Time & radio
Charlie Mike
Continue Mission · CM
All
Continue mission; keep going with the assigned task.
“We lost the coffee, but we Charlie Mike.”
Air Force slang & terms
Includes terms used across all branches. Informal usage varies by unit and era.
Field & combat
Embrace the suck
All
Accept an unpleasant situation and work through it.
“Embrace the suck; the rain is not taking requests.”
Insults & nicknames (friendly)
Chair Force
Air Force
A joking nickname for the Air Force that teases its reputation for comfortable working conditions.
“The Chair Force visitor appreciated our folding chairs.”
Gear & uniforms
BCGs
Birth Control Glasses · BCG
All
Birth Control Glasses, a joking name for older, conspicuous military-issued eyeglasses.
“My BCGs survived another field exercise.”
Chow & barracks life
Chow
All
Food or a meal.
“We stop for chow at noon.”
Chow & barracks life
Chow hall
DFAC · Dining Facility · Chow hall / DFAC
All
A place where service members eat; DFAC means dining facility, especially in Army usage.
“Meet me at the chow hall.”
Chow & barracks life
MRE
Meal Ready to Eat
All
Meal, Ready-to-Eat: a packaged field ration designed to be eaten without a kitchen.
“I traded my MRE crackers for coffee.”
Chow & barracks life
Latrine
ArmyAir Force
A toilet or restroom, particularly in a military camp.
“The latrine is beside the barracks.”
Insults & nicknames (friendly)
Geardo
All
Someone especially enthusiastic about buying or collecting tactical gear.
“Our geardo has a pouch for his pouches.”
Field & combat
High speed low drag
All
Very efficient, capable, or streamlined; sometimes said sarcastically.
“That high speed low drag checklist saved us an hour.”
Ranks & people
Breacher
ArmyMarinesNavyAir Force
A trained person who creates an opening through an obstacle so a team can enter or pass.
“The breacher checked the training equipment.”
Ranks & people
Doc
All
An informal, respectful name for a medic, corpsman, or military medical professional.
“Doc reminded us to hydrate.”
Ranks & people
Butter bar
All
A nickname for a new second lieutenant or ensign, referring to the gold rank bar.
“The butter bar brought a fresh notebook.”
Ranks & people
Mustang
All
A commissioned officer who previously served as an enlisted member.
“The mustang remembered barracks inspections well.”
Time & radio
Zero dark thirty
Oh-dark-thirty · Oh dark thirty
All
An informal expression for a very early hour before daylight; it is not an exact time.
“We assembled at zero dark thirty.”
Time & radio
Hurry up and wait
All
Rush to get ready, then spend a long time waiting.
“The bus schedule was hurry up and wait.”
Time & radio
Good to go
All
Ready, acceptable, or cleared to proceed.
“The packed truck is good to go.”
Time & radio
Lima Charlie
All
Loud and Clear, expressed through the phonetic letters L and C; a report that a radio signal is easy to hear.
“Your radio is Lima Charlie.”
Time & radio
Roger
All
I received your last transmission; it does not by itself mean yes or a promise to comply.
“Roger, I received the update.”
Time & radio
Wilco
All
Will Comply: the message is understood and the instruction will be carried out.
“Wilco, I will bring the roster.”
Time & radio
Tango Uniform
All
Phonetic shorthand for a crude expression meaning broken or out of service; this is the polite meaning.
“The printer went Tango Uniform again.”
Acronyms
FUBAR
Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition
All
Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition, the polite expansion; badly broken or hopelessly disorganized.
“The filing system was FUBAR.”
Acronyms
SNAFU
Situation Normal All Fouled Up
All
Situation Normal: All Fouled Up, the polite expansion; a familiar mess or complication.
“A scheduling SNAFU moved lunch again.”
Acronyms
BOHICA
Bend Over Here It Comes Again
All
Bend Over, Here It Comes Again, the polite expansion; resigned humor about another unwelcome development.
“Another last-minute change: BOHICA.”
Acronyms
NCO
Noncommissioned Officer
All
Noncommissioned Officer: an enlisted leader appointed to a leadership rank rather than commissioned as an officer.
“Ask the NCO for the packing list.”
Insults & nicknames (friendly)
Blue falcon
All
A person accused of betraying teammates or causing them trouble for personal benefit; a polite substitute for a cruder label.
“Do not be a blue falcon over a parking spot.”
Field & combat
Pencil whip
All
Sign off on a task or inspection without actually doing it; dishonest and unsafe.
“Never pencil whip a safety check.”
Chow & barracks life
Motrin and water
Vitamin M
All
A joke about receiving ibuprofen and hydration advice for many complaints; not medical advice.
“The running joke was Motrin and water.”
Field & combat
Drink water and change your socks
All
A familiar reminder about hydration and foot care, also used jokingly as an answer to almost any problem.
“Long day ahead: drink water and change your socks.”
Field & combat
Range day
All
A day of supervised weapons practice or qualification at a designated range.
“Range day begins with a safety briefing.”
Acronyms
CQ
Charge of Quarters
ArmyAir Force
Charge of Quarters: duty overseeing a barracks or similar area, often outside normal working hours.
“I have CQ this weekend.”
Acronyms
PCS
Permanent Change of Station
All
Permanent Change of Station: an official move to a new duty location.
“Our PCS is scheduled for summer.”
Acronyms
TDY
Temporary Duty
ArmyAir ForceSpace ForceCoast Guard
Temporary Duty: a short assignment away from the normal duty station.
“I am on TDY next week.”
Acronyms
DD-214
DD214 · DD 214
All
A separation document recording qualifying military service, often needed to apply for veterans' benefits.
“Keep a secure copy of your DD-214.”
Chow & barracks life
Terminal leave
All
Approved leave taken immediately before separation or retirement, while still in military status.
“Terminal leave starts next month.”
Field & combat
Death before dishonor
All
A traditional motto expressing a strong commitment to honor; it is a slogan, not an instruction.
“The old patch read death before dishonor.”
Ranks & people
Airman
Air Force
A member of the Air Force; also part of several junior enlisted rank titles.
“The airman inspected the checklist.”
Acronyms
AFSC
Air Force
Air Force Specialty Code: a code identifying an Air Force career specialty. The Space Force equivalent is a Space Force Specialty Code (SFSC).
“Her AFSC was listed in the record.”
Field & combat
Flight line
Air ForceNavyMarinesArmyCoast Guard
The area where aircraft are parked, serviced, and prepared for operations.
“Only authorized personnel enter the flight line.”
Ranks & people
Crew chief
Air ForceArmyMarinesNavy
A maintainer or aircrew specialist responsible for an aircraft, with duties varying by service and aircraft type.
“The crew chief checked the aircraft records.”
Ranks & people
Maintainer
Air ForceSpace ForceArmyNavyMarinesCoast Guard
A service member who services and repairs military equipment.
“The maintainer spotted the fault.”
Gear & uniforms
Bird
All
An informal name for an aircraft.
“The bird is ready for its next flight.”
Field & combat
Sortie
Air ForceNavyMarinesArmyCoast Guard
One operational flight by one aircraft.
“The aircraft completed one sortie.”
Time & radio
Oscar Mike
All
On the Move, expressed with the phonetic letters O and M.
“We are Oscar Mike after the brief.”
Time & radio
Mike
All
The phonetic word for M, also used informally for a minute in some military contexts.
“Give me five mikes.”
Time & radio
Klick
All
A kilometer, approximately 0.62 miles.
“The checkpoint is one klick away.”
Acronyms
Sitrep
All
Situation Report: a concise update on current conditions or progress.
“Send a sitrep before lunch.”
Acronyms
AAR
All
After Action Review: a discussion of what happened, what worked, and what to improve.
“We held an AAR after the exercise.”
Acronyms
OPSEC
All
Operations Security: protecting information that could reveal sensitive activities or plans.
“Think OPSEC before posting online.”
Acronyms
PERSEC
All
Personal Security: protecting personal information and reducing risks to individuals.
“Use good PERSEC with travel details.”
Acronyms
PT
All
Physical Training: exercise intended to build or maintain fitness.
“PT begins before breakfast.”
Gear & uniforms
PT belt
ArmyAir Force
A reflective belt worn for visibility during physical training or in designated work areas.
“Bring your PT belt for the run.”
Field & combat
Formation
ArmyMarinesAir ForceSpace Force
An organized gathering of personnel for accountability, instructions, or ceremonies.
“Formation is at 0600.”
Time & radio
Reveille
All
A morning wake-up signal or ceremony; practices vary by installation and service.
“Reveille sounded before sunrise.”
Time & radio
Taps
All
A bugle call associated with lights out and military funerals or memorial ceremonies.
“Everyone stood quietly for Taps.”
Gear & uniforms
Colors
All
A national or unit flag; also a ceremony associated with raising or lowering the national flag.
“We paused for morning colors.”
Chow & barracks life
Leave
All
Authorized absence from duty charged against an accrued leave balance.
“My leave request was approved.”
Chow & barracks life
Pass
ArmyAir ForceSpace Force
An authorized short absence from duty that generally does not use accrued leave, subject to service rules.
“The commander approved a weekend pass.”
Chow & barracks life
Barracks
All
Military living quarters, commonly for junior enlisted personnel.
“The barracks inspection is tomorrow.”
Gear & uniforms
Gig line
ArmyAir Force
The straight alignment of shirt opening, belt buckle, and trouser fly in applicable uniforms.
“Check your gig line before inspection.”
Ranks & people
Squared away
All
Organized, prepared, and meeting the expected standard.
“That team is squared away.”
Insults & nicknames (friendly)
Un-sat
All
Short for unsatisfactory; below the required standard.
“Leaving the door unsecured is un-sat.”
Ranks & people
Voluntold
All
Assigned a task while it is presented as though you volunteered.
“I was voluntold to carry the cooler.”
Field & combat
Dog and pony show
All
An elaborate presentation or demonstration staged for visitors or senior leaders.
“We rehearsed the dog and pony show.”
Ranks & people
Reenlistment
All
Signing up for another period of enlisted military service.
“The reenlistment ceremony was on Friday.”
Acronyms
CO
All
Commanding Officer: the officer in command of a unit or vessel.
“The CO approved the plan.”
Acronyms
XO
All
Executive Officer: an officer who assists the commander and often coordinates daily operations.
“The XO reviewed the schedule.”
Acronyms
COMSEC
All
Communications Security: measures used to protect communications from unauthorized access or exploitation.
“Follow COMSEC procedures with the equipment.”
Acronyms
FOB
ArmyMarinesAir Force
Forward Operating Base: a position used to support operations away from a main base.
“The convoy returned to the FOB.”
Acronyms
CONUS
All
Continental United States; in military administrative usage, the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.
“The assignment is CONUS.”
Acronyms
OCONUS
All
Outside the Continental United States; includes overseas locations and, for many administrative purposes, Alaska and Hawaii.
“The next move is OCONUS.”