Chapter 1: Matters of Style
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 1 Chapter 1: Matters of Style
Each bold entry is formatted correctly and should be written as shown. Alphabetical Listing This chapter provides the correct style for commonly used terms within captions. This list is by no means comprehensive; if a term does not appear below, refer to The Associated Press Stylebook or Merriam- Webster Dictionary for the appropriate style and spelling, the National Geographic Atlas of the World for place names, or to the service-specific fact sheets for the correct spelling of weapons, aircraft, vehicles, and equipment (see Additional Resources on page 65). 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) The proper name of the Army unit that handles ceremonial responsibilities at Arlington National Cemetery. See Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. U.S. Soldiers with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) perform a changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, Sept. 12, 2012. 21-gun salute A 21-gun (or lesser odd number) salute is an artillery salute for rendering honors to the president, senior military leaders, foreign dignitaries, and other notable persons. For the action performed at military funerals, see rifle salute. aboard Use aboard when referring to people or cargo in or on a ship or aircraft. Do not use aboard to describe being on a land base. Onboard refers to organic parts of a vessel, such as an onboard weapons system. See onboard. U.S. Sailors eat breakfast aboard Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) in the Mediterranean Sea on June 4, 2014. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Beth Jones, a loadmaster, inspects pallets of supplies aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, April 23, 2014. acronym Only use acronyms on second reference. Do not follow the first reference with an acronym in parentheses unless the acronym would not be clear on second reference. The only exceptions are NATO, SEAL, USO, POW/MIA and acronyms covered in AP. See unit designators on pages 24 and 26 for Marine Corps and Navy aviation units. Advanced Extremely High Frequency A joint service satellite communications system that provides survivable, global, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications. Spell out on first reference. AEHF acceptable on second reference. Afghani This is the currency of Afghanistan, not the nationality of its people. See nationality. aircrew, aircrew member Use as one word. Do not hyphenate or separate aircrew into two words. Entries Conforming to AP Style • district • first lady • lectern, podium • locations • military titles • national anthem • NATO • preflight and postflight • ROTC, Junior ROTC Entries Differing from AP Style • boatcrew • DOW • Navy ratings • POW/MIA
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 2 Chapter 1: Matters of Style Air Force One Any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president. The term is a call sign that applies only when the president is aboard the aircraft. The main aircraft serving in this capacity is the VC-25A. Airman, Airmen Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Air Force; do not capitalize when referring to military members assigned to an air force of another nation. all hands/all-hands Two words as a noun: The commanding officer called all hands to the meeting. Hyphenate as an adjective or a compound modifier: The Sailors attended the all-hands call. allision The act or an instance of a ship striking a stationary object such as another ship that is not underway. See collision, collide. American flag, U.S. flag Note flag is lowercase. amphibious assault ship Do not capitalize, even when referring to a specific ship. For example: U.S. Sailors and Marines man the rails of Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4). amphibious combat vehicle The amphibious vehicle replacing the AAV-P7/A1. ACV acceptable on second reference. amphibious ready group Spell out on first reference. anti-access and area-denial Spell out on first reference. A2/AD acceptable on second reference. anti-satellite Spell out on first reference. Note hyphenation. ASAT acceptable on second reference. Anzac Capitalize, but do not use all caps. Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of World War I. Anzac Day is celebrated annually by both nations April 25. U.S. service members are often present at these celebrations. aqueous film-forming foam AFFF acceptable on second reference. Arabian Gulf U.S. Navy’s primary style for the body of water primarily known as the Persian Gulf. Enter Persian Gulf in keywords. Do not confuse with the nearby Arabian Sea. See Persian Gulf. Arabic names Follow AP style for Arabic names. assault amphibian battalion Lowercase unless used in a unit name. assault amphibious vehicle The Marine Corps’ AAV-P7/A1 tracked vehicle. Not amphibious assault vehicle. Do not confuse with amphibious assault ships. assigned to/attached to Service members are assigned to their parent command. They are attached to a command they are temporarily deployed to. assistant secretary Capitalize before a name as part of a title; use lowercase when the title appears after the name. at sea Do not use “at sea” in place of the name of a body of water. If the specific location is undisclosed, say so, but reference a general body of water or U.S. fleet area of responsibility. See here. aviation squadron names Spell out full name of a squadron on first reference. Include the acronym whether or not the squadron name appears again in the body of the story. back blast Two words. Bambi bucket Do not use. See helicopter bucket. battalion landing team In unit names, capitalize it, followed by the unit's numeric designator and corresponding Marine Expeditionary Unit. U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine Expeditionary
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 3 Unit, storm a beach Jan. 23, 2012, as part of an exercise in Thailand. billet identification When identifying a service member in a caption, use the billet for which they are currently serving at the time of the action. The billet should reflect their formal billet. For example, a U.S. Marine sergeant major is referred to as the “command senior enlisted leader.” Blue Angels The Navy’s flight demonstration team. Simply refer to the group as the Blue Angels. The team currently flies the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft. boatcrew, boatcrew member Boatcrew is one word; do not hyphenate or separate into two words. The boatcrew launched at 2 p.m. A boatcrew member spotted the man in the water. bounding overwatch Bounding overwatch is an official doctrinal term in both Army field manuals and Marine Corps infantry doctrine. Bounding overwatch is a tactical movement where one element of a unit provides covering fire while another advances forward when enemy contact is expected. brand names Do not use brand names or the names of specific manufacturers. For example, while Berretta makes a 9mm pistol, the military version is simply known as the M9. The F/A-18 Super Hornet, while made by Boeing, is only identified by its military designation and without manufacturer’s name included. It is also possible that multiple companies manufacture the same item or different components of the same item. breech, breach Breech refers to the part of an artillery piece where rounds are loaded. The verb breach means to penetrate an obstacle or defense; as a noun, breach is the hole in a defense. caption credit See credit line. casualty evacuation CASEVAC acceptable on second reference. cavalry Use lowercase unless it is part of a unit name. Do not confuse with Calvary, which is a religious term. change of command ceremony Do not hyphenate the compound adjective. Avoid the phrase “relieved of command.” This implies a result of disciplinary action. Chiefs Mess Capitalize and do not include an apostrophe. Civil Air Patrol The civilian volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, best known for search and rescue, disaster relief and cadet programs. Civil Air Patrol members work closely with the Air Force, and they hold rank within the Civil Air Patrol. CAP acceptable on second reference. civilian titles Do not use courtesy titles such Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms. unless requested by the named person. Other formal titles such as Honorable, Dr., Sen. or Gov. should be used where applicable. Do not use such titles on second reference unless it is necessary to differentiate between two people with the same last name. close-in weapon system Do not capitalize. CIWS acceptable on subsequent reference. Coast Guardsman, Coast Guardsmen Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Coast Guard; not capitalized when referring to members of a foreign coast guard. Coast Guard Auxiliary The civilian volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Coast Guard, best known for boating safety programs. Although auxiliarists work closely with the Coast Guard and they hold job titles within the Auxiliary, they are not Coast Guardsmen. Coast Guard enlisted ranks Do not use ratings. See AP for military ranks. collision, collide Collisions occur when two moving objects hit each other. For collisions,
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 4 Chapter 1: Matters of Style avoid stating that one object collided with the other, since this implies fault. Use allision to describe events when a moving object hits a stationary object. The ships collided while crew members were conducting training in the Gulf of America. Correct: The helicopter and the plane collided. Incorrect: The helicopter collided with the plane. Colombia, Columbia The South American country is spelled Colombia, and the adjective is Colombian. Columbia is the proper spelling for the university, the former space shuttle and several U.S. cities and private-sector organizations. colors When referring to the flag of the United States, American flag or U.S. flag are the preferred styles. Do not use in reference to the flags of other nations. Acceptable when referring to unit flags and guidons. For example: The battalion colors were furled during a transfer of authority ceremony. combat rubber raiding craft CRRC acceptable on second reference. Do not use the commercial term “Zodiac boat.” combined Per Joint Publication 1, Volume 2: A term identifying two or more forces or agencies of two or more allies operating together. See also joint. commandant A job title for the top four-star officer of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard; the term is also used to describe the commanding personnel of academies and other military institutions. Only capitalize when used in the official job title before the person’s name. U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. John Smith shakes hands with Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, June 5, 2012. U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rory Malloy, the commandant of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, shakes hands with a recent graduate of the academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, Sept. 12, 2012. commander in chief Do not hyphenate; use lowercase unless it appears before a name. commanding officer A job title, not a rank. Do not capitalize unless before a name. Use the person’s service and rank along with the title and the unit he or she commands. U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher Sage, the commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Wing ... U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Patrick Murphy, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Base Cleveland, ... commands Write out the full name of all U.S. combatant commands on first reference. See Style Check information box. Do not use the acronym COCOM for the term Combatant Command; the accepted acronym is CCMD. In the Command Shown block of metadata, only use the geographical combatant command name, based on where the image was produced. See Command Shown on page 51. Style Check: Unified Combatant Commands Geographic Commands U.S. Africa Command U.S. Central Command U.S. European Command U.S. Indo-Pacific Command U.S. Northern Command U.S. Southern Command U.S. Space Command Functional Commands U.S. Cyber Command U.S. Special Operations Command U.S. Strategic Command U.S. Transportation Command
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 5 contingency operating base Use lowercase unless it accompanies the name of a specific location. COB acceptable on second reference. U.S. Marines set up checkpoints outside the contingency operating base. U.S. Marines set up checkpoints outside Contingency Operating Base Speicher. corporals course Lowercase unless used in conjunction with a course number. No apostrophe for corporals. U.S. Marines conduct physical training as part of a corporals course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. John Smith runs through an obstacle course during Corporals Course 1-25 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. counter improvised explosive device Do not hyphenate or capitalize. Counter IED acceptable on second reference. credit line Include at the end of all captions. Only use service, type of image, rank and name. Do not use unit names or release status in caption credits. For more formatting examples, to include the National Guard, see Credit Line on page 38. crew member Two words. For example: The crew members prepare for takeoff. decommissioned ships Write as you would an active vessel, but make it clear the vessel is no longer in service. See museum ships. The decommissioned Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) will remain in the Ready Reserve Fleet until 2015. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Managed by the U.S. Space Force, a satellite constellation that provides secure global weather and space weather data to support Department operations. Spell out on first reference. DMSP acceptable on second reference. Defense Satellite Communications System A satellite constellation providing military communications globally. Spell out on first reference. DSCS acceptable on second reference Defense Support Program A satellite constellation operated by the U.S. Space Force that uses infrared sensors to detect missile launches, space launches and nuclear detonations. Spell out on first reference. DSP acceptable on second reference. demining No hyphen. dignified transfer Never a dignified transfer ceremony. Do not capitalize. For example: “... the dignified transfer of fallen service members ...” or “... dignified transfer operations at Dover Air Force Base ...” or “... during the dignified transfer of his/her remains at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan ...” distinguished transfer Do not use. district Per AP, capitalize if used as part of a proper name, but lowercase when it’s not: Sangin district. Capitalize when referring to a U.S. Coast Guard district since these are proper names: Coast Guard Southwest District, Coast Guard Heartland District, and so forth. See also district and geographic names in AP. DOW Acceptable acronym for Department of War. drone Use the official name of the depicted unmanned vehicle. Drone acceptable on second reference. dry dock (noun), dry-dock (verb) Do not use as one word. Electro-optical Infrared Weather System- Geostationary A satellite constellation delivering mission-critical weather data to the joint force. Spell out on first reference. EWS- G acceptable on second reference. exercises Capitalize uniquely named
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 6 Chapter 1: Matters of Style exercises but only capitalize the descriptive word exercise if it is part of the official title of the exercise. Do not capitalize generic descriptors for exercises (e.g., operational readiness exercise, joint task force exercise, composite training unit exercise). expeditionary strike group Spell out on first reference. fast-attack Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier. The fast-attack submarine deployed in November. The fast-attack craft approached the U.S. Navy destroyer. fast-rope, fast rope Hyphenate when used as a compound verb or adjective. No hyphen when used as a noun. U.S. Soldiers fast-rope from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. U.S. Soldiers improved their fast-roping skills during the exercise. U.S. Soldiers prepare a fast rope before exiting a helicopter. firefighter One word. fireman In the Navy and Coast Guard, this term refers to a member specifically trained in an engineering or hull repair rating. While damage control is among the fireman ratings, the term fireman is not to be confused with firefighter. If the term is used as a part of a named individual’s rank or rating, it is capitalized. fire team Two words. first lady Per AP, it’s not a formal title, therefore not capitalized. Fleet Satellite Communications System A satellite constellation used for UHF radio communications. Spell out on first reference. FLTSAT acceptable on second reference. flight deck Two words. flight line Two words. foreign object debris, foreign object damage Items that are picked up from a flight line or flight deck before flight operations are foreign object debris. Foreign object damage results from debris that has impaired an aircraft. FOD acceptable on second reference as long as the distinction between debris and damage is clear. U.S. Sailors conduct a foreign object debris walkdown on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Pacific Ocean on June 7, 2013. The Sailors collected about seven pounds of FOD. Damage to the compressor blade of an engine on a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress is seen at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, April 6, 2014. A piece of metal was sucked into the engine, causing foreign object damage. forward operating base Use lowercase unless it accompanies the name of a specific location. FOB acceptable on second reference. U.S. Marines set up checkpoints outside the forward operating base. U.S. Marines set up checkpoints outside Forward Operating Base Warrior. from Do not use from to describe a service member’s affiliation with a military unit. Use with, assigned to, or attached to. The term from implies hometown or native country. U.S. Army Spc. Joe Snuffy is an infantryman assigned to the 1st Battalion, 333rd Infantry Regiment. U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit participate in a training exercise. gay marriage Preferred term is same-sex marriage. See gender, sex and sexual orientation in AP.
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 7 geosynchronous equatorial orbit Also referred to as geostationary orbit. GEO acceptable on second reference. Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program A satellite constellation used to track and characterize man-made orbiting objects. Spell out on first reference. GSSAP acceptable on second reference. Global Positioning System GPS acceptable on second reference. ground-based radar Note hyphenation. groundbreaking One word. Guardian Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Space Force; do not capitalize when referring to military members assigned to the space forces of another nation. For example: U.S. Space Force Guardian. guided-missile, guided missile compound adjective when describing types of ships (e.g., guided-missile cruiser). No hyphen when used as a noun: a guided missile was test- fired. guidon Note spelling. A guidon is a pennant, or small flag, carried as the standard of a smaller (company- or platoon-sized) military unit. Do not confuse a guidon with a larger unit’s flag or colors. hangar Aircraft are kept in a hangar, not a hanger. half-mast, half-staff On ships and at naval stations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast. Elsewhere ashore, flags are flown at half- staff. hawk helicopters Note exact spelling, spacing and capitalization: UH-60M Black Hawk, HH-60G Pave Hawk, VH-60N White Hawk, MH-60R Sea Hawk, MH-60S Sea Hawk, MH-60T Jayhawk. Note: “Knighthawk” is not the proper name for the MH-60S Sea Hawk. helicopter bucket Lowercase. Do not use Bambi bucket when referring to the firefighting apparatus, as it is a brand name. here Do not use “here” to describe a location. Use the actual location name, body of water or the term undisclosed location with a general region (e.g., in an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia). See at sea. Hesco barrier Use barrier or fortification, as Hesco is a specific brand name. high speed vessel High speed vessel Swift (HSV-2) has been replaced by expeditionary fast transport. See Military Sealift Command. home port/homeported The term home port is two words, while homeported is one word. The ship is headed for its home port of San Diego. The ship is homeported in San Diego. hometown Use a comma to set off an individual’s hometown (both the city and, when needed, the state) when placed in opposition to a name, whether of is used or not. The subject may decline to provide his or her hometown. See Hometown on page 38 for additional information. hospital ship Do not capitalize. For example: The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) was originally an oil tanker. Note: This is a Military Sealift Command ship, therefore a hyphen is acceptable in the hull number. See hull numbers, Military Sealift Command. howitzer Lowercase. Not a proper noun. hull numbers Include hull numbers in parentheses after ship names on first reference. United States Ships (USS) and U.S. Coast Guard Cutters (USCGC) are not hyphenated; U.S. Naval Ships (USNS) with a classification beginning with “T” get a hyphen between the “T” and the remaining letters, but not between the letters and the numbers. U.S. Army vessel hull numbers are hyphenated.
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 8 Chapter 1: Matters of Style Humvee When referring to a high-mobility, multipurpose wheeled vehicle, Humvee is acceptable on first reference; the word is capitalized. It is not necessary to spell out the entire term or use the abbreviation. However, the abbreviation can be used in keywords. HMMWV is also acceptable on second reference. identification by placement Identify subjects in photo from left to right in most cases. In cases in which high-level official(s) is/are prominent, identify in order of prominence. Use commas, not parentheses. When identifying people in an image, use the rule of three; provide the full name and rank and/or title of every person when there are three or fewer people in the image. It is not necessary to identify each person when there are four or more people present, although there may be some cases (such as with high-level officials) in which that would be appropriate. Also see Chapter 3. insure, ensure To insure means to take out insurance on something; to ensure means to make certain or guarantee. For example: People should insure their vehicles to ensure they can get a replacement in case of an accident. jammer When describing a vehicle used to load ordnance into aircraft, use weapons loader or the actual nomenclature of the vehicle. If describing a device used in electronic warfare, use electronic countermeasure or similar wording. See jargon. jargon Don’t use a military term or slang expression that might require further explanation for the general public; if such a term is used, provide a short explanation of its meaning. joint Per Joint Publication 1, Volume 2: Connotes activities, operations, organizations, etc., in which elements of two or more military departments participate. See combined. joint combined exchange training A multiservice and multinational exchange of skills and knowledge between U.S. forces and their host nation counterparts. jumpmaster One word. KATUSA Write out Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army on first reference; KATUSA is acceptable on subsequent references. Cpl. Doyoon Kwon, a Korean Augmentation to the United States Army soldier, assigned to 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, performs one-legged push-ups at Camp Casey, South Korea, April 11, 2018. landing zone Use lowercase unless it accompanies the name of a specific location. LZ acceptable on second reference. U.S. Soldiers gather their gear after parachuting onto Landing Zone Tombstone. The landing zone was not cleared, so the mission was aborted. LCAC The correct term is landing craft, air cushion. Use it for singular and plural. Use lowercase unless identifying a specific, numbered LCAC (e.g., Landing Craft, Air Cushion 8). The acronym is acceptable on second reference. LCM The correct term is landing craft, mechanized. Use it for singular and plural. Use lowercase unless identifying a specific, Style Check: Hull Numbers USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE 3) USCGC Diligence (WMEC 616) JHSV Spearhead (JHSV 1) LCAC 8 LCU 1627 LCM 8596
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 9 numbered LCM (e.g., Landing Craft, Mechanized 8596). The acronym is acceptable on second reference. LCU The correct term is landing craft, utility. Use it for singular and plural. Use lowercase unless identifying a specific, numbered LCU (e.g., Landing Craft, Utility 1627). The acronym is acceptable on second reference. leap frogging Jargon. Use maneuver or another synonym. lectern, podium Per AP, a speaker stands behind a lectern or on a podium. A podium is the stage or raised floor the speaker stands upon. life jacket Use life jacket, not lifejacket or life-jacket. life raft Use life raft, not liferaft or life-raft. line, rope Do not confuse the terms. Line is a length of cordage that is in use, such as a mooring line. Rope refers to cordage that is still on the spool and has not been used. littoral Refers to shallow water operations or proximity to shore. Do not confuse with literal. live fire, live-fire Two words as a noun: The practice range was for shooting blanks only; it did not allow live fire. Hyphenate as an adjective/compound modifier: The live-fire exercise lasted all day. loadmaster One word. local Use this word only when it is necessary to differentiate a local leader or organization from a foreign one. Most of the time it will be unnecessary. In the following example, the use of the word adds nothing to the meaning of the sentence, as is demonstrated by removing it. U.S. Soldiers talk to local Iraqi citizens at a local market in Baghdad. U.S. Soldiers talk to Iraqi citizens at a market in Baghdad. In the following sentence, however, the word adds context: Local leaders and charitable organizations joined the U.S. effort to provide disaster relief to affected areas. locations Follow AP style rules when listing geographic names, directions and regions. The names of airports, hospitals, etc., should not be listed like cities. For example: Beaumont Airport, Texas. There is no such city in Texas, so the correct way to refer to this in a caption is Beaumont Municipal Airport in Beaumont, Texas. See here, at sea. loose/lose Loose means not tight, while lose means to misplace something or failing to win. The lug nuts were loose, causing the Humvee to lose its wheels. low-earth orbit Note hyphenation. LEO acceptable on second reference. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Capitalize; HIMARS acceptable on second reference. man the rails Not capitalized. Mark weapons, Mark patrol boats Do not use the abbreviations MK or Mk. Use the indefinite article “a” before the name of the weapon or boat. No hyphens. Use Roman numerals for boats. A U.S. Soldier engages a target with a Mark 19 grenade launcher June 5, 2004, in Baghdad. Sailors assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 56 man .50-caliber machine guns aboard a Mark VI patrol boat during a joint interoperability patrol. Marine, Marines Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Marine Corps; do not capitalize when referring to military members assigned to the marines of another nation. Marine One Any Marine Corps helicopter carrying the President. The term is a call sign that applies only when the president is aboard
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 10 Chapter 1: Matters of Style the helicopter. The main helicopters serving in this capacity are the VH-60N White Hawk and the VH-3D Sea King. mass casualty, mass casualty exercise No hyphen. medical civic action program MEDCAP acceptable on second reference. medium-earth orbit Note hyphenation. MEO acceptable on second reference. military decorations Military decorations and awards are never won. Use terms such as earned, received or presented with. A person who holds an award is a recipient, not a winner. Also see Medal of Honor entry in AP. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, smiles as he and his family meet with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 17, 2010. Giunta received the nation’s highest military honor for rescuing two members of his squad during an ambush on his platoon in Afghanistan in October 2007. military forces of other nations Capitalize the formal names of military forces from other nations, such as Japan Maritime Self- Defense Force, Afghan National Army and Russian Ground Forces. Lowercase informal or generic names, such as the Japanese navy, Afghan army, Russian army. Do not use the foreign-language name for a service (in other words, don’t use Armada de Mexico for the Mexican navy). military operations on urban terrain MOUT is an out-of-favor term; the preferred term is urban operations. UO acceptable on second reference. The term MOUT is still in limited use; however, it may be used when referring to a specific MOUT city or MOUT site but should not be used in the following cases: “... train for military operations on urban terrain ...” or “... conducts military operations on urban terrain training.” See urban operations. Military Sealift Command Most MSC ships carry the designation USNS (United States Naval Ship) while others carry SS, MT or MV designators. To ensure the layperson understands MSC ships are not combatants, include “U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command” in the description. Furthermore, if an MSC helicopter is described in the caption, make it clear it belongs to MSC. Most MSC ships carry the prefix “T-” before their hull numbers. See hull numbers, motor vessel and vessel.
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits alongside the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) in preparation for an underway replenishment in the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 7, 2014. A U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command SA-330J Puma helicopter delivers supplies to the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) in the Pacific Ocean on April 2, 2014.
military service members of other nations Do not capitalize the words soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coast guardsman when referring to service members of other nations. If a service member’s rank corresponds to a U.S. rank, use AP style. If not, spell out the rank: Commodore, Field Marshal. military titles Abbreviate all military titles in accordance with AP style. On second reference, drop the title and use just the last name. See AP for the appropriate abbreviations for each rank. For U.S. Space Force, see page 19. military unit names See military units starting on page 20.
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 11 Milstar A satellite constellation providing survivable, global, secure, protected and jam- resistant communications. mission-oriented protective posture Spell out on first reference. MOPP acceptable on second reference. Use the level number (e.g., mission-oriented protective posture level 3) if called for in the caption. modular airborne firefighting system Do not capitalize. MAFFS (or MAFFS II, if applicable) acceptable on second reference. Mobile User Objective System A satellite constellation operated by the U.S. Space Force to provide narrowband military communications. Capitalize on first reference. MUOS acceptable on second reference motor vessel MV acceptable on second reference. MRAP The correct usage is mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle on first reference, MRAP vehicle thereafter. Also: mine- resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle. Second reference M-ATV. U.S. Airmen load mine-resistant, ambush- protected vehicles Aug. 27, 2011. The MRAP vehicles were to be transported to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. MRE The correct term is either meal, ready to eat (singular) or meals, ready to eat (plural). MRE or MREs acceptable on second reference. museum ships If a museum ship is mentioned in a caption, use the official name of the museum or write it as you would any other decommissioned ship. U.S. Sailors tour the Battleship Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, June 5, 2012. U.S. Sailors tour decommissioned Iowa- class battleship USS Missouri (BB 63) at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, June 5, 2012. names Use first and last names for all persons described in a caption. Single names are appropriate for those who only have one name. If operational security concerns call for less identification, describe the person(s) by their service and/or job description. nation Use lowercase unless at the start of the sentence. national anthem Not capitalized, per AP. Use “The Star-Spangled Banner.” National Guard If service members in an image are part of a state’s National Guard, indicate the state (with specific branch, if appropriate). Identify personnel as Soldiers or Airmen (or by their parent service) as appropriate. If the image depicts members of both branches on non-Federal duty, National Guardsmen is acceptable. See Style Check below. nationality Refer to the “The World Factbook,” published by the Central Intelligence Agency, to determine the proper adjective for a citizen of a specific nation. (For example, a citizen of Afghanistan is an Afghan.) NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO acceptable in all references per AP. Style Check: National Guard U.S. Airmen with the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard, prepare a C-130 Hercules aircraft for a mission at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, June 1, 2023. U.S. Army Sgt. John Smith, an infantryman assigned to the 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, North Carolina National Guard, conducts marksmanship training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, Sept. 8, 2012. Florida National Guardsmen patrol a street in Jacksonville, Florida, after a hurricane Sept. 3, 2009.
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 12 Chapter 1: Matters of Style NFTI Use thermal imager rather than the formal name Naval Firefighter’s Thermal Imager. Nigerian, Nigerien The adjective Nigerian means a person from Nigeria, while Nigerien means a person from Niger. noncommissioned officer Do not hyphenate; use lowercase unless it appears at the start of a sentence. NCO acceptable on second reference. officer in charge Do not hyphenate; use lowercase unless it appears before a name. OIF/OEF Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Spell out on first reference. Do not add rotation numbers to these titles. on Acceptable to use in some cases. See AP. onboard Refers to organic parts of a ship, such as engineering or weapons systems. When referring to people, cargo or activities in or on a ship or aircraft, use aboard. U.S. Coast Guardsmen serve lunch in the galley onboard the maritime security cutter USCGC Bertholf (WMSL 750) at the cutter’s home port in Alameda, California, June 1, 2017. operations Capitalize uniquely named operations but capitalize the word operation only if it is part of the official title of the operation (e.g., Operation Enduring Freedom). Do not capitalize generic descriptors for operations. ordinals Use widely recognized civilian ordinals such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. when being used with unit names, instead of militarized versions such as 2d or 3d. Refer to numerals in AP for additional guidance. ordinance/ordnance An ordinance is a local law, while ordnance refers to weapons and ammunition. Ordnance is both singular and plural. Do not use ordnances. PAO, PIO Spell out public affairs officer or public information officer on first reference. pass in review Not pass and review. PAVE Phased Array Warning System PAVE PAWS acceptable on second reference. Maintained by the U.S. Space Force, PAVE PAWS radars detect submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) attacks and conduct general space surveillance and satellite tracking. PAVE is a military program identification code; it is not an acronym. Pentagon Use Arlington, Virginia, to describe the location of the Pentagon. Persian Gulf The primary style for this body of water is Persian Gulf; enter Persian Gulf in keywords. The U.S. Navy’s primary style for this entry is Arabian Gulf. Note: The Arabian Sea is a separate body of water and should not be confused with references to the Arabian Gulf/Persian Gulf. See Arabian Gulf. pierside One word. photographer’s credit See credit line. plankowner One word. A member of the crew of a new ship at the time of commissioning. podium, lectern Per AP, a podium is the stage or raised floor a public speaker stands upon; a lectern is a small desk the speaker stands behind. positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) Spell out on first reference. postdeployment. See prefixes in AP. postflight See prefixes in AP. post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD is acceptable on first reference but spell out on second reference per AP. POW/MIA Prisoner of war/missing in action. POW/MIA acceptable in all references. This differs from AP. pre-commissioning unit Capitalize when used before the name of a ship before it is
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 13 commissioned. For example: Pre- Commissioning Unit Mississippi (SSN 782). PCU acceptable on second reference. predeployment No hyphen. preflight See prefixes in AP. president Capitalize president as a formal title before the first and family name on first reference. See AP. Do not use the acronym POTUS at any time in captions. On second reference, use only the last name. When listed without a name, use lowercase. Prime BEEF Spell out the full name of the unit (e.g., 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Emergency Engineer Force). Expeditionary Prime BEEF acceptable on second reference. professional titles When identifying a service member with a professional title, such as chaplain or physician, add the professional title in lowercase after the rank and name of the subject. U.S. Army Maj. Bill Smith, a chaplain, conducts a religious service. U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jane Jones, a physician, examines a patient. RAF bases No need to spell out RAF. U.S. Airmen stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England, conduct physical training June 2, 2012. Ranger Capitalize when referring to Army Ranger units, or Soldiers who are Rangers. rank, rate, rating Rank and rate refer to paygrade; rating refers to occupational specialties within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. When used with a person’s name, uppercase the rank and use the style listed in the military titles entry in AP. See Military Ranks on page 19 for U.S. Space Force. When not used with a name or names, ranks appearing in captions are lowercase and are not abbreviated. For example: U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeants participate in a training exercise. Navy content creators are authorized to use ratings as outlined in Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards (NAVPERS 18068F) instead of ranks. Use of Navy ratings is optional for content creators from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Space Force when identifying U.S. Navy personnel. Content creators use ranks, not ratings, when identifying Coast Guard personnel. rappel, rappelling/repel, repelling To rappel is to use ropes to lower oneself from a high place, such as a cliff, building or helicopter. To repel is to fend something off. redeployment No hyphen. RED HORSE Spell it out on first reference: Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers. RED HORSE acceptable on second reference. U.S. Airmen with the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers maintain equipment at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, July 10, 2012. The 820th RED HORSE was preparing for an exercise. replenishment-at-sea Hyphenate as shown. reserve, reserves Capitalize Reserve when referring to specific military organizations. For example: U.S. Army Reserve, not Reserves. In the Navy, the correct term is Navy Reserve, not naval reserve. When referring to a reserve Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman, or any other circumstance in which “reserve” is used as an adjective, do not capitalize reserve. Only use the term reserves when referring collectively to the reserve components. retired Do not use (Ret.) when describing a retired service member. Use the word retired
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 14 Chapter 1: Matters of Style before his or her service, rank and name. Retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Joe Smith, left, delivers a speech. U.S. Navy Cmdr. John Jones shakes hands with retired Chief Petty Officer Jane Williams. rifle salute A salute to the deceased at military funerals, usually by seven riflemen each firing three shots in unison. Do not confuse this with a 21-gun salute. rigid-hull inflatable boat Do not capitalize. RHIB acceptable on second reference. Roman numerals U.S. Army corps and U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary forces are designated with Roman numerals. For example: XVIII Airborne Corps, I Marine Expeditionary Force. Sentences may begin with roman numerals for U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army units. rope See line, rope. ROTC, Junior ROTC Per AP, the acronym ROTC is acceptable in all references. However, spell out Junior when referring to the high school-level program. Indicate the branch associated with the ROTC organization (e.g. Army ROTC, Air Force Junior ROTC, Naval ROTC, Navy Junior ROTC). Sailor, Sailors Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Navy; do not capitalize when referring to military members assigned to the navies of another nation. satellite(s) Capitalize when accompanied with the proper name of satellite(s). satellite communications Spell out on first reference. SATCOM acceptable on second reference. Seabee When identifying an individual Sailor as a Seabee, list the Sailor’s rank or rating as usual and add the designation as you would a job description. U.S. Navy Builder 1st Class Jane Smith, a Seabee with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 2, paints a door at a school in Kabul, Afghanistan, June 12, 2013. SEAL A special operations force of the U.S. Navy. The acronym for Sea, Air, Land. SEAL acceptable in all references. If plural, use SEALs. search and rescue Spell out on first reference. SAR acceptable on second reference. Do not hyphenate. Only capitalize if part of an official title, such as the name of a manual. secretary Capitalize before the name of a department secretary per AP. POTUS, the acronym for the president of the United States, is not to be used in VI content. See titles in AP. select, selectee Identify a service member by the rank they hold at the time the image was taken, not the rank they are selected for. However, it is permissible to indicate the service member is on the verge of promotion. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Smith, selected for promotion to chief petty officer, salutes an officer at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, June 12, 2012. U.S. Navy petty officers first class, selected for promotion to chief petty officer, clean a park as part of a community service project in Pensacola, Florida, July 14, 2012. Sept. 11 The term for describing the attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Use 2001 if needed for clarity. 9/11 also acceptable in all references. service academies On first reference, use the formal name of the service academy, followed by its location. The abbreviation is acceptable on second reference. See service academy ranks. U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 15 U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York service academy ranks When identifying a service academy student, use his/her proper cadet or midshipman rank if available, or just use the lowercase term cadet or midshipman as applicable (see below). Do not use informal terms such as “plebe” or “cow.” Cadets: U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Midshipmen: U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy service member The term is two words; service is not capitalized. U.S. service members help clean up in New York City after Hurricane Sandy. service schools For Navy and Coast Guard entry level training (“A” school), use quotation marks around “A” in all instances within a story or caption. Similarly, for advanced level military training, use quotation marks around “C” school. ship names Do not use the definite article the before a ship name, ship class, or ship type preceding a ship name. Also use the full name of the ship (without the USS) on second reference. Do not use the personal pronouns she or her. Ship names are not capitalized. USS George H.W. Bush, not USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH. U.S. Sailors wash down the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Atlantic Ocean on May 15, 2012. George H.W. Bush was underway on its first deployment. sideboys One word. sight, site A sight is something that is seen or is worth seeing, or a device that helps the eye to aim or find something. A site is a location. simulation, simulated Indicate when injuries, explosions and other events are simulated for training purposes. U.S. Army Pfc. Jim Smith is treated for simulated injuries during a mass casualty drill at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, March 25, 2014. Soldier, Soldiers Capitalize when referring to members of the U.S. Army; do not capitalize when referring to military members assigned to the armies of another nation. South Korea Use this style when referring to the country, its people and military personnel in captions. U.S. Soldiers and South Korean marines conduct marksmanship training at Camp Casey, South Korea, June 10, 2012. Southwest Asia Both words are capitalized. Space Based Infrared System A satellite constellation that supports early warning missile detection and missile defense, expands intelligence gathering and improves situational awareness for warfighters. Spell out on first reference. SBIRS acceptable on second reference. space forces Two words. Refers to missions Style Check: Sight vs. Site U.S. Soldiers clear weapons cache sites. A U.S. Marine sets her sights on a target during an exercise. While in port, U.S. Sailors took in the sights.
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 16 Chapter 1: Matters of Style and personnel supporting the Space Force. Space Security and Defense Program A joint effort between the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance office focusing on enhancing the resilience and security of national security space systems. Spell out on first reference. SSDP acceptable on second reference. space warfighting domain The recognition and operationalization of space as a critical area for military operations, similar to air, land, and sea that addresses the need to defend U.S. space capabilities and protect forces from space-enabled attack. SWD acceptable on second reference. special operations forces Use this term to describe U.S. special warfare units or members of those units when their exact service or unit affiliation is not clear, or when special warfare units of multiple services are conducting joint operations. Do not use special operator or commando. A U.S. special operations forces service member patrols in a field near Kandahar, Afghanistan, April 5, 2012. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discusses special operations forces during the National Defense Industrial Association's 22nd Annual Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Symposium on Feb. 9, 2011, in Washington. spouse, partner See husband, wife entry in AP. state names Spell out in captions per AP guidance for spelling out in the body of a story. Use a comma between the city and state name. strike group Use specific terms ‘carrier strike group,’ ‘expeditionary strike group,’ or ‘amphibious ready group.’ Spell out on first reference. strongpoint One word. Use lowercase unless it accompanies the name of a specific location. U.S. Soldiers stationed at Strongpoint Tarnak clean their weapons following a patrol. U.S. Marines search for a position to use as a strongpoint in a planned ambush of Taliban forces. submarine Spell it out, do not abbreviate as sub. submarine launched ballistic missile SLBM acceptable on second reference. task force Use lowercase unless referring to a specific named or numbered task force. taxi, taxis, taxiing, taxied Used to describe the movement of aircraft on the ground other than taking off or landing. Don’t use the phrase taxis or taxiing on a runway if the aircraft is not actually on the runway. A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft taxis before takeoff at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, July 12, 2012. Thunderbirds The Air Force’s flight demonstration team. Simply refer to the group as the Thunderbirds. The team currently flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. titles In accordance with AP, formal job titles after a person’s name are not capitalized. U.S. Navy Adm. Jonathan Greenert, the chief of naval operations, talks to Sailors aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) in the Pacific Ocean on Nov. 11, 2013. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Per Arlington National Cemetery. “Tomb of the Unknowns” is obsolete. UCMJ Spell out Uniform Code of Military Justice on first reference. Ultra High Frequency Follow-On A satellite constellation operated by the U.S. Space Force to provide communications for
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 Chapter 1: Matters of Style 17 airborne, ship, submarine and ground forces. Spell out on first reference. UFO acceptable on second reference. undersecretary One word. underway One word. unit designator List the unit designator for Marine Corps and Navy aviation units in parenthesis after the unit’s formal name and before the unit number on first reference. A hyphen is used on subsequent references between the unit designator and unit number. The Marines are assigned to Marine Transport Squadron (VMR) 1. VMR-1 assisted in the search for a downed aircraft near Jacksonville, North Carolina. U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97 was deployed aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). During the deployment, VFA-97 maintained a perfect safety record. Upgraded Early Warning Radars Maintained by the U.S. Space Force, these radars detect ballistic missile attacks and conduct general space surveillance and satellite tracking. They are located across both the United States and United States European Command. UEWR acceptable on second reference. urban operations Replaces military operations on urban terrain in most uses. See entry for military operations on urban terrain. USCGC Use before the name of a Coast Guard cutter. See hull numbers. The medium endurance cutter USCGC Diligence (WMEC 616) sailed into the port of Wilmington, North Carolina, Aug. 7, 2012. USO United Service Organizations. USO acceptable on first reference. vehicle-borne The correct term is vehicle- borne improvised explosive device. VBIED acceptable on second reference. vessel When referring to a specific type of vessel, spell it out: fishing vessel, motor vessel. Do not use abbreviations such as F/V, M/V, MV and so forth on first reference. See hull number, marine vessel. war on terrorism This is the acceptable term to use; it is all lowercase. Do not use global war on terrorism, GWOT or war on terror. warfare qualifications (Navy) Do not use Navy warfare qualifications (SW, AW, etc.) when writing a Sailor’s rating in captions or keywords. warfighter One word; use lowercase. weapons Use the following formats for weapons and weapon systems; note the appropriate hyphenation, spacing and capitalization. Use AP style for caliber and metric measurements. ● .50-caliber, 9 mm ● M119 105 mm howitzer ● M4 carbine, M16 rifle, M9 pistol ● GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb ● AIM-9 Sidewinder missile For weapons systems, functional descriptions should not be capitalized, i.e. M27 infantry automatic rifle, M249 squad automatic weapon, etc. Only unique names such as Sidewinder, Paveway, Claymore or Bangalore are capitalized. weapons cache The term, correctly used, is either weapons cache (singular) or weapons caches (plural). Do not use hidden weapons cache. Cache implies hidden. West Point Use the proper name and location of the Army’s academic institution: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. White House Use Washington to describe the location of the White House. Wideband Global Satellite Communications A satellite constellation
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DoW Visual Information Style Guide, September 12, 2025 18 Chapter 1: Matters of Style that provides wideband global communications services to combatant commanders, allowing them to exert command and control of their tactical forces. Spell out on first reference. WGS acceptable on second reference World War I, World War II Use Roman numerals. Spell it out on first reference, then use WWI or WWII as needed. wounded warrior Only capitalize when used in the name of a specific event or organization (e.g., Wounded Warrior Project).