Abbreviations/Acronyms (Living List)

[Jason Gaudet]

While completing my research of the RCAF/RAF, I come across many acronyms or abbreviations that stump me. So I then surf over to my webpage which has a lengthy list of definitions... http://bcatp.stations.googlepages.co...eviations.html
...now that I'm back on the army side of research, I'm being stumped again. Are there any websites or reference pages out there for Canadian military (WW2 period) Abbreviations/Acronyms?

Here are a few of my current stumps!

- O.R. Quarters & O. R. Mess
- CWAC ACCOM (Building)
- Army Examiner & "P.R.I." Office
- A & T Staff

[Jon Skagfeld]

Greetings, Jason:

May I offer the following explanations, subject to other posters who may be more knowledgeable:

OR= Other Ranks, i.e. the Herbies,

CWAC ACCOMM= Canadian Women's Army Corps Accommodations, absolutely strictly off limits to male personnel...(unless prior arrangements and/or suitable application of wire cutters were used!)

PRI= Physical Recreation Instructor

A&T= Administration and Training (usually referring to a unit based cadre).

HTH

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jason

Go here and try a few...FUBAR comes to mind...

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-quer...d&string=exact

[cletrac (RIP)]

FUBAR is the last in a series that starts with SNAFU and then TARFU. I think they're from the Vietnam era. When I typed this in the spelling checker didn't underline SNAFU.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Dave:

SNAFU and FUBAR predate the Vietnam war era.

They were common terms during WW II and possibly before that.

[Jason Gaudet]

Please reply with your additions to this list. Let's avoid slang terms and try to stick with Commonwealth Ground Force abbreviations/acronyms....

2 IC – 2nd in Command
AA – Anti Aircraft
AAA – Anti Aircraft Artillery
ACAV - Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle
ADATS - Air Defense Anti-Tank System
AIRCOM – Air Command (Airforce)
AMV – Advanced Modular Vehicle
AR – Automatic Rifle
ARRC - Associate Royal Red Cross
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
ASC - Army Service Corps
ASG – Area Support Group
ASU – Area Support Unit
A&T – Administration and Training
ATAM - Air-To-Air Missile
ATGW – Army Tank Guided Weapon
Att – Attached
AVF - All-Volunteer Force
AVGP – Armoured Vehicle General Purpose
AWOL – Absent Without Leave
AWACS – Airborne Warning And Control Systems
BAOR – British Army of the Rhine
Bde – Brigade
BDU - Battle-Dress Uniform or Bomb Dummy Units
BFG – British Forces Germany
BFPO – British Forces Post Office
BG – Battle Group
BGHQ - BattleGroup Headquarters
BMH – British Military Hospital
Bn – Battalion
Bootneck - A Royal Marine Commando
BRCS - British Red Cross Society
BRSC - British Rear Support Command
Bty - Battery
CAD – Central Ammunition Depot
Cam – Camouflaged (Camo)
CANCOM – Canada Command
CANSOFCOM – Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Cas - Casualty
Casevac - Casualty Evacuation
CBG – Canadian Brigade Groups
CCP – Casualty Collecting Point
CCS – Casualty Clearing Station
CEF – Canadian Expeditionary Force
CEFCOM – Canadian Expeditionary Force Command
CFCS – Canadian Forces Communications System
CFB – Canadian Forces Base
CFE – Canadian Forces Europe
CF H Svcs Gp - Canadian Forces Health Services Group
CFLAWC – Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre
CFMS – Canadian Forces Medical Service
CGS – Chief of the General Staff
CinC – Commander in Chief
CITC – Canadian Infantry Training Centre
CME – Canadian Military Engineers
CMGB – Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
CMTC – Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre
CP – Command Post
CO – Commanding Officer
Col – Colonel
Comd – Command or Commander
Comms Z – Communications Zone
Compo – Composite Ration (also called comp rat)
COMSEN – Communications Centre
Coord – Co-ordinate
CoS – Chief of Staff
Coy – Company
CP – Command Post or Close Protection
Cpl – Corporal
CPO – Chief Petty Officer (Navy Rank) or Command Pay Office
CQMS – Company Quartermaster Sergeant
CSM – Company Sergeant Major
C Sups – Combat Supplies
CTC – Canadian Training Centre
CV – Combat Vehicles
CVD – Central Vehicle Depot
CVR (T) or (W) – Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) or (Wheeled)
CW – Chemical Warfare
DCM – Distinguished Conduct Medal
Def – Defence
Det – Detached
DEW Line – Distant Early Warning Line
DF – Defensive Fire
Dml – Demolition
DND – Department of National Defence
DS - Directing Staff (also called DiStaff)
DSO - Distinguished Service Order
DTG – Date Time Group
Ech – Echelon
EDP – Emergency Defence Plan
Emb – Embarkation
EMP - Electro Magnetic Pulse
En – Enemy
EOD – Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Eqpt – Equipment
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
EW – Electronic Warfare or Early Warning
Ex – Exercise
FAC – Forward Air Controller
FEBA – Forward Edge Battle Area
FLET – Forward Location Enemy Troops
FLOT – Forward Location Own Troops
FMC – Force Mobile Command
Fmm – Formation
FOB – Forward Operating Base
FOO – Forward Observation Officer
FOUO – For Official Use Only
FRT – Forward Repair Team
FUP – Forming Up Point (or Position)
GDP – General Defence Plan
GMC - General Military Course
GOC – General Officer Commanding
GPMG – General Purpose Machine Gun
GPS – Global Positioning System
Grunt – Slang Word For An Infantryman
HAA – Heavy Anti Air
HB – Hostile Battery
HE – High Explosive
HEAT – High Explosive Anti Tank
Hel – Helicopter
HEMTT – Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
HLVW - Heavy Lift Vehicle, Wheeled
HM – Her/His Majesty
HMMWV – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee)
HVM – Hyper Velocity Missile
II – Image Intensifier
Int Sum – Intelligence Summary
IO – Intelligence Officer
IR – Individual Reservist
IS – Internal Security
ISC – Infantry Section Carrier
IW – Individual Weapon
JFHQ – Joint Forces Headquarters
JHQ – Joint Headquarters
LCpl – Lance Corporal
LAC – Light Armoured Vehicle
LdSH (RC) – Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
LFC – Land Force Command (Army)
LFCA TC – Land Forces Central Area Training Centre
LFAA – Land Force Atlantic Area
LFQA – Land Force Quebec Area
LFCA – Land Force Central Area
LFWA – Land Force Western Area
LFNA – Land Force Northern Area
LFWATC – Land Force Western Area Training Centre
L of C - Lines of Communications
LO - Liaison Officer
Log - Logistic
LRATGW - Long Range Anti Tank Guided Weapon
LRSW - Long Range Sniper Weapon
LSDI - Large Scale Deliberate Intervention
LSVW - Light Support Vehicle, Wheeled
LSW - Light Support Weapon
LT – Lieutenant
LUP - Lying Up Point
LVS - Logistics Vehicle System
LZ – Landing Zone
MARCOM – Maritime Command (Navy)
MBT – Main Battle Tank
MC - Military Cross
MD – Military District
Mech - Mechanised
Med - Medical
MFC - Mortar Fire Controller
MLU – Maple Leaf Up
MLVW – Medium Logistic Vehicle, Wheeled
MM - Military Medal
MMEV – Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle
MML – Manual of Military Law
MO – Medical Officer
Mob – Mobilisation
MOD – Ministry of Defence
Mov O – Movement Order
MP - Military Police
Msl - Missile
MT - Mechanical Transport or Motor Transport
NAAFI - Navy Army and Air Force Institutes
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NBC - Nuclear Biological and Chemical
NCO - Non Commissioned Officer
NOK - Next of Kin
NORAD – North American Aerospace Defense Command
NTR – Nothing To Report
NYK – Not Yet Known
OC – Officer Commanding or Officer Cadet
O Group - Order Group
OIC - Officer in Charge
OOTW - Operations Other Than War
OP - Observation Post
Op O - Operation Order
OPV - Observation Post Vehicle
OR - Other Ranks (Often mistakenly taken to mean Ordinary Ranks)
OStJ – Officer of the Order of St John
Or Bat – Order of Battle
Pax – Passengers
PPCLI – Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
POETS Day - Push Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday
P Info - Public Information
Pl - Platoon
POL - Petrol Oil and Lubricants
POM - Potential Officer Material
POW - Prisoner of War or Privately Owned Weapon
PRI – Physical Recreation Instructor
PT – Physical Training
Pte – Private
QAIMNS - Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
QHNS - Queen's Honorary Nursing Sister Nurse
QHN - Queen's Honorary Nurse
QM - Quartermaster
QMG - Quartermaster General
QMS - Quartermaster Sergeant
QVJI - Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute
R22eR - Royal 22e Regiment
RAF – Royal Air Force
RAP – Regimental Aid Post or Rocket Assisted Projectile
RCA – Royal Canadian Artillery
RCAF – Royal Canadian Air Force
RCAMC – Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
RCD – Royal Canadian Dragoons
RCDC - Royal Canadian Dental Corps
RCHA – Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RCN – Royal Canadian Navy
RCR – Royal Canadian Regiment
RCZ – Rear Combat Zone
Recce – Reconnaissance
Regt – Regiment
Rft - Reinforcement
RHQ - Regimental Headquarters
RJDF - Rapid Joint Deployment Force
RMA - Royal Military Academy or Rear Maintenance Area
ROE - Rules Of Engagement
ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps
ROWPU – Reverse-Osmosis Water Purification Unit
RPG – Rocket Propelled Grenade or Rounds per gun
RSM - Regimental Sergeant Major
RTM - Ready To Move
RTU - Returned or Return to Unit
RRC - Royal Red Cross
SACUER -Supreme Allied Commander Europe
SADO - Senior Administrative Officer
SAM – Surface to Air Missile
SatCom – Satellite Communications
SDR – Strategic Defence Review
SF – Special Forces
Sgt – Sergeant
SHAPE -Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
SIB -Special Investigation Branch
Sit -Situation
SitRep -Situation Report
SLR - Self Loading Rifle
SMG-Sub Machine Gun
SNCO - Senior Non Commissioned Officer
SP - Self Propelled or Start Point or Support
Sqn - Squadron
Squaddie - Slang Word For A Soldier
SSM - Surface to Surface Missile
SSVC - Services Sound and Vision Corporation
STOL - Short Take Off and Landing
TA - Territorial Army
TAB - Tactical Advance to Battle
Tac - Tactical
TC – Training Centre
TCP – Traffic Control Point
TCV – Troop Carrying Vehicle
Tgt – Target
Tk – Tank
TOT – Time On Target
Tp – Troop
Tpt – Transport
Two i/c – Second In Command
UKMF – United Kingdom Mobile Force
Unclass – Unclassified
UNPROFOR - United Nations Protection Force
UXB - Unexploded Bomb
U/S - Unserviceable
VAD - Voluntary Aid Detachment
VC – Victoria Cross
VCDS – Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
VCP – Vehicle Check Point
Veh – Vehicle
WAAC - Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps
WE - War Establishment
A Wet – A Cup Of Tea Or Coffee
Wksp - Workshop
WO - Warrant Officer

[Jon Skagfeld]

Nice, handy reference list of a mixture of the "old" and the "new" acronyms.

A couple of observations...

Enter into your list...ADREP=Admin Report, usually sent by secure means by e.g. Pl WO for resupply of POL, Ammo, and all the other good stuff.

AWOL= Absent Without Oficial Leave...that's an Americanism...CF terminology is AWL

Enter into your list...CFAD= Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot, as is in CFB Borden.

HLVW= Heavy Logistics Vehicle Wheeled.

Enter into your list...NRA= No Religious Affiliation...an agnostic or other type who professes no affiliation with a particular order. Used on ID tags. (Got mine).

It's ORBAT, not OrBat

Enter into your list...RESO=Reserve Entry Officer Scheme.

RTM...sometimes referred to as "Return to Mommie", i.e. a failed Recruit who couldn't hack it.

SDR...you say Strategic Defense Review, I say Special Despatch Rider

UNCLAS...Note no second "s"

Finally, UXB are now referred to as UXO.

So, comment on-dit en Francais...the more things change, the more they remain the same. Acronyms come and go...different generations reflect the terminology. Lord knows, having taught 4 Dvr Wh courses this summer at LFCTA TC Meaford, I was totally baffled by the acronyms tossed about by the young soldiers.

BMQ=Recruit Course

SQ=Speciality Course

DP1= Some goddamned thing that I can't relate to but is something like an Infantry Section Commander's Course.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that the acronyms change, but the reality of the role has remained constant, even since Pontius led his Centurions.

[rob love]

I believe it should be BDU= Bomb Disposal Unit

Heres one for the list....it was on my first CMP: RCATC= Royal Cdn Artillery Trng Center.

[Peter Case]

Jason , thanks for the link. I know it will come in handy.

Thank you

Peter

[Lynn Eades]

May be it's time for a list, (with explanations) of terms like "Sunray", "Sunray minor" and even "Bluebell"

Note. AWOL here, is just "Absent With Out Leave"

[Jason Gaudet]

Thanks everyone, I have made one update to the list recently and will complete another this weekend.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by Lynn Eades
May be it's time for a list, (with explanations) of terms like "Sunray", "Sunray minor" and even "Bluebell"

Note. AWOL here, is just "Absent With Out Leave"

OK, you asked for it...here it is.

Reference: Mobile Command Reserve, Technical Services Training Element, CFB Borden, Signal Officer's Field Handbook, 30 May 1969. (Just a reference...other official pams reflect the same).

APPOINTMENT TITLES:

Commander....................Sunray
Chief of Staff...................Moonbeam
Administration Staff........Manhole
Engineer Construction....Holdfast
Ops Staff........................Seagull
Ground Liasion Officer....Glowworm
Intelligence Rep.............Acorn
Medical Rep....................Starlight
Movements Staff............Contractor
Provost Rep...................Watchdog
Q Staff...........................Nutshell
RCEME Rep....................Bluebell (So, there ya go!)
Signals Rep...................Pronto (At your service!)
Air Defence Rep............Conrod
Forward Air Controller..Fortune
Air Contact Officer........Vestment
AQ Staff.......................Molar
Armour Rep.................Ironside
Aviation Rep.................Hawkeye
Arty Rep.......................Sheldrake
Locating, incl Arty Int...Cracker
NBCW Staff..................Boxwood
Infantry Rep................Foxhound
Ordnance Rep..............Rickshaw
Supply&Transport........Playtime
Air Recce......................Spyglass
Air Traffic Controller.....Baseball
Armament Officer........Shotgun
Met Forecaster............Meteor
Navigation Rep............Nomad
Offensive Supp Ops.....Offset
Ground Defense Rep...Fireguard
Tpt Supp Ops..............Atoll

All of the above may be suffixed with "Minor", meaning a (typical) 2 i/c of a unit.

HTH