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Military abbreviations and acronyms (3 sections) |
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Sections on this page
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Finding your way through
the list of "military speak" is not always easy. This page
might help.
As well you might consider going to the section named Slang; the way the Diggers talked
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Sub category index
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| Abbreviations and acronyms can change over the years or they can have more than one meaning so have to be read in context. For example, AFC can mean the Australian Flying Corps OR the Air Force Cross. VD can mean Volunteers Decoration or venereal disease. So, it is important to consider the context. | |
| 1ATF | 1st Australian Task Force |
| 1ALSG | 1st Australian Logistic Support Group |
| 2 I/c or 2ic | Second in Command |
| A | Acting or Assistant (as in A/Sgt for Acting Sergeant) |
| AA | Anti Aircraft (In context) |
| Australia Army (In context) | |
| Australian Archives (In context) | |
| AAA | Anti Aircraft Artillery |
| AATTV | Australian Army Training Team Vietnam |
| AA&QMG | Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster-General |
| AADC | Anti-aircraft Defence Command |
| AACC | Australian Army Catering Corps |
| AACS | Australian Army Canteen Service |
| AACU | Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit |
| AAF | Allied Air Forces |
| AAG | Assistant Adjutant-General |
| AALU | Australian Air Liaison Unit |
| AAMC | Australian Army Medical Corps |
| AAMWS | Australian Army Medical Women's Service |
| AANS | Australian Army Nursing Service |
| AAOC | Australian Army Ordnance Corps |
| AASL | Anti-aircraft Searchlight |
| AAU | Air Ambulance Unit |
| ABDA | American-British-Dutch-Australian |
| ABDACOM | American British Dutch and Australian Command |
| ABO | Air Board Order |
| A/C | Aircraft |
| AC | Aircraftman |
| ACAUST | Air Commander Australia |
| ACF | Australian Comforts Fund |
| ACH | Area Combined Headquarters |
| ACNB | Australian Commonwealth Naval Board |
| ACNS | Assistant Chief of Naval Staff |
| ACS | Airfield Construction Squadron |
| ACSEA | Air Command, South-East Asia |
| Act | Acting |
| ACV | Armoured Command Vehicle |
| ACW | Aircraftwoman |
| AD | Aircraft Depot |
| ADC | Aide-de-Camp |
| ADF | Australian Defence Force |
| ADGMS | Assistant Director-General Medical Services |
| ADHQ | Air Defence Headquarters |
| Adj | Adjutant |
| Adm | Admiral (in context) |
| admitted (in context) | |
| Admin | Administration |
| Adml | Admiral |
| ADMS | Assistant Director Medical Services |
| ADOS | Assistant Director Ordnance Services |
| ADS | Advanced Dressing Station |
| ADST | Assistant Director of Supply and Transport |
| ADS&T | Assistant Director of Stores and Transport |
| Adv | Advanced |
| Adv LHQ | Advanced Land Headquarters |
| AEME | Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
| AEW&C | Airborne Early Warning and Control |
| AFC | Australian Flying Corps or Air Force Cross (in context) |
| AFHQ | Air Force Headquarters |
| AFO | Admiralty Fleet Order |
| AFPO | Armed Forces Post Office |
| AFTS | Applied Flying Training School |
| AFTU | Air Fighter Training Unit |
| AFV | Australian Force Vietnam |
| Armoured Fighting Vehicle | |
| AG | Adjutant-General |
| AGH | Australian General Hospital |
| AGS | Allied Geographic Section |
| AHQ | Australian Head Quarters (in context) |
| Army Head Quarters (in context) | |
| Air Headquarters (in context) | |
| AIB | Allied Intelligence Bureau |
| AIC | Australian Instructional Corps |
| AIF | Australian Imperial Forces |
| AIR | Australian Infantry Regiment |
| Air Cmdre | Air Commodore |
| AIS | Aviation Instructional Staff |
| ALC | Australian Landing Craft |
| ALO | Air Liaison Officer |
| ALUSNA | United States Naval Attache |
| AMC | Armed Merchant Cruiser |
| AMCROSS | American Red Cross |
| AMF | Australian Military Forces |
| AMOE | Air Member for Organisation and Equipment |
| AMP | Air Member for Personnel |
| AMS | Air Member for Supply or Australian Minesweepers |
| AN&MEF | Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force |
| ANCW | Australian National Council of Women |
| ANGAU | Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit |
| ANLO | Australian Naval Liaison Officer |
| ANS | Air Navigation School |
| ANZAC | Australian & New Zealand Army Corps |
| ANZAM | Australia New Zealand Malaya (area or agreement) |
| ANZUK | Australia New Zealand United Kingdom (a tri nation grouping from the 1960s) |
| ANZUS | Australia New Zealand United States |
| AO | Area of Operations |
| AOB | Advanced Operational Base |
| AOC | Air Officer Commanding |
| AOC-in-C | Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
| AOP | Air Observation Post |
| AOS | Air Observers' School |
| APC | Armoured Personnel Carrier |
| APO | Army Post Office |
| APU | Aircraft Performance Unit |
| AQMG | Assistant Quartermaster General |
| AR | Australian Regiment |
| ARA | Australian Regular Army |
| ARA-NS | Australian Regular Army (National Service) |
| ARC | Aircrew Reception Centre |
| ARC | American Red Cross |
| ARCS | Australian Red Cross Society |
| ARD | Aircraft Repair Depot or Aircraft Receiving Depot |
| ARDU | Aircraft Research and Development Unit |
| Armd | Armoured |
| ARO | Admiralty Reporting Officer |
| ARP | Air Raid Precautions |
| Arty | Artillery |
| ARVN | Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) |
| ASIR | Australian Station Intelligence Report |
| ASIS | Australian Secret Intelligence Service or Australian Station Intelligence Summary |
| ASO | Assistant Section Officer |
| ASR | Air-Sea Rescue Flight |
| ASRF | Air-Sea Rescue Flight |
| Asst | Assistant |
| ASW | Anti-submarine Warfare |
| ASWG | Australian Special Wireless Group |
| A-Tk | Anti-tank |
| ATC | Air Training Corps |
| att'd | attached |
| ATF | Australian Task Force |
| ATIS | Allied Translator and Interpreter Section |
| AUSTCROSS | Australian Red Cross |
| auth | authorised or authority (in context) |
| AVG | American Volunteer Group |
| AVM | Air Vice-Marshall |
| AWA | Amalgamated Wireless of Australia |
| AWAS | Australian Women's Army Service |
| AWC | Advisory War Council |
| AWFC | Australian Women's Flying Club |
| AWL | Absent without Leave |
| AWOL | Absent without official leave |
| AWM | Australian War Memorial |
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| BAGS | Bombing and Air Gunnery School |
| Bataan | Codeword for Lennons Hotel in Brisbane |
| Batt. or Batt'n | Battalion (WW1 usage) |
| BBCAU | British Borneo Civil Affairs Unit |
| BCATP | British Commonwealth Air Training Program (aka EATS) |
| BCOF | British Commonwealth Occupation Force |
| BCFESR | British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve |
| BCFK | British Commonwealth Force Korea |
| Bde | Brigade |
| Bdr | Bombardier (equivalent to Corporal in Artillery) |
| BEF | British Expeditionary Force |
| BFTS | Basic Flying Training School |
| BGGS | Brigadier-General, General Staff |
| BGS | Brigadier, General Staff |
| BHQ | Battery Headquarters |
| BM | Brigade Major |
| Bn | Battalion |
| BOQ | Bachelors' Officers Quarters |
| BOR | Battery Operations Room |
| BOWO | Brigade Ordnance Warrant Officer |
| Brig | Brigadier |
| BrigGen | Brigadier General |
| BritCom | British Commonwealth |
| BSIPDF | British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force |
| Bty | Battery |
| BuDocks | Bureau of Yards and Docks (US Navy) |
| BuPers | Bureau of Naval Personnel (US Navy) |
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| CA (AA) | Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) |
| CAC | Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation |
| CAF | Citizen Air Force or Chief of Air Force |
| CAM | Chief Air Marshall |
| Capt | Captain |
| CAS | Chief of Air Staff |
| CASAC | Chief of the Air Staff Advisory Committee |
| CASC | Commander, Army Service Corps |
| CATF | China Air Task Force |
| Cav | Cavalry |
| CB or CBB | Central Bureau or Central Bureau Brisbane (in context) |
| Counter Bombardment fire or Counter Battery fire (artillery, in context) | |
| CCO | Clandestine Communist Organisation |
| CCRA | Commander, Corps Royal Artillery |
| CCS | Combined Chiefs of Staff or Casualty Clearing Station |
| CCS | Casualty Clearing Station |
| Cd | Command |
| CDF | Chief of the Defence Force |
| CDFS | Chief of the Defence Force Staff |
| CDH | Combined Defence Headquarters |
| Cdo | Commando |
| Cdr | Commander |
| CE | Chief Engineer |
| CEF | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
| CEO | Chief Equipment Officer |
| CFD | Commander of Fixed Defences |
| CFI | Chief Flying Instructor |
| CFS | Central Flying School |
| CGI | Chief Ground Instructor or Chief Gunnery Instructor |
| CGM | Conspicuous Gallantry Medal |
| CGS | Chief of the General Staff |
| CGSAC | Chief of General Staff's Advisory Committee |
| CHQ | Company Headquarters |
| CI | Chief Instructor |
| CIB | Commonwealth Investigation Branch |
| CIGS | Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| C-in-C | Commander-in-Chief |
| CINC | Commander-in-Chief (UK) |
| CIU | Communications Intelligence Unit or Combat Intelligence Unit |
| CL | Casualty list |
| CMF | Citizen Military Forces |
| CNF | Commonwealth Naval Forces |
| CNS | Chief of the Naval Staff |
| CO | Commanding Officer |
| C of I | Court of Inquiry |
| COC | Commander of Command |
| COIC | Combined Operations and Intelligence Centre |
| Col | Colonel or Column |
| Col GS | Colonel, General Staff |
| COMAIRSOLS | Command Air Solomons (Islands) |
| ComAirSoPac | Commander Aircraft South Pacific |
| ComAmphForSoPac | Commander, Amphibious Forces, South Australia |
| COMAFV | Commander, Australian Force Vietnam |
| COMAST | Commander Australian Theatre |
| Com | Command |
| Comd | Commanded, Command or Commander |
| Comdt | Commandant |
| Comfis | Combined Field Intelligence Service (later NEA) |
| COMFLOT | Commodore Flotillas |
| COMGENSOPAC | Commanding General, South Pacific |
| COMINCH | Commander in Chief (US) |
| Commn | Communication |
| ComSoPac | Commander, South Pacific (USN) |
| Conv | Convalescent |
| COOP | Craft of Opportunity |
| COR | Company Operations Room |
| COSC | Chiefs of Staff Committee |
| Coy | Company |
| CP | Command Post |
| Cpl | Corporal |
| CQMS | Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
| CRA | Commander, Royal Artillery (of a division) |
| CRE | Commander, Royal Engineers (of a Division) |
| CRU | Control and Reporting Unit |
| CS | Chief of Staff |
| CSDIC | Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre |
| CSG | Combat Support Group |
| CSM | Company Sergeant Major |
| CSO | Chief Signals Officer |
| CSS | Commonwealth Security Service |
| CT or CTs | Communist Terrorist/s |
| CTF | Commander. Task Force |
| CU | Communications Unit |
| CWR | Central War Room |
| CRU | Chemical Research Unit |
| CWWW | Council for Women in War Work |
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| DA & QMG | Deputy Adjutant and Quarter Master General |
| DAA & QMG | Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General |
| DAC | Divisional Ammunition Company |
| DADMS | Deputy Assistant Director Medical Services |
| DADOS | Deputy Assistant Director Ordinance Services |
| DAOC | Deputy Air Officer Commanding |
| DAOC-in-C | Deputy Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
| DAPM | Deputy Assistant Provost Marshall |
| DAQMG | Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General |
| DC | Detachment Commander |
| DCAS | Deputy Chief of the Air Staff |
| DCGS | Deputy Chief of General Staff |
| DCM | Distinguished Conduct Medal |
| DCNS | Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff |
| DDL | Light Destroyer |
| DDME | Deputy Director Mechanical Engineering |
| DDMI | Deputy Director of Military Intelligence |
| DDMS | Deputy Director Medical Services |
| DDMT | Deputy Director Military Training |
| DDST | Deputy Director Supply and Transport |
| DEMS | Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (or Shipping) |
| DF | Direction Finding (in context) |
| Defensive Fire (in context) | |
| DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| DGAMS | Director-General Australian Medical Services |
| DGMS | Director-General Medical Services |
| DGS | Director-General of Security |
| DGSP | Director-General of Supply and Production |
| dis | Discharged or discharge (in context) |
| Div | Division |
| DMI | Director of Military Intelligence |
| DMO & I | Director of Military Operations and Intelligence |
| DMS | Director Medical Services |
| DMT | Driver Motor Transport |
| DMT | Director of Military Training |
| DMZ | Demilitarized Zone |
| DNI | Director of Naval Intelligence |
| DO | Demi-official (letter) |
| Daily orders | |
| DOBOPS | Director Borneo Operations |
| DoW | Died of Wounds |
| DP1 | Draft Priority one |
| D of O | Director/Directorate of Organisation |
| DR | Director/Directorate of Recruiting |
| DR or Don-R | Motorcycle Dispatch Rider |
| DR Navigation | Deduced Reckoning navigation or colloquially Dead Reckoning |
| DS | Direct Support (Artillery Battery or Regiment) |
| D. Sigs | Director of Signals |
| DSIO | Deputy Supervising Intelligence Officer |
| DSO | Distinguished Service Order |
| DT | Director/Directorate of Training |
| DTS | Director of Technical Services |
| D. WAAAF | Director of WAAAF |
| DUKW | An amphibious craft manufactured by Detroit United Keith Works |
| Dvr | Driver |
| DWB | Director of Works and Buildings |
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| EATS | Empire Air Training Scheme (British Commonwealth Air Training Program) |
| EBSR | Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment |
| Ech | Echelon |
| ECHO | Shipping Designator for freight to Base Section 7, Sydney, N.S.W. |
| ED | Embarkation Depot |
| EFTS | Elementary Flying Training School |
| EL | Electric Light |
| emb | Embarked |
| Engrs | Engineers |
| EO | Equipment Officer or Engineer Officer |
| EPIP Tent | European Privates Indian Pattern tent |
| Eqpt | Equipment |
| ESB | Engineer Special Brigade |
| ETO | European Theatre of Operation |
| FA | Field Artillery |
| FAA | Fleet Air Arm |
| FAC | Forward Air Controller |
| FARELF | Far East Land Forces |
| FAW | |