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Ya'll use so many of these sometimes I can hardly follow your conversations/posts. Does it make you feel like a secret club to do so? Aircraft and weapons designations I can understand, but what is wrong with simple English? Give us old vets a break.
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Acronyms
Acronyms
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 26
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Cpl Fresch its not much better in the Marine Corps either. I have to ask quite often while in a meeting what something means and I am still active duty.
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Having served in a couple of joint assignments, I think the Navy has the most acronyms .
Acronyms are helpful in correspondence and conversation as long as the recipient understands what the acronym is. There is nothing worse than to sit trough a briefing, be in a conversation, or read a document that is full of acronyms you don't understand. The basic rule of thumb is not to use acronyms unless your audience understands them. The danger in joint assignment is that what one acronym means in one service might be different in another.
I always kept a copy of the DoD Acronym Dictionary in my office, so I could look up acronyms I was not familiar with. Now, there are web sites where you can look up just about any acronym (for example http://www.acronymfinder.com/) . It is amazing to see the number of acronyms and to see that there are multiple meanings for just about any you can think of.
I have used a trick for years that helped me with acronyms as I wrote papers, e-mails, etc. I put acronyms and their meanings in the dictionary of my word processing software (i.e. MS Word), with the acronym followed by an asterisk. Then, if I type the acronym without the asterisk, it stays as typed. If I add the asterisk to the acronym, when I type it, it spells it out. For example, I put USA* in the dictionary and have auto-correct change it to "United States Army" automatically. If I leave the asterisk off, it simply leaves it as USA. Since there are multiple terms that the acronym USA can stand for, you may have to add two or more asterisks. For example, USA* = United States Army; USA** = United States of America.
You get the picture -- type the asterisk and it automatically spells it out:
USCENTCOM* = United States Central Command
USAF* = United States Air Force
COL* = Colonel
CSM* = Command Sergeant Major
JFB* = John F. Burleson
By adding the asterisk and putting it in the dictionary, I let the auto-correct spell out the acronym for me. I have hundreds of acronyms in my MS Word dictionary. try it -- I think you'll like it.
And, don't think acronyms are simply a military issue... The same issue exists in civilian life, especially if you deal with any US Government agency.
As I eluded to, you have to be particularly careful in the use of acronyms when dealing with the various services, as well as when operating with allied forces from other countries. Reminds me of an old joke:
One reason the Armed Services have trouble operating jointly is that they have very different meanings for the same terms;
The Joint Chiefs once told the Navy to "secure a building," to which they responded by turning off the lights and locking the doors.
The Joint Chiefs then instructed Army personnel to "secure the building," and they occupied the building so no one could enter.
Upon receiving the exact same order, the Marines assaulted the building, captured it, and set up defenses with suppressive fire and amphibious assault vehicles, established reconnaissance and communications channels, and prepared for close hand-to-hand combat if the situation arose.
But the Air Force, on the other hand, acted most swiftly on the command, and took out a three-year lease with an option to buy.
Acronyms are helpful in correspondence and conversation as long as the recipient understands what the acronym is. There is nothing worse than to sit trough a briefing, be in a conversation, or read a document that is full of acronyms you don't understand. The basic rule of thumb is not to use acronyms unless your audience understands them. The danger in joint assignment is that what one acronym means in one service might be different in another.
I always kept a copy of the DoD Acronym Dictionary in my office, so I could look up acronyms I was not familiar with. Now, there are web sites where you can look up just about any acronym (for example http://www.acronymfinder.com/) . It is amazing to see the number of acronyms and to see that there are multiple meanings for just about any you can think of.
I have used a trick for years that helped me with acronyms as I wrote papers, e-mails, etc. I put acronyms and their meanings in the dictionary of my word processing software (i.e. MS Word), with the acronym followed by an asterisk. Then, if I type the acronym without the asterisk, it stays as typed. If I add the asterisk to the acronym, when I type it, it spells it out. For example, I put USA* in the dictionary and have auto-correct change it to "United States Army" automatically. If I leave the asterisk off, it simply leaves it as USA. Since there are multiple terms that the acronym USA can stand for, you may have to add two or more asterisks. For example, USA* = United States Army; USA** = United States of America.
You get the picture -- type the asterisk and it automatically spells it out:
USCENTCOM* = United States Central Command
USAF* = United States Air Force
COL* = Colonel
CSM* = Command Sergeant Major
JFB* = John F. Burleson
By adding the asterisk and putting it in the dictionary, I let the auto-correct spell out the acronym for me. I have hundreds of acronyms in my MS Word dictionary. try it -- I think you'll like it.
And, don't think acronyms are simply a military issue... The same issue exists in civilian life, especially if you deal with any US Government agency.
As I eluded to, you have to be particularly careful in the use of acronyms when dealing with the various services, as well as when operating with allied forces from other countries. Reminds me of an old joke:
One reason the Armed Services have trouble operating jointly is that they have very different meanings for the same terms;
The Joint Chiefs once told the Navy to "secure a building," to which they responded by turning off the lights and locking the doors.
The Joint Chiefs then instructed Army personnel to "secure the building," and they occupied the building so no one could enter.
Upon receiving the exact same order, the Marines assaulted the building, captured it, and set up defenses with suppressive fire and amphibious assault vehicles, established reconnaissance and communications channels, and prepared for close hand-to-hand combat if the situation arose.
But the Air Force, on the other hand, acted most swiftly on the command, and took out a three-year lease with an option to buy.
Abbreviations and acronyms dictionary
Acronym Finder is the largest and most trusted database of over 4 million acronyms and abbreviations. What does an abbreviation stands for? The answer is here
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1LT Nick Kidwell
My personal fave is COMNAVSEASYSCOM, mainly because it's long.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Navy_acronyms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._Navy_acronyms
List of U.S. Navy acronyms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States Navy, like any bureaucratic 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.
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Cpl Dennis F.
COL Jean (John) F. B. That is just fucking brilliant....and also hopefully useful. Thanks for your post!
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At least the Army's are somewhat decipherable. When I was in the Corps, I was on a Navy base for 6 months before I figured out what the hell a COMATVAQWINGPAQ was.
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Sgt Dave Knight
I'm thinking this is an American Armed Forces Issue. Â Maybe even an American issue NWIM? LMFAO! TTYL!
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Cpl Dennis F.
SSG Pete Fleming Well I know most of these unofficial ones, it's the legitimate ones that have me confused.
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SSG Pete Fleming
Cpl Dennis Fresch... haha very true. There are literally volumes of books written on these it is crazy!
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Cpl Dennis F. - The military is infamous for these. (acronyms).
And it beats using these long titles that management loves to impose.. lol
And it beats using these long titles that management loves to impose.. lol
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lol
Cpl Dennis F. , I can remember Basic back in 76, when the Drill SGT said were going to have a "GI Party tonight". The first time I heard about a GI Party I was really looking forward to it, You know Party as in the beer, music and all that stuff. I then saw him bring up vacuum clearers, buckets, brushes, mops, brooms, I thought maybe the party will start after we clean up, it just blew my mind lol. Then there was the "IG Inspection", I was expecting a 1 star General to come alone to inspect our rooms and wall lockers and such. Oh well.
Cpl Dennis F. , I can remember Basic back in 76, when the Drill SGT said were going to have a "GI Party tonight". The first time I heard about a GI Party I was really looking forward to it, You know Party as in the beer, music and all that stuff. I then saw him bring up vacuum clearers, buckets, brushes, mops, brooms, I thought maybe the party will start after we clean up, it just blew my mind lol. Then there was the "IG Inspection", I was expecting a 1 star General to come alone to inspect our rooms and wall lockers and such. Oh well.
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My personal favorite is when Drill Sergeants say BCT like the rest of the active army is supposed to understand they mean basic and not Brigade Combat Team. I work in an acronym heavy MOS and which makes briefings to fols outside of our formation particularly interesting, since sometimes I have to write down what the acronyms I use everyday actually mean.
It's a sickness; and it's not solely the Army.
It's a sickness; and it's not solely the Army.
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Acronyms have gotten so out of control that if you Google what something means you 10 or more meanings! Military (regardless of branch), governmental (doesn't always mirror the Military), civilian corporate, civilian private... then all the localized... and that's for just one... as an example we all know ASAP (right?):
There are 410 various meanings of the ASAP acronym or abbreviation!
http://www.allacronyms.com/ASAP
There are 410 various meanings of the ASAP acronym or abbreviation!
http://www.allacronyms.com/ASAP
448 meanings of ASAP acronym and ASAP abbreviation. Get the definition of ASAP by All Acronyms dictionary. Top Definition: As Soon As Possible
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