Acronyms and Slang


Acronyms and abbreviations are used to replace otherwise cumbersome names or titles .
IE: CINCPACFLT = Commander In Chief of the Pacific Fleet

 
Updated 07/03/06
(Click on a letter to position yourself Alphabetically)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Slang

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ADMAdmiral ( O-10 - 4 stars)

BCPBallast Control Panel -Central station for control of ships trim operated by the BCP operator.

CDRCommander (Rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel - O-5)
CPTCaptain (Rank is equivalent to Full "Bird" Colonel - O-6)
CAPTAIN1. Captain (Rank is equivalent to Full "Bird" Colonel - O-6)
2. Captain (Title of a Ships Commanding Officer)
CHIEFGeneral description for CPO, or Head of a unit, division, or Department.
CNO Chief Of Naval Operations
CINC Commander IN Chief (of )
CNOChief of Naval Operations (Most senior Naval Officer)
CO or C.O. (See Oh) Commanding Officer (Called "Captain" when on a ship)
COBChief Of the Boat - Senior enlisted on a Sub. Appointed by the Captain.
COM Command or Commander of
CON Control of the ship (Title for the watch in charge of the ship's control, underway)
CPOSpecific Rank of Chief Petty Officer - E-7
CPO General Term for Chief Petty Officer (same as NCO, 4 grades, E-6, E-7, E-8, and E-9)
CWO# Chief Warrant Officer (Limited Commission officer -3 grades W-2,W-3,and W-4)

DEV Development
DIV Division

ENS Ensign (O-1)
EPCPElectrical Plant Control Panel

FAC Facility
FADMFleet Admiral ( O-11 - 5 stars, Wartime only
FLE Fleet


GRUGroup


LANT Atlantic
LCDR Lieutenant Commander (O-4)
Lt or LT Lieutenant (O-3)
LTJG Lieutenant-Junior Grade (O-2)


MBTMain Ballast Tank
MCPO Master Chief Petty Officer - E-9
MCPONMaster Chief Petty Officer Of the Navy (E-10), most senior Navy enlisted rank


NCO Non-Commissioned Officer (Term used by other services) Navy term is Petty Officer
PO Petty Officer (general description for E-4 thru 6}
PO1 First Class Petty Officer (E6-NCO)
PO2 Second Class Petty Officer (E5-NCO)
PO3 Third Class Petty Officer (E4-NCO)

RADMRear Admiral (Lower Half - O-7 - 1 star)
RADMRear Admiral (Upper Half - O-8 - 2 stars)
RON Squadron
RPCPReactor Plant Control Panel

SECNAV Secretary Of The Navy
SCPOSenior Chief Petty Officer - E-8
SCPShip's Control Panel - Operated by the Helmsman/Planesman under the direction of the diving officer of the watch.
SPCPSteam Plant Control Panel - (Throttle Panel) : One in Maneuvering and one between the turbines
SUB Submarine


TRA Training
VADMAdmiral ( O-9 - 3 stars)
WRTWater 'round Torpedo tank- used to flood the torpedo tube.
WO Warrant Officer (Limited commission officer, W-1 discontinued, W-5 New)
XO or X.O. Executive Officer (2nd in command and Morale Officer. Some think they are Moral Officer too.)


 

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Slang and Terminology


Acey-Deucy Club First & Second Class Petty Officers Club - Sorry to say they are no longer.
"Aft of the Frame" The after end of the ship-"Nuke Puke" land. Frame #57 and up on SSN651.
AMR#1 or #2 Auxiliary Machinery Room - #1 is forward, #2 is aft. -Where auxiliary electrical and mechanical equipment, are kept.
Airdale Crewman of an aircraft carrier with an aviation rating.
"Auxiliaries" Tanks that may be flooded to increase ships weight.
"Bagger" A slacker, who never does his duties.#
"Blow" To blow air into the Main Ballast Tanks, forcing out the water.
"Brown Bagger" A married crewman who lives of off the base.
Boat All submarines are traditionally called boats.
Broach To allow the ship to suddenly rise out of the water, bow first, possibly allowing detection.
Brow Bridge way between the ship and the pier, or another ship.
"Blue Nose" A person who has crossed the Arctic Circle.
"Bubble Head" A submarine sailor.
"Bug" Juice Kool-Aid ®.
"Bunkie" A sailors bunk.
"BX" Base Exchange (department store).
The reactor is "Critical" A sustained chain reaction exists in the reactor (normal operation).
"Coner" Name given by "Nukes" to the forward, non-nuclear, crewmembers.#
"Crank" or "Cranker" A "Mess Cook" or person assigned temporary mess duty; like K.P. , but not disciplinary.#
"Dink" A person delinquent in ships Qualifications. #
"Douche Kit" Shaving Kit.
"DO (Dee Oh)" Either, Division Officer or Duty Officer.
"Eng" The Engineering Officer.
Fire Control Equipment used for gathering target data to aim weapons.
Frame The ribs around the inner circumference of the ship.
"Frame 57" The frame of 637 class boats that is the start of the reactor compartment.
"Gedunk" Something easy or a place to buy Soft drinks, candy & fast food.
"Gilly" Pure grain alcohol, also, known as "Torpedo Juice"
Hatch An opening between deck levels.
'Heavie" (Hee-Vee) Also called a "Monkey Line" or "Heaving Line". A 50', lightweight, small diameter rope with a weighted  "Monkey Fist" or "Monkey Paw" knot on one end, which is used to pass a ship's mooring line from ship to shore or ship to ship. The weighted end is heaved (tossed) to the receiving line handlers. The other end is tied to the ship's mooring line that is to be passed. The line is then pulled over.
"Head" Toilet.
"Hockey Pucks" Freeze-dried disks of beef  liver.
"Horse C_ _k Sandwiches" Bologna sandwiches.
"Hot-bunk" Two or more sailors sharing the same bunk (1 at a time).
"I Can't Fix Nuthin" Interior Communications Fireman rate ICFN (derogatory).
"Jar Head" Can you say Marine? Marines used a jar as a toilet on crowded transport ships in WWI. A toilet is called a "head" aboard ship. 
Ladder A ladder or stairway.
"Nuke" Also "Nuke Puke". Nuclear Trained Personnel. Sometimes derogatory.
"Old Man" The Captain.
"Papa Hotel" Military Phonetic Alphabet for the letters P & H , the abbreviation for Pearl Harbor.
"Pink Lady" Pure Grain Alcohol, with additives to prevent human consumption, pink in color.
"Plank Owner"  The commissioning crew of a ship. There are no official USN. regulations defining the term.
"Poopy Suit" Submarine Coveralls.
Port (Portside) The Left side of the ship. At one time the term "larboard" was used.
"Port and Starboard
Duty" in port)
24 hours on 24 hours off (no mans idea of fun).
"Port and Starboard
Watch" (at sea)
6 hours on 6 hours off. Sometimes 12 hours on 12 hours off.
R.C.H. or L.R.C.H. a VERY small unit of measurement (translation is politically incorrect.) ;-)
Quarter Master Assists the Captain and Navigation Officer in navigating the ship.
Relative Bearing Hint: It never requires lubrication ;-)
Saltpeter Fictitious method of controlling the sexual drive of military men.
SCRAM Safety shutdown of the reactor.- Originally stood for "Safety Control Rod Axe Man"
"Scuttlebutt" Drinking fountain or gossip.
"Skimmer" Surface sailor.
"Short Timer" A Man with less than a year of active service to serve.
"S_ _T Screen" Term used by officers to describe a person always in trouble, diverting attention from others.#
Silent Running Operating the ship in an extremely quiet mode.
"Skipper" The ship's Captain
"Snipes" Junior engineering rates.
"SNOB" "Shortest Nuke On Board" - Must be first enlistment, not possible in my day.#
"Soup Down" Midnight meal (at sea.) also known as "Midrats".
"Sparky" or "Sparks" Radioman.
"Spook" I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. ;-)
Starboard The right side of the ship.
"The Bomb" 6L16 Electrolytic O2 Generator ("Chicken Heart" & "Failsafe" On 651.)
"Trim" Distribution of weight throughout the ship to keep the ship level and at a slightly positive buoyancy.
"2 Wire Electrician" Interior Communications Electrician (derogatory).
"Torpedo Juice" Pure grain alcohol.
"Water Line" Hint: It is not a pipe, and isn't measured by the foot. ;-)
Water Tight Door A very heavy sealed door in the water tight bulkhead between compartments.

# Contributed by Tom Jordan Ex USS Tunny crewmember. Thanks Tom.

 

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