Definitions
1LT
First Lieutenant
ASP
Ammunition Supply Point. Also called an Ammo Dump.
AWOL
Absent Without Leave.
BDE
Brigade.
Capt.
Captain: above 1st Lt., below major
CMMI
Command Maintenance Management Inspection. When your boss comes and inspects everything about your site.
C.O.
Commanding Officer
COL
Colonel: above Lt. Col., and below brigadier general
CONEX
CONtainer, EXpress. A steel shipping container, used for shipping cargo, and afterwards for many construction projects.
CONUS
Continental US. Also referred to as The Real World, or simply The World.
DEROS
Date Eligible for Return From Overseas. The date when you can leave Vietnam for home.
DN
DaNang. City on the coast
DT
Dak To
EOD
Explosive Ordinance Demolition. The team that cleans up and destroys old & damaged ordnance - ammo.
GCA
Ground Control Approach. Refers to the Radar controlled approach and landing system in place at the airfield.
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules. Aircraft in poor visibility conditions must rely on instruments to operate.
KT
Kontum, Vietnam
LOC
Logistics Operations Center. Location on the airfield were helicopter resupply is done. The northwest corner of the airfield at Dak To.
MAJ
Major
NCOIC
Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. A non-officer commanding a group or team. Normally a Sergeant.
OH-13
Light Observation Helicopter. The two that were most used were the OH-13, with a open framework tail and the OH-23, with a solid tail.
OH-23
Light Observation Helicopter. Similar to the OH-13.
PK
Pleiku Vietnam
PFC
Private, first class. Pay grade E3
PLT
Platoon
POL
Refueling Point: stands for Petroleum, Oil, & Lubricants
PSP
Pierced Steel Planking. Used to quickly lay surface for vehicles, aircraft to operate on.
QM
Quartermaster. Material Supply
R&R
Rest and Recuperation/Relaxation. A vacation from the war, either in-country or to Japan, Australia, Thailand, Hawaii for a few days or a week.
SP4
Specialist 4. Pay grade E4
SP5
Specialist 5. Pay grade E5
SGT
Sergeant. Pay grade E5
SSG
Staff Sergeant. Pay grade E6
VIP
Very Important Person. Big Shot. Both military and civilian. Any important person.
VFR
Visual Flight Rules. Aircraft in good visibility conditions rely on their eyes to navigate.
XO
Executive Officer.
Staff Positions
S1 - Personnel / Manpower
S2 - Intel / Security
S3 - Operations
S4 - Supply / Logistics
S5 - Plans
S6 - Communications / IT
S7 - Training
S8 - Finance
S9 - Civil Affairs
Army Infantry Unit Size
Team: 4 men
Fire Team: 5 men
Squad: 10 men (two teams) Commanded by a Staff Sgt.
Platoon: 15-36 men (2-3 squads) Commanded by a Lieutenant.
Company: 80-200 men (3-4 platoons) Commanded by a Captain.
Battalion: 300-1000 men (4-6 companies) Commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel.
Brigade / Regiment: 2,000-5,000 men (2-3 battalions) Commanded by a Colonel.
Division / Legion: 10,000-15,000 men (3-4 brigades) Commanded by a Major General.
Corps: 20,000-45,000 men (2-5 divisions) Commanded by a Lieutenant General.
Army Enlisted Rank
PFC: Private First Class. Pay grade E3 (one stripe)
SP4: Specialist 4. Pay grade E4
CPL: Corporal. Pay grade E4 (two stripes)
SP5: Specialist 5. Pay grade E5
SGT: Sergeant. Pay grade E5 (three stripes)
SSG: Staff Sergeant. Pay grade E6 (four stripes)
SFC: Sergeant First Class. Pay grade E7 (five stripes)
MSG: Master Sergeant. Pay grade E8 (six stripes)
1ST: First Sergeant. Pay grade E8 (six stripes with diamond)
SGM: Sergeant Major. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with star)
CSM: Command Sergeant Major. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with star and leaves)
SMA: Sergeant Major of the Army. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with US eagle)
Army Officer Rank
WO1: Warrant Officer 1. Pay grade W1
CW2: Chief Warrant Officer 2. Pay grade W2
CW3: Chief Warrant Officer 3. Pay grade W3
CW4: Chief Warrant Officer 4. Pay grade W4
CW5: Chief Warrant Officer 5. Pay grade W5
2LT: Second Lieutenant. Pay grade O1 (one brass bar)
1LT: First Lieutenant. Pay grade O2 (one silver bar)
CPT: Captain. Pay grade O3 (two silver bars)
MAJ: Major. Pay grade O4 (gold oak leaf)
LTC: Lieutenant Colonel. Pay grade O5 (silver oak leaf)
COL: Colonel. Pay grade O6 (silver eagle)
BG: Brigadier General. Pay grade O7 (silver star)
MG: Major General. Pay grade O8 (two silver stars)
LTG: Lieutenant General. Pay grade O9 (three silver stars)
GEN: General. pay grade O10 (four silver stars)
General of the Army. Wartime Only. (five silver stars)
First Lieutenant
ASP
Ammunition Supply Point. Also called an Ammo Dump.
AWOL
Absent Without Leave.
BDE
Brigade.
Capt.
Captain: above 1st Lt., below major
CMMI
Command Maintenance Management Inspection. When your boss comes and inspects everything about your site.
C.O.
Commanding Officer
COL
Colonel: above Lt. Col., and below brigadier general
CONEX
CONtainer, EXpress. A steel shipping container, used for shipping cargo, and afterwards for many construction projects.
CONUS
Continental US. Also referred to as The Real World, or simply The World.
DEROS
Date Eligible for Return From Overseas. The date when you can leave Vietnam for home.
DN
DaNang. City on the coast
DT
Dak To
EOD
Explosive Ordinance Demolition. The team that cleans up and destroys old & damaged ordnance - ammo.
GCA
Ground Control Approach. Refers to the Radar controlled approach and landing system in place at the airfield.
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules. Aircraft in poor visibility conditions must rely on instruments to operate.
KT
Kontum, Vietnam
LOC
Logistics Operations Center. Location on the airfield were helicopter resupply is done. The northwest corner of the airfield at Dak To.
MAJ
Major
NCOIC
Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. A non-officer commanding a group or team. Normally a Sergeant.
OH-13
Light Observation Helicopter. The two that were most used were the OH-13, with a open framework tail and the OH-23, with a solid tail.
OH-23
Light Observation Helicopter. Similar to the OH-13.
PK
Pleiku Vietnam
PFC
Private, first class. Pay grade E3
PLT
Platoon
POL
Refueling Point: stands for Petroleum, Oil, & Lubricants
PSP
Pierced Steel Planking. Used to quickly lay surface for vehicles, aircraft to operate on.
QM
Quartermaster. Material Supply
R&R
Rest and Recuperation/Relaxation. A vacation from the war, either in-country or to Japan, Australia, Thailand, Hawaii for a few days or a week.
SP4
Specialist 4. Pay grade E4
SP5
Specialist 5. Pay grade E5
SGT
Sergeant. Pay grade E5
SSG
Staff Sergeant. Pay grade E6
VIP
Very Important Person. Big Shot. Both military and civilian. Any important person.
VFR
Visual Flight Rules. Aircraft in good visibility conditions rely on their eyes to navigate.
XO
Executive Officer.
Staff Positions
S1 - Personnel / Manpower
S2 - Intel / Security
S3 - Operations
S4 - Supply / Logistics
S5 - Plans
S6 - Communications / IT
S7 - Training
S8 - Finance
S9 - Civil Affairs
Army Infantry Unit Size
Team: 4 men
Fire Team: 5 men
Squad: 10 men (two teams) Commanded by a Staff Sgt.
Platoon: 15-36 men (2-3 squads) Commanded by a Lieutenant.
Company: 80-200 men (3-4 platoons) Commanded by a Captain.
Battalion: 300-1000 men (4-6 companies) Commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel.
Brigade / Regiment: 2,000-5,000 men (2-3 battalions) Commanded by a Colonel.
Division / Legion: 10,000-15,000 men (3-4 brigades) Commanded by a Major General.
Corps: 20,000-45,000 men (2-5 divisions) Commanded by a Lieutenant General.
Army Enlisted Rank
PFC: Private First Class. Pay grade E3 (one stripe)
SP4: Specialist 4. Pay grade E4
CPL: Corporal. Pay grade E4 (two stripes)
SP5: Specialist 5. Pay grade E5
SGT: Sergeant. Pay grade E5 (three stripes)
SSG: Staff Sergeant. Pay grade E6 (four stripes)
SFC: Sergeant First Class. Pay grade E7 (five stripes)
MSG: Master Sergeant. Pay grade E8 (six stripes)
1ST: First Sergeant. Pay grade E8 (six stripes with diamond)
SGM: Sergeant Major. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with star)
CSM: Command Sergeant Major. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with star and leaves)
SMA: Sergeant Major of the Army. Pay grade E9 (six stripes with US eagle)
Army Officer Rank
WO1: Warrant Officer 1. Pay grade W1
CW2: Chief Warrant Officer 2. Pay grade W2
CW3: Chief Warrant Officer 3. Pay grade W3
CW4: Chief Warrant Officer 4. Pay grade W4
CW5: Chief Warrant Officer 5. Pay grade W5
2LT: Second Lieutenant. Pay grade O1 (one brass bar)
1LT: First Lieutenant. Pay grade O2 (one silver bar)
CPT: Captain. Pay grade O3 (two silver bars)
MAJ: Major. Pay grade O4 (gold oak leaf)
LTC: Lieutenant Colonel. Pay grade O5 (silver oak leaf)
COL: Colonel. Pay grade O6 (silver eagle)
BG: Brigadier General. Pay grade O7 (silver star)
MG: Major General. Pay grade O8 (two silver stars)
LTG: Lieutenant General. Pay grade O9 (three silver stars)
GEN: General. pay grade O10 (four silver stars)
General of the Army. Wartime Only. (five silver stars)