## Dod Instruction 5025.12 Standardization Of Military And Associated Terminology

Originating Component:
Office of the Director of Administration and Management

Effective:
March 5, 2020
Change 1 Effective:
January 21, 2022
Releasability:
Cleared for public release.  Available on the Directives Division Website at https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/.
Reissues and Cancels:
DoD Instruction 5025.12, "Standardization of Military and Associated
Terminology," August 14, 2009, as amended
Approved by:
Lisa W. Hershman, Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense
Change 1 (Administrative) Approved by:

Christopher R. Choate, Chief, Directives Division

Purpose: In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5105.53 and the January 11, 2021 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, this issuance:


Establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes criteria for identifying, revalidating,
deleting, modifying, and incorporating definitions into the DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (referred to in this issuance as the "DoD Dictionary").

Authorizes the development, publication, and maintenance of the DoD Dictionary in conjunction
with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

## Table Of Contents


SECTION 1:  GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION ........ 3
1.1.  Applicability. ........ 3 1.2.  Policy. ........ 3 1.3.  Summary of Change 1. ........ 4
SECTION 2:  RESPONSIBILITIES ........ 5
2.1.  DA&M. ........ 5 2.2.  Director, Washington Headquarters Services. ........ 5 2.3.  OSD and DoD Component Heads. ........ 5 2.4.  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ........ 5
SECTION 3:  DOD TERMINOLOGY AND APPROVAL CRITERIA ........ 7
3.1.  General. ........ 7 3.2.  DoD Terminology Criteria. ........ 7 3.3.  Approval Criteria. ........ 7
REFERENCES ........ 8

## Section 1:  General Issuance Information 1.1.  Applicability.

This issuance applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in this issuance as the "DoD Components").

## 1.2.  Policy.

It is DoD policy:
a.  To improve communications and mutual understanding within the DoD, with other federal departments and agencies, and between the United States and its international partners through the standardization of military and associated terminology.

b.  That the DoD Components use the DoD Dictionary as the primary terminology source when preparing correspondence, to include policy, strategy, doctrine, and planning documents.

c.  That, in preparation for terminology development, the DoD Components review the Terminology Repository for DoD Issuances (referred to in this issuance as the "Terminology Repository") to deconflict previously developed policy terms with ones currently in development.  Terminology Repository terms do not follow the criteria for development, in accordance with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.  The Terminology Repository includes user-specific, subject matter-focused, but not universally accepted DoD and Joint Staff terms and definitions that provide a central resource to promote understanding and deconflict terminology nuances within organizational documents.  The Terminology Repository is available on the DoD Terminology Program Website at https://www.jcs.mil/Doctrine/DOD-
Terminology-Program/.

d.  That this issuance does not restrict the use and publication of terms and definitions for unique functional areas or unilateral use by individual DoD Components.  Any military or associated terms or definitions that involve DoD-wide applicability or usage across functional boundaries that follow Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01 procedures and criteria may be nominated for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary.  Terms that do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary will be incorporated in the Terminology Repository in accordance with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

e.  That the DoD Components use the terminology and approval criteria in Section 3, the preface of the DoD Dictionary, and in Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01 when considering terms for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary.



## 1.3.  Summary Of Change 1.

The changes to this issuance:
a.  Reassign the Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense responsibilities and duties to the Director of Administration and Management (DA&M) in accordance with:
(1)  Section 901 of Public Law 116-283, which eliminated the Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense effective January 1, 2021.

(2)  The January 11, 2021 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, which implemented Section 901 and reestablished the DA&M.

(3)  The September 1, 2021 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, which clarified DA&M responsibilities.

b.  Update references and changes in accordance with current issuance standards.

## Section 2:  Responsibilities 2.1.  Da&M.

In addition to the responsibilities in Paragraph 2.3., the DA&M establishes policy on the compilation and publication of standardized military terminology, in accordance with DoD Directive 5105.53, the January 11, 2021 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, and the September 1, 2021 Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum.

## 2.2.  Director, Washington Headquarters Services.

Under the authority, direction, and control of the DA&M, the Director, Washington Headquarters Services:
a.  Develops policy for standardized military terminology and oversees implementation of this issuance.

b.  Serves as the OSD and Washington Headquarters Services terminology point of contact.
Staffs proposed additions, deletions, revalidations, and changes to the DoD Dictionary and Terminology Repository from the OSD Components and Washington Headquarters Services within OSD and Washington Headquarters Services, as appropriate, and forwards recommended terminology additions, deletions, revalidations, and changes to the DoD Dictionary and Terminology Repository to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

c.  Represents the OSD Components and Washington Headquarters Services in terminology working groups convened in accordance with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

## 2.3.  Osd And Dod Component Heads.

OSD and DoD Component heads submit any term and its definition with DoD-wide applicability and usage to their Component terminology point of contact for processing and inclusion in the DoD Dictionary in accordance with this issuance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

## 2.4.  Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff.

In addition to the responsibilities in Paragraph 2.3., the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
a.  Manages the DoD Terminology Program in accordance with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

b.  Develops, publishes, and maintains the DoD Dictionary and Terminology Repository, in accordance with the policy in this issuance.

c.  Resolves DoD terminology issues involving OSD-nominated or sourced terms in collaboration with the DA&M, through the OSD terminology point of contact.

## Section 3:  Dod Terminology And Approval Criteria 3.1.  General.

The criteria set out in Paragraphs 3.2. and 3.3. will be used by the OSD and DoD Components when considering terms for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary.

## 3.2.  Dod Terminology Criteria.

For a term to be considered for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary, it must meet the criteria established in Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

## 3.3.  Approval Criteria.

Terminology will be approved for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary when it is:
a.  Directed by the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

b.  Nominated for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary by the OSD or DoD Component heads, coordinated with OSD, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Military Departments at a minimum, and approved according to the provisions of this issuance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01.

c.  Nominated for inclusion in the DoD Dictionary in an appropriate source document (e.g., joint doctrine publications, DoD issuances, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issuances) consistent with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01, and coordinated by the sponsoring DoD Component with OSD, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Military Departments, at a minimum.

## References

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction 5705.01, "Standardization of Military and
Associated Terminology," current edition
Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, "Re-establishment of the Assistant to the Secretary
of Defense for Intelligence Oversight and the Director of Administration and Management," January 11, 2021
DoD Directive 5105.53, "Director of Administration and Management (DA&M),"
February 26, 2008
Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "DoD Dictionary of Military and Associated
Terms," current edition
Public Law 116-283, Section 901, "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021,"
January 1, 2021