EPR Acronyms and Abbreviations

The goal of the EPR is to convey accurate information as simply as possible. To accomplish this, familiar, everyday words should be used and words and phrases that are not universally understood should be avoided. In addition, acronyms and abbreviations that are not widely known should not be used. EPRs will be read by people from a wide variety of career fields so it must be written using words that are understandable to everyone.

When using acronyms, there is a rule that requires all acronyms and abbreviations to be defined before using them. By defined, they mean spelling the word or phrase out completely along with the abbreviation or acronym after it in parenthesis --like this: Window Washer (WW). After "defining" the acronym, the acronym, WW, may then be used alone throughout the rest of the document with the assumption that it is now understandable. In order to not waste space in the body of the EPR, the most efficient way to define acronyms you plan to use is in the admin blocks of the EPR (Organization, Job Description, Duty Title). That way you don't waste space in the body of the EPR where space is more critical. Note that when you define a term, you don't simply list the word and its abbreviation or acronym. It must be used appropriately in a sentence. So it's not always possible to define the acronym or abbreviation in the admin blocks.

Minimize the use of acronyms that aren’t commonly understood across the Air Force. If the rater decides that it’s worth the space to introduce a new acronym to the EPR reader, it must be spelled out the first time it is used (as noted above) on each side of the EPR. Writers should critically question whether using the uncommon acronym or abbreviation contributes to the readability of the EPR and make every effort to use ordinary English keeping in mind that promotion boards are drawn from all Air Force career fields. If the acronym or abbreviation is used only once or twice, consider whether defining the term is actually conserving space. It may be more efficient to spell out the word every time and avoid using the acronym or abbreviation.

Most commands or Wings have their own standards concerning what is acceptable on an EPR. If your organization has a documented standard listing approved abbreviations and acronyms, you should use it. If not, this guide serves as a general reference. Note that some words are never abbreviated. Never use abbreviations or acronyms in the Duty Title. It must be spelled out in all capital letters.

But, some abbreviations and acronyms are so common that everyone understands what they stand for and to define them would be a waste of time and valuable EPR real estate. Below are some commonly accepted acronyms that do not have to be defined before using them.

Acronyms and Abbreviations that don't have to be defined before using in an EPR

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V-Z

A

A1C Airman First Class
AB Airman Basic
ACC Air Combat Command
ACSC Air Command and Staff College
AD Active Duty
ADT Active Duty Training
AE Aeromedical Evacuation
AECM Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Member
AEF Air Expeditionary Force
AET Aeromedical Evacuation Technician
AETC Air Education and Training Command
AF Air Force
AFA Air Force Association
AFAFRICA Air Forces Africa
AFAM Air Force Achievement Medal
AFB Air Force Base
AFCM Air Force Commendation Medal
AFFOR Air Force Forces
AFFSC Air Force Financial Service Center
AFI Air Force Instruction
AFIC Air Force Intelligence Command
AFIT Air Force Institute of Technology
AFMAN Air Force Manual
AFMC Air Force Materiel Command
AFOSH Air Force Office of Safety and Health
AFOSI Air Force Office of Special Investigations
AFPC Air Force Personnel Center
AFR Air Force Reserve
AFRC Air Force Reserve Command
AFRES Air Force Reserve
AFRICOM African Command
AFROTC Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
AFS Air Force Station
AFSC Air Force Specialty Code
AFSOC Air Force Special Operations Command
AFSO21 Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century
AFSPACECOM Air Force Space Command
AFSPC Air Force Space Command
AGR Active Guard and Reserve
ALS Airman Leadership School
AMC Air Mobility Command
Amn Airman
ANG Air National Guard
AOC Air Operations Center
AOC Air and Space Operations Center
AOG Air Operations Group
AOO Area of Operation
AOR Area of Responsibility
ARM Aeromedical Readiness Mission
ART Air Reserve Technician
ARC Air Reserve Component
ARPC Air Reserve Personnel Center
ASAP As Soon As Possible
ATO Air Tasking Order
ATSO Ability To Survive and Operate
AU Air University
AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System
AWC Air War College
B

BAS Basic Allowance for Subsistence
BDE Basic Developmental Education
BMT Basic Military Training
BPZ Below Promotion Zone
BRAC Base Realignment and Closure
BPZ Below Promotion Zone
BTZ Below the Zone
C

C2 Command and Control
C3I Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence
C4 Command, Control, Communications and Computers
C4I Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence
C4ISR C4, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
CAOC Combined Air Operations Center
Capt Captain
CC Commander
CC, ACC Commander, Air Combat Command
CCAF Community College of the Air Force
CDC Career Development Course
CD-ROM Compact Disc Read-only Memory
C-E Communications Equipment
CE Civil Engineer
CENTCOM Central Command
CFC Combined Federal Campaign
CGO Company Grade Officer
CHAMPUS
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
CINC Commander in Chief
CJCS Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
CJTF-HOA Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa
CMSgt Chief Master Sergeant
CMSAF Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
CMT Charge Medical Technician
COCOM Combatant Command
COMAFFOR Commander Air Force Forces
Comm Communications
COMSEC Communications Security
CONOP Concept of Operations
CONUS Continental United States
CPR Cardio-Pulmonary Resusatation
CRM Crew Resource Management
CSAF Chief of Staff, US Air Force
CSAR Combat Search and Rescue
CY Calendar Year
D

DAV Deployment Assistance Visit
DE Developmental Education
DEERS Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
DIMHRS Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System
DoD Department of Defense
DRU Direct Reporting Unit
DSN Defense Switched Network
DUI Driving Under the Influence
E

EET Exercise Evaluation Team
EPR Enlisted Performance Report
EUCOM European Command
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
F

FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FAV Functional Assistance Visit
FCC Federal Communications Commission
FDA Food and Drug Administration
FMC Fully Mission Capable
FOA Field Operating Agency
FOD Foreign Object Damage
FOIA Freedom of Information Act
FOUO For Official Use Only
FY Fiscal Year
G

GPA Grade Point Average
GPS Global Positioning System
GSA General Services Administration
GSU Geographically Separated Unit
GWOT Global War on Terrorism
H

HHQ Higher Headquarters
HQ Headquarters
HSI Health Services Inspection
I

IADT Initial Active Duty Training
IAW In Accordance With
IDT Inactive Duty Training
IFK In Flight Kit
IG Inspector General
IMA Individual Mobilization Augmentee
IMPAC International Merchant Purchase Authorization Card
IP Instructor Pilot
IR Individual Reservist
ISO In Support Of
ISR Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaisance
J

JAG Judge Advocate General
JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff
JFACC Joint Forces Air Component Commander
JFC Joint Forces Commander
JFCOM Joint Forces Command
JOA Joint Operating Area
JTF Joint Task Force
K

K Thousand (as in dollars)
KOM Knowledge Operations Management
L

LAN Local Area Network
LIMFAC Limiting Factor
M

M Million (as in dollars)
MAJCOM Major Command
MEL Mission Essential Listing
MPA Military Personnel Appropriation
MPE Military Personnel Element
MPF Military Personnel Flight
MSgt Master Sergeant
MSM Meritorious Service Medal
N

NAF Numbered Air Force/Non Appropriated Funds
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NBC Nuclear Biological and Chemical
NCO Non-commissioned officer
NCOA Non-commissioned Officer Academy
NCOIC Non-commissioned Officer in Charge
NET Not Earlier Than
NLT Not Later Than
NVG Night Vision Goggles
O

O&M Operating and Maintenance
OCONUS Outside Continental United States
OEF Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
OI Operational Instruction
OIC Officer in Charge
OIF Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
OJT On-the-Job Training
OPlan Operations Plan
OPR Office of Primary Responsibility
OPR Officer Performance Report
OPSEC Operations Security
ORE Operational Readiness Exercise
ORI Operational Readiness Inspection
OSD Office of the Secretary of Defense
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSI Office of Special Investigations
OTS Officer Training School
P

PACAF Pacific Air Forces
PACOM Pacific Air Command
PCA Permanent Change of Assignment
PCS Permanent Change of Station
PIRR Participating Individual Reservist
PM Program Manager
PME Professional Military Education
POC Professional Officer Course
POC Point of Contact
POTUS President of the United States
PRP Personnel Reliability Program
PT Physical Training
R

R&D Research and Development
RAV Readiness Assistance Visit
RC Reserve Component
RED HORSE Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operation Repair Squadron Engineers
RMG Readiness Management Group
RNLTD Report Not Later Than Date
ROTC Reserve Officer Training Corps
RPA Reserve Personnel Appropriation
S

SAF Air Force Secretariat
SAV Staff Assistance Visit
SDE Senior Developmental Education
SEAD Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
SECAF Secretary of the Air Force
SECDEF Secretary of Defense
SIOP Single Integrated Operational Plan
SIPRNET Secret Internet Protocol Router Network
SITREP Situation Report
SJA Staff Judge Advocate
SME Subject Matter Expert
SNCO Senior Noncommissioned Officer
SNCOA Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SORTS Status of Resources and Training System
SOUTHAF Southern Air Forces
SOS Squadron Officers School
SPINS Special Instructions
SQ CC Squadron Commander
SQ Squadron
SrA Senior Airman
SSgt Staff Sergeant
SSS Senior Service School
STANDEVAL Standardization and Evaluation
STEP Stripes for Exceptional Performers
STRATCOM US Strategic Command
SWA Southwest Asia
T

TDY Temporary Duty
TMO Traffic Management Office
TR Traditional Reservist
TRICARE TRICARE
TSgt Technical Sergeant
U

UAC Unit Advisory Council
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UCI Unit Compliance Inspection
UCMJ Uniform Code of Military Justice
UE Unit Equipped
UHF Ultra High Frequency
UIF Unfavorable Information File
UMD unit manning document
UN United Nations
US United States
USA United States Army
USACOM United States Atlantic Command
USAF United States Air Force
USAFA United States Air Force Academy
USAFCENT United States Air Forces Central
USAFE United States Air Forces in Europe
USAFRES United States Air Force Reserve
USAFRICOM United States Africa Command
USCENTAF United States Central Command Air Force
USCENTCOM United States Central Command
USEUCOM United States European Command
USJFCOM United States Joint Forces Command
USMC United States Marine Corps
USN United States Navy
USAFRICOM United States Africa Command
USSOCOM United States Special Operations Command
USSOUTHAF United States Southern Command Air Forces
USSOUTHCOM United States Southern Command
USSPACECOM United States Space Command
USSTRATCOM United States Strategic Command
USTRANSCOM United States Transportation Command
UTA Unit Training Assembly
UTC Unit Type Code
V

VA Veterans Administration
VHF Very High Frequency
VIP Very Important Person
W

WAPS Weighted Airman Promotion System
Wing CC Wing Commander
WMD Weapons of Mass Destruction
WRM War Reserve Materiel