MARINE CORPS UNIFORM DICTIONARY

• ACMC – Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
   
• Accompanied Tour – Tour of duty with family members present.
   
• Admin Off – Administrative Office/Officer.
   
• APF – Appropriated Funds
   
• Allotment – Deduction from Marine’s pay designated to a specific amount for a specific purpose.
   
• ASAP – As Soon As Possible
   
• ASE – Aviation Support Element
   
• AWOL – Absent Without Leave
   
• AWS – Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, VA.
   
• Barracks – Building where Marines live or a duty station where Marines serve.
   
• BAQ – Basic Allowance for Quarters.
   
• BAS – Basic Allowance for Subsistance, also known as Comrats (commuted rations).
   
• Benefits – Medical, dental, commissary, PX, etc.
   
• BEQ – Bachelor Enlisted Quarters.
   
• BHS – Basic Helicopter School
   
• BLT – Battalion Landing Team.
   
• Bn – Battalion.
   
• BOQ – Bachelor Officer Quarters.
   
• Boot – A recruit.
   
• Boot Camp – Recruit training depot.
   
• Boots & Utes - Cammie PT uniform (see PT).
   
• Brig. – Jail.
   
• BRAC – Base Realignment & Closure.
   
• BSSG – Brigade Service & Support Group.
   
• Bulkhead – Wall.
   
• Cammies – Camouflage uniform.
   
• C/S – Chief of Staff.
   
• CAX – Combined Arms Exercise.
   
• CG – Commanding General
   
• Chain of Command – Organization within the unit, which lists who, works for whom.
   
• Chaplain – Military minister, priest, rabbi, reverend or pastor.
   
• CINC – Commander in Chief.
   
• CLO – Community Liaison Office.
   
• CMC – Commandant of the Marine Corps
   
• COLA – Cost of Living Allowance
   
• Colors – National and unit flags
   
• COMCABEAST – Commander, Marine Corps Air Basses, Eastern Area
   
• COMCABWEST – Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases, Western Area
   
• COMMARFORPAC – Commander, Marine Force Atlantic, (Lejeune, NC)
   
• COMMARFORPAC - Commander, Marine Force Pacific (Camp Smith, HI)
   
• Commissary – Grocery store for military and family members.
   
• Company – Several platoons within a battalion.
   
• Company Grade – 2nd and 1st Lieutenants and Captains
   
• COMRATS – Commuted Rations also known as Basic Allowance for Subsistance
   
• CONUS – Continental United States
   
• Court Martial – Trial system within the military
   
• Cover- Hat
   
• CWO – Chief Warrant Officer
   
• DECA – Defense Commissary Agency
   
• Deck – Floor
   
• DEERS – Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
   
• Dependent – Family member
   
• Deployment – When a Marine unit departs its’ home base for a n extended period of time, can be for weeks or months depending on the assignment
   
• Det – A detachment of a larger organization
   
• DI – Drill Instructor
   
• DoD – Department of Defense
   
• DON – Department of the Navy
   
• EAS – End of Active Service
   
• E-Mail – Electronic Mail
   
• Esprit de Corps – The common spirit existing in the members of a group inspiring enthusiasm, devotion and strong regard for the honor of the group
   
• EWC – Enlisted Wives Club
   
• Family Advocacy – Program that assists with child and spouse abuse problems
   
• Family Care Plan – Written instructions for care of family members while sponsor is away from duty station (can include provisions for finances, wills, guardianship, etc.)
   
• Field Days – Cleaning of the barracks
   
• Field Grade – Majors, Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels
   
• Flag Officers – Generals and Admirals
   
• Float – To be deployed at sea
   
• FMF – Fleet Marine Force
   
• FRO – Family Readiness Officer
   
• FSA – Family Separation Allowance
   
• FSSG – Force Service Support Group
   
• Grade – Corresponds to pay level of Marine, such as E-5 or O-4
   
• HMT – Helicopter Marine Training
   
• HMM – Helicopter Marine Medium
   
• HMH – Helicopter Marine Heavy
   
• Hashmark – Sleeve mark on uniform worn by enlisted Marines to denote each four years of service
   
• Hatch – door
   
• Head – Bathroom/Restroom
   
• Housing Office – Where you check in and where to go for housing information
   
• HQMC – Headquarters Marine Corps
   
• Hump – Field march
   
• Incoming – Explosive situation headed your way
   
• JSC – Joint Chiefs of Staff
   
• Line – rope
   
• KISS – “Keep it Simple Stupid/Sweetheart
   
• KNV – Key Volunteer Network
   
• Leave – Approved time away from duty
   
• LES – Leave and Earnings Statement
   
• LHA – Amphibious Assault Ship – General Purpose
   
• LHD – Amphibious Assault Ship – Multipurpose
   
• Liberty – Off duty
   
• LPH – Amphibious Assault Ship – Helicopter
   
• LZ – Landing Zone
   
• MAG – Marine Aviation Group
   
• MALS – Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron
   
• MAGTF – Marine Air-Ground Task Force
   
• MARCENT – Marine Forces Central Command, Tampa, FL (sometimes referred to as CENTCOM)
   
• MARDIV – Marine Division
   
• MARFORRES – Marine Force Reserve, New Orleans, LA
   
• MARS – Military Affiliated Radio System
   
• MAW – Marine Air Wing
   
• MCAGCC – Marine Corps Air/Ground Combat Center, 29 Palms, CA
   
• MCAS – Marine Corps Air Station
   
• MCB – Marine Corps Base
   
• MCCDC – Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, VA
   
• MCCS – Marine Corps Community Services
   
• MCRD – Marine Corps Recruiting Depot (one at San Diego, CA and one at Parris Island, SC)
   
• MCX – Marine Corps Exchange
   
• MEF – Marine Expeditionary Force
   
• MEU – Marine Expeditionary Force
   
• MEU(SOC) – Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operation Capable)
   
• MOS – Military Occupational Specialty
   
• MP – Military Police
   
• MRE – Meals Ready to Eat
   
• MWSS – Marine Wing Support Squadron
   
• NAF – Non-Appropriated Funds
   
• Ninety-Six – Four day pass
   
• NCO – Noncommissioned Officer, grade E-4 E-5
   
• NCOIC – Noncommissioned Officer in Charge
   
• OCONUS – Outside the Continental United States
   
• OCS – Officer Candidate School, Quantico, VA
   
• Office Hours – CO’s non-judicial punishment
   
• OOD – Officer of the Day
   
• O-Dark Thirty – After midnight and before normal working hours
   
• OIC – Officer in Charge
   
• OJT – On the Job Training
   
• Ops – Operations
   
• Orders – Instructions to Marine (written or verbal)
   
• Overhead – ceiling
   
• OWC – Officers’ Wives’ Club
   
• PAO – Public Affairs Office
   
• POA – Power of Attorney – Legal document permitting a person to act on behalf of another
   
• Police – Clean up an area
   
• Port – Left
   
• Protocol – Customs and courtesies
   
• PT – Physical Training
   
• PX – Post Exchange (Army term often used by Marines for MCX)
   
• QOL – Quality of Life
   
• Quarters – Government housing for married Marines
   
• Rack – Bed
   
• Rank – Official title of Marine, such as sergeant or captain
   
• Recruit – An individual undergoing training at boot camp
   
• RTD – Rotation Tour Date
   
• 782 gear – Equipment Marines are issued for combat
   
• S-1 – Administration section of a unit
   
• S-2 – Intelligence section of a unit
   
• S-3 – Operations/training section of a unit
   
• S-4 – Logistics/supply section
   
• SAR – Search and Rescue
   
• SDO – Squadron Duty Officer
   
• Secure – Closed, put away, taken care of
   
• SECDEF – Secretary of Defense
   
• SECNAV – Secretary of the Navy
   
• SGLI – Service member’s Group Life Insurance
   
• Seventy-Two – Three day pass
   
• Sick Bay – Hospital or clinic
   
• Sick Call – A set time during the day when Marines go to sick bay
   
• SITES – Relocation Information for families provided by the base family Readiness Program
   
• Skivvies – Underwear
   
• SNCO – Staff Noncommissioned Officer, E-6 thru E-9
   
• SNCOIC – Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge
   
• SOI – School of Infantry
   
• SOMS – Station Operations Maintenance Squadron 
   
• Space A – Space Available on military transport flights
   
• Sponsor – Military member responsible for the family member(s)
   
• Squared Away – Get things or people in order; to become secured
   
• SSN – Social Security Number
   
• Starboard – right
   
• TAD – Temporary Additional Duty, The other services use the acronym TYD, Temporary Duty
   
• TBD – To Be Determined
   
• TBS – The Basic School
   
• TLA – Temporary Living Allowance
   
• TLF – Temporary Living Facility
   
• TMO – Traffic Management Office
   
• TQL – Total Quality Leadership
   
• TRAP – Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel
   
• UA – Unauthorized Absence
   
• Unaccompanied Tour – Tour of duty where family members are not authorized to go
   
• Utes & Boots – (See Boots & Utes)
   
• VA – Veterans Affairs, formerly called the Veterans Administration
   
• VHA – Variable Housing Allowance
   
• VMFA – Fixed Wing Aircraft
   
• WESTPAC – Western Pacific tour, such as Japan
   
• WO – Warrant Officer
   
• WTI – Weapons Tactical Instruction