Office of the Historian

List of Terms & Abbreviations

  • 40 Committee, National Security Council committee responsible for approving or submitting to the President for approval covert operations and intelligence activities
  • ABC, American Broadcasting Company
  • Acc, accession number
  • ACDA, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • ACP, Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific nations signatory to the 1975 Lome’ Convention
  • ADF, African Development Fund
  • AF, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AF/C, Central African Affairs Directorate, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AF/E, East Africa Directorate, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AF/I, Office of Inter-African Affairs, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AF/RA, Regional Affairs Staff, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AF/W, West Africa Directorate, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State
  • AID, Agency for International Development (United States)
  • AID/GC, Office of the General Counsel, Agency for International Development
  • AID/PPC, Bureau for Program and Policy Coordination, Agency for International Development
  • AID/SER/INC, Office of International Narcotics Control, Bureau for Program and Management Services, U.S. Agency for International Development
  • APG, Antarctic Policy Group
  • APO, Army/Air Force Post Office
  • ARA, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
  • ARA/LA, Bureau for Latin America, Agency for International Development and Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
  • ARA/LA/EP, Ecuador and Peru Directorate, Bureau for Latin America, Agency for International Development and Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
  • ARA/LA/PLC, Office of Policy Planning and Coordination, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
  • ARA/RPP, Office of Regional Political Programs, Agency for International Development and Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
  • ASTP, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
  • ASW, anti-submarine warfare
  • ATCM, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
  • ATF, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms
  • ATS–F, Application Technology Satellite-type F
  • ATS–6, Application Technology Satellite-type 6
  • AT&T, American Telephone and Telegraph
  • BIB, U.S. Board for International Broadcasting
  • BNDD, U.S. Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, from 1968 until 1973
  • C, Counselor, Department of State
  • CAS–C, Cooperative Applications Satellite-type C
  • CB, celestial bodies, or, Citizens Band (radio)
  • CBS, celestial bodies, or Columbia Broadcasting System
  • CCDLE, Cabinet Committee on Drug Law Enforcement
  • CCCT, Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism
  • CCCT/WG, Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism Working Group
  • CCINC, Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control
  • CENTO, Central Treaty Organization
  • CEQ, Council on Environmental Quality
  • CIA, Central Intelligence Agency
  • CIEC, Conference on International Economic Cooperation
  • CIEP, Council on International Economic Policy
  • CINCLANT, Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet
  • CINCPAC, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Forces
  • CND, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Economic and Social Council, United Nations
  • COM, Chief(s) of Mission (Department of State)
  • COMSAT, Communications Satellite Corporation
  • COSPAR, Committee on Space Research
  • CPB, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
  • CPD, Congressional Presentation Document
  • CSCE, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
  • CU, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State
  • D, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of State
  • D/HA, Coordinator for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of State
  • D/HA/PW, Deputy Coordinator for Prisoner of War and Missing-in-Action Matters, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of State
  • D/LOS, NSC Inter-Agency Task Force on the Law of the Sea, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Department of State
  • DALE, Drug Abuse Law Enforcement
  • DBS, Direct Broadcast Satellites
  • DC/DCS, Developed country/countries
  • DCI, Director of Central Intelligence
  • DCM, Deputy Chief of Mission
  • DEA, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, from 1973
  • DEFCON, Defense Condition
  • DEL, delegate, delegation
  • DG, Director General of the Foreign Service, Department of State
  • DG/MED, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Medical Services, Director General of the Foreign Service, Department of State
  • DNRO, Director, National Reconnaissance Office
  • DOA, Department of Agriculture
  • DOD, Department of Defense
  • DOD/ISA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs, Department of Defense
  • DOMSATS, Domestic satellites
  • DOT, Department of Transportation
  • DPRC, Defense Program Review Committee
  • E/CBA, Commercial Affairs and Business Activities, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
  • EA, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EA/EP, Office of Economic Policy, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EA/IMS, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore Directorate, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EA/J, Japan Directorate, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EA/RA, Office of Regional Affairs, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EB, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
  • EB/IFD/ODF, Office of Development and Finance, International Finance and Development, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
  • EB/OA/AVP, Aviation Programs and Policy Division, Office of Aviation, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
  • EB/CTA/TD, Office of International Communications Policy, Commercial and Telecommunications Affairs, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
  • EB/TD, Office of Telecommunications, Transportation and Telecommunications, Bureau of Economic Affairs, Department of State
  • EB/TT, Transportation and Telecommunications, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
  • EBS, Earth Broadcast Satellites
  • EC, European Community
  • ECE, Economic Commission for Europe
  • ECOSOC, Economic and Social Council, United Nations
  • EIS, Environmental Impact Statement
  • EPA, Environmental Protection Agency
  • EPIC, El Paso Intelligence Center
  • EPS, Executive Protective Service
  • ERDA, Energy Research and Development Administration
  • ERS, Earth Resources Satellite(s)
  • ERTS, Earth Resources Technology Satellite until 1975, see also LANDSAT
  • ESC, European Space Conference
  • ESRO, European Space Research Organization
  • EUR, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • EUR/RPE, Office of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, European Community, and Atlantic Political-Economic Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • EUR/SE, Office of Southern European Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • EUR/SOV, Office of Soviet Union Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • EUR/WE, Western Europe Directorate, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • F&E, facilities and engineering
  • FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation, or, Foreign Assistance Act
  • FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization
  • FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • FBN, U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics, from 1930 until 1968
  • FCC, Federal Communications Commission
  • FDA, Food and Drug Administration
  • FE, Far East
  • FEA, Federal Energy Administration, from June 28, 1974
  • FEO, Federal Energy Office, from December 4, 1973 until June 28, 1974
  • FG, Federal Government
  • FIB, Foreign Intelligence Board
  • FIEG, Field Intelligence Exchange Groups
  • FISC, Foreign Intelligence Subcommittee or Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control
  • FIU, Field Investigation Unit(s)
  • FMS, Foreign Military Sales
  • FNLC, Front for the National Liberation of Cuba.
  • FOI, Freedom of Information
  • FRG, Federal Republic of Germany
  • FPA, Federal Preparedness Agency
  • FSO, Foreign Service Officer
  • FY, Fiscal Year
  • FYI, For Your Information
  • G–77, Group of 77, founded in 1964, represented the interests of developing countries in the United Nations and other international fora
  • G–DEP, Geographic Drug Enforcement Program
  • GA, General Assembly, United Nations
  • GAO, Government Accounting Office
  • GATT, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  • GDS, Geographically Disadvantaged States, also referred to as Land Locked (Law of the Sea), General Declassification System
  • GEOS, Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite
  • GIFA, Governing International Fisheries Agreement
  • GNP, Gross National Product
  • GOP, Government of Peru
  • GOT, Government of Turkey
  • GRUNK, Government of Royal National Union of Kampuchea
  • GSA, General Services Administration
  • H, Bureau of Congressional Relations, Department of State
  • HF, high frequency
  • HFAC, House Foreign Affairs Committee
  • HMG, Her Majesty’s Government, Great Britain
  • H.R., House Resolution, United States House of Representatives
  • HRC, Human Rights Commission, United Nations
  • IAF, International Astronautical Federation
  • IAHRC, Inter-American Human Rights Commission
  • IBM, International Business Machines Corporation
  • ICAO, International Civil Aviation Organization
  • ICBM, Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile(s)
  • ICJ, International Court of Justice
  • ICNAF, International Convention for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
  • ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross
  • IDA, Institute for Defense Analysis
  • IDB, Inter-American Development Bank
  • IDIG, Interagency Drug Intelligence Group
  • IDIG–M, Interagency Drug Intelligence Group-Mexico
  • ILO, International Labor Organization
  • IMCO, International Maritime Consultative Organization
  • INCB, International Narcotics Control Board
  • INCP, U.S. International Narcotics Control Program
  • INM, Bureau of International Narcotics Matters, Department of State
  • INM/P, Office of Program Management, Bureau of International Narcotics Matters, Department of State
  • INMARSAT, International Maritime Satellite Organization
  • INPFC, International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean
  • INR, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
  • INR/DDC, Directorate for Coordination, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
  • INR/DDC/RPS, Office of Resources Policy, Directorate for Coordination, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
  • INS, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
  • INTELSAT, International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
  • INTERPOL, International Criminal Police Organization
  • IO, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
  • IO/CMD, Coordinator for Multilateral Development Programs, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
  • IO/HDC, Agency Directorate for Health and Drug Control, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
  • IO/T/HNP, Health and Narcotics Programs, Office of Technical Specialized Agencies, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
  • IO/UNP, Office of United Nations Political Affairs, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
  • ISA, International Seabed Authority
  • ISRA, International Seabed Resources Authority
  • ITT, International Telephone and Telegraph
  • ITU, International Telecommunications Union
  • IWC, International Whaling Commission
  • JCS, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • KH, Keyhole (satellite)
  • KIQ, key intelligence question(s)
  • L, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L3S, original designation for the commercial rocket launch vehicle developed by a European consortium, subsequently named Ariane
  • L/HR, Assistant Legal Adviser for Human Rights, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/OA, Ocean Affairs, Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/OES, Assistant Legal Adviser for Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/PM, Assistant Legal Adviser for Politico-Military Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/SCI, Assistant Legal Adviser for Scientific Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/SFP, Assistant Legal Adviser for Special Functional Problems, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/T, Treaty Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • L/UNA, Office of United Nations Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
  • LANDSAT, Land Satellite from 1975, see also ERTS
  • LDC or LDCs, lesser-developed country/countries
  • LEAA, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
  • LL, Land Locked, also referred to as Geographically Disadvantaged States (Law of the Sea)
  • LNG, liquefied natural gas
  • LOS, Law of the Sea
  • LS or LSC, Legal Sub Committee, Outer Space Committee, United Nations
  • M, Deputy Undersecretary for Management, Department of State
  • M/CT, Directorate for Combating Terrorism, Deputy Undersecretary for Management, Department of State
  • M/DG, Director General of the Foreign Service, Deputy Undersecretary for Management, Department of State
  • M/MS, Management Systems Staff, Deputy Undersecretary for Management, Department of State
  • MAP, Military Assistance Program
  • ME, Middle East
  • MEPC, Marine Environmental Protection Committee
  • MINT, Major International Narcotics Traffickers
  • MITL, Major International Traffickers List (drugs)
  • MFN, Most Favored Nation
  • MOU, Memorandum of Understanding
  • NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • NASA/G, General Counsel, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • NASA/I, Assistant Administrator for International Affairs, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • NBC, National Broadcasting Company
  • NCAP, Narcotics Control Action Plan
  • NCS, National Communications System
  • NEA, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/EGY, Egypt Directorate, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/INS, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka Directorate, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/IRN, Iran Directorate, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/PAB, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Directorate, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/RA, Directorate of Regional Affairs, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NEA/TUR, Directorate for Turkey, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Department of State
  • NG, Negotiating Group
  • NGO, Non-Governmental Organization
  • NIACT, night action, telegram indicator requiring immediate action
  • NIDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • NOAA, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
  • NOFORN, no foreign dissemination
  • NRC, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
  • NRO, National Reconnaissance Office
  • NRP, National Reconnaissance Program
  • NSA, National Security Adviser
  • NSAM, National Security Action Memorandum
  • NSC, National Security Council
  • NSC/USC, National Security Council, Under Secretaries Committee
  • NSDM, National Security Decision Memorandum
  • NSF, National Science Foundation
  • NY, New York City
  • NYPD or NYCPD, New York City Police Department
  • OAS, Organization of American States
  • OAU, Organisation of African Unity
  • ODALE, Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement
  • OEP, Office of Emergency Preparedness
  • OES, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/APT, Office of Advance and Applied Technology Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/ENP, Office of Environmental and Population Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/ENP/EN, Office of Environmental Affairs, Office of Environmental and Population Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/OA, Office of Ocean Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/OFA, Office of Fisheries Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OES/SCI/SA, Office of Technology Policy and Space Affairs, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Scientific Affairs, Department of State
  • OMB, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
  • OMB/EG, Directorate for Economics and Government, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
  • OMB/FDM, Federal Drug Management, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
  • ONNI, Office of National Narcotics Intelligence
  • OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
  • OPTF, Opium Policy Task Force
  • ORM, Office of Refugee and Migration Affairs, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Refugee and Migration Affairs, Office of the Secretary, Department of State
  • OSC, Outer Space Committee, United Nations; Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • OSLS, Legal Sub Committee, Outer Space Committee, United Nations
  • OST, Outer Space Treaty
  • OTP, Office of Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President
  • P, Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Department of State
  • PA, Bureau of Public Affairs, Department of State
  • PA/FOI, Freedom of Information Staff, Bureau of Public Affairs, Department of State
  • PARA, Policy Analysis and Resource Allocation
  • PASA, Participating Agency Services Agreement
  • PCZ, Protected Communication Zone(s)
  • PLO, Palestine Liberation Organization
  • PM, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State; Prime Minister
  • PM/AE, Office of Atomic Energy and Aerospace, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State
  • PM/SAS, Office of Security Assistance and Sales, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State
  • PMP, Preliminary Management Plan (fisheries)
  • PRC, People’s Republic of China
  • PRG, Provisional Revolutionary Government in Vietnam
  • PRM, Projected Radio Modulation
  • QTE, quote
  • R&D, research and development
  • RCA, Radio Corporation of America
  • Rep, representative
  • RFE, Radio Free Europe
  • RFP, request for proposal
  • RGA, Royal Government of Afghanistan
  • RL, Radio Liberty
  • RS, remote sensing
  • RSNT, Revised Single Negotiating Text, UNCLOS III
  • S, Senate or Secretary
  • S/CCT, Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for Combating Terrorism, Department of State
  • S/FW–COA, Coordinator of Ocean Affairs, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of State
  • S/IG, Office of the Inspector General, Foreign Service, Department of State
  • S/NM, Senior Adviser to the Secretary and Coordinator for International Narcotics Matters, Department of State
  • S/P, Policy Planning Staff, Office of the Secretary, Department of State
  • S/PC, Planning and Coordination Staff, Department of State
  • S/PRS, Office of Press Relations, Office of the Secretary, Department of State
  • S/R, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Refugee and Migration Affairs, Office of the Secretary, Department of State
  • S/S, Executive Secretariat, Department of State
  • S/S–I, Information Section, Executive Secretariat, Department of State
  • S/S–O, Operations Center, Executive Secretariat, Department of State
  • SAIC, Special Agent in Charge (Drug Enforcement Administration)
  • SALT, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
  • S&T, Scientific and Technical
  • SAODAP, Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention, Executive Office of the President
  • SC, Subcommittee
  • SCA, Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs, Department of State
  • SCAR, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
  • SCI/SA, Office of General Scientific Affairs, Bureau of International Scientific and Technological Affairs, Department of State
  • SEASAT, Ocean Dynamics Satellite
  • SECDEF, Secretary of Defense
  • SECSTATE, Secretary of State
  • SG, Small Group(s)
  • SLBM, Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile(s)
  • SNT, Single Negotiating Text, UNCLOS III
  • SOSUS, Sound Surveillance System
  • SPC, Space Policy Committee of Standing Committee on Space Policy of the Under Secretaries Committee, National Security Council
  • SRF, Special Reporting Facility
  • STSC, Scientific and Technical Sub Committee, Outer Space Committee, United Nations
  • SY, Office for Security, Bureau of Administration, Department of State
  • SYG, Secretary General (unless otherwise indicated refers to the United Nations)
  • T, Office of the Under Secretary for Security Assistance, Science and Technology, Department of State
  • TCB, Treaty on Celestial Bodies
  • TOM, Moon Treaty
  • TOR, terms of reference
  • TS, telecommunications security
  • TV, television
  • U/DM, Under Secretaries Committee Decision Memorandum
  • UK, United Kingdom
  • UN, United Nations
  • UNCLOS III, Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea
  • UNCTAD, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
  • UNDP, United Nations Development Program
  • UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation
  • UNFDAC, United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control
  • UNGA, United Nations General Assembly
  • UNHRC, United Nations Human Rights Commission
  • US, United States
  • USC, Under Secretaries Committee, National Security Council
  • USCINCEUR, Commander-in-Chief, European Forces (Stuttgart, Germany)
  • USCINCSO, Commander-in-Chief, United States Southern Command
  • USG, United States Government
  • USIA, United States Information Agency
  • USLOS, United States Delegation to the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea
  • USNATO, United States Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • USSR, United Soviet Socialist Republics
  • USUN, United States Mission to the United Nations
  • VO, Visa Office, Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs, Department of State
  • VOA, Voice of America
  • WARC, World Administrative Radio Council
  • WEO, Western Europe and Others group
  • WG, Working Group
  • WGRS, Working Group on Remote Sensing
  • WHO, World Health Organisation
  • WUI, Western Union International