Below is a list of common acronyms and initialisms used in Civil Air Patrol. Those used most commonly in the cadet program at Squadron 131 are highlighted in red.

ABU: Airman Battle Uniform (2016)
AFRCC: Air Force Rescue Coordination Center
AFROTC: Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
AFSCFC: Air Force Space Command Familiarization Course
ANG: Air National Guard
AZWG: Arizona Wing

BDU: Battle Dress Uniform

CAC: Cadet Advisory Council
CAP: Civil Air Patrol
CAPF: CAP Form
CAPM: CAP Manual
CAPP: CAP Pamphlet
CAPR: CAP Regulation
CC: Commander
CLC: Corporate Learning Course
COS: Cadet Officer School
CPFT: Cadet Physical Fitness Test
C/CC: Cadet Commander

DC: Deputy Commander
DCC: Deputy Commander for Cadets
DCS: Deputy Commander for Seniors
DF: Direction Finding or Direction Finder
DR: Disaster Relief

ELT: Emergency Locator Transmitter
EOC: Emergency Operations Center
EPIRB: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
ES: Emergency Services
ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD: Estimated Time of Departure

FAA: Federal Aviation Administration
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
FLM: Flight Line Marshaller
FLS: Flight Line Supervisor
FLT: Flight
FOD: Foreign Object Damage
FRO: Flight Release Officer
FTX: Field Training Exercise

GBD: Ground Branch Director
GES: General Emergency Services
GPS: Global Positioning System
GSAR: Ground Search And Rescue
GTL: Ground Team Leader
GTM: Ground Team Member (Level 3, 2, 1)

HQ: Headquarters

IC: Incident Commander
ICS: Incident Command System
ICUT: Introductory Communications User Training
IFR: Instrument Flight Rules
IACE: International Air Cadet Exchange
IAW: In Accordance With

MC: Mission Chaplain
MO: Mission Observer
MRO: Mission Radio Operator
MS: Mission Scanner
MSA: Mission Staff Assistant

NCC: National Cadet Competition
NCGC: National Color Guard Competition
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer
NCSA: National Cadet Special Activities
NESA: National Emergency Services Academy
NFA: National Flight Activity
NHQ: National Headquarters
NIMS: National Incident Management System
NOC: National Operations Center

O-Flight: Cadet Orientation Flight
OPS: Operations
OPSEC: Operational Security

PJOC: Pararescue Orientation Course
PT: Physical Training

SAR: Search And Rescue
SAREVAL: Search And Rescue Evaluation
SAREX: Search And Rescue Exercise
SQDN: Squadron
SQTR: Specialty Qualification Training Records
SWR: Southwest Region

UDF: Urban Direction Finding
USAF: United States Air Force
USAFA: United States Air Force Academy

VFR: Visual Flight Rules

WG: Wing

ZULU: Proword for Coordinated Universal Time