The DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (or DOD Dictionary) sets forth standard US military and associated terminology to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces of the United States. These military and associated terms, together with their definitions, constitute approved Department of Defense (DOD) terminology for general use by all DOD components.
This publication supplements standard English-language dictionaries and standardizes military and associated terminology to improve communication and mutual understanding within DOD, with other US Government departments and agencies, and among the United States and its allies.
This publication applies to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Services, the Joint Staff, combatant commands, DOD agencies, and all other DOD components. It is the primary terminology source when preparing correspondence, to include policy, strategy, doctrine, and planning documents. Criteria for inclusion of terminology in the DOD Dictionary is enumerated in Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 5025.12, Standardization of Military and Associated Terminology, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5705.01, Standardization of Military and Associated Terminology.
Current as of May 2022 (released November 2022)
This post was published on November 22, 2022 9:00 am
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released a set of documents related to…
Note: The below article was originally written on May 30, 2024. Since that publication, additional…
The Dyna-Soar, or "Dynamic Soarer," officially known as the X-20 Dyna-Soar, was an ambitious spaceplane…
In June 2021, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was filed by The Black…
Article originally published June 28, 2022. Updated on April 2, 2024 https://youtu.be/8Iz5m1LkSGA On June 28,…
Welcome to the FBI Files on American Military Personnel archive at The Black Vault. This…