A Hall – Arnold Hall (cadet recreation center and theater)

ACQ – academic call to quarters

Admissions Liaison Officer – active-duty, retired Air Force, Air Force Reserve or civilian volunteer who helps recruit for the Academy and helps students with the Academy application process

AFT – an aerobic fitness test (1.5-mile run)

Air Gardens – an area on the terrazzo between the flagpole and Mitchell Hall; each of the trees represents a grad who died in combat in Vietnam; forbidden area for fourthclassmen

ALO – Admissions Liaison Officer; active-duty, retired Air Force, Air Force Reserve or civilian volunteer who helps recruit for the Academy and helps students with the Academy application process

AMI – an a.m. inspection (refers to a high level of cleanliness for cadet rooms)

AMT NCO - Academy Military Trainer Non Commissioned Officer; an Air Force NCO (noncommissioned officer) who oversees military training in each cadet squadron, the AMT NCO assists the "AOC"

AOC – Air Officer Commanding; officers who work closely with cadets to help them achieve their potential as officer candidates

Appointee – a qualified candidate who has been offered an appointment to the Academy

Appointment – an offer of admission to a candidate

Appointment Considerations – at least 17 years old by July 1 of the year entering the Academy – not have passed 23rd birthday on July 1 of the year entering the Academy – a U.S. citizen (international students authorized admission are exempt from the U.S. citizenship requirement) – high moral character – high leadership, academic, physical and medical standards and – unmarried, with no one depending on them for support

Basic – the first 6 weeks of life at USAFA, or a person fortunate enough to be undergoing this period of "transition"

BCT – Basic Cadet Training; initial 6-week training session during the summer of fourthclassman year

BDUs – battle dress uniforms (camouflaged fatigue uniforms)

Bearing – military behavior or manner

Bird ("the Bird") – the USAFA mascot; a falcon or a gift (statue) given to visitors/guest speakers

C1C – Cadet First Class (a senior)

C2C – Cadet Second Class (a junior)

C3C – Cadet Third Class (a sophomore)

C4C – Cadet Fourth Class (a freshman)

C Store – Cadet Store (where cadets can buy books, snacks and needed supplies)

Cadet – an appointee who has been admitted to the Academy and has taken the oath of allegiance

Cadre – upperclassmen holding leadership positions

Candidate – a precandidate who has a nomination in an authorized category (also referred to as a nominee)

CFA – Candidate Fitness Assessment

Candidate Kit – kit containing forms and information for students whose Precandidate Questionnaires have been received, screened and approved, including complete information about Medical Eligibility, the Physical Aptitude Exam and other necessary steps in the admissions process

Carry On – the command given to resume normal duties

CCQ – the cadet in charge of quarters (squadron representative who answers phones, takes messages, etc.)

Checkpoints – a daily listing of "must-know" knowledge for fourthclassmen (consists of meal menus, days until graduation for each of the three upper classes and who is senior officer of the day), also the title of a magazine published quarterly by the Association of Graduates (AOG)

CIC – the cadet in charge

Comm's List – the Commandant's List for outstanding military performance; cadets on this list wear a silver wreath showing they've earned a military performance average (MPA) of 3.0 or greater

Command Post – Cadet Wing Operations Center, the organization in charge of day-to-day operations for the Cadet Wing

Contrails – the "bible" of fourthclassmen knowledge (contains USAFA heritage information, quotes and various details of USAFA life)

Cover – headgear or hat

CW – Cadet Wing

Dean's List – the Dean's List for outstanding academic achievement; cadets on this list wear a silver star on their uniforms

DF – the Dean of the Faculty organizations

Dining-In – a formal dinner for officers, NCOs (noncommissioned officers) and cadets

Dining-Out – same as dining-in, but guests may be invited

Doolie – fourthclassman (comes from the Greek "duolos," meaning a slave)

Element – the basic unit of a squadron, about 12 cadets

Fairchild Hall – the cadet academic building

Fall In – the command given to come to the position of attention

Fall Out – the command given to release members from formation or not being able to keep up with the rest of the group (i.e., "falling out" of a formation)

First-Class Cadet – firstclassman or a senior

Firstie – firstclassmen or 1-degree or senior

Flight – consists of three elements, about 36 cadets

Four-Degree – fourthclassman or a freshman

Fourth-Class Cadet – a freshman

GR – Graded Review (a major academic test)

Honor Guard – the USAFA rifle drill team

IP – an instructor pilot

March On – a formation marching onto the parade field or into the football stadium

Mitch's – Mitchell Hall (the cadet dining hall)

MPA – military performance average; a reflection of a cadet's military standing (similar to GPA for academics)

MSS – Military Strategic Studies

MWR – Morale, Welfare and Recreation

NCO – noncommissioned officer (a senior enlisted person)

Nomination – the selection of a precandidate as an official candidate for admission to the Academy by a legal nominating authority

OIC – Officer in Charge

One-Degree – firstclassman (a senior)

PEA – Physical Education Average, cadets with a PEA of 3.0 or higher are awarded a silver lightning bolt by the Director of Athletics

PFT – Physical Fitness Test

Precandidate – a student interested in attending the Air Force Academy who has returned a completed application/precandidate questionnaire

Precandidate Questionnaire – the first step in the application process, interchangeable with the term "application"

Principal Nominee – a nominee whom a member of Congress ranks as first choice for an authorized vacancy

Prog – the point midway through each semester where academic grades are provided

Prop & Wings – the emblem of an upperclassman; the goal of every "doolie"

Qualified Alternate – a qualified candidate not chosen to fill any specific nomination category but placed in a nationwide pool from which additional appointments are made to fill the entering class

Qualified Candidate – a candidate who has met all admissions requirements

Reveille – the bugle call that wakes cadets

SAMI – a Saturday morning (a.m.) inspection

SDO – Squadron Duty Officer

Second-Class Cadet – secondclassman or a junior

Sijan Hall – one of two cadet dormitories

Sound Off – to speak out loudly and clearly

Square Corners – one of the duties of every fourthclassman or "doolie" (they must always "square" corners when walking)

Stellar – outstanding

Supt's List – the Superintendent's List for outstanding academic, military and athletic performance, cadets on the Supt's list wear a silver star within a wreath surrounded by two lightning bolts

Squadron – consists of three flights, about 108 cadets

Taps – the mournful tune that signifies the end of the day for cadets

TDY – Temporary Duty (any trip or official business that takes one away from his duty station)

Tentative Candidate – a precandidate who appears to have the potential to be a qualified candidate, based upon self-reported information

Terrazzo – the large flat area between the dormitories and other buildings in the cadet area

Third-Class Cadet – thirdclassman or a sophomore

Three-Degree – thirdclassman or a sophomore

Two-Degree – secondclassman or a junior

UOD – uniform of the day; the prescribed uniform ensemble cadets are required to wear for that day

Upperclassmen – members of the top three classes at USAFA (sophomores/juniors/seniors)

Vandenberg Hall – one of two cadet dormitories (also referred to as Vandy)

Zoomie – graduate or cadet at USAFA

Zoo – nickname for USAFA (i.e., the blue "zoo")