The military often uses abbreviations, or acronyms, as shorthand for longer terms. If a service member you care about is recovering from an injury or illness and you're involved in the recovery, you are likely to encounter many acronyms. Military OneSource is here to help by providing a list of common acronyms you may encounter.
Terms related to injuries and treatment
- MEDEVAC: Medical Evacuation (often by helicopter)
- MTF, MMTF: Military Treatment Facility or Military Medical Treatment Facility, for example: LRMC: Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (Landstuhl, Germany); NMCSD: Naval Medical Center San Diego ("Balboa," San Diego, California); BAMC: Brooke Army Medical Center (Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas); WRNMMC: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Bethesda, Maryland)
- OT: Occupational Therapy
- PT: Physical Therapy
- SI: Seriously Injured; NSI: Not Seriously Injured; VSI: Very Seriously Injured
- SPECAT: Special Category (of injury)
- WIA: Wounded in Action
Medical conditions
Service-branch programs
Terms related to medical review boards
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what VA benefits for which you may be qualified if you are a disabled veteran or service member.
- COAD: Continuation on Active Duty
- COAR: Continuing on Active Reserve
- EPTE: Existed Prior to Entry
- HAO: Home Awaiting Orders
- IDES: Integrated Disability Evaluation System
- LIMDU: Limited Duty
- MEB: Medical Evaluation Board
- MOS: Military Occupational Specialty
- PEB: Physical Evaluation Board
- PEBLO: Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Officer
- PDRL: Permanent Disability Retirement List
- PLD: Permanent Limited Duty
- TDRL: Temporary Disability Retirement List
- VASRD: Veterans Administration Schedule for Ratings Disabilities
Other terms
- CAC: Casualty Assistance Center
- CAO, CACO, CNO: Casualty Assistance Officer; Casualty Assistance Call Officer; Casualty Notification Officer
- CDR: Commander
- CONUS: Continental United States; OCONUS: Outside the Continental United States
- DFAS: Defense Finance Accounting Service
- DoD: Department of Defense
- FRG: Family Readiness Group
- FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act
- ITOs: Invitational Travel Orders
- MLO: Marine Liaison Office
- NMA: Non-Medical Attendant
- NOK: Next of Kin; PNOK: Primary Next of Kin; SNOK: Secondary Next of Kin
- OEF: Operation Enduring Freedom
- OIF: Operation Iraqi Freedom
- OND: Operation New Dawn
- RCC: Recovery Care Coordinator
- SSN: Social Security Number
- TSGLI: Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
- VA: Department of Veterans Affairs
- VBA: Veterans Benefit Administration
- VSO: Veteran Service Officer
Of course, just understanding what acronyms mean won’t address all your questions and concerns. Non-medical support and specialty consultations through Military OneSource may be able to help, providing you with services, as well as information on other programs.
Remember, you are not alone. Your military family is here for you.