Guard Glossary
Active Duty: Continuous duty on a daily basis. Comparable to "full-time" as used in reference to a civilian job.
Airborne: Carried or transported by the air.
Allowances: Money, other than basic pay, to compensate in certain specified situations for expenses such as meals, rent, clothing, and travel. Also, compensation is usually given for maintaining proficiency in a specific skill area, such as flying or parachuting.
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. A test that provides students with academic and vocational aptitude scores to assist them in career exploration and decision-making. ASVAB scores are used by the military services to determine enlistment eligibility and to assign occupational specialties.
Base: A locality of installation on which a military force relies for supplies or from where it initiates operations.
Basic Pay: The amount of pay a military member receives, as determined by pay grade and length of service. Basic pay does not include other benefits such as allowance or bonuses.
Basic Training:he initial period of training for new military personnel; involves intense physical activity and behavioral discipline.
Battalion: A military unit typically consisting of a headquarters and three or more companies, batteries, or other subunits of similar size and is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel.
Brigade: A military unit consisting of two or more combat battalions or regiments and associated support units. It is smaller than a division and is commanded by a Colonel.
Cadet: A person who is training to become an officer in the Armed Forces, especially a student at a military academy or in ROTC.
Civilian: Anyone not on active duty in the military.
Commissary: A store on a military base that sells groceries and household goods and supplies.
Commissioned Officer: A member of the military holding the rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above. This role is similar to that of a manager.
Company: A military unit consisting of three platoons, commanded by a captain.
Drill: To train or exercise in military operations, typically one weekend per month in the National Guard.
Duty: Assigned task or occupation.
Enlisted: A service member, not a warrant officer or commissioned officer, who has been accepted by the military and has taken the Oath of Enlistment
GI Bill Benefits: A program of education benefits for individuals entering the military. This program enables service persons to set aside money to be used later for educational purposes.
GRFD: Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty.
Kicker: Additional money paid to Servicemembers eligible for the MGIB for specific reasons, such as being enrolled in an officer-producing program.
MEPS: Military Entrance Processing Stations, which are located around the country. The enlistment process occurs at each of these stations.
Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB): An educational assistance program enacted by Congress to attract high quality men and women into the Armed Forces. The program provides education and training opportunities to eligible persons.
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty): A job designations assigned to a particular Soldier. See a list of MOS's available in Texas here.
National Guard: The National Guard serves in both a state and federal capacity. Governors may call upon Soldiers and Airmen to assist in community support, disaster relief and other local emergencies. During national emergencies, these same units are called upon to support their active counterparts in the Army and Air Force.
NCO (Non-commissioned Officer): An enlisted member in pay grades E-4 or higher, holding a position of authority obtained by promotion from within the enlisted ranks. NCO's are recognized leaders within their specialty.
OCS (Officer Candidate School): Program for college graduates and qualified enlisted members who wish to become officers.
Officer: See commissioned officer.
Quarters: Living accommodations or housing.
The Phonetic Alphabet: Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey X-Ray Yankee Zulu
Platoon: A military unit, typically consisting of three squads, led by a Lieutenant.
Ranger: A member of a group of U.S. soldiers specially trained for making raids either on foot, in ground vehicles, or by airlift.
Regiment: A permanent brigade-sized unit in the Army consisting of two or three squadrons or battalions of soldiers divided into smaller troops or companies and under the command of a colonel.
ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps):Training given to undergraduate college students who plan to become military officers. Often they receive scholarships for tuition, books, fees, uniforms, and a monthly allowance.
Service or Services: A branch or multiple branches of the United States Armed Forces. There are five in all: the Army, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps (or Marines) and the Navy.
Service Obligation: The amount of time an enlisted member agrees to serve in the military, as stated in the enlistment agreement.
SGLI: Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
SOC: Servicemembers' Opportunity Colleges. Colleges that participate in a program committed to the needs of military Servicemembers.
Station: A place of assigned duty.
Tour of Duty: A period of obligated service. Also used to describe a type of duty tour, such as a "Mediterranean tour."
Veteran: Someone who has served in the Armed Forces.
Warrant Officer: A technical specialist or pilot. These members are often appointed from the enlisted, non-commissioned officer ranks.
