Helpful Military ACRONYMS

ACR – Armored Cavalry Regiment (Army)
ACRT – Army Combat Readiness Test
ACU – Army Combat Uniform
A-day – Acceptance Day (USMA)
AD – Active Duty
AD/DS or AD/DW – Active Duty Dependent Spouse or Active Duty/Dependent Wife
AFB – Air Force Base
AI – Additional Instruction
AIAD – Academic Individual Advanced Development
AIM – Academy Introduction Mission
AIT – Advanced Individual Training (Army)
ANG – Army National Guard
AOG – Association Of Graduates
APFT – Army Physical Fitness Test
ARC – Army Reconnaissance Course
ARI– Alcohol Related Incident
AROTC – Army Reserve Officer Training Corps
ASU – Army Service Uniform
AY – Academic Year
BAH – Basic Allowance for Housing
BCT – Basic Cadet Training (USAFA)
BCT – Brigade Combat Team (Army)
BDE – Brigade (Army)
Beast – Beast Barracks or USMA’s Cadet Basic Training
BOLC – Basic Officer Leader Course (Army - Formerly called OBC - pronounced boh-lick)
BRADSO – Branch of Choice Program, adding years to ADSO in exchange for branch (Army)
BRM – Basic Rifle Marksmanship
BZ – Bravo Zulu; a compliment meaning "well done"
CAB – Combat Action Badge (Army - for non-infantry)
CAC – Common Access Card (DoD identification card for cadets)
Cadet – A Student who is attending USMA, USMAPS, USAFA, USCGA, AROTC or AFROTC
CBT – Cadet Basic Training
CC – Cadet Candidate
CCBT – Cadet Candidate Basic Training
CFA – Candidate Fitness Assessment (Service Academies)
CFS – Candidate Fitness Score
CFT – Cadet Field Training
CIB – Combat Infantryman Badge (Army)
CLDT – Cadet Leader Development Training
COLA – Cost of Living Allowance
Cow – Junior at USMA
CPR – Complete Pending Review
CTLT – Cadet Troop Leadership Training
CWST – Combat Water Survival Test
DD – Dear daughter
DG – Distinguished Graduate
DGD – Dear Granddaughter
DGS – Dear Grandson
DHS – Department of Homeland Security
DOD – Department of Defense
DOT – Department of Transportation
DQ – Disqualified (usually referencing DoDMERB)
DS – Dear son/Dear spouse
EAS – End of Active Service
FFR – Field Force Representative (USMA)
Firstie – Senior
Head – Bathroom
HQ – Head Quarters
LOD – Line of Duty
LOE – Letter of Encouragement (USMA)
MALO – USMA Military Academy Liaison Officer
MOH – Medal of Honor
New Cadet – USMA cadet during Beast, on A-day they become a cadet
OCP – Operational Camouflage Pattern (Army)
OCS – Officer Candidate School
ODU – Operational Dress Uniform
OER/OPR – Officer Evaluation Review or Performance
OG – Old Grad (West Point alumnus)
OIC – Officer in Charge
PDA – Public Display of Affection
PFT – Physical Fitness Test (USMC or US Army)
PIAD – Physical Individual Advanced Development
PKT – Plebe Knowledge Test
PLT – Platoon
Plebe – A freshman student at either USMA, USNA, or USMMA
POV – Privately Owned Vehicle
PPW – Plebe parent Weekend
PT – Physical Training
R-Day – USMA Reception Day
ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps
SAMI – Saturday AM Inspection
Scuttlebutt – water fountain or gossip
SLE – Summer Leaders Experience (West Point)
SQD – Squad
Supe – Superintendent
TEE – Term End Exam
USA – United States Army
USACC – United States Army Cadet Command
USMA – United States Military Academy
USMAPS – United States Military Academy Preparatory School
USMC – United States Marine Corps
USMMA – United States Merchant Marine Academy
USN – United States Navy
USNA – United States Naval Academy
VMI – Virginia Military institute
VWIL – Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College
WP – West Point or USMA
Yearling – A Sophomore (at USMA)
Yuk – slang for yearling or sophomore (At USMA)