Military Terms
At Medals of America there’s always Military Terms and Slang floating around in 
conversation. So we thought to our self. “Self, why don’t we compile the Ultimate List of Military Terms, Slang and Acronyms for our readers?”. That’s exactly what we’ve done. This is a work in progress and a growing list so please share yours if you see one we missed.
Let the Military Terms Begin!
Slang/Acronym/Term | Definition/Meaning |
|---|---|
| "V" | Stands for the "V" Device added to select medals. |
| * | Indicates a "Star" on a DD-214 |
| 4 Packs | C-Ration Cigarettes |
| 60 Device | A Device added to the Vietnam Campaign Medal reading "1960 - " |
| AAM | Army Achievement Medal |
| ACM | American Campaign Medal |
| Acting Jack | Pay Grade E-4 wearing SGT Stripes |
| ADSM | American Defense Service Medal |
| AF | Air Force - As seen on DD 214 |
| AFEM | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
| AFRM | Armed Forces Reserve Medal |
| AFSM | Armed Forces Service Medal |
| AGCM | Army Good Conduct Medal |
| AH | Bronze Arrowhead |
| Airdales | Navy Air personnel |
| AM | Air Medal |
| AOM | Army of Occupation Medal |
| AOM (G) | Army of Occupation Medal Germany |
| AOM (J) | Army of Occupation Medal Japan |
| APCM | Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal |
| ARCAM | Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal |
| ARCOM | Army Commendation Medal |
| ARCOTR | Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon |
| ASM | Antarctic Service Medal |
| ASR | Army Service Ribbon |
| ASR Score | Adjusted Service Rating |
| ASUA | Army Superior Unit Emblem |
| ATSM | America Theater Service Medal |
| BA | Bronze Arrowhead |
| BAH | Bronze Arrowhead |
| BCS | Bronze Service Star |
| BF | Belgian Fourragere |
| Black Shoe | Shipboard Personnel |
| BOLC | Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster |
| Brown Shoe | Airdales Aboard Ship |
| BSM | Bronze Star Medal |
| BSS | Bronze Service Star |
| Bulkhead | Wall |
| Cannon Cocker | Artilleryman |
| cannon-cocker | Gunners Mate |
| CIB | Combat Infantrymans Badge |
| CMB | Combat Medical Badge |
| COB | Daily Close of Business |
| COB | Chief of the Boat |
| Coffin Locker | Rack/Bed Locker |
| COL | Colonel |
| DA4187 | Army form used for everything |
| DD Form 214 | Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty |
| DD-214 | Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty |
| DDSM | Defense Distinguished Service Medal |
| Deck | Floor |
| DF | Disposition Form |
| DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Dist Unit Badge | Distinguished Unit Badge |
| DMSM | Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| DSC | Distinguished Service Cross |
| DSM | Distinguished Service Medal |
| DSSM | Defense Superior Service Medal |
| EAME | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal |
| EAMECM | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal |
| EFMB | Expert Field Medical Badge |
| EIB | Expert Infantryman Badge |
| FF | French Fourragere |
| FUBAR | F****D UP BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION |
| GCD | Good Conduct Medal |
| GCM | Army Good Conduct Medal |
| Geedunks | Food/snacks also referred to as geedunk machine or geedunk truck |
| GRAF | Training Site in Germany |
| Ground Pounder | A slang term used mainly by the Air Force to refer to ground based units. |
| GWOT | Global War on Terror |
| hard-legs | meaning males |
| HMLA | Marine light attack helicopter squadron |
| HMM | Marine medium helicopter squadron |
| HMT | Marine helicopter training squadron |
| HSM | Humanitarian Service Medal |
| INF | Infantry - DD-214 Abbreviation |
| JMUA | Joint Meritorious Unit Emblem |
| John Wayne Bar | C-Ration Chocolate |
| JSAM | Joint Service Achievement Medal |
| JSCM | Joint Service Commendation Medal |
| KCM | Kosovo Campaign Medal |
| KLM | Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait |
| knuckle-draggers | Boatswain Mates |
| KSM | Korean Service Medal |
| LAAD | Low-altitude air defense |
| Ladder | Stairs |
| LM | Legion of Merit |
| LOM | Legion of Merit |
| M Dev | Letter "M" Device |
| MACS | Marine air control squadron |
| MALS | Marine aviation logistics squadron |
| MASD | Marine aviation support detachment |
| MASS | Marine air support squadron |
| MH | Marine heavy helicopter squadron |
| MH | Medal of Honor |
| MHA | Medal for Humane Action |
| MOH | Medal of Honor |
| MSM | Meritorious Service Medal |
| MTACS | Marine tactical air command squadron |
| MUC | Meritorious Unit Emblem |
| MWCS | Marine wing communications squadron |
| MWHS | Marine wing headquarters squadron |
| MWSS | Marine wing support squadron |
| NCO | Non Commissioned Officer |
| NDSM | National Defense Service Medal |
| Nose Coner | a non nuc that worked in the front end of the submarine |
| NPDR | NCO Professional Development Ribbon |
| Nub | new guy not yet qualified to stand watch - often the butt of many jokes and pranks |
| Nukie Puke | A term to refer to Navy personnel attending Nuclear Power School. |
| OBE | Overcome By Events |
| OLC | Oak Leaf Clusters |
| OSR | Overseas Service Ribbon |
| Overhead | Ceiling |
| P-38 | Can Opener |
| PAC | Pacific - As seen on DD 214 |
| PDR | Philippine Defense Ribbon |
| PH | Purple Heart - Abbreviated on some DD-214's |
| PIR | Philippine Independence Ribbon |
| PLM | Philippine Liberation Medal |
| PLR | Philippine Liveration Ribbon |
| PUC | Presidential Unit Emblem |
| REDLEG | a True Artilleryman |
| Relative Bearing Grease | a mythical substance often pursued by nubs |
| Roach Coach | Catering trucks that would sell food at piers/barracks. |
| ROK | Republic of Korea |
| ROKWSM | Republic of Korea War Service Medal |
| RVCM | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
| RVN | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
| Sand Crabs | Civilian workers on Navy bases. |
| SASM | Southwest Asia Service Medal |
| Sea Bat | a mythical creature that was often pursued by those on their first cruise |
| SeaRats | Food at Sea |
| Shitkicker | Cowboy movie on board ship |
| SM | Soldier's Medal |
| Smoking Lamp | either Lite or Out: To let smokers know when they could smoke or when to extinguish smokes. |
| SNAFU | situation normal all fouled up |
| Snipes | Referred to the Enginemen ratings of Navy. |
| split-tails | meaning females |
| SS | Silver Star Medal |
| SWASM | Southwest Asia Service Medal |
| Treadhead | probably influenced by the USMC "Jarhead", this term denotes a battletank crewmember. The proper response to this would be "clank-clank, I'm a tank" |
| turd chaser | Hull Technicians in Navy |
| UNKSM | United Nations Service Medal (Korea) |
| V Dev | Letter "V" Device |
| VCM | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
| VMA | Marine attack squadron |
| VMAQ | Marine electronic warfare squadron |
| VMAT | Marine attack training squadron |
| VMFA | Marine all-weather fighter attack squadron |
| VMFA | Marine fighter attack squadron |
| VMFAT | Marine fighter attack training squadron |
| VMGR | Marine aerial refueler squadron |
| VMGRT | Marine aerial refueler/transport squadron |
| VMU | Unmanned aerial vehicle squadron |
| VSM | Vietnam Service Medal |
| VUA | Valorous Unit Emblem |
| WACSM | Women's Army Corps Service Medal |
| WW II VM | World War 2 Victory Medal |
| WW11VM | world War 2 Victory Medal |
| WW2VM | World War 2 Victory Medal |
| WWIIVM | World War 2 Victory Medal |
| WWIVM | World War I Victory Medal |
Military Terms in Phrases/Sentences
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FIGMO…..F**k it I got my Orders