MAPs (military acronomic plurals)

Subject: MAPs (military acronomic plurals)
From: jsokohl -at- CAMPBELLSOFT -dot- COM
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 09:34:52 -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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