Military jargon can be pretty confusing for those of us who aren’t in the armed forces. I’ve found that knowing these terms can really help me understand military culture and communication better. Here are 24 common military terms that I think civilians might not know.
1. AWOL
AWOL stands for “Absent Without Leave.” It means a service member is not present where they are supposed to be without official permission.
2. Bravo Zulu
Bravo Zulu means “Well Done.” It’s a signal sent to commend someone for a job well done.
3. FOB
FOB stands for “Forward Operating Base.” It’s a secured forward military position used to support tactical operations.
4. MRE
MRE stands for “Meal, Ready-to-Eat.” These are pre-packaged meals used by military personnel in the field.
5. Hooah
Hooah is a motivational phrase used by soldiers to express high morale, enthusiasm, and approval.
6. PX
PX stands for “Post Exchange.” It’s a retail store found on military bases that sells goods to service members.
7. SITREP
SITREP stands for “Situation Report.” It’s a detailed report on the current situation, often given during military operations.
8. Tango
Tango is the phonetic alphabet term for the letter “T.” In military slang, it often refers to a target or enemy.
9. Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty refers to a very early time in the morning, often before sunrise.
10. Grid Square
A grid square is a term used in land navigation, referring to a specific area on a map.
11. OPSEC
OPSEC stands for “Operational Security.” It involves protecting sensitive information from being disclosed to the enemy.
12. LZ
LZ stands for “Landing Zone.” It’s a designated area where aircraft, especially helicopters, can land.
13. R&R
R&R stands for “Rest and Recuperation.” It’s a period of leave or downtime for service members.
14. EOD
EOD stands for “Explosive Ordnance Disposal.” These are specialists who deal with disarming and disposing of bombs.
15. C-Rations
C-Rations were pre-packaged meals provided to soldiers before the MREs. They contained canned foods and were used during World War II and Vietnam War.
16. Dog Tags
Dog tags are the identification tags worn by military personnel, containing their essential identification details.
17. FRAGO
FRAGO stands for “Fragmentary Order.” It’s an abbreviated form of an operations order, giving quick changes or updates.
18. G.I.
G.I. stands for “Government Issue” or “General Issue.” It refers to the equipment issued to service members and is also used to describe soldiers themselves.
19. Hooch
A hooch is a term for temporary living quarters, often used in the field.
20. Kill Zone
The kill zone is an area where an ambush is planned and the enemy is expected to be most vulnerable.
21. Muster
Muster means to assemble troops, often for roll call or inspection.
22. Overwatch
Overwatch is a tactical position where one unit provides covering fire and observation for another.
23. SOP
SOP stands for “Standard Operating Procedure.” These are established procedures that must be followed in operations.
24. Zulu Time
Zulu Time is the same as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It is used as a standard time reference across all military branches.
