SOUTHCOM Acronyms Used Spelled out with Explanation (if required)

12 AF AFSOUTH: US Air Forces South 

ABD: Air Bridge Denial Program: Program that targets drug traffickers by forcing down suspicious aircraft, 

using lethal force if necessary. Colombia is the only country in the SOUTHCOM AOR with an ABD 

ALBA: Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our Americas: Regional bloc of left-leaning governments 

founded by Cuba and Venezuela in 2004. Members have similar ideology and often espouse anti-US 

rhetoric. Member Nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Nicaragua, 

Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Venezuela 

APAN: All Partners Access Network: Provides a web based collaborative information sharing environment 

with participants who do not have access to DoD networks. 

ARG: Argentina 

ARSOUTH: US Army South 

BACRIM: Bandas Criminales Emergentes: From the Spanish acronym for 'criminal bands' or various 

criminal groups and enterprises in Colombia. BACRIM are often involved in drug trafficking. Many 

members are former paramilitary. 

BDF: Belize Defense Force 

BLZ: Belize 

BOL: Bolivia 

BPC: Building Partner Nation Capacity 

BPC-I: Building Partner Nation Intelligence Capacity 

BRZ: Brazil 

BTH: Beyond the Horizons: Annual humanitarian training exercise 

BVI: British Virgin Islands 

CAA: Conference of the American Armies

CAC: Crisis Action Center 

CANSEC: Caribbean Nations Security Conference: Annual J5-led conference that brings together senior 

Caribbean defense officials 

CARIB: Caribbean

CARIC: Caribbean Regional Intelligence Conference: Annual J2-led intelligence conference that brings 

together Caribbean intelligence officials 

CARICOM: Caribbean Community and Common Market: Multinational organization of 15 Caribbean 

nations and dependencies promoting economic integration & regional cooperation 

CARSI: Central American Regional Security Initiative: Dept. of State security strategy to advance citizen 

safety in Central America 

CAT: Crisis Action Team 

CBSI: Caribbean Basin Security Initiative: Dept. of State security strategy that brings members of the 

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Dominican Republic to collaborate with the United States on 

regional security issues 

CCA: Conference Center of the Americas: Main conference center at USSOUTHCOM HQ 

CCP: Country Campaign Plans: A plan used to express the Security Cooperation Offices to plan security 

cooperation activities for the next two years 

CD: Counterdrug 

CDMA: Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas: Annual forum bringing together regional and 

hemispheric Defense Ministers; SECDEF attends yearly 

CELAC: Community of Latin American and Caribbean States: Regional bloc of Latin American and 

Caribbean states; does not include the US or Canada 

CENTAM: Central America 

CENTRAL CHAMPS: Establishes the mission, tasks, and responsibilities for JTF-Bravo (JTF-B) and Soto 

Cano air Base (SCAB) 

CENTSEC: Central American Security Conference: Annual J5-led conference bringing together defense 

and security leaders from Central America 
CFMCC: Coalition Force Maritime Component Commander 

CHL Chile 

CHOD: Chief of Defense: Highest-ranking official of a nation's armed forces 

CISMOA: Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement 

CIT: Countering Illicit Trafficking: Illicit trafficking includes counterfeit goods, people, drugs, small arms 

and explosives, precursor chemicals, illicitly-gained and laundered money, and WMD. CTOC is now used 

as the umbrella term which encompasses CIT and CD/CN 

CMG: Command Message Guidance: Comprehensive message guidance reference to assist 

USSOUTHCOM leaders/staff while discussing command activities 

CN: Counternarcotic 

COJUMA: Comité Jurídico Militar de las Americas: Military Justice Workshop for partner nations 

COL: Colombia 

CoM: Chief of Mission: Typically an Ambassador, alternatively 

CoM Conf.: Chiefs of Mission Conference: Annual USSOUTHCOM-hosted conference for Latin American 

Chiefs of Mission 

COOP: Continuity of Operations: Specific instructions and process to be followed in case of an emergency 

that requires the deployment of the Headquarters functions to a location away from the headquarters. 

CPAC: Civilian Personnel Advisory Center: Dept. of Army center responsibility for the administration of 

civilian personnel services 

CRI: Costa Rica

CRIC: Central American Regional Intelligence Conference: The purpose of the CRIC is to help develop a 

regional intelligence Center of Excellence to standardize intelligence tradecraft amongst our Central 

American PNs. 

CSA: Combat Support Agency: Defense agencies that support USSOUTHCOM operations 

CSII: Cooperative Situational Information Integration: Allows nations to share air, maritime, and land 

tracks in near real-time and views those tracks on any computer with an internet connection enabling a 

number of USSOUTHCOM missions 

CTIP: Combating Trafficking in Persons 

CTOC: Counter Transnational Organized Crime: Line of effort to Combat Networks involved in illicit 

activities in multiple countries. 

D&M: Detection and Monitoring: Per 10 U.S. Code § 124, DoD is the lead federal agency for the detection 

and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs into the United States 

DDR: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration: Process that will begin should a peace accord be 

reached in Colombia 

DENCAP: Dental Civic Action Program 

DIB: Defense Institution Building: DSCA initiative that aims to establish responsible defense governance 

in order to help partner-nations build effective, transparent, and accountable defense institutions 

DIRI: Defense Institute Reform Initiative: A DSCA initiative that develops effective, accountable, 

professional and transparent partner defense establishments in partner countries that can manage, 

sustain and employ national 

DLP: Defense Language Program 

DMO: Detainee Movement Operation: USSOUTHCOM-supported transfer of detainees to a third-party 

country 

DOD MILAIR: Department of Defense Military Air 

DOMREP: Dominican Republic 

DSCA: Defense Security Cooperation Agency: DSCA directs, administers, and provides guidance to the 

DoD Components and DoD representatives to U.S. missions, for the execution of DoD SC programs for 

which DSCA has responsibility 

DV: Distinguished Visitor 

DVP: Distinguished Visitor's Program 

ECU: Ecuador

ELH: Embassy Leased Housing
ELN: National Liberation Army (Colombia): The National Liberation Army (Spanish: Ejército de Liberación 

Nacional, ELN) is an armed group involved in the continuing Colombian armed conflict. 

EPP: Paraguayan People’s Army: The Paraguayan People’s Army insurgency, also named the EPP 

rebellion (from the group's name in Spanish: Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo), is an ongoing small-scale 

guerrilla campaign in Northern Paraguay 

ESCUDO UNIDO: Operation Escudo Unido: USSOUTHCOM support to the Government of Honduras' 

security operations 

EXECSEC Memo: Executive Secretary Memorandum: Formal request from SECSTATE to SECDEF for 

DoD support to FHA/DR operations 

FAHUM: FUERZAS ALIADAS HUMANITARIAS: A CJCS-approved, USSOUTHCOM sponsored 

regionally oriented humanitarian assistance / foreign disaster relief (HA/FDR) exercise. 

FARC: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia): The 

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias 

de Colombia—Ejército del Pueblo, FARC–EP or FARC) is a guerilla movement involved in the continuing 

Colombian armed conflict and the longest running insurgency in the SOUTHCOM AOR. 

FC: FUERZAS COMANDO: A CJCS approved, USSOUTHCOM-sponsored, special operations skills 

FEN: Fuerzas Especiales Navales: Guatemalan Naval Special Forces 

FFN/FFTN: Foreign Fighter Network/Foreign Fighter Terrorist Network: Recruiters and facilitators of 

foreign fighters to conflict areas-this should be included if we can have unclass info on number of fights 

and countries of concern in our AOR 

FHA/DR: Foreign Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief: Foreign humanitarian assistance (FHA)

consists of Department of Defense activities conducted outside the US and its territories to directly relieve 

or reduce human suffering, disease, hunger, or privation (JP 3-29). FHA includes foreign disaster relief 

(FDR) operations and other activities that directly address a humanitarian need, and may also be 

conducted concurrently with other DOD support missions and activities such as dislocated civilian support, 

security operations, and foreign consequence management (FCM) (JP 3-29) FDR is assistance that can 

be used immediately to alleviate the suffering of foreign disaster victims (JP 3-29) 

FISH: Hemispheric Security and Intelligence Forum: This event brings together all partner-nation (PN) 

senior intelligence officers from the western hemisphere, opens doors for new/improved intelligence 

cooperation, and fosters talks on issues of mutual concern. 

FMF: Foreign Military Financing: Provides grants and loans to help countries purchase weapons and 

defense equipment produced in the United States as well as acquiring defense services and military 

training. 

FMS: Foreign Military Sales: Facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and 

military training to foreign governments. 

FSV: Fully Submersible Vessel 

GaD: Gracias a Dios: A department in the northeast corner of Honduras; sparsely populated and 

significant corridor for cocaine movement 

GPOI: Global Peace Operation Initiative: A USG security assistance program intended to enhance 

international capacity to effectively conduct United Nations and regional peace support operations (PSOs) 

by building partner country capabilities to train and sustain peacekeeping proficiencies. 

GSOMIA: General Security of Information Agreement: A bilateral agreement covering the conditions 

governing handling, access and storage of classified information exchanged between two countries. 

GTM: Guatemala 

GTMO: Guantanamo 

GUY: Guyana 

HA/DR: Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief 

HAP: Humanitarian Assistance Program

HCA: Humanitarian and Civic Assistance 

HON: Honduras 

HR: Human Rights

HR NGO: Human Rights Non-Governmental Organization 
HRI: Human Rights Initiative: SOUTHCOM-sponsored initiative that brings together representatives of 

partner nation militaries, security forces, civilian governments and civil society to develop model HR 

programs for military forces focused on doctrine, education and training, internal control systems, and 

cooperation with civilian authorities. 

HRW: Human Rights Watch: One of the most influential, well-respected HR NGOs 

HTI: Haiti 

IA: Integrated Advance: Annual training exercised focused on contingency response operations (to 

include mass migration) 

IA: Interagency 

IADB: Inter-American Defense Board 

IADC: Inter-American Defense College 

IAWG: Interagency Working Group: Working group comprised of interagency personnel from in and out of 

the command to address specific events 

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross: Humanitarian institution founded in 1863 and charged 

by the Geneva Conventions with the mandate to protect victims of international and internal armed 

conflicts. The ICRC provides quarterly assessments of detention operations at JTF-GTMO. 

IHRL: International Human Rights Law: The body of international law designed to promote and protect 

human rights at the international, regional, and domestic levels. 

IMET: International Military Education and Training: Provides training and education on a grant basis to 

students from allied and friendly nations. 

INCLE: International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement: DoS CN funds IOM International 

Organization of Migration: Intergovernmental organization that works with governmental and nongovernmental organizations to address migration issues. 

JAM: Jamaica 

JCC: Joint Cyber Center: SCJ3 cyber division

JDAL: Joint Duty Assignment List: Listing for all Field Grade and G/FO positions that receive Joint Credit 

JDG: Joint Detention Group: Troops at JTF-GTMO responsible for detention operations 

JEVB: Joint Engagement Visitor Bureau: SCHQ special staff responsible 

JHSV: Joint High Speed Vessel 

JIA: Joint Individual Augmentation: Unfunded temporary manpower requirement identified on the JMD by 

a support CCDR to augment JTF staff operations during contingencies 

JIACG: Joint Interagency Coordination Group: Standing monthly meeting of interagency and select 

Combatant Command personnel with the Commander or his designated representative. 

JIATF-S: Joint Interagency Task Force-South: SOUTHCOM component responsible for D&M and support 

to interdiction operations 

JMD: Joint Manning Document: Identifies all manning billets essential to the command and control of the 

JTF HQ organization 

JMG: Joint Medical Group: Troops at JTF-GTMO responsible for medical care of detainees 

JOC: Joint Operations Center 

JSTARS: Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System: USAF airborne ground surveillance, battle 

management and command and control aircraft. JIATFS considers JSTARS a 'game changer' in the 

counterdrug mission 

JTF-B: Joint Task Force Bravo: SOUTHCOM's oldest DoD asset in the region; located at Soto Cano 

Airfield in Honduras. Supports HA/DR and CTOC operations in CENTAM. 

KLE: Key Leader Engagement 

LES: Law Enforcement Sensitive: Information (typically from DEA, ICE, FBI etc.) that is deemed sensitive 

due to sources/methods or ongoing investigations. LES information should not be used publically w/o 

consent of LEA. 

LEWG: Law Enforcement Working Group: Combatant Commander directed meeting with all interagency 

law enforcement personnel from within the command. 

LREC: Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture
M-18: Barrio-18, 18th Street Gang: Transnational gang present in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and 

the US 

MARFORSOUTH: US Marine Forces South 

MCP: Minimal Cost Project: HAP projects costing less than $15K 

MDA: Maritime Domain Awareness 

MEDCAP: Medical Civic Action Program 

MEDRET: Medical Readiness Training Exercise 

MERCOSUR: South American Common Market (Mercado Comun del Sur): Sub-regional trading bloc 

comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela 

MINUSTAH: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti 

MNFS: Multi-National Forces South: Unit designated to C2 combined forces during the defense of the 

Panama Canal, also a fictional tetra graph used during PANAMAX 

MOD: Minister of Defense 

MOTR: Maritime Operational Threat Response 

MPA: Maritime Patrol Aircraft 

MS-13: Mara Salvatrucha 13: Transnational gang present in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the 

US 

MTT: Mobile Training Team 

NARCINT: Narcotics Intelligence 

NAVSO: US Navy Forces, Southern Command: USSOUTHCOM's Navy component 

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization

NH: NEW HORIZONS: Annual humanitarian exercise 

NIC: Nicaragua

OAS: Organization of American States: The OAS brings together the 35 independent states of the 

Americas and is the main political forum of the region 

OFDA: Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance: Lead federal agency responsible for leading and 

coordinating the U.S. Government’s response to disasters overseas; SOUTHCOM has 2 OFDA reps on 

staff 

OHDACA: Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster & Civic Aid Appropriation: Funds Humanitarian Assistance 

Program (HAP) projects such as non-lethal excess property (EP), medicines, road repair, minor 

constructions, schools, clinics, well digging, disaster preparedness, construction of Emergency Operations 

Centers (EOC) and Disaster Relief Warehouses (DRW); and demining activities, among others. 

OSC: Office of Strategic Communication: SOUTHCOM office under CDC that is dedicated to ensuring a 

unified message 

OUR: Operation Unified Response: United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake 

PAHO: Pan American Health Organization: Key UN partner for health in the AOR. 

PAN: Panama 

PANAMAX: Annual multinational exercise to defend the Panama Canal 

PANAMAX ALPHA: PANAMAX ALPHA (PMX A) is an annual exercise, supported by USSOUTHCOM, 

focused on the security of the Panama Canal. 

PCC: Primeiro Comando Capital: Brazilian transnational gang 

PER: Peru 

PM: Program Manager

PBR: Program Budget Review

PDAS: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary: DoS only designation 

PETROCARIBE: Petrocaribe is an oil alliance of Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase discounted 

or subsidized oil 

PGY: Paraguay 

PN: Partner Nation

PNLO: Partner Nation Liaison Officer

PN: Partner Nation 

POA: PARTNERSHIP OF THE AMERICAS: Annual maritime security exercise focused on HA/DR 
POM: Program Objective Memorandum: An annual memorandum in prescribed format submitted to the 

Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) by the DoD Component heads, which recommends the total resource 

requirements and programs within the parameters of SECDEF’s fiscal guidance. 

PPC: Public Private Cooperation: J9-led initiative to partner with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 

academia, and the business community to develop solutions to security challenges in the SOUTHCOM 

AOR. 

PtM: Portfolio Manager: Manages a related series of programs and projects over time to achieve strategic 

business outcomes using benefits realization, stakeholder management and governance. 

RMB: Requirements Management Board: SOUTHCOM's corporate body that provides a recommendation 

of verified/validated capabilities, capability solutions, and requirements across the SOUTHCOM 

enterprise, in order to prioritize the CCDR's resources in support of his strategic guidance, intent, and 

priorities. 

ROTH: Radar over the Horizon 

RSS: Regional Security System: International agreement for the defense and security of the Eastern 

Caribbean region 

SASS: Staff Action Summary Sheet 

SCAB: Soto Cano Air Base 

SCC: Strategic Communication Cell 

SCO: Security Cooperation Organization 

SCOAG: Security Cooperation Organization Action Group: The Security Cooperation Organization Action 

Group is chaired by MDC and address/resolve SCO issues 

SDO/DATT: Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché 

SDW: Strategic Dialogue Workshop: SOUTHCOM-hosted workshop that brings together senior USG 

leaders to support senior Colombian defense officials as they prepare for post-conflict transformation of 

their security forces 

SENAFRONT: Servicio Nacional de Fronteras de la Republica de Panama: Panamanian Border Service 

SHARP: Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention 

SICA: Central American Integration System (Sistema de Integracion Centroamerica in Spanish): 

Economic and political organization of Central American states 

SIA: Special Interest Alien: A foreign national from a country of interest with suspected/established ties to 

terrorist groups 

SIC: South American Strategic Intelligence Congress: The SIC is an intelligence sharing and collaboration 

forum for the South America Chiefs and Directors of Strategic Military Intelligence. 

SKN: St. Kitts and Nevis 

SL: Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path): State Dept. designated foreign terrorist organization in Peru 

SLS: Senior Leadership Seminar 

SLV: El Salvador 

SMEE: Subject Matter Expert Exchange 

SOCSOUTH: US Special Operations Command South 

SOFA: Status of Forces Agreements 

SOUTHDEC: South American Defense Conference: J5-led conference bringing together Ministers/Chiefs 

of Defense in South America 

SOUTHAM: South America 

SPP: Strategic Planning Process 

SPS: Southern Partnership Station 

SPSS: Self Propelled Semi-Submersible 

SSAT: SOUTHCOM Situational Assessment Team: A team that provides early, on-ground situational 

awareness in the event of a developing crisis. 

STAFFDEL/CODEL: Staff Delegation / Congressional Delegation 

SUR: Suriname 

SURNET: South America Strategic Intelligence Congress: SURNET is a secure network for data transfer 

between authorized members and organizations. 
TAFT: Technical Assistance Field Team: Maritime team comprised of USCG and DoD personnel who 

provide mentoring and technical assistance to 13 Caribbean nations 

TCA: Traditional Commander Activities: TCA refers to the command's engagement opportunities with 

partner nations. Primary activity categories include Seminars, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE), 

Distinguished Visitors, Orientations, Assessments, and State Partnership Program (SPP). 

TCP: Theater Campaign Plan: Operationalizes the combatant command theater or functional strategies 

TIC: The Interdiction Committee: Advisory body to the U.S. Interdiction Coordinator & Director of ONDCP 

TIP: Trafficking in Persons 

TIPS: Trust Innovate Partner Share: Internal monthly sessions to increase USSOUTHCOM senior leader 

engagement on a range of topics. 

TTO: Trinidad and Tobago 

TRADEWINDS: Annual maritime security exercise executed by MARFORSOUTH 

TSC: Theater Security Cooperation 

UAC: Unaccompanied Alien Children 

UGY: Uruguay 

UNASUR: Union of South America Nations: Intergovernmental regional organization comprising 12 South 

American countries 

UNITAS PAC/LANT: UNITAS Pacific/Atlantic/Amphibian: Annual multinational naval exercise 

USCAP: US Colombia Action Plan on Regional Security: US support to Colombia's provision of security 

cooperation activities to third party countries 

UFR: Unfunded Requirement

WHINSEC: Western Hemisphere Institute of Security Cooperation: DoD institution at Ft. Benning that 

provides military training to government personnel from Latin America and the Caribbean 

WOLA: Washington Office on Latin America: HR NGO focused on promoting HR, democracy, and social 

and economic justice in Latin America and the Caribbean 

VEN: Venezuela 

VRAEM: ("Valley of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers" in Peru): One of Peru's coca growing heartlands 

and the last stronghold of the Shining Path rebel insurrection.