Being in the military ushers in a whole new lifestyle. In fact, it is safe to say that there is an entirely different culture that surrounds this life. And with it comes some distinctive idiosyncrasies including the funny military acronyms.

Military Slang: Setting the Them Apart From Everyone Else

Military slang is one of the unique ways that make service members distinct from the general public. After all, nearly everyone has heard of the special way that the military says the alphabet -- complete with pronunciations that are not always the same as those taught in most elementary schools. While Alpha, Bravo and Charlie are pronounced pretty much the same way by both the military and civilians, some entries in this list of Army abbreviations include saying the number three as "tree," the number five as "fife" and the number nine as "niner."

The New Military Acronyms List

Since the NATO-backed phonetic alphabet was adopted in the 1950s, there have been many four letter military acronyms that have been used and wholeheartedly embraced by service personnel -- either formally or informally. Some of the more famous military acronyms include the following: TDY= Temporary Duty Station DEERS= Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System DOS= Date of Separation ETS= Expiration of Term of Service MOS= Military Occupational Specialty (Soldiers Job) PCS= Permanent Change of Station LES Leave and Earnings Statement PX/BX= Post Exchange (shopping center) CONUS= Continental United States DFAS= Defense Finance and Accounting System DFAC = dining facility FIDO = forget it, drive on KISS = keep it simple stupid GOBI = general officer, bright idea HUA = heard, understood, acknowledged SECDEF = Secretary of Defense DOD = Department of Defense SECARMY = Secretary of the Army SA = situational awareness POV = privately owned vehicle POL = petroleum, oil, lubricant RTB = return to base PMS = preventative maintenance scheduled MRE = meal ready to eat LHO = large heavy object IED = improvised explosive device IDF = indirect fire SP = start point STUMP = stupid tankers under mortar protection. This term is used to refer to those personnel that are riding in the relative safety of an armored vehicle while the infantry remains exposed.

Military Acronyms Explained

Some other Army acronyms and abbreviations might need a bit more explanation when it comes to fully understanding their meaning. Many of the 4-letter military acronyms listed below demonstrate the fantastic sense of humor that so many military members have. FISH = fighting in someone's house. This actually refers to engaging in urban warfare. CSMO = close station, march order. Uttered when a mission is ending and the service member needs to make preparations to move out. ROAD = retired, on active duty. Often used to refer to military personnel who are ineffective and lazy since they are only weeks or months from retiring. SERE = survival, evasion, resistance, escape RTB = return to base THS = the Hooah Syndrome. This acronym is often used when a non-commissioned officer or platoon leader holds others to technical standards that border on the extreme. NAVY = never again volunteer yourself TACAMO = take charge and move out. Another meaning for this is by the Pentagon in reference to the aircraft that is highly important to the country's nuclear warfare program. Not only do acronyms save time when speaking and clarify what is being said, they can also be used to bring service members together.