Members Only
HomeResourcesMilitary DictionaryCommon Item
Updated: November 2026

Common Item

Term
1. Any item of materiel that is required for use by more than one activity. 2. A term loosely used to denote any consumable item except repair parts or other technical items. 3. Any item of materiel that is procured for, owned by (Service stock), or used by any Military Department of the Department of Defense and is also required to be furnished to a recipient country under the grant-aid Military Assistance Program. 4. Readily available commercial items. 5. Items used by two or more Military Services of similar manufacture or fabrication that may vary between the Services as to color or shape (as vehicles or clothing). 6. Any part or component that is required in the assembly of two or more complete end-items. (JP 4-01.5)
Source: JP 4-01.5Logistics & SustainmentU.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Space Force, U.S. Coast Guard

See Also (Related Terms)

This entry has no related terms yet.
No related terms found for this entry.

Browse Other Logistics & Sustainment Military Terms

Showing 12 of 27 total entries
Entry Type
Service Branch
Acquisition And Cross-servicing Agreement
Term
Agreement, negotiated on a bilateral basis with United States allies or coalition partners, that allow United States forces to exchange most common types of support, including food, fuel, transportation, ammunition, and equipment. Also called ACSA. See also cross-servicing. (JP 4-08)
Source: JP 4-08
Airlift Capability
Term
The total capacity expressed in terms of number of passengers and/or weight/cubic displacement of cargo that can be carried at any one time to a given destination by available airlift. See also airlift requirement. (JP 3-17)
Source: JP 3-17
Airlift Requirement
Term
The total number of passengers and/or weight/cubic displacement of cargo required to be carried by air for a specific task. See also airlift capability. (JP 3-17)
Source: JP 3-17
Air Mobility
Term
The rapid movement of personnel, materiel and forces to and from or within a theater by air. See also air refueling. (JP 3-17)
Source: JP 3-17
Air Movement
Term
Air transport of units, personnel, supplies, and equipment including airdrops and air landings. See also airdrop; airland. (JP 3-17)
Source: JP 3-17
Air Refueling
Term
The refueling of an aircraft in flight by another aircraft. Also called AR. (JP 3-17)
Source: JP 3-17
Ammunition Lot
Term
A quantity of homogeneous ammunition, identified by a unique lot number, which is manufactured, assembled, or renovated by one producer under uniform conditions and which is expected to function in a uniform manner. (JP 3-04)
Source: JP 3-04
Apron
Term
A defined area on an airfield intended to accommodate aircraft for purposes of loading or unloading passengers or cargo, refueling, parking, or maintenance. (JP 3-34)
Source: JP 3-34
Arming
Term
As applied to explosives, weapons, and ammunition, the changing from a safe condition to a state of readiness for initiation. (JP 3-15)
Source: JP 3-15
Asset Visibility
Term
Provides users with information on the location, movement, status, and identity of units, personnel, equipment, and supplies, which facilitates the capability to act upon that information to improve overall performance of the Department of Defense’s logistics practices. Also called AV. (JP 3-35)
Source: JP 3-35
Automatic Identification Technology
Term
A suite of technologies enabling the automatic capture of data, thereby enhancing the ability to identify, track, document, and control assets (e.g., materiel), deploying and redeploying forces, equipment, personnel, and sustainment cargo. Also called AIT. (JP 4-09)
Source: JP 4-09
Bale Cubic Capacity
Term
The space available for cargo measured in cubic feet to the inside of the cargo battens, on the frames, and to the underside of the beams. (JP 4-01.2)
Source: JP 4-01.2
Page 1 of 3 · 27 total entries

How to Read a Military Dictionary Entry

Every entry follows the same layout, so once you have read one you can read them all.
Common Item
Term
1. Any item of materiel that is required for use by more than one activity. 2. A term loosely used to denote any consumable item except repair parts or other technical items. 3. Any item of materiel that is procured for, owned by (Service stock), or used by any Military Department of the Department of Defense and is also required to be furnished to a recipient country under the grant-aid Military Assistance Program. 4. Readily available commercial items. 5. Items used by two or more Military Services of similar manufacture or fabrication that may vary between the Services as to color or shape (as vehicles or clothing). 6. Any part or component that is required in the assembly of two or more complete end-items. (JP 4-01.5)
Source: JP 4-01.5•Logistics & Sustainment
Term
The word, phrase, acronym or abbreviation you searched for.
Type Badge
Shows whether the entry is an official term, an acronym or unofficial slang.
Expansion
The full spelled-out form of an acronym or initialism.
Definition
The plain English meaning, written so it makes sense without a military background.
Source
The official Department of Defense publication the definition comes from, or a contributor label for slang.
Branch and Category
The services the term applies to and the subject area it belongs to, each linked to its glossary.

More Military Reference Tools

Keep going with the rank, pay, time and base references that the dictionary links to throughout.

Military Rank Structure

Every rank in all six branches by pay grade, with insignia, so you can match the abbreviations you find here to the chain of command.

View Ranks

Military Pay Chart

Current basic pay by rank and years of service, the place to go after you have looked up BAH, BAS and the rest of your LES.

View Pay Chart

Military Time Chart

Convert between standard and twenty-four hour time, with the phonetic alphabet and Zulu time explained alongside the chart.

View Time Chart

Military Base Database

A searchable directory of installations worldwide with branch, location and mission details for your next PCS.

Browse Bases

Military Discounts

Verified military discounts from brands that support the community, with members-only offers for free My Military Lifestyle accounts.

Browse Discounts

Military Life Articles

Longer reads on the terms that need more than a definition, from what a warrant officer does to how a PCS move actually works.

Read Articles
Community Contributions
Know a term we are missing?
Service members, veterans and military families keep this dictionary honest. Submit a new term, a piece of unit slang or a correction and we will review it before it goes live.
Submit a Military Term

More For You

VA Disability Back Pay Explained: Effective Dates, Payments, and Deadlines
My Military Lifestyle

My Military Lifestyle

BENEFITS
VA Disability Back Pay Explained: Effective Dates, Payments, and Deadlines

Getting approved for VA disability compensation can feel like the finish line, especially if you've spent months waiting for a decision.Then you hear about back pay, and suddenly there's another question: How much money should you actually receive?VA calls it retroactive benefits. It's compensation owed for eligible months before your regular payments begin. Depending on your disability rating and...

BENEFITS
7 min read
0
Veterans Day 2026 Free Meals, Deals and Discounts
My Military Lifestyle

My Military Lifestyle

DEALS & DISCOUNTS

Veterans Day 2026 Free Meals, Deals and Discounts

Veterans Day 2026 is Wednesday, Nov. 11, and dozens of national chains are thanking veterans and active-duty service members with free meals, discounts, and free admission. We checked every offer below against the VA's official 2026 list, and we'll keep updating this page through Veterans Day.A few things to know before you go:Bring proof of service. A military ID, VA health ID card, Veteran ID Ca...

DEALS & DISCOUNTS
8 min read
0
Gratitude in a Life That Balances Service and Motherhood
My Military Lifestyle

My Military Lifestyle

CAREER & POST-CAREER

Gratitude in a Life That Balances Service and Motherhood

Gratitude can look different when your life is split between military service and motherhood. Sometimes it looks like standing in formation before sunrise, knowing your children are still asleep at home. Sometimes it looks like coming back from drill and being greeted at the door by little arms that do not care what rank is on your chest. Other times, it looks like realizing that the hardest parts...

CAREER & POST-CAREER
4 min read
0