Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations
(Including Links for Further Information Regarding Selected Terms or Entities)
| Quick Index: | 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 |
-A-
| A | Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Marketing & Public Affairs |
| ABC | America's Boating Course |
| ABYC | American Boat and Yacht Council |
| ADM | Admiral (USCG, USN, USPHS) |
| ADSO | Assistant District Staff Officer |
| AIDE | Aide to National Commodore/District Commodore |
| AIM | Academy Introduction Mission |
| AIS | Automatic Identification System |
| ALCOAST | All Coast Guard Message |
| AMOS | Auxiliary Mission Objectives System |
| ANSC | Auxiliary National Supply Center (Catalog) |
| AOR | Area of Responsibility |
| ARC | American Red Cross |
| ARCO | Area Rear Commodore |
| ASOC | Auxiliary Senior Officers Course |
| ASST | Assistant |
| ATON | Aids to Navigation |
| AUX | Coast Guard Auxiliary |
| AUX-AIR | Auxiliary Aviation |
| AuxACN | Auxiliary Advanced Coastal Navigation (Alternative name for AUXNAV) |
| AUXCEN | Auxiliary Center |
| AUXCOM | Auxiliary Communication Specialty Course |
| AUXDATA | Information data base effective March, 02 |
| AUXFAC | Auxiliary Facility |
| AUXLAM | Auxiliary Leadership & Management Course |
| AUXLEA | Auxiliary Leadership Course |
| AUXLO | Auxiliary Liason Officer (Auxiliary Member designated as primary interface to Gold Side |
| AUXMAN | Auxiliary Manual |
| AUXMIN | Auxiliary Administration Specialty Course (Obsolete. Credit if prev. earned) |
| AUXMIS | Auxiliary Management Information System, Now AUXDATA |
| AUXNAV | Auxiliary Navigation Specialty Course (See Also AuxACN) |
| AuxNet | CGAUX Radio Network (General Description) |
| AUXOP | Operational Auxiliarist Status (Passed 6 [formerly 7] Specialty Courses) |
| AUXPAL | Auxiliary Personnel Allowance List |
| AUXPAT | Auxiliary Patrols Specialty Course |
| AUXSAR | Auxiliary Search & Rescue Specialty Course (No longer Offered Replaced by AuxSCE) |
| AUXSEA | Auxiliary Seamanship Specialty Course |
| AUXWEA | Auxiliary Weather Specialty Course |
| AWW | America's Waterway Watch (Previously "Operation Waterway Watch") |
| AX | AUXOP (designation in AUXData database |
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-B-
| B | Designates the Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Boating |
| BA | Branch Assistant, National Staff |
| BC | Branch Chief, National Staff |
| BC-NCA | Conference Assistant, NACO Staff |
| BC-NCO | Conference Organization, NACO Staff |
| BC-NCP | Conference Planning, NACO Staff |
| BC-NCR | Conference Registration, NACO Staff |
| BC-NCS | Conference Support, NACO Staff |
| BCQ | Boat Crew Qualification |
| BED | Base Enrollment Date |
| BFOI | Boat Force Operations Insignia |
| BIA | Boating Industry Association |
| BIC | Basic Instructor Course (USCG) |
| BLA | Boating Law Administrator |
| BM | Boatswains Mate |
| BMOW | Boatswain's Mate of the Watch |
| BOAT/US | Boat Owners Association of the U. S. |
| BOCA | Boat Owners Council of America |
| BOSAF | Boating Safety Correspondence Course |
| BQ | Basically Qualified |
| BS&S | Boating Skills and Seamanship |
| BSAC | Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) |
| BSC | Boating Safety Circular |
| BT | "Break" between message header and message content |
| BUI | Boating Under the Influence (of alcohol, etc.) |
| BWI | Boating While Intoxicated |
| BYBB | Backyard Boat Builders |
| BZ | Bravo Zule -- "Well Done" |
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-C-
| CAMS | Communications Area Master Station (e.g., CAMSPAC: Communications Area Master Station Pacific, NMC, Pt. Reyes CA |
| CAP | Civil Air Patrol |
| CAPT | Captain (USCG, USN, USPHS) |
| CAVU | Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited (Aviation) |
| CC | Career Counselor (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation - now obsolete) |
| CDR | Commander (USCG, USN, USPHS) |
| CEU | Continuing Education Unit |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| CFVE | Commercial Fishing Vessel Examination |
| CFVS | Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety |
| CG | Coast Guard (United States Coast Guard) |
| CGA | United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) |
| CGAUX | Coast Guard Auxiliary |
| CGI | Coast Guard Institute, Oklahoma City, OK |
| CGMA | Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (formerly CG Welfare) |
| CHDIRAUX | Chief Director, Auxiliary (Headquarters) |
| CM | Communications Officer (CG Aux. SO specialty designation) |
| CMC | Merchant Marine Safety Counsel |
| CMC | Command Master Chief |
| CME | Courtesy Marine (or Motorboat) Examination (Now “VSC”) |
| CO | Commanding Officer |
| COMDT | Commandant of the Coast Guard |
| COMDTINST | Commandant Instruction |
| COMDTNOTE | Commandant Notice |
| COMDTPUB | Commandant Publication |
| COMO | Commodore |
| COS | Chief of Staff |
| COTP | Captain of the Port |
| CPO | Chief Petty Officer (USCG, USN) |
| CPT | Captain |
| CRC | Civil Rights Counselor |
| CS | Communications Services (CG Aux. SO specialty designation) |
| CWO | Chief Warrant Officer |
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-D-
| D-AA | Administrative Assistant to DCO |
| D-AD | Aide to the DCO |
| DBW | (California) Department of Boating and Waterways |
| DCAPT | District Captain |
| DCDR | Division Commander |
| DCOS | District Chief of Staff |
| DCO | District Commodore |
| DDO | District Directorate Officer (sometimes District Directorate Commodore) |
| DEP | Deputy |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security |
| DIR | National Department Director |
| DIRAUX | Director of Auxiliary (District or Region) |
| DIST | District |
| DIV | Division At the local level Divisions are the next level of leadership above the Flotilla. At the National Level Departments are broken down into operating areas of responsibility called Divisions |
| DO | Direct Operations, a PSI clearance required for direct support of CG Operations, or Defense Operations |
| DOD | Department of Defense |
| DOJ | Department of Justice |
| DOL | Department of Labor |
| DOT | Department of Transportation |
| DPG | District Planning Group |
| DSO | District Staff Officer |
| DVC | Division Chief (National Staff) |
| DVC-NC | Conference Coordination, NACO staff |
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-E-
| E | Designates the Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Education |
| ELT | Enforcement of Laws and Treaties |
| EMPLID | Employee Identification Number |
| ENS | Ensign (USCG, USN) |
| EPIRB | Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (Also see PEPIRB) |
| EXCOM | District Executive Committee |
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-F-
| FC | Flotilla Commander |
| FED | Flotilla Enrollment Date |
| FN | Finance Staff Officer (CG Aux. SO specialty designation) |
| FN | Fireman (Enlisted USCG, USN) |
| FM | Family Member (AUXMIS designation) |
| FMV | Fair Market Value |
| FOUO | For Official Use Only |
| FSO- | Flotilla Staff Officer– (followed by specialty designation) |
| FWPCA | Federal Water Pollution Control Act |
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-G-
| G- | Staff Symbol identifying the CG & offices within DOT |
| G-C | Commandant of the Coast Guard |
| G-CCS | Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard |
| G-CV | Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard |
| G-0 | Assistant Commandant for Operations |
| G-PCX | Chief, Office of Auxiliary/Chief Director, Auxiliary |
| GIS | Global Information System |
| GMT | Greenwich Mean Time (See ZULU) (Also sometimes "GCT" "UT") |
| GPO | Government Printing Office |
| GS | General Service -- Federal employee pay level designation |
| GSA | General Services Administration |
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-H-
| HARPAT | Harbor Patrol (as a CGAUX function) Harbor Patrol Guide 2001 (HTML Format) Harbor Patrol Guide 2002 (WORD Format) |
| HF | High Frequency (Radio - 3 to 30 mhz) |
| HIN | Hull Identification Number |
| HLS | HomeLand Security |
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-I-
| I | Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Information & Communications Services |
| ICOMIA | International Council of Marine Industry Associations |
| ICS | Incident Command System |
| IP | Immediate Past Office (except National Commodore) |
| IQ | Initially Qualified Auxiliary Member |
| IS | Information Services (CG Aux. SO specialty designation) |
| ISC | Integrated Support Command |
| IT | Instructor |
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-J-
| JOOD | Junior Officer of the Deck/Day |
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-K-
-L-
| L | Designates the Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Legal Affairs |
| LCDR | Lieutenant Commander (USCG, USN, USPHS) |
| LE | Law Enforcement |
| LEPO | Law Enforcement Petty Officer |
| LM | Life Member |
| LM | CG Auxiliary Land Mobile Radio Station Facility |
| LO | Liaison Officer |
| LORSTA | Loran Station |
| LT | Lieutenant (USCG, USN, USPHS) |
| LTJG | Lieutenant (Junior Grade) (USCG, USN) |
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-M-
| M | Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Marine Safety & Environmental Protection (Also MSEP) |
| MA | Materials (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| MARS | Military Affiliate Radio System |
| MARSEC | Maritime Security (MARSEC 1 is the "New Normalcy") |
| MCPO | Master Chief Petty Officer |
| MCPOCG | Master Chief Petty Officer Of The Coast Guard |
| MDA | Maritime Domain Awareness (also see OPR III) CGAUX MDA/OPR Mission |
| MDV | Marine Dealer Visitor (Obsolete. Now "PV") (CG Aux. SO specialty designation) |
| MEP | Marine Environmental Protections |
| MF | Medium Frequency (300 to 3000 khz) |
| MHLS | Maritime Homeland Security Strategy -- Three scalable Maritime Security postures for increased attention: MARSEC 1 New Normalcy; MARSEC 2-Heightened Risk; MARSEC 3-Incident Imminent |
| MLB | Motor Lifeboat |
| MLC | Maintenance and Logistics Command |
| MI | Master Instructor |
| MOA | Memorandum of Agreement |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MR | Member Resources (old name for Personnel Services) |
| MS | Marine Safety (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| MS | Member Services |
| MSC | Marine Safety Council |
| MSD | Marine Sanitation Device or Marine Safety Detachment |
| MSEP | Marine Safety & Environmental Protection (Also "M") |
| MSSEP | Marine Safety, Security & Environmental Protection |
| MSI | Marine Safety Insignia (Trident Device) |
| MST | Marine Science Technician (USCG PO Rating) |
| MSO | Marine Safety Office |
| MT | Member Training (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| MTSA | Maritime Transportation Security Act |
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-N-
| N-A | Administrative Officer, NACO staff |
| N-AS | NACO Secretary |
| N-D | NACO Aide |
| N-S | Special Assignment, NACO staff |
| N-P | Special Projects Officer, NACO staff |
| NACO | National Commodore |
| NACOS | National Auxiliary Chief of Staff |
| NACON | National Auxiliary Conference |
| NADCO | National Directorate Commodore (appointed) |
| NAPDIC | National Association of Past District Commodores |
| NAPM | National Area Planning Meeting |
| NASBLA | National Association of State Boating Law Administrators |
| NATL | National |
| NAVCO | National Vice Commodore--- |
| NBF | National Boating Federation |
| NBSAC | National Boating Safety Advisory Council |
| NBSS | National Boating Safety School |
| NDRS | National Distress and Response System (Being replaced by "Rescue 21") |
| NEXCOM | National Executive Committee |
| NFPA | National Fire Protection Association |
| NIPCO | Immediate Past National Commodore |
| NM | New Member |
| NOAA | National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration |
| NOK | Next of Kin |
| NOS | National Ocean Survey (NOAA-Dept. of Commerce) |
| NRC | USCG National Response Center |
| NSBC | National Safe Boating Council |
| NSBW | National Safe Boating Week |
| NSC | National Safety Council |
| NTRAIN | National Training Conference |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| NWS | National Weather Service (NOAA - Dept. Of Commerce) |
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-O-
| O | Designates Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Operations |
| OBS | Office of Boating Safety (Coast Guard) |
| OSC | Outboard Boating Club |
| OCMI | Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection |
| OCS | Officer Candidate School |
| ODU | Operational Dress Uniform (Replacing Working Dress Blue) |
| OIA | Order Issuing Authority |
| OINC or OIC | Officer-in-Charge |
| OMS | Operations and Marine Safety |
| OOD | Officer of the Deck/Day |
| OP | Operations (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| OPM | Operations Policy Manual (CGAUX) |
| OPFAC | Operational Facility |
| OPORD | Operation Order |
| OPR | Operation Patriot Readiness (now in Phase III. See Also: MDA) |
| OPS | Operations, Operations Officer |
| OS | Operations Specialist (CG Petty Officer Rating -- Merger of RD and TC) |
| OWW | Operation Waterway Watch (Now "America's Waterway Watch") |
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-P-
| P | Designates Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Personnel |
| P | (before officer title acronym) Past Officer |
| PA | Public Affairs (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| PAO | Public Affairs Officer |
| PATCOM | Patrol Commander |
| PCO | Paddle Craft Operator |
| PB | Publications (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| PE | Public Education (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| PEPIRB | Personal Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (Also see EPIRB) |
| PFD | Personal Flotation Device |
| PIW | People (Person) in Water |
| PO | Petty Officer (USCG, USN) |
| POB | People on Board (Formerly SOB - Souls on Board) |
| POC | Point of Contact |
| POD | Past Officer Device |
| POMS | Patrol Order Management System |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment |
| PQS | Performance Qualification Standard |
| PS | Personnel Services (Also Reserve Port Security Rate) |
| PV | Program Visitor (Previously "MDV") (Staff Officer designator) |
| PWC | Personal Water Craft |
| PWCS | Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security |
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-Q-
| QE | Qualification Examiner |
| QEC | Qualification Examiner Coordinator (See http://www.division1.org/qec.html ) |
| QM | Quartermaster (CG PO Rate now Combined with BM) |
| QMOW | Quartermaster of the Watch |
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-R-
| R&D | Research and Development |
| RADM | Rear Admiral (Upper Half) O-8 |
| RBS | Recreational Boating Safety |
| RBSVP | Recreational Boating Safety Visitation Program |
| RCC | Rescue Coordination Center |
| RDML | Rear Admiral (Lower Half) O-7 (Previously Commodore) |
| REP | Representative |
| RET | Retired |
| REWK | REcertification required for failure to attend required WorKshop |
| REYR | REcertification required for failure to meet Yearly Requirements |
| RMS | Readiness Management System |
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-S-
| SAMA | Standard Auxiliary Maintenance Allowance (for personal equipment used on ordered patrols) |
| SAR | Search and Rescue |
| SBLA | State Boating Law Administrator |
| SC | Specialty Course (One of six) |
| SCA | Small Craft Advisory (a NASBLA periodical) |
| SCPO | Senior Chief Petty Officer (USCG, USN) |
| SK | Storekeeper (USCG Petty Officer Rate) |
| SLO | State Liaison Officer |
| SN | Seaman (USCG, USN) |
| SO | Division Staff Officer |
| SOPA | Senior Officer Present Afloat |
| SR | Secretary/Records (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| SR | Seaman Recruit (USCG, Navy) |
| STAN Team | Standardization Team |
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-T-
| T | Designates Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Training |
| TAD | Temporary Assignment to Duty (or Temporary Assigned Duty) |
| TARP | Targeted Augmenting and Recruiting Program |
| TC | Telecommunications Specialist (Obsolete - Merged into OS rating) |
| TCT | Team Coordination Training |
| TONO | Travel Order Number |
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-U-
| UDC | Uniform Distribution Center (Official CG source, purchase of Auxiliary uniforms) |
| UNCLAS | Unclassified (immediately following BT after unclassified message header) |
| USA | United States Army |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USAFR | United States Air Force Reserve |
| USA-NG | United States Army - National Guard |
| USAR | United States Army Reserve |
| USC | United States Code |
| USCA | United States Code Annotated |
| USCG | United States Coast Guard (also CG) |
| USCGA | United States Coast Guard Academy |
| USCGAUX | United States Coast Guard Auxiliary |
| USCGR | United States Coast Guard Reserve |
| USMC | United States Marine Corps |
| USMCR | United States Marine Corps Reserve |
| USN | United States Navy |
| USNR | United States Navy Reserve |
| USPHS | United States Public Health Service |
| USPS | United States Power Squadrons |
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-V-
| V | Designates Nat'l Aux. Dept. of Vessel Examination |
| VADM | Vice Admiral (USCG, USN) |
| VCDR | Division Vice Commander |
| VE | Vessel Examiner (CG Auxiliary SO specialty designation) |
| VE | Vessel Examination (See VSC) |
| VFC | Flotilla Vice Commander |
| VFR/IFR | Visual Flight Rules/Instrument Flight Rules |
| VHF | Very High Frequency (30 to 300 mhz) |
| VMC | Visual Meteorological Conditions (See VFR) |
| VSC | Vessel Safety Check (formerly CME: Courtesy Motorboat [Marine] Examination) |
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-W-
| WAGB | Icebreaker Class Coast Guard Cutter |
| WHEC | High Endurance Coast Guard Cutter |
| WLB | Buoy Tender Class Coast Guard Cutter |
| WMEC | Medium Endurance Cutter |
| WMS | Waterway Management Security |
| WPB | Patrol Boat Class Coast Guard Cutter |
| WS | Watchstander |
| WW | (See AWW) |
| WWWDWOA? | what would we do without acronyms? |
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-X-
| XO | Executive Officer |
| XPO | Executive Petty Officer |
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-Y-
| YIC | You're in Command (CG/CGAUX Boating Safety Program) |
| YN | Yeoman |
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-Z-
| ZKN | "I have taken over guard for ____________" (Used as Radio Log entry) |
| ZKO | "I have handed over radio guard to __________" (Used as Radio Log entry) |
| ZKP | "I am radio guard for __________" (Used as Radio Log entry) |
| ZUI | "Your attention is invited to . . ." (Used in message header) |
| ZYB | Designates an administrative message (Used in message header |
| ZULU | Military designator for GMT Date-Time Group on Messages (also GMT/GCT/UT) |
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