Military Acronyms, WTF!

SGT Thomas Sullivan — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 09:48:31 -0400

What are some of the longest and most ridiculous acronyms you know of in the military?

Here are two that I know of.

DECS, which is short for:
DSCS ECCM Control Subsystem, which is short for:
Defense Satellite Communications System Electronic Counter-Counter Measure Control Sub System.
Seriously, some of the acronyms in SATCOM are killer.

And now for the NAVY:
Adcomsubordcomphibspac Which is short (seriously?) for:
Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet Subordinate Command.

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made Feb 2 at 2014 3:16 PM

LT Jessica Kellogg — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 15:16:12 -0500

And then of course, you have the acronyms withing an acronym.... Or the ones that use a mix of letters and words...

Standardization would be nice, but I think so many of them are unique to the individual branches that it would be impractical.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Feb 2 at 2014 8:34 PM

CPO Jon Campbell — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:34:39 -0500

"Fluency in one jargon does not mean proficiency in another." - H. Moody PhD.

Good essay on the topic of acronym use

http://www.protrainco.com/info/essays/Acronyms.pdf#page12

Response by SSG Oliver Mathews made Feb 2 at 2014 8:51 PM

SSG Oliver Mathews — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:51:40 -0500

Oddly enough an acronyms normally start with a lazy person who doesnt want to type the entire phrase over and over... I personally keep getting confused... espessially with all the new internet jargon... SMH???? there are tons...

one is created every day. My unit just changed to a new title. we are known as the 2RCC, which is short for the 2nd Regional Cyber Center. Can you guess which one we say?

Response by SGT Thomas Sullivan made Apr 25 at 2014 10:00 AM

SGT Thomas Sullivan — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 10:00:06 -0400

Another long one

SMDC/ARSTRAT:
U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command

Response by SGT Andrew Chapman made Apr 25 at 2014 12:24 PM

SGT Andrew Chapman — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 12:24:29 -0400

I still love that the military is the only place I have seen with a 3 letter Acronym for a 3 letter word.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 27 at 2014 11:59 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 23:59:41 -0400

It appears we travel in similar circles. I Know DSCS, ECCM. I worked at SPINTCOM, FOSIC, CINCPACFLT. The one that used to be a riot was working at London at CINUSNAVER. When in the Admiral Presence it was pronounced CINC U S Nav Eur. Among ourselves it was SINK US NAVEUR.

Response by MAJ Jonathan Balmer made Apr 28 at 2014 2:38 PM

MAJ Jonathan Balmer — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:38:06 -0400

I work for USATA. This is what I call a Inbedded Acronym. (United States Army Test Mesurement & Diagnostic Equipment Activity. The T in USATA stands for TMDE.

Response by Capt Bill Wilkey made Apr 28 at 2014 3:07 PM

Capt Bill Wilkey — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 15:07:37 -0400

NET - NMCI Enterprise Tool

NMCI - Navy and Marine Corps Intranet

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2014 3:35 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 15:35:18 -0400

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Most useful.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Apr 29 at 2014 5:35 PM

CMC Robert Young — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 17:35:53 -0400

I actually saw in the BX on the Navy base where I was stationed a book entitled the DICNAVAB (The Dictionary of Naval Abbreviations). Priceless reading I'm sure!!!

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 4:37 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 16:37:52 -0400

IJC - ISAF Joint Command
ISAF - International Security Assistance Force

Then there are the "I do not think that acronym means what you think it means" entries:

PRT - Physical Readiness Test (Navy), Provincial Reconstruction Team (CENTCOM?), Physical Readiness Training? (Army)
PSD - Personnel Support Detachment (Navy), Personal Security Detail (Army)

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Oct 29 at 2014 10:07 AM

MSG Greg Kelly — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:07:51 -0400

WTFO is my favorite I think even being retired I use it, I am not sure how I feel when I say things using military slang or Acronyms and the person looks at me like I have a something sticking out of my forehead. But something that I found that is really great is one of our brothers out there has taken WTF and turned it into a book series W.J. Lundy has written a series of books, 4 so far its about zombies and soldiers and they are really good but they are called the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series. Pretty good use of an acronym.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jan 1 at 2015 12:01 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:01:38 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_aiDDU5z18

Good Morning Vietnam Acronym

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 31 at 2014 11:58 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:58:19 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_aiDDU5z18

Good Morning Vietnam Acronym

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Jan 1 at 2015 1:26 AM

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 01:26:58 -0500

Heh. Wait until you go to work at Microsoft; the whole place is UAC.

(Unintelligible Acronym City, but the approximate pronunciation of that TLA is also good.)

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Jan 1 at 2015 1:38 AM

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 01:38:15 -0500

I was momentarily quite alarmed when I got to my ultimate USARV assignment and heard that I would technically be in Co D, but would be in HHC working at the EM Mess.

Turned out that I would be working at the Electronic Maintenance Section. Stand down from Red Alert.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 1 at 2015 1:35 AM

LTC Stephen C. — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 01:35:01 -0500

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member, the number of acronyms will only increase. I've been retired since '98 and sometimes I have to find out what I'm reading on RP by going to a military abbreviations website. There will no diminution or consolidation, just more and more acronyms!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2015 4:10 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 04:10:48 -0500

I like using acronyms when talking to another service member while in a room filled with civvies. It confuses the fk out of 'em as to what we're talking about.

I'm just a pr**k that way.

Response by SSgt Christopher "TEX" F. made Jan 18 at 2015 3:35 PM

SSgt Christopher "TEX" F. — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 15:35:13 -0500

Acronyms are a funny beast. When I first entered the Air Force, I had already been a professional Fire Rescue Officer (Firefighter for civies) (8 years), EMT-Paramedic (8 years) and Sheriff Deputy (2 years). Those occupations are full of their own acronyms, so when I entered the service I was thoroughly inundated and being in aviation just compounded the learning curve! I was 26 when I entered, so I already had [almost] a decade of acronyms.

When I was a young Airman, my squadron told me they were sending me to ALS. So, at first mention, I'm thinking "what the hell do I need ALS for?". I already know it; plus, I'm in cargo and don't need it! In Paramedics, ALS means "Advanced Life Support". In the Air Force ALS means "Airman Leadership School". Furthermore, there were several other cross-over type acronyms.

You mention CG as meaning "Coast Guard". In the cargo world, CG means "Center of Gravity". Then there is CGFE (Center of Gravity from the Front End) and CGFA (Center of Gravity from the Front Axle).

There are also cross over terms. I.e. "Rodeo". I grew up in Central Texas, in the sticks, so I did some bull riding in my time, during high school. See where I'm going? I did some rodeo riding. Well...."Rodeo" in the Air Force is a contest where aviation involved units (maintainers and operators) get together each year and compete against each other for the title of who is the best in their respective career fields. So, when the DO (Director of Operations) asked me if I would be interested in competing in the "Rodeo" I said "hell yeah! I used to ride rodeo in high school and I can do some bull riding!". The DO then informed me it was not that type of rodeo and then filled me in on the details.

Acronyms can drive you nuts! Additionally, If you were a professional, prior to military service, terms [can], sometimes, be confusing as well! If you come in straight out of high school, the whole term issue is not so bad.