What's the most ridiculous acronym you've ever heard?

Sgt Mike Williams — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:06:08 -0500

http://wpo.st/_EKF1

They're out there. Ridiculous acronyms. Refreshing to hear the top brass doesn't know em all either. What's the silliest one you've ever heard?

‘Acronyms kill, ma’am’: One admiral’s wisecrack about military abbreviations

“Senator, I’m sorry. I don't know that acronym.”

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Feb 24 at 2016 8:08 PM

Capt Walter Miller — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:08:47 -0500

POMFLANT

Poseidon Missile Facility Atlantic

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 8:10 PM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:10:24 -0500

From the TV show friends...Chandler is not happy with the WENUS = Weekly Estimated Net Usage System. "Yes, Fran, I know what time it is, but I'm looking at the Wenus, and I'm not happy!"

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 24 at 2016 8:11 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:11:37 -0500

Whatever the new one of the week is on Big Bang Theory.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 8:13 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:13:26 -0500

Am I the only one here who hopes that woman steps on a LEGO bare-foot before she goes to bed tonight ?

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Feb 24 at 2016 8:20 PM

SGM Billy Herrington — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:20:00 -0500

While BLUF isn't a ridiculous acronym. My pet peeve is the incorrect usage.

You'll get an email. Three paragraphs long. Then one sentence at the end BLUF: then the summation.

It's Bottom Line Up Front. It goes FIRST before the long diatribe.

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Feb 24 at 2016 8:28 PM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:28:07 -0500

Commander in Chief Uniited States Fleet.. Acronym was CINCUS,, Pronounced "Sink-us". It was changed right after Pearl Harbor.
Also In The Marines up until the late 1970s Self Propelled Artillery Battalions were not part of the Marine Divisions Artillery Regiment. At Camp Lejuene the Self Propeled Battalions were part of the 2nd Force Artilery Group (FAG).
What was really bad was that the Supply units would stencil gear with the unit markings. There was some poor schmuck in line at he chow hall with a field jacket with "2nd FAG" stenciled in the back, Of course all the wise guys in line kept asking him where the 1st one was...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 8:31 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:31:20 -0500

My personal favorite and it got a laugh was briefing about thirty REServe and NG MGs/BGs getting briefed on VII Corps GEN. Defensive Plan circa 1986. First slide was SMI top, SMA middle, SME bottom. I started with you all know SME is subject matter Expert, well SMI is subject matter ignorant, and last but not least SMA was Subject Matter Aquainted, and that was me, G-3 Plans. To my surprise, then Corps Commander, LTG John (Jack) Galvin, asked me humble MAJ, if he could give the briefing. My only response was, Yes Sir, It's Your Corps. I headed for the back, but he told me to sit in HIS seat and critique him! He dazelled them. Later SACEUR. Laughing at the memories.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 8:36 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:36:06 -0500

Any one that adds the last letter and says it as a word. Like "BIT test", just say Bit.

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Feb 24 at 2016 8:45 PM

CW4 Guy Butler — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:45:28 -0500

Probably have to be TLA.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 8:53 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:53:40 -0500

Not used any more, but MANCOC (Maneuver Advanced NCO Course) was pretty ridiculous for a few years.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Feb 24 at 2016 9:11 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:11:35 -0500

I'll go with ASWBPL....pronounced "ass wobble". It is the Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 9:18 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:18:11 -0500

Ocoka

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 9:25 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:25:03 -0500

Jjdidtiebuckle is still my favorite.

Response by SFC Jacob Hinkkanen made Feb 24 at 2016 9:54 PM

SFC Jacob Hinkkanen — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:54:05 -0500

People who incorrectly say CAC card is my least favorite. However, my current unit uses the acronym RFI which stands for request for information. They actually managed to make the word "question" into an acronym that is longer than the single word it replaced.

Response by SGM Jeff Mccloud made Feb 24 at 2016 10:25 PM

SGM Jeff Mccloud — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:25:08 -0500

While not the most ridiculous, it did lead to a more ridiculous non-doctrine acronym.
In the bad old days in the 187, my company was conducting a TEWT. Since the soldiers were sitting idly by watching, they asked what the hell a TEWT was. I replied "Tactical Exercise Without Troops." Without missing a beat, one of them asks, "Isn't that really just a "Practical Exercise Not Involving Soldiers?"
And their ongoing acronym re-naming convention for the next few weeks only went downhill from there.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 10:25 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:25:08 -0500

INTSUM. That one really chaps my ass.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 10:39 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:39:49 -0500

CUMTAG - forgot what it exactly stands for, but it's in reference to Rifle Marksmanship...
PWACO (if memory serves correctly) - one of my Bn Commanders came up with that one (at least we were told) - Personnel, Weapons, Ammo (?), C (?), Optics - his way of tracking stuff when someone's EFL/DFL-ing.

Response by LTC Stephen Conway made Feb 25 at 2016 1:39 AM

LTC Stephen Conway — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 01:39:34 -0500

not really an acronym in this case..but 2 stupid items that make Sergeant's Major go nuts on soldiers...1st item the stupid PT reflective belt and the 2nd items is really, really stupid the 'SAFETY STRAP' on duece and a halfs and 5 tons that serve no purpose whatsoever and the later is not safe at all but a band-aid. non-compliance makes these NCOs go on a Reggie Jackson roid-rage LOL.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 2:58 AM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 02:58:36 -0500

If you find a Private wandering in here asking what a PRC-E6 is and where he can find one, please tell him to disregard and send him back to the motor pool...we need him to find more fluid for the headlights.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 6:25 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 06:25:37 -0500

Not an acronym but this term irritated me!
Scuttlebutt - a drinking fountain in the Corps or on a Navy ship!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 9:07 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:07:43 -0500

I wouldn't say this is a ridiculous acronym...FSMAO (Field Supply and Maintenance Analysis Office) Inspection. It's one, I think, that has the biggest impact. When this lovely acronym gets mentioned people tend to go a bit overboard because who really wants to be on the wrong side of the results? I know I don't.

Response by SGT John " Mac " McConnell made Feb 25 at 2016 9:21 AM

SGT John " Mac " McConnell — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:21:56 -0500

Dirtfoot ! Do it right the first time...

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Feb 25 at 2016 9:27 AM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:27:28 -0500

Whiskey Tango FoxTrot (WTF) - now they've made a movie with that being the title!
https://youtu.be/dxAcIWDi8ps

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Trailer (2016) - Paramount Pictures

Watch the movie trailer for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, starring Tina Fey! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is coming to theaters March 4, 2016. Based on the book "The Talib...

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Feb 25 at 2016 9:46 AM

SSgt Dan Montague — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:46:21 -0500

I can't remember one. I do remember a meeting we had in preparation for a long deployment in 03. Our Naval academy Lt gave a brief to the company staff. He used so many acronyms in his brief I had never heard before. Hell, 50% of what came out of his mouth was an acronym. I looked around the room and everyone one was focused on his brief. I figured I would ask a fellow SNCO after the meeting to translate because I would need to interrupt every 5 words to ask what he was saying. After the brief I asked a SNCO what he was talking about. He had no clue, he was going to ask the btry gunny. He had no clue either. So the battery gunny had to explain to the over educated Lt to stop trying to show off his acronym speaking skills and explain to us what they mean.
One term sticks out still today. We always called our advanced party, either advanced party or AP . The term ADVON replaced it. ADVON?????? How is that related to advanced party?

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Feb 25 at 2016 10:40 AM

Capt Brandon Charters — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 10:40:08 -0500

DTS...just because it still makes me cringe after 6 years as a veteran.

Response by SSgt Robert Marx made Feb 25 at 2016 11:50 AM

SSgt Robert Marx — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:50:32 -0500

MI - military intelligence. With apologies to the S-2 community, there is no such thing!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 12:04 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 12:04:42 -0500

CAC card: Common Access Card card

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 2:52 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:52:11 -0500

HOOAH!!!! I hate this with a passion. The sound it makes drives me insane.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 7:11 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 19:11:49 -0500

ANAl. ammonium nitrate aluminum.

Response by CW2 Donald Loughrey made Feb 26 at 2016 9:20 AM

CW2 Donald Loughrey — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 09:20:49 -0500

BTMS- Battalion Training Management System....my CW4 called it "Boring Tedious Mundane S&*^"

Response by CW2 Max Dolan made Feb 26 at 2016 9:34 AM

CW2 Max Dolan — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 09:34:34 -0500

I've got a couple - First was for "Special High-Intensive Training." (You figure that one out!) The next one was SETAF (Southern European TAsk Force), which actually stood for "Something Else The Army Forgot." Lastly was CEWI (Combat Electronic Warfare Intelligence) which we interpreted to mean "Command Emphasis Without Intelligence."

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Feb 26 at 2016 1:48 PM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 13:48:06 -0500

IYAOYAS

If You Ain't Ordinance You Ain't Sh*t.....it's everywhere on aircraft carriers.

Response by CDR Al Davidson made Feb 26 at 2016 2:57 PM

CDR Al Davidson — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 14:57:48 -0500

BUFF USAF for B-52 (Big Ugly Flying __cker.
BOHICA Bend Over Here It Comes Again

Response by PO3 Lee Oliver made Feb 26 at 2016 6:28 PM

PO3 Lee Oliver — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 18:28:07 -0500

Another not exactly an acronym. In WWII the Navy used LSTs to deliver men and materials to beaches. LST officially stood for Landing Ship Tank but they were really known as Large, Slow Targets.

Response by MSgt Wayne Morris made Feb 27 at 2016 8:45 AM

MSgt Wayne Morris — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 08:45:22 -0500

PISD pronounced pissed (PACAF Information Systems Division). That one didn't last long needless to say.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2016 3:23 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 15:23:16 -0500

BOHICA, SNAFU, FUBAR, and 'where is the ID 10 T form?' yeah, I found that one out the hard way, plus, looking for a 'box of grid squares, looking for the PRC-E8, and getting my swim trunks and going down to the motor pool...' oh yeah, they ALL had fun with this new E4....

Response by SSG Daniel Murphy made Mar 1 at 2016 10:48 AM

SSG Daniel Murphy — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 10:48:27 -0500

THE AcronymscanN GET REALLY CRAZY. WHILE i WAS AT fT. Gordan FOR THE SATELLITE NETWORK CONTROLLERS COURSE, THERE WAS A 2-DAY CLASS ON acronyms

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 2:29 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:29:15 -0500

Drill Sergeant Leader or DSL.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 4:43 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 16:43:32 -0500

It was always a special kind of fun when the TOC, BOC and POC were all located in the same vehicle and only one would respond on the radio.

Response by MSgt John Taylor made Mar 6 at 2016 7:36 PM

MSgt John Taylor — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 19:36:39 -0500

When I worked F-16's, FTIT (Fan Turbine Inlet Temp) was pronounced F-TIT. I'm sure now that we have female Fighter Pilots it's just F.T.I.T.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 7:58 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 19:58:02 -0500

DLJO - Dirty Little Jobs Officer.

Response by AN Christopher Crayne made Jul 2 at 2017 8:31 AM

AN Christopher Crayne — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 08:31:14 -0400

DILLIGAF
Do I look like I give a F**K

Response by SGT Gregory Yelland made Sep 29 at 2017 11:41 PM

SGT Gregory Yelland — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 23:41:46 -0400

There were quite a few during my times in service. My favorite one was applied to those that just didn't get the military team concept of shipboard life: they were just dumb Civilians Under Naval Training.

Response by SPC Doug Betz made Mar 7 at 2019 1:49 PM

SPC Doug Betz — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 13:49:58 -0500

An E-5 and I were prepping for a trip to the field and there was a big wooden box filled with God knows what. We started referring to that box as an EHBAB...Extremely Heavy Big Ass Box.

Response by SPC Missy Lee made Apr 25 at 2019 8:14 AM

SPC Missy Lee — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 08:14:24 -0400

In Germany we used MAD, or Manning to Authorization Document. We eventually dropped A and simply called it “Manning Document” since we were to man against authorization anyway.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Jul 23 at 2019 1:05 AM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 01:05:49 -0400

I'm not a fan of acronyms generally

Response by Cpl TMike Barnes made Jan 10 at 2020 8:00 AM

Cpl TMike Barnes — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 08:00:37 -0500

F.I.TC.A.L.-feel,inspect,tighten,clean,and,lubricate

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2021 9:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:14:18 -0500

I was in a staff meeting when the battalion operations NCO told the BN CDR that he was going to be holding a PENIS (practical exercise not including soldiers) the next week. I about died laughing.