Re: Military Acronomic Plurals (MAPs)

Subject: Re: Military Acronomic Plurals (MAPs)
From: jsokohl -at- CAMPBELLSOFT -dot- COM
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 08:40:01 -0600

Fred Ridder (ridderf -at- dialogic -dot- com) wrote, in part:

>The last time I looked at Mil spec standards (which was
admittedly some years ago, thank God...) they were very specific
that plurals of abbreviations and acronyms must be formed by
appending an apostrophe as well as an "s".

FWIW, I'd have to correct this. Miitary specifications I've used over
the years (not now but from '80-'92) are clear that you simply add an
_s_ to form plurals.

According TRADOC Reg 25-30 (dated 30 Mar 90), "Add a lowercase _s_ to
form the plural of most acronyms: LAWs, MOSs, NCOs, SOPs." Also, the
regulation states: "Do not add an _s_ to form the plurals of acronyms
whose meanins are plural: 'MOUT [military operations on urbanized
terrain] are part of the operational concept.'"

Also: "Singular and plural abbreviations are _usually_ identical: amt
for amount or amounts; div for division or divisions; hr for hour or
hours; km for kilometer or kilometers; BUT p for page yet pp for
pages."

As another reference, check out AR 25-30, The Army Integrated
Publishing and Printing Program. Also, one of TRADOC Reg 25-30's
references is the Chicago Manual of Style.

joe
Joe Sokohl
Manager of Documentation
Campbell Software, Inc.

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