Common Abbreviations

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R
R4: See: AK.
R: Depending on context: Rads (a.k.a. Roentgens), or R (Value)--the insulating value of building materials.
RA: Depending on context: Room Air (medical term) or Resident Adviser.
RAAF: Royal Australian Air Force
RACES: Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
Rad or RAD: Radiation Absorbed Dose. See also: Gray
RAF: Royal Air Force (UK)
RBC: Depending on context Retroactive Birth Control or Red Blood Cells
R&D: Research and Development
RDD: Radiological Dispersion Device. A "dirty bomb" is a variety of RDD.
RDF: Radio Direction Finding
RDS. or rds.: Contraction for "Rounds" (Cartridges.)
Rebar or Re-bar: Reinforcing Bar. (Steel, for concrete.)
Red Force: See: OPFOR.
Re-fi: Slang contraction for loan re-financing.
Refugee Lines of Drift: See: Channelized Areas.
Reg: Slang for regulation.
REI: Recreational Equipment, Incorporated. A membership store that sells outdoor gear.
REIT: Real Estate Investment Trust
REM: Roentgen equivalent, man. A measurement used to quantify the amount of radiation that will produce biological effects. See also: Gray and Rad.
REMM: Radiation Event Medical Management.
Remote Retreat: See: Isolated Retreat.
REO: Real Estate Owned. Usually refers to properties that are owned by an institution or a government agency.
Retreat: In the context of SurvivalBlog, a place of refuge that is prepared in advance. Usually in lightly-populated rural regions. Also sometimes called a Bug=Out Location. (See also: BOL.)
RF: Depending on context, Radio Frequency (waves) or Rimfire.
RFID: Radio Frequency Identification. An identification tag that can be read from a distance. One variety of RFID is an implantable biochip.
RFT: Run-flat tire
R.I.G.: Rust Inhibitive Grease.(The brand name of one of the best brands of grease on the market.) See also: Silica Gel and VCI.
RKBA: The right to keep and bear arms.
RMBS: Residential Mortgage Backed Security/Securities. See also: MBS and CMB.
RMS: Root Mean Square
RN: Registered Nurse
ROE: Rules of Engagement. See also: PID.
Roentgen. See: Gray
Rock-'n-roll: Slang term for full automatic fire. See also: Group Therapy.
ROI: Return on Investment. See also: EROEI
RON: Remain Over Night (location)
RoRR: “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation” a nonfiction book by JWR
ROTC: Reserve Officer Training Corps. See also: USMA.
ROTFL: Rolling on the floor laughing.
ROTFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my a** off.
Round: A commonly used term for a rifle of pistol cartridge "round of ammunition."
Rover Packs: Organized gangs of looters. See also: Killer Caravans
RP: Rally Point
RPG: Depending on context Rocket Propelled Grenade or Role Playing Game
RPK: The light machinegun variant of the AK family that features a longer barrel and a bipod. The original RPK shoots the intermediate 7.62 x 39mm cartridge,while the more recent RPK-74 shoots the 5.45 x 39mm cartridge. See also: AK , AK-47, and AK-74.
RPM: Revolutions Per Minute
RSS: Real Simple Syndication, or in some contexts: Received Signal Strength
RSTA: Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition
RTC: Resolution Trust Corporation.
RTV: Room Temperature Vulcanizing.
Ruger: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. An American firearms manufacturer.
Rule 157: See FAS 157.
Rule 303 / Rule 308: Civilian Law Enforcement, post TEOTWAWKI ("Rule 303" in Canada and Oz, and "Rule 308" in the Americas)
RUM: Remington Ultra Magnum.
RV: In the context of nuclear weapons, a re-entry vehicle—a method of delivering a nuclear weapon. In the context of survival retreats, a recreational vehicle. In the context of the film Dr. Strangelove, both!
RVN: Republic of Vietnam.
RWR: Depending on context: Radar Warning Receiver or Ronald Wilson Reagan.
RWVA: Revolutionary War Veterans Association (www.rwva.org)
Rx or RX: Prescribed or prescription medicine.

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S
S1: Personnel (Military staff function. Called G1 at higher echelons.)
S2: Intelligence (Military staff function. Called G2 at higher echelons.)
S3: Operations and Training (Military staff function. Called G3 at higher echelons.)
S4: Logistics (Military staff function. Called G4 at higher echelons.)
S5: Civil-Military Operations (Military staff function. Called G5 at higher echelons.)
S6: Signal Operations (Military staff function. Called G6 at higher echelons.)
SA or S.A.: Depending on context: Single Action, Springfield Armory, South Africa, South America, or Finnish ("Suomi") Army
SAAMI: Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, Inc.
SA-80: The UK military's 5.56mm "bullpup" infantry carbine. Their magazines are interchangeable with M16/AR-15 magazines.
SAC: Strategic Air Command. See also: USAF.
SAFN-49: See: FN-49.
SALUTE: The standard S2 report format
SAME: Specific Area Message Encoding . (See also: NWR.)
SAMPLE: (Medical patient history.) Signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past medical history, last oral intake and events leading up to the medical intervention event.
Sam's Club: An American membership "warehouse" type grocery store chain that sells every thing from canned hams to home computers. A sister company of Wal-Mart. Most items are sold in case lots. See also: COSTCO.
SAPI: Small Arms Protective Insert (The ceramic insert used in some body armor.)
SAR: Search and Rescue
SAR-8: Springfield Armory's clone of the HK91 rifle.
SAR: Search and Rescue or Suspicious Activity Report. In the US, a SAR is a secret filing, triggered by any financial activity the government deems unusual. Specifically, any group of transactions totaling $5,000 or more that "is not the sort in which the particular customer would normally be expected to engage."
SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SAS: Special Air Service (British Special Forces.)
SASE: Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
SASS: Single Action Shooter's Society
SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test. In other contexts: Satellite
SAW: Squad Automatic Weapon (The M249, a.k.a. the FN "Minimi." See also: LMG.)
SBCT: Stryker Brigade Combat Team
SBI: Special Background Investigation
SBR: Short-Barreled Rifle (BATFE classification.)
SBS: Depending on context, Special Boat Service (British Special Forces) or Short-Barreled Shotgun (BATFE classification.)
SCADA: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. The software that is typically used to control power and water utility switching and valve hardware.
SCAR: Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle
SCC: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. (A planned television series that already has its own Yahoo Discussion Groups Page)
Schumer: JWR's euphemism for the stuff that the septic tank pumper truck hauls away. (Full offense intended to Senator Charles Schumer, a scum-sucking hopolophobe.)
Schumeresque: Living under intolerably bad (post-TEOTWAWKI) circumstances (i.e. the Schumer has been widely distributed.) See also: WTSHTF.
SCOTUS: Supreme Court of the United States
SCI: Sensitive Compartmented Information
Sci-fi: Science Fictions
SCS: See: NRCS.
SCUBA: Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
SEAL: Sea, Air Land--the U.S. Navy's elite commando force. See also: DEVGRU.
SEC: Securities and Exchange Commission.
Secondary (Nuclear) Targets: Major military, industrial, governmental, and transportation centers. Also included are seaports, locks and dams. These may be hit at once by the first missiles or struck by the bombers that will follow.
SERE: Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape.
SF or S.F.: Depending on context, Special Forces or San Francisco.
SFOD-D: US Army Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta. Commonly called "Delta Team". See also: DEVGRU.
S&G.: Sargent & Greenleaf. (A lock manufacturer.)
Shank's Mare: Scottish slang dating from the eighteenth century. There was a verb, to shank or to shank it, meaning to go on foot. This is from standard English shank for the part of the leg from the knee to the ankle, which comes from Old English sceanca, the leg bone. This verb developed into shank’s naig or shank’s naigie (where the second words are local forms of nag, a horse) and later into shank’s mare. It was a wry joke: "I haven’t got a horse of my own for the journey, so I’ll use Shank’s mare to get there." (Meaning, I’ll go on my own two feet.) This supposed link with a person called Shank explains why the first word is often capitalised. Another form, now more common in Britain, is shank’s pony.(Definition courtesy of Michael Quinion's World Wide Words web site)
Sheeple: ("Sheep People") Those who parrot the MSM and who are in denial of potential TEOTWAWKI. (Coined by the late Bill Cooper)
Shelf Life: The useful life of of product in home storage. In the context of foods: The period of time that a processed food can be stored before changes in color, flavor, texture or the number of micro-organisms make it unacceptable. In the contexts of nonreversible consumer batteries: The period of time that a battery can be stored and still have at least 85% of its original charge.
SHTF: Schumer Hits the Fan. (See also: HTF, WTSHTF and ESHTF.)
SIG: Schweizer Industrie Gesellschaft. The superb Swiss gun maker.
SIGINT: Signals Intelligence
SIGINT/EW: Signals Intelligence & Electronic Warfare
Silencer: See: Suppressor
Silica Gel: A granular desiccant, used to protect, guns, tools and other metal objects from rust. See also: R.I.G. and VCI.
SINCGARS: Single-Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System. The U.S. military's current issue frequency-hopping VHF radio transceiver.
SIP: Depending on context, either Shelter in Place or Structurally Insulated Panel.
SIPC: Securities Investor Protection Corporation
SIPRNET: Secret IP Router Network (A DoD network carried via classified channels.)
SITREP: Situation Report.
SIV: Structured Investment Vehicle. See also: CDO and Structured.
Slab or Slabbed: Professionally graded and encapsulated numismatic coins. See also: PCGS and NGC.
SKI: Spending Kid's Inheritance
SKS: Samozariadnyia Karabin Simonova, the semi-automatic carbine in 7.62x39 issued by the Soviet Army before and coincidentally with the AK-47. As originally issued, the SKS had a 10 round top-fed fixed magazine.
S&L: Savings and Loan
S&P: Standard & Poor's. Refers to both the stock price index and also the credit rating agency.
SLLS: Stop, look, listen, and smell.
SLR: Self-Loading Rifle. See also: L1A1
SMG: Submachinegun
SMLE: Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (The British Commonwealth bolt action .303 service rifle in WWI, WWII, and Malaya.) See also: Enfield.
Snow Belt: Areas where prevailing onshore winds and/or elevation are responsible for heavy snowfall.
SOB: Small of Back (holster design.)
SOCOM: Special Operations Command
SOE: Special Operations Executive. The British counterpart to the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS). See also: OSS
SOF: Special Operations Forces
SOI: Depending on context, Signal of Interest or Signal Operating Instructions. See also: CEOI
SO: Significant Other
SOL: "Schumer" Out of Luck, or, Simply Out of Luck
SOP or S.O.P.: Standard Operating Procedure(s)
SOPMOD: Special Operations Peculiar Modification
SP: Soft Point (bullet design)
SPCA: Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Spec: Depending on context, Specification(s) or Speculation. The latter is often used to describe investment houses or land bought in a rising market.
SPF: Solar Protection Factor. (For sunscreen)
SpO2: Blood oxygen saturation.
Spray 'n Pray: Un-aimed full automatic fire.See also: Group Therapy.
SPST: Single Pole, Single Throw (electrical switch.)
Squib (load): A cartridge with an inadequate or entirely missing powder charge. A squib load typically lodges a bullet only halfway down the barrel. This is a rare but dangerous occurrence.
SSA: Social Security Administration.
SSB: Single Sideband (an operating mode for CB and amateur radio gear.) See also: LSB and USB.
SS&S: "Shoot, Shovel, & Shut Up" - A common philosophy on feral dogs and other predators (Acronym coined by JWR)
SSTV: Slow Scan Television (an Amateur Radio transmission type)
STA-BIL: A commercial fuel additive that extends the storage life of gasoline. See also: PRI-G.
STANAG: Standardization Agreement
STANO: Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Night Observation. See also: Starlight
Starlight: An electronic light amplification technology that was first developed during the Vietnam War. A Starlight device literally amplifies low ambient light by up to 100,000 times, turning nighttime darkness into daylight--albeit a green and fuzzy view. Starlight scopes are critical tools for retreat security, especially in a “grid-down” situation. Note: Starlight is also the name brand of a manufacturer of heavy-duty Mil-Spec gun cases. (So named because the design of the cases resembles that of cases used for Starlight scopes and goggles.) See also: Mil-Spec.
Starlight in Vermont: JWR’s second "spec" screenplay.
State Line (Jumping) Game, The: Living near a state line to take advantage of a lower tax or other advantages in one or more adjoining states.
STG-58: The Austrian Army's version of the FN/FAL rifle. STG-58 parts kits have been used in recent years for building semi-auto only FALs in the U.S.
Sten or STEN: Sterling-Enfield, A very inexpensive 9mm submachinegun produced in England, during World War II.
Steyr: An Austrian gun manufacturer. Their Steyr Daimler-Puch division also makes military off-road vehicles.
Steyr AUG: The Austrian army's 5.56mm "bullpup" infantry carbine. Also issued by The Australian Army, as their replacement for the L1A1.
STRAC: See Strack.
Strack: U.S. military slang for a "squared away" soldier. Also sometimes applied to a field gear locker box -- a "Strack Box." The origin of this word is debated. Some say that it is an acronym for "Strictly Regular Army Commission" (STRAC), while others attribute it to the family name of Army Air Corps (later USAF) Brigadier General Harold Arthur Strack.
Structured (Note): A hybrid instrument that combines a bond or loan with a derivative. A traditional structured note is a call bond. See also: SIV.
Structuring: Any multiple cash transactions designed to circumvent the US IRS requirement to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs).
Sub-cu: Short for subcutaneous (drug injection).
SUIT: Sight Unit Infantry, Trilux, the optical sight using by the Brits on their L1A1s. See also: SUSAT.
Sulfation: The formation of lead-sulfate crystals on the plates of a lead-acid battery, which decreases battery capacity by impeding the opportunity for chemical reaction within a cell. It can be caused by leaving the battery in a discharged state for long periods of time.
Suppressor: A device for muffling the sound of a firearms discharge. They are often incorrectly called "silencers" by the mass media, but that is a misnomer since they do not completely silence any firearm. There is a $200 Federal transfer tax for firearms sound suppressors here in the U.S. There are also additional state-enacted restrictions on suppressors in many states, such as California and Washington. Readers are strongly advised not to purchase or construct an unregistered suppressor. The risk of doing so is the loss of you gun ownership and voting rights for life, and many year behind bars. Don't take that risk! Keep in mind that purchasing a registered suppressor will raise your profile, both locally (since it will be your local sheriff or chief of police that will sign off on your license) and at the Federal level. So you need to carefully weigh the risks versus benefits of doing so. Proceed down that path only after considerable thought and prayer.
Sure-Fire: A popular American brand of sturdy flashlights and electro-optics, often with weapons mounts.
SURV: Sport Utility Recreational Vehicle. Commonly called "Toy Haulers" these RVs and Fifth Wheel trailers have a cargo area (typically in the rear) with a loading ramp. This allows them to carry ATVs and motorcycles.
Survivalist: One who prepares for potential bad times. (Coined by Kurt Saxon)
SUSAT: Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux. See also: SUIT.
SUV: Sport/Utility Vehicle
SVO: Straight Vegetable Oil. See also: WVO and Biodiesel.
S&W: Smith & Wesson--An American gun maker.
Swap: An agreement to swap the net value of two series of obligations or payments in which one payment is usually based on a fixed interest rate and the other is based on a variable interest rate. (Or, for example, an interest rate in another currency, the total rate of return of a security or index, or a commodity price.)
SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics. (SWAT originally stood for Special Weapons Assault Team until that was deemed politically incorrect.)
Sweet Feed: See C-O-B.
SWR: Standing Wave Ratio (a radio transmitter term related to tuning an antenna for best performance)
Synthetic CDO: A collateralized debt obligation (CDO) that is based on credit default swaps (CDSs) rather physical debt securities.

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T
TA-1 / TA-312: Older generation U.S. Military hard wire field telephones. They have been superceded by DNVTs. See also: DNVT.
TA-50: The standard issue U.S. Army field gear (backpack, web gear, tentage, boots, and fatigue uniforms) for active duty and reserve forces soldiers in Troop Program Units.
TAB and Tabbing: Tactical Advance to Battle. (British army term.) "Tabbing" is slang for moving stealthily.
Take The Gap: Emigration under duress. (A term coined in Rhodesia, based on the British Commonwealth football term.)
Tango Sierra: U.S. Navy lingo for "Tough Schumer!"
TANSTAAFL: There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch (Coined by Robert Heinlein)
Tape Switch: A slim, pressure sensitive DC electrical switch, typically mounted on firearms grips or forends, often used to actuate tactical lights or lasers.
TARP: Troubled Asset Relief Program. The bank bailout portion of the Mother of All Bailouts. See also: EESA and MOAB.
TB: Tuberculosis
TBD: To Be Determined.
TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury
T-Bills: U.S. Treasury Bills. (Short-term debt obligations of the U.S. Treasury.)
TBO: Time Between Overhauls
TBSP: Tablespoon.
T-Case: Transfer case.
TCF: See: Claire Files.
TCP: Traffic Control Point
TD: Time Dilation or Temporal Displacement. See also: WOT.
TDC: Top Dead Center
T&E: Traverse and elevation. The T&E mechanism is used for aiming some types of belt-fed machineguns in deliberate fire. See also: Free Gun.
TDP: Thermodepolymerization. A process for manufacturing oil from organic waste.
TDY: Temporary Duty. See also: PCS.|
TEL: Depending on context Tetra-ethyl lead (fuel) or Transporter, erector, launcher (mobile missile launchers)
TELCO, Telco: Telephone Company. See: also: CO.
TEOTWAWKI: The End of the World as we Know It (Acronym coined by Mike Medintz) (Spoken “Tee-ought-walk-ee”).
Tertiary (Nuclear) Targets: These are population and industrial centers that probably wouldn't be hit in the first strikes but would be high on the lists for later destruction to further cripple our ability to fight a prolonged war and/or recover and function as a nation. Threats against these targets could also be used following the initial attacks to force our leadership to capitulate.
The Crunch.: See: WTSHTF.
The Gray Nineties: Title of the draft edition of JWR's first novel. It was shareware with 80,000+ downloads. No longer available on-line.
Thermal Mass: A material that has the ability to absorb, store, and release heat energy. Typically water tanks, concrete, bricks, or tiles.
Thermite: A mixture of aluminum powder and iron rust, that when ignited causes a vigorous exothermic reaction. Used primarily for welding. Also used by military units as an incendiary for destroying equipment.
TIA: Depending on context, Thanks in Advance, or Total Information Awareness, or Transient Ischemic Attack. (Commonly called a "mini-stroke" or "warning stroke".)
TIC: Troops in Contact. See also: ROE
TIG Tungsten Inert Gas (welding.) Also called Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
TIM: Toxic Industrial Materials, See also: NBC.
Timber Cruise: The process of surveying forest stands to predict how many board feet of lumber a stand will yield, as well as its health/maturity.
TIPS: Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities
TM: Technical Manual
TMM: The Mental Militia--The Internet discussion forums formerly hosted by libertarian writer Claire Wolfe and called The Claire Files or TCF.
TNC: Terminal Node Controller. (An interface device used between a ham radio and a computer for Packet data transmission and reception)
TNFa: Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFa)(Reference) A cytokine.
TNT: Trinitrotoluene. A yellow crystalline compound. Used as a high explosive
TO&E or TOE: Table of Organization & Equipment
Tommy Tactical: See: Arm Chair Commando and Mall Ninja.
Topo: Slang contraction for topographic (map).
Tor: The onion router
TOT: Time on target. A carefully coordinated artillery, mortar, missile, and/or rocket strike, where projectiles from several firing batteries arrive simultaneously.
TP: Toilet Paper
T-Pack: Tray-packaged U.S. military rations, sized to feed an entire squad.
TPM: Temporary Paralysis of the Mind
TPN: Total Parenteral Nutrition. With TPN, the patient's nutrients, liquids, etc, are all administered via a tube in a major vein. In Partial Parenteral Nutrition, the patient's normal food intake is supplemented by a tube in a vein.
TPTB: The Powers That Be
Tracker: A rack for a PV array that follows the path of the sun to maximize the solar radiation incident on the panel’s surface. Typically, a single axis tracker will give you 15% to 25% more power per day, and dual axis tracking will add about 5% to that. Depending on the latitude and season.
Tranny: Slang for transmission.
TREE: Transient radiation effects on electronics. See also: EMP.
Tri-Chlor: Slang for the solvent 1,1,1 trichloroethane
Trickle Charge: A charge at a low rate, balancing through self-discharge losses, to maintain a cell or battery in a fully charged condition.
Trijicon: A maker of Tritium-lit sights and rifle scopes.
Tritium: A glowing radioactive gas (a hydrogen isotope) with an 11.2 year half-life.
Truck Farming/Truck Crops: Farming crops that are not processed before selling and that are directly used or sold fresh such as: lettuce, celery, and flowers.
TS: Top Secret
TSA: Transportation Security Administration (Acronym also defined as: "Thousands Standing Around.")
TSCC: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
TSE:Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE). See also: BSE and CWD.
TSHTF: The Schumer Hits the Fan. (See: WTSHTF.)
TSLF: Term Securities Lending Facility. The Federal Reserve's panic move to shore up banking liquidity with huge cash loans.The TSLF loans are designed to circumvent the Fed's mandate to only take top-grade collateral in exchange for loans.
TSP: Depending on context teaspoon (measure) or Tri-Sodium Phosphate (cleaner)
TTB: Tax and Trade Bureau
TTBOMK: To the Best of My Knowledge
TTP: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
TTS: Target Tracker System©
TTSLE: Target Tracker System - Law Enforcement©
TULIP: Acronym for the the Five Points of Calvinism:

Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement (also known as Atonement for the Elect)

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints ("Once Saved Always Saved")
TV: Television. See also: HDTV.
TVP: Textured Vegetable Protein.
Two Meter: See: 2 Meter.
Tzedakah: Hebrew for Charity and Tithing Law.
TWS: Thermal Weapon Sight. An electronic sight that uses thermal imaging technology. Unlike starlight or infrared, a TWS literally "sees" heat.

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UATV: Utility All Terrain Vehicle. An ATV with extra cargo capacity. UATVs are typified by the John Deere Gator and Buck models.
UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UAVIED: UAV Borne Improvised Explosive Device. (Acronym coined by JWR, in December, 2006)
UB: Underground Burial. The rating for data or power cable that is designed to withstand being buried for extended periods.
UCC: Unincorporated Church Coalition. (In other contexts: Uniform Commercial Code)
UCMJ: Uniform Code of Military Justice
UFC: Uniform Fire Code
UGR: Unitized Group Ration
UHF: Ultra High Frequency. (Radio and television frequencies in the range 300-3000 MHz)
UHT: Ultra High Temperature milk pasteurization. Used for retort packaged milk.
UK: United Kingdom
UL: Underwriter's Laboratory.
ULSD: Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (fuel).
UMTBF: Unacceptable Mean Time Between Failures. See also: MTBF.
UN: United Nations
UNE: Urban Northeast
Unhardened (electronics): See: EMP.
U.P.: Depending on context: Upper Peninsula of Michigan or Union Pacific Railroad. Residents of the U.P. are often called Yoopers.
UPS: Depending on context: Uninterruptible Power Source or United Parcel Service
URL: Uniform Resource Locator. The actual written “address” of a given Internet site.
USAID: United States Agency for International Development
USAR: U.S. Army Reserve
USB: Depending on context, Universal Serial Bus or Upper Sideband (an operating mode for CB and amateur radio gear.) See also “LSB” and “SSB”.
USBP: U.S. Border Patrol
USCG: U.S. Coast Guard
USD: United States Dollar
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
USDX: United States Dollar Index
USFS: United States Forest Service
USFWS: United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
USG: United States Government.
USGS: United States Geological Survey. http://www.usgs.gov/ See also GNIS (Geographic Names Information System)
USGPO: U.S. Government Printing Office.
U.S.G.I.: United States Government Issue (equipment specifications)
USMA: United States Military Academy (at West Point, New York.) See also: ROTC.
USP: United States Pharmacopoeia.
USPS: United States Postal Service. Sometimes jokingly called the "Unbearably Slow Postal Sloths".
USPSA: United States Practical Shooting Association
USWS: United States Weather Service. See also: WX.
UTI: Urinary Tract Infection
UTMA: Uniform Transfers to Minors Act
UV: Ultraviolet (commonly called "Black Light")
UXO: Unexploded Ordnance
Uzi: The compact 9mm submachinegun designed by Uziel Gal of Israel.

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V
VAC: Volts, Alternating Current
Valmet: See: AK.
Vauban Star: See: Cooper Corners.
VaR: Value at Risk
VBAC: Vaginal Birth After Caesarean
VBIED: Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device
VBT: Very Bad Thing
VC: Depending on context Viet Cong or Venture Capital
VCI: Vapor Phase Corrosion Inhibitive. (A rust preventative desiccant.) VCI products are often produced as a coated paper, for metal parts storage. See also: RIG and Silica Gel.
vCJD: See: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
VDC: Volts, Direct Current
Vet: Depending on context, short for veteran or veterinarian.
VFD: Volunteer Fire Department
VHF: Very High Frequency. (Radio and television frequencies in the range 30-300 MHz)
VLF: Very Low Frequency. (Radio frequencies in the range 3-30 kHz)
VOIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol (Internet telephone service.)
Vortex: Trade name of a flash hider that uses spirally-milled slots to break up a rifle’s muzzle flash.
VOX: Voice Operated (Switch). or “Voice Operated Transmit”, a 2-way radio feature.
VW: Volkswagen. (Literally: People’s Wagon)
VX: A variety of nerve gas.

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WAFA: Wilderness Advanced First Aid
W.A.L.L.S.: Water, Access, Location, Light, and Security. (Acronym coined by Todd Savage.)
WAP: Wireless Access Point
WAPI: Water Pasteurization Indicator
WD-1: U.S. military issue two conductor insulated field telephone wire.
WD-40: A commercial spray cleaner/lubricant. Not recommended for most firearms cleaning tasks. Deadens ammunition primers.
WDNNSB Mode: “We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges”
WEP: Wired Equivalent Privacy
Weaver Grip, Weaver Stance: The handgun shooting techniques developed by Jack Weaver in the 1950s and 1960s and widely adopted by law enforcement and the military in the 1980s. The shooter uses a system of hand counter pressure and body alignment to steady a handgun during firing. The shooter uses both hands to hold the gun, the firing hand pushing slightly forward and the other hand placed over the firing hand pulling slightly back. The gun is aimed at an oblique angle to the body almost to the side opposite the "strong" hand, using the "strong" arm bone structure to serve as a form of "stock" for the gun. (Definition courtesy of www.SavvySurvivor.com)
Web Gear: Generic term for tactical load bearing equipment such as pistol belts, Y-harnesses, magazine pouches, vests, and so forth.
WECSOG: Wylie E. Coyote School of Gunsmithing (amateur gunsmithing) Coined at The FALFiles.
WEMSI: Wilderness Emergency Medicine Services Institute
WEMT or W-EMT: Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician
Wet Gas: See: Casinghead Gas.
WFA: Wilderness First Aid
WFR: Wilderness First Responder
WGA: Writer's Guild of America
WGS-84: World Geodetic Survey of 1984.
WHO: World Health Organization
Wi-Fi: Wireless Fidelity. Used generically when referring of any type of 802.11 network, whether 802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, etc.
Wipe: The final baffling stage of some firearms sound suppressors. The "wipe" is sometimes a perforated sheet of high melting point rubber.
WMA: Wilderness Medical Associates
WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction
WMS: Wilderness Medical Society
WFA: Wilderness First Aid
WOT: Depending on context: War on Terror or Wide Open Throttle. See also: TD.
WPA: Works Project Administration. (A make-work program in the US during the Great Depression.)
WRT: With Regard To
WSM: Winchester Short Magnum.
WSSM: Winchester Super Short Magnum.
WTC:World Trade Center. One of the sites of the 9/11/01 radical Islamic terrorist attacks. See Also: AQ and OBL.
WTO:World Trade Organization.
WTS: Depending on context Want to Sell or Williams Trigger Specialties
WTSHTF: When the Shit Hits the Fan. Synonymously use the terms TEOTWAWKI, The Crunch, worst case, and the old military saying “when the balloon goes up.
WVO: Waste Vegetable Oil. See also: SVO.
WWCR: World Wide Christian Radio.
WWI: World War I
WWII: World War II
WWWF: Weapon, Web gear, Water, and Food. (Acronym coined by FDG.)
WX: Weather. The designated U.S. Weather Service frequencies are often called WX channels. These are between 162.400 MHz and 162.550 MHz. See also: USWS.

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X, The: In the tactical realm, "The X" means the danger area, the line of attack, the place where the grenades are landing, the bullets are zipping through, and the bombs are going off. Small unit soldiers often say "get out of the X" or "Get off the x" The only place you want to be on the X involves a treasure map, otherwise you are in grave danger. (Definition courtesy of http://getoffthex.com.)
XD: Extreme Duty.
XDR-TB: Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. See also: MDR-TB.
XM: Experimental Model
XM177E2: See: M4

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Y2K: Year 2000 (Coined by David Eddy). The scare associated with the millennial (“Year 2000”) date change that took place at 0001/01/01/2000.
Y2Y: Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.
YBIC: Your Brother In Christ
YHWH: Yahweh (Jehovah.)
YMCA: Young Men's Christian Association
YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary. Commonly used to describe procedures with variable results. This also means "Try this at your own risk."
Yob: An aggressive, rowdy, and/or violent young man. (UK slang.) Possibly derived from "boy" spelled backwards. See also: ASBO.
Yooper: See: U.P.
YOPI: The acronym used by healthcare providers to summarize those at greatest risk of great harm or death because of disease: Younger than 5 years old, Older than 65 years old, Pregnant, and Immune-compromised.
YOYO: You're On Your Own. (When government ceases to provide essential services such as fire department and police department protection, and when utilities no longer provide water, sanitation, electricity and phone service.) Acronym coined by David Weed.

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Zener Diodes: See: EMP.
Zeroing, Zeroed: The process of adjusting a weapon's elevation and windage to an individual user so that a firearm, when fired, will hit the point of aim. A rifle is said to be “zeroed” when this is done. (Definition courtesy of The FALFiles.)
Zero Time: A complete restoration of a vehicle (bringing it back to like-new condition, i.e. "Zero time on the meter.")
ZIRP: Zero Interest Rate Policy.
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10/.22: A semi-automatic .22 rimfire rifle made by Ruger
10 Meter: The 28.000-to-29.700 MHz Amateur radio band is approximately 10 meters in wavelength so it is called the 10 Meter band. The 10 meter band is adjacent to the Citizen's Band (27 MHz, or 11 meters), so it has been common practice to modify older 23 channel CB radio to operate in the 10 meter band. See also: CB and Free Band.
100LL: See Avgas.
11B or "Eleven Bravo": The U.S. Army's MOS for Infantryman.
1911: See M1911.
24x7: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
24x7x360: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 360 degrees
2A: The Second Amendment
2 Meter: The 144-to-148 MHz Amateur radio band is approximately 2 meters in wavelength so it is called the 2 Meter band.
2WD: Two Wheel Drive
4GW: Fourth Generation War(fare)
4H: 4H is a youth club administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The four "H"s stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.
4WD: Four Wheel Drive
401(k):One form of retirement savings account used in the US. See also: IRA
5 Series: U.S. Army Engineer manuals start with a 5 prefix, and 5 is also the prefix for US Army Engineer branch MOSes.
550 Cord: See Paracord.
6 Meter: A VHF amateur radio band from 50 to 54 MHz--approximately 6 meters in wavelength, so it is called the 6 Meter band.
90% Silver: See: Junk Silver.
9/11/01: See 9-11.
9-11: The radical Islamic terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 that took 3,000+ American lives. See also: OBL and WTC
911: The standard US telephone emergency number that connects to police and fire department dispatching.