Military Acronym User-Guide

Calculator
Published

Military Acronym User-Guide

Military jargon involves numerous acronyms. In order to assist you, we have provided this acronym guide for your easy reference. The acronyms selected are those we found to be the most common when addressing legal issues for servicemembers, veterans and their families. Since this is your user-guide, if you find there are acronyms that should be added, please contact us with suggestions.
A photo of people, from the knees down, wearing camoflague uniforms and tan combat boots.

Military jargon involves numerous acronyms. In order to assist you, we have provided this acronym guide for your easy reference. The acronyms selected are those we found to be the most common when addressing legal issues for servicemembers, veterans and their families. Since this is your user-guide, if you find there are acronyms that should be added, please contact us with suggestions.


10/10 Rule: 10 years marriage during 10 years service creditable to retirement pay. Direct payment by DFAS to former spouse for division of retired pay as property award under USFSPA where former spouse was married to servicemember for at least 10 years during which the servicemember performed at least 10 years of service creditable towards retirement eligibility
20/20/15: 20 years of marriage, 20 years of creditable service, and 15 years overlap.
Former spouse is entitled to military medical care for one year after divorce
20/20/20: 20 years marriage, 20 years of creditable service, and 20 years overlap. Former spouse is entitled to all military benefits and installation privileges. 10 USCS 1072(2)(F)
AD: Active Duty
ADRP: Army Discharge Review Board
AGR: Active Guard and Reserve
AIS: Assignment Incentive Pay
AL: American Legion
Article 15: Non-judidicial punishment under the UCMJ
BAH: Basic Housing Allowance
BAS: Basic Allowance for Subsistence
BDD: Benefits Delivery at Discharge
BF: Balance Brought Forward Balance (of leave time at start of the year that appears on the LES)
BVA: Bureau of Veterans Affairs, Board of Veterans' Appeals, Blinded Veterans Association
C & P Exam: Compensation and Pension Exam
CAVC:   U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
CHCBP: Continued Health Care Benefit Program
CO: Commanding Officer
CONUS: Continental United States
CR BAL: Current Balance (of leave time appearing on LES)
CRDP: Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payment
CSB/REDUX: Career Status Bonus
CUE: Clear and Unmistakable Error
DAV: Disabled American Vets
DBQ: Disability Benefits Questionnaire
DEA: Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance
DFAS: Defense Finance and Accounting Services
DIC: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
DLA: Dislocation Allowance
DOD: Department of Defense
DRB: Discharge Review Board
DVA: Department of Veteran Affairs
DVOP: Disabled Veteran Outreach Program
E: Enlisted
EB: Enlistment Bonus
ETS: Expiration of Term of Service
FAP: Family Advocacy Program
FLPP: Foreign Language Proficiency Pay

Forms:

  • DD 149: Application for Correction
  • DD 214: Military Discharge Form
  • DD 293: Application for Review of Discharge from Armed Forces
  • DD 2293: Application for Former Spouse Payments from Retired Pay
  • DD 2656-1: SBP Election Statement for Former Spouse Coverage
  • DD 2656-10: SBP/Reserve Component Request for Deemed Election
  • DD 2760: Military Form: Qualification to Possess Firearms or Ammunition
  • DD 2837: Continued Health Care Benefit Program Application
  • SF 1199A: Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form
  • VA 10-10EZ: Application for Health Benefits

FSH: Family Separation Housing
FTA: Foreign Transfer Allowance
HDIP: Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay
HDP: Hardship Duty Pay
HFP/IDP: Hostile Fire Pay/Imminent Danger Pay
IMO: Independent Medical Opinion
IMA: An individual reservist attending drills who receives training and is preassigned to an Active Component organization, a Selective Service System, or a Federal Emergency Management Agency billet that must be filled on, or shortly after, mobilization. Individual mobilization augmentees train on a part-time basis with these organizations to prepare for mobilization. Inactive duty training for individual mobilization augmentees is decided by componen policy and can vary from 0 to 48 drills a year. Also called IMA.
JAG: Judge Advocate General
LES: Leave and Earnings Statement
LVER: Local Veterans Employment Representative
MHV: My HealtheVet
MHS: Military Health System
MOS: Military Occupational Specialty, Military Operated Skill
MP: Military Police
MPO: Military Protective Order
MPR: Military Personnel Records
MST: Military Sexual Trauma
NCA: National Cemetery Administration
NDRB: Naval Discharge Review Board
NOD: Notice of Disagreement (of VA Claim Denial)
NPRC: National Personnel Records Center
NSC: Nonservice Connected
NVLSP: National Veterans Legal Services Program
O: Officer
OEF: Operation Enduring Freedom
OHA: Overseas Housing Allowance
OIF: Operation Iraq Freedom
OMPF: Official Military Personnel File
ONE: Operation Noble Eagle
OQR: Officer Qualification Record
PCS: Permanent Change of Station
POA: Power of Attorney
POV: Privately Owned Vehicle
PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PVA: Paralyzed Veterans of America
RC: Reserve Component, 10 USCS 101(c)
REAP: Reserve Educational Assistance Program
REFRAD: Release from Active Duty
SBP: Survivor Benefit Plan
SC: Service Connected
SCRA: Servicemember Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. App. §501 et seq. )
SDAP: Special Duty Assignment Pay
SF: Standard Form
SGLI: Servicemembers Group Life Insurance
SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance
SSVF: Supportive Services for Veterans Families
SUD: Substance Use Disorders
TAMP: Transitional Assistance Medical Program
TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury
TC: Transitional Compensation
TCS: Temporary Change of Station
TDY: Temporary Duty Assignment of less than 6 months which usually comes with per diem pay covering lodging, meals and incidental expenses.
Title 10: of the United States Code, addresses the mission and role of the U.S.
military and includes all the branches and active duty and reserves
Title 32: of the United States Code, addresses National Guard Drill Status
TMC: The Military Community
TRICARE: Health care program serving uniformed servicemembers, retirees and their
Families, 10 USCS 1072(7)
TRO: Tricare Regional Office
TSP: Thrift Savings Plan
UCJM: Uniform Code of Military Justice
UCX: Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (20 CFR Part 614; 5 U.S.C. §§ 8521-8525)
UNI: Uniformed
UOCAVA: Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (42 USC § 1973ff)
USERRA: Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (38 USC §
4301 et seq)
USFSPA: Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (10 U.S.C.S. § 1408)
VA: Veterans Administration
VBA: Veterans Benefits Administration
VEAP: Veterans Educational Assistance Program
VFW: Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
VHA: Veterans Health Administration
VMLI: Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance
VONAPP: Veterans OnLine Application
VR&E: Vocational Rehabilitation Employment
VSC: Veterans Service Center
VSO: Veterans Service Organization
VSR: Veteran's Service Representative
W: Warrant Officer
WTRP: Women's Trauma Recovery Program

Find more military terms and acronyms through the DOD Dictionary of Military Terms.

Click here to find a list of definitions commonly used by the VA and the VA research community.

 

January 2018, Updated August 2020