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SECURITY LEVELS

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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