MAPs (military acronomic plurals)

[jsokohl -at- CAMPBELLSOFT -dot- COM]

     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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