HELPING TO UNDERSTAND THE WRITTEN WORD IN THE CORPS

The Air Cadets is a minefield of abbreviations, acronyms and mnemonics, that make understanding books, letters and the like difficult if not impossible. To help you through this minefield is a list of abbreviations and acronyms that you may come across. The list is not complete by any means and will be added to as new ones come up or spring to mind. To help it is in alphabetic order.

ACO	Air Cadet Organisation
AEF	Air Experience Flight or Air Experience Flying
AEG	Air Experience Gliding
Air Cdre	Air Commodore
AOC	Air Officer Commanding
A/SNCO	Adult Senior NCO (Adult Sgt & F/Sgt)
ATC	Air Training Corps or Air Traffic Control
AVM	Air Vice Marshal
AWO	Adult Warrant Officer (to distinguish from cadet counterparts)
CAC	Commandant Air Cadets
Cdt	Cadet
CI	Civilian Instructor
CO	Commanding Officer
COS	Chief of Staff
Cpl	Corporal
CWC	Civilian Welfare Committee also called “The Committee”
CWO	Cadet Warrant Officer
EW	Essex Wing
F/Sgt	Flight Sergeant
Fg Off (F/O)	Flying Officer
Flt Lt (F/L)	Flight Lieutenant
Inst Cdt	Instructor Cadet (Prefix for cadets over the age of 18)
Gp Capt	Group Captain
HQAC	Headquarters Air Cadets (referred to “H quack”)
IAW	In Accordance With
JNCO	Junior NCO (Corporal)
L&SER/LSER	London and South East Region (referred to and spoken as LASER)
NCO	Non-Commissioned Officer
OC	Officer Commanding
OIC	Officer In Charge
PEdO	Physical Education Officer
Plt Off (P/O)	Pilot Officer
RAF	Royal Air Force
RAFR	Royal Air Force Reserve
RAFVR(T)	Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training) Branch
RFCA	Reserve Forces and Cadet Association (previously TAVRA)
rtu	Return to unit
Sgt	Sergeant
SNCO	Senior NCO
Sqn Ldr (S/L)	Squadron Leader
Sqn or sqn	Squadron
tba	to be advised or announced
tbn	to be notified
VGS	Volunteer Gliding School
WATTO	Wing Adventure Training and Technical Officer
WEF	With Effect From
Wg Cdr	Wing Commander
WO	Warrant Officer
WSO	Wing Staff Officer