM - Fixed Wing Attack/Fixed Wing Medium Attack (no longer used)
  • VAQ - Fixed Wing Electronic-Attack Squadron
  • VAW - Fixed Wing Airborne Early Warning Squadron
  • VBSS - Visit, board, search, and seizure
  • VCNO - Vice Chief of Naval Operations
  • VDS - variable depth sonar [2]
  • VERTREP - Vertical replenishment
  • VF - Fixed Wing Fighter (no longer used)
  • VFA - Fixed Wing Strike Fighter Squadron
  • VP - Fixed Wing Patrol Squadron
  • VRC - Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC-30 Providers)
  • VTU - Volunteer Training Unit
  • VX - Air Test & Evaluation Squadron (VX-4 Evaluators)

W

  • WAVES Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service
  • WCS Workcenter Supervisor
  • WO Warrant Officer
  • WSO (Wizzo) - Weapon Systems Officer (Naval Flight Officer) in USMC F/A-18D Hornet and USN F/A-18F Super Hornet)
  • WTC Watertight Compartment
  • WTD Watertight Door
  • WTF Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, usually an interrogative phrase, but may also be used in a declarative manner
  • WTH Water Tight Hatch

X

Y

  • Yellow Gear - Aviation Support Equipment
  • Yellow Sheet - Document to sign custody of Naval Aircraft for flight
  • YN - Yeoman[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b not confined to USN use

NNPTU :Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit. NUKE: Navy sailor trained in Nuclear power.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax "Abbreviations Used for Navy Enlisted Ratings". Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved 2013-03-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e CNO's 2016-2020 Navigation Plan
  3. ^ a b http://bluejacket.com/usn_ratings.html#rate
  4. ^ https://www.bol.navy.mil
  5. ^ http://www.med.navy.mil/bumed/Pages/default.aspx
  6. ^ http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/Pages/default.aspx
  7. ^ http://www.abbreviations.com/b1.aspx?KEY=69376
  8. ^ http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/09/0918.htm
  9. ^ http://www.npc.navy.mil
  10. ^ PAULHAMILONINST 3120.1
  11. ^ http://www.militaryacronyms.net/
Look up Appendix:U.S. Navy slang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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