Abaft - Farther aft, as, "The plot room is abaft the bridge."

Abeam - On a bearing of 90° (abeam to starboard) or 270° (abeam to port).

Aboard - In or on a ship. Sometimes used in reference to being in or on a station, when there is a close-by shore facility to avoid confusion.

Aerospace - 1. The atmosphere of a planet and the space immediately surrounding it. 2. The combat arm that conducts operations in aerospace.

Aft - Toward the stern. Not as specific as abaft.

After - Of two locations, the one farthest aft, as, "The after wardroom."

All Hands - The entire ship's (station's) company.

Amidships - An indefinite area midway between the bow and the stern. "Rudder Amidships" means maneuvering thrusters are off, or employed equally to port and starboard so the ship does not change course in the XY plane.

Astern - Directly behind a ship.

Athwart - Across; at right angles to; perpendicul ar.

Away Mission - Any mission assigned to an Away Team, (this usually means it will take place off ship).

Away Team - A group of ship's personnel that are sent off ship for some specific purpose. Used to be called "Landing Party".

Aye or Aye Aye - Reply to a command or order meaning "I understand and will comply" used aboard ship (many times used ashore as well, though sometimes supplanted by roger and/or wilco).

Battalion (BN) - A unit of organization consisting of three or more companies, plus attached elements. Within the fan club, a battalion consists of all Marine units and personnel within a single state.

Battery - A compan y-sized artillery unit.

Beam - 1. The extreme breadth of a vessel; 2. A structural support; 3. A focused energy transmission; 4. To move by matter transporter.

Bear - The act of being located on a bearing, as, "The target bears 045 mark 3."

BOS - Branch Of Service.

Brig - Confinement facility for prisoners aboard a vessel. Off ship facilities are known as jails or prisons.

Brigade (BDE) - A unit of organization consisting of two or more Battalions. Within the fan club, a Brigade is equivalent to a

STARFLEET Region. As an example, all units in Region 3 are in the Third Brigade.

Blond Nagus - Laura Silva

Bulkhead - A wall on a ship.

Caliber - Measurement of a projectile's diameter, usually measured in millimeters or in hundredths of an inch.

CMO - Chief Medical Officer, Head of the Medical Department.

CO - Commanding Officer

COFORCECOM - Commanding Officer, Forces Command

COSUPCOM - Commanding Officer, Support Command

COTRACOM - Commanding Officer, Training and Doctrine Command

Commandant - The highest ranking officer in the Starfleet Marine Corps.

Company - a unit composed of two to four platoons.

Division (DIV) - The largest organizational unit within the Starfleet Marine Corps, consisting of two or more Brigades that are geographically associated in a specific manner. There are seven divisions in the SFMC.

DS9 - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Fire Team - The smallest level of organization in an infantry unit, consisting of four Marines. The standard fire team consists of a team leader, two infantrymen, and a light weapons specialist. Two to four teams make a squad.

Fleet Marine Force (FMF) - One of the two general assignments all marine duties are divided into. The other is Garrison Force.

Garrison Force - One of the two general assignments all marines are rotated through during their careers. The other is Fleet Marine Force.

Gear - Equipment. To get dressed/strap on all of your equipment is to "gear up".

Gung Ho - From the Chinese language, it means "works together". Anyone who is enthusiastic and motivated is considered "Gung Ho".

Gunny - Slang for Gunnery Sergeant (grade E7).

JAG - Judge Advocate General. JAG officers are the military equivalent of lawyers.

Line Officer - An officer who commands combat troops. See also Staff Officer.

Local Commander - The SFMC member in charge at any specific event is considered the 'local commander'. For example, the 1BDE OIC would be the local commander for the 1BDE Muster (even if the Commandant is in attendance) and would specify the highest level uniform for the muster.

Marine Force Manual (MFM) - This manual that you are reading.

MSH (pronounced "mash") - Mobile Surgical Hospital

MCU - Marine Correspondence Unit, a unit which does most of it's activities through regular or electronic mail or via telephone.

MEU - Marine Expeditionary Unit, a unit without a host chapter in SFI, but whose me mbers remain affiliated with the SFMC.

Mecha - A large, armed and armored vehicle that has a basic humanoid design (usually equipped with arms and legs). Better suited to rough terrain than AFVs and more versatile, but slower on open terrain and requires more maintenance.

MOS - Marine Occupational Specialty

MSG - Marine Strike Group

MTU - Marine Training Unit

NAVOP - Naval Operations

Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) - Enlisted grades E4 through E9.

NCOIC - Non Commissioned Officer in Charge

Noncom - Another term for NCO, or Non Commissioned Officer.

OCC - Officer Command College, second of two officer training courses available through Starfleet Academy. You must complete OTS before you can take OCC.

OIC - Officer in Charge

Omega Team - A special operations force of particularly covert nature.

OTS - Officer Training School. The first step in becoming a STARFLEET officer is to take this course through Starfleet Academy.

Platoon - An organizational unit consisting of 3 (or more) squads. Platoons usually have an OIC (the Platoon Leader) and a NCOIC (the Platoon Sergeant).

Redshirt - Ensign Whatshisface that always died in TOS.

SCC Number - Your SFI membership number. It is usually a five digit number sometimes followed by a dash and the digits representing the region you live in (i.e. - 98035-12 for someone living in Region 12 when he joined the fan club).

SFA - STARFLEET Academy

SFI - STARFLEET - The International Star Trek Fan Association, Inc.

SFMC - STARFLEET Marine Corps

SFMCA - STARFLEET Marine Corps Academy

SGM/SFMC - Sergeant Major of the Starfleet Marine Corps, the highest NCO post in the Starfleet Marine Corps.

SOP - Standard Operating Procedure, a set of instructions that cover a standard situation and what needs to be done in such a situation.

SpecOps - Special Operations

Squad - An infantry unit consisting of two to four fire teams, plus a squad leader.

Squad Leader - The individual in charge of a squad, usually an experienced enlisted man or Junior NCO.

Squadron - A company-sized aerospace unit.

Staff Officer - Any officer assigned to a unit who is not directly responsibl e for the command of troops. A good example are the officers who run the intelligence, logistics, and personnel departments at a unit's headquarters. Strike Group - A task-formed Marine Unit, usually assigned to a ship or station, which may be homogenous (all one service branch) or composite (elements from many branches) in nature. It is usually company-sized, but may be as large as a battalion based on requirements.

Tarnished Turkey Award - An award we hand out for doing something really stupid! The recipient gets to keep it until they find the next individual they catch screwing-up!

Task Force - A task-formed Marine Unit, which is almost always composite (elements from many branches) in nature. It is usually larger than battalion strength and composed of several different units or Strike Groups.

Task-Formed - A unit composed to accomplish a particular task. It may consist of an existing unit, or may draw from existing units to form a new unit. It may be permanently established or exist only until the task is accomplished.

TNG - The Next Generation

TOS - The Old Series.

Troop - A company-sized cavalry unit.

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) - The laws and regulations that real -world US military personnel are expected to follow.

USMC - United States Marine Corps.

VOY - Star Trek Voyager.

XO - Executive Officer, the captain's First Officer.