Welcome to the military world! A land of phrases and acronyms as far as they eye can see! It can be confusing for sure, but before you know it, you will be spouting it all out without thinking twice! This is a good collection of things that you may need to know at the beginning of your military career or on your new military spouse journey too!

Getting Started with the Military:

• AIT or “A School”: Advanced Individual Training – the branch specific school for the military member to learn about their job
• ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery – the multiple-choice test to see if they are qualified to join a military branch and which possible military jobs they qualify for
• Barracks: unaccompanied military members housing facility, also called dorms
• BT: Basic Training – initial military training
• MEPS: Military Entrance Processing Station – where the new service members take the ASVAB, get their physical, choose their job, and get sworn into the military
• MOS: Military Occupational Specialty – the service member’s specific job in the military
• MRE: Meals Ready to Eat – military food packets
• OPSEC: Operational Security
• PERSEC: Personal Security
• THREATCON: Threat Condition, also know as FPCON or Force Protection Condition
  • Normal – all times with no threats present (deter)
  • Alpha – non-specific threat present (detect)
  • Bravo – increased threat present (delay)
  • Charlie – threat present (deny)
  • Delta – terrorist attack or hostile act has occurred (defend)

We know there will be a lot thrown at you over the next several days, weeks, months, and years making you scream “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”, however, we are here to help support you and your family!

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