EEE

enlisted

      Enlisted personnel are junior to officers. Their enlistment is a contract for a set period of time.

      See also:

ranks and titles

equipment

      EXTERNAL LINK (unofficial):

http://www.fas.org/man/index.html (Also see each service and entries for specific items.)

equipment suffix

      The “suffix” used to designate military equipment at least generally indicates a later version. Thus, the CH-53E came after the CH-53D, and M-16A2 came after the M-16A1. But earlier and later versions are often used at the same time.

      See also:

aircraft designations

ex-

      Former Marines hate to be called “ex-Marines.”

FFF

fatigues

      See:

camouflage uniform

field army

      See:

Army organization

fire team

      See:

Marine Corps ground combat

flak jacket

            An outer garment used to protect service members from enemy fire. Made of kevlar, often with steel or ceramic plates inserted. Most commonly and correctly referred to as body armor. The current iteration is known as an "IBA," short for "individual body armor."

See also:
individual body armor

fleet

      See:

Navy organization, except aviation

force, forces

      Collective noun.

WRONG: “3,000 forces.”

RIGHT: “a force of 3,000.”

      See also:

troop, troops

foreign military

      EXTERNAL LINK (unofficial):

http://www.fas.org/man/index.html

fort

      Don't abbreviate in body copy.

funerals 

      EXTERNAL LINK:

http://www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil/intro.html (Also see "Arlington National Cemetery.")

GGG

G.I.

      Stands for “government issue.”

general

      In descending order of seniority:

general,

lieutenant general,

major general and

brigadier general.

      See also:

ranks and titles

general discharge

            A nonpunitive discharge given to service members who fail to complete their term of duty for family reasons, conscientious objector status, medical reasons and patterns of bad behavior not warranting a bad-conduct discharge. There are two variations of this type of discharge: general discharge under honorable conditions and general discharge under less than honorable conditions.

      Also see:
discharges

glossary  

      EXTERNAL LINK:

http://call.army.mil/thesaurus.asp

group

      See:

Marine Corps aviation

Navy organization

Gulf War syndrome

            Lowercase “syndrome.”

gunnery sergeant

            An enlisted rank in the Marine Corps. Not a job. Does not indicate any direct relationship to weapons.

HHH

history (capsules of U.S. conflicts)

http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_completelist.htm

honorable discharge

            Most military members receive this discharge at the end of their service. Those who receive it had little or no trouble during their time of service. They are eligible for all benefits they earned during their time of service. Use honorable discharge.

Also see:
discharges

hospital corpsman

            A Navy enlisted sailor who provides medical support to Marines (same as an Army medic). The Marines, a branch of the Navy, have no medical resources, and must rely on the Navy to provide those resources. Usually referred to as a corpsman, but hospital corpsman is acceptable. There is no such thing as a “medical corpsman” in the Navy. Army and Air Force have medics. (Note: In all services, doctors and physician assistants are commissioned officers).

            See also:
medic

III

IBA

See:
individual body armor

indirect fire

            Usually applies to artillery (to include howitzer and mortar fire) and ground-launched rockets. Rounds that are launched at a high trajectory over greater distances (more than one kilometer or two-thirds of a mile).

individual body armor

            Standard body armor used by U.S. forces in combat zones today. Known within the military by the acronym "IBA." The IBA saw its first major action in Iraq and Afghanistan. It consists of a nylon and kevlar outer shell, with pouches to insert ceramic plates in the front and back. The entire apparatus weighs about 25 pounds. It also has a system to attach magazine holders and other combat gear on the outside. Commonly referred to as ‘flak jacket,’ ‘IBA’ or, most correctly, body armor.

installations

      See:

Air Force facilities

air station

Iraq war

      U.S.-led attack on Iraq. Lowercase “war.”

JJJ

Joint Chiefs of Staff

      EXTERNAL LINK:

http://www.dtic.mil/jcs/

joint commands

      U.S. joint commands are:

European Command,

Pacific Command,

Joint Forces Command,

Southern Command,

Central Command,

Northern Command,

Special Operations Command,

Transportation Command and

Strategic Command.

KKK

Kalashnikov

            Name of the Soviet engineer who developed the AK-47, an automatic 7.62 mm rifle. It is the most common military and terrorist weapon in the world. The later model AK-74 is almost exactly like the AK-47, but uses a 5.45 mm round.

            Also see:

            AK-47

Korean War

      Uppercase.

LLL

legal system

      See:

Uniform Code of Military Justice

MMM

M-16

      Type of rifle most commonly used by the U.S. military, mainly by the Army and Marine Corps. AP style is M-16, not M16. All variations can be referred to as M-16.

      Fires a 5.56mm round. Introduced in 1964. Variations and pgrades include M16-A1, M16-A2, M16-A3, M16-A4.

           See also:

Carbine

M-4

M-1911 (or M-1911A1)

      Former standard automatic handgun of the U.S. military; the famous Colt 45.  It was introduced in 1911 and was used through the early 1990s.

M-4

            Carbine version of the M-16 rifle. It has a shorter barrel and a collapsible stock. Used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan, usually in urban combat. Introduced in the mid-1990s. Variations/upgrades include the M4A1.

            AP style is M-4, not M4. All variations can be referred to as the M-4. 

      See also:
M-16
carbine

M-9

            The 9 mm Beretta automatic. Standard handgun of the U.S. military. Introduced around 1990.  Use M-9, not M9.

-man, -men

      Expressions such as “airman” and “seamen” apply equally to both sexes.

Marine, Marines, Marine Corps

Anyone in the Marine Corps (or Marines). Marines are not soldiers (“soldiers” refers to Army personnel of all ranks and assignments). Just like AP style, when referring to the organization, “Marines” is always capitalized. Likewise, “Marine” is capitalized for individuals in the organization: Sgt. Joe Snuffy, a Marine, saved a soldier’s life in combat.

Note: Marines and former Marines are particularly picky about this. Furthermore, those who have left the Marines like to be referred to as “former Marines,” not “ex-Marines.” This is not always practicable in a headline, but employ the term whenever possible.

Also includes Marine Corps reservists. (Marine Lance Cpl. Fred Smith, a reservist, was deployed to Iraq.)

      EXTERNAL LINKS:

Main page -- http://www.usmc.mil

Unit directory -- http://www.usmc.mil/units/Pages/category.aspx

Marine air-ground task forces

      Typical types, from largest to smallest, are:

Marine expeditionary force,

Marine expeditionary brigade, and

Marine expeditionary unit.

      See also:

Marine Corps organization

Marine Corps aviation

      Typical elements, from largest to smallest, are:

aircraft wing

aircraft group

squadron

      See also:

Marine Corps organization

Marine Corps ground combat

      Typical elements, from largest to smallest, are:

division

regiment

battalion

company

platoon

squad

fire team

      See also:

Marine Corps organization

Marine Corps organization

      See:

Marine air-ground task forces

Marine Corps aviation

Marine Corps ground combat

Marine expeditionary

      See:

Marine air-ground task forces

MDA

Jargon; Missile Defense Agency.

Medal of Honor

Simply Medal of Honor, there is no "Congressional" in the official title. It was established by Congress on July 12, 1862, and is the nation’s highest military honor. Congress approves individual awards, and it is awarded by the president.

As with all medals and awards, the appropriate verb is earned, not won.

Example: Sgt. 1^st Class Smith earned the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in Iraq.

The fabric portion of the medal includes white stars on sky-blue background.

See:
awards

medic

            Army or Air Force enlisted medical personnel. The medic assisted Sgt. Jones after he was wounded. (Note: In all services, doctors, surgeons, veterinarians and physician assistants are commissioned officers).

midshipmen

Military Reporters and Editors

      Professional association of journalists reporting about the military.

      EXTERNAL LINK:

http://www.militaryreporters.org/

miscellaneous

      See:

Defense Department

glossary

MOS

      Jargon; stands for “military occupational specialty.” The Army and Marine Corps each use a different MOS system to indicate jobs.