| AAC | Ambient Air Concentration |
| ACC | Army Combatant Command |
| AEA | Atomic Energy Act |
| AFB | Air Force Base |
| AFI | Air Force Instruction |
| AFIOH | Air Force Institute for Operational Health |
| AFMAN | Air Force Manual |
| AFRAT | Air Force Radiation Assessment Team |
| AFRRI | Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute |
| AIB | Accident Investigation Board |
| Am | Atomic Symbol for the element Americium |
| AMAD | Activity Median Aerodynamic Diameter |
| AMS | Aerial Measuring System |
| AMSC | American Mobile Satellite Corporation |
| AN/PDQ | Army, Navy/Portable, RADIAC, Special or Combination |
| AN/PDR | Army, Navy/Portable Detector Radiation |
| AN/VDR | Army, Navy/Vehicular (Ground), RADIAC, Passive Detecting |
| AOR | Area of Responsibility |
| APF | Assigned Protection Factor |
| APR | Air-Purifying Respirator |
| ARAC | Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability |
| ASD(HD&ASA) | Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs |
| ASD(NII) | Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration) |
| ASD(PA) | Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) |
| ASD(SO/LIC) | Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflicts) |
| ASHG | Accident Site Health Group |
| ATSD(NCB) | Assistant to the Secretary of Defense For Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs |
| BEAR | Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources |
| BEEF | Base Engineer Emergency Forces |
| BGP | Beta Gamma Probe |
| Bq | Becquerel |
| BUMED | Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery |
| C2 | Command and Control |
| CASNAR | Commander and Staff Nuclear Accident Response |
| CAT | Crisis Action Team |
| CATS | Consequence Assessment Tool Set |
| CBO | Community-Based Organization |
| CBRNE | Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or High-Yield Explosive |
| CbtWMD | Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction |
| CCA | Contamination Control Area |
| CCDR | Combatant Commander |
| CCG | Crisis Coordination Group |
| CCL | Contamination Control Line |
| CCS | Contamination Control Station |
| CDC | Center for Disease Control and Prevention |
| CDO | Command Duty Officer |
| CEDE | Committed Effective Dose Equivalent |
| CERCLA | Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act |
| CF | Composite Fiber |
| CFM | Cubic Feet per Minute |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| cGy | CentiGray |
| Ci | Curie |
| CIB | Combined Information Bureau |
| CKHV | High Volume Calibration Kit |
| CM | Consequence Management |
| CMAT | Consequence Management Advisory Team |
| CME | Crisis Management Element |
| CMHT | Consequence Management Home Team |
| CMPT | Consequence Management Planning Team |
| CMRT | Consequence Management Response Team |
| CMST | Consequence Management Support Team |
| CNMI | Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands |
| CNWDI | Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information |
| CO | Commanding Officer |
| COM | Chief of Mission |
| COMSEC | Communications Security |
| CONUS | Continental United States |
| COTP | Captain of the Port |
| CPM | Counts per Minute |
| CPX | Command Post Exercise |
| CRSP | Continuation of Render Safe Procedures |
| CSG | Counterterrorism Security Group |
| CST-RTC | Civil Support Team Radiological Training Course |
| DAC | Derived Air Concentration |
| DCE | Defense Coordinating Element |
| DCFs | Dose Conversion Factors |
| DCO | Defense Coordinating Officer |
| DEPSECDEF | Deputy Secretary of Defense |
| DEST | Domestic Emergency Support Team |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security |
| DII | Defense Information Infrastructure |
| DMAT | Disaster Medical Assistance Team |
| DMORT | Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team |
| DNWS | Defense Nuclear Weapons School |
| DOC | Department of Commerce |
| DoD | Department of Defense |
| DOE | Department of Energy |
| DOI | Department of the Interior |
| DOJ | Department of Justice |
| DOL | Department of Labor |
| DOS | Department of State |
| DOT | Department of Transportation |
| DPM | Disintegrations per minute |
| DSCA | Defense Support of Civil Authorities |
| DSN | Defense Switched Network |
| DT | Detecting Head |
| DTPA | Diethylenetriamine Pentaacetic Acid |
| DTRA | Defense Threat Reduction Agency |
| DTRU | Defense Threat Reduction University |
| DU | Depleted Uranium |
| EAS | Emergency Alert System |
| EAO | External Affairs Officer |
| ECN | Emergency Communications Network |
| ECP | Entry Control Point |
| EEFI | Essential Elements of Friendly Information |
| EMS | Emergency Medical Services |
| EMT | Emergency Management Team |
| EOC | Emergency Operations Center |
| EOD | Explosive Ordnance Disposal |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPR | Emergency Preparedness and Response |
| ERO | Emergency Response Officer |
| ERT | Emergency Response Team |
| ERT-A | Emergency Response Team—Advance Element |
| ERT-N | National Emergency Response Team |
| ESF | Emergency Support Function |
| ESQD | Explosive Safety Quantity Distance |
| EST | Emergency Support Team |
| EUCOM | European Command |
| FAS | Freely Associated States |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigation |
| FCO | Federal Coordinating Officer |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration |
| FDPMU | U.S. Navy Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit |
| FECC | Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator |
| FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| FF | Fit Factor |
| FIDLER | Field Instrument for the Detection of Low-energy Radiation |
| FIRST | Federal Incident Response Support Team |
| FM | Frequency Modulation |
| FNS | Food and Nutrition Service |
| FOG | Field Operations Guide |
| FOIA | Freedom of Information Act |
| FOSC | Federal On Scene Coordinator |
| FRC | Federal Resource Coordinator |
| FRD | Formerly Restricted Data |
| FRMAC | Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center |
| FRPCC | Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee |
| FSE | Full Scale Exercise |
| GC | General Counsel |
| GETS | Government Emergency Telecommunications Service |
| GIS | Geographical Information System |
| GM | Geiger-Mueller |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GSA | General Services Administration |
| Gy | Gray |
| H-3 (T) | Symbols for the Hydrogen isotope Tritium |
| HAZMAT | Hazardous Material |
| HE | High Explosive |
| HEPA | High Efficiency Particulate Air |
| HEU | Highly Enriched Uranium |
| HF | High Frequency |
| HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act |
| HHS | Department of Health and Human Services |
| HMRU | Hazardous Materials Response Unit |
| HPAC | Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability |
| HQ | Headquarters |
| HQ/EOC | DOE HQ Emergency Operations Center |
| HRP | Human Reliability Program |
| HSAS | Homeland Security Advisory System |
| HSC | Homeland Security Council |
| HSIN | Homeland Security Information Network |
| HSPD | Homeland Security Presidential Directive |
| HTO | Tritiated Water |
| IAC | Incident Advisory Council |
| IAIP | Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection |
| IAP | Incident Action Plan |
| IC | Incident Command(er) (see context) |
| IC | Inhaled Concentration (see context) |
| ICP | Incident Command Post (see context) |
| ICP | Incident Communications Plan (see context) |
| ICRP | International Commission on Radiological Protection |
| ICS | Incident Command System |
| IED | Improvised Explosive Device |
| IHE | Insensitive High Explosive |
| IJOPS | Implementing Joint Operating Plans |
| IM | Intensity Measuring (device) |
| IMAAC | Interagency Modeling & Atmospheric Assessment Center |
| IMT | Incident Management Team |
| INMARSAT | International Marine Satellite |
| INS | Incident of National Significance |
| IRF | Initial Response Force |
| IRR | Initial Response Resources |
| IS | Independent Study |
| IV | Intravenous; intravenously |
| J-3 | Joint Staff, Directorate of Operations |
| JDOMS | Joint Director of Military Support |
| JFCOM | Joint Forces Command |
| JFO | Joint Field Office |
| JIC | Joint Information Center |
| JNAIRT | Joint Nuclear Accident/Incident Response Team |
| JNEODC | Joint Nuclear Explosives Ordnance Disposal Course |
| JNSEC | Joint DoD-DOE/NNSA Nuclear Surety Executive Course |
| JNTC | Joint National Training Capability |
| JOC | Joint Operations Center |
| JOPES | Joint Planning and Execution System |
| JPC | Joint Planners Course |
| JSCC | Joint Security Control Center |
| JTF | Joint Task Force |
| JTF-CS | Joint Task Force Civil Support |
| JTS | Joint Training System |
| JTTF | Joint Terrorism Task Force |
| keV | Thousand Electron Volts |
| LAM | Local Area Monitoring |
| LFA | Lead Federal Agency |
| LLNL | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| LNO | Liaison Officer |
| MACS | Multiagency Coordination System |
| MATTS | Mobile Air Transportable Telecommunications System |
| MBq | Megabequerel |
| mCi | Millicurie |
| MDS | Meteorological Data Servers |
| MERS | Mobile Emergency Response Support |
| MeV | Million Electron Volts |
| μCi | Microcurie |
| μCi/m2 | Microcuries per square meter |
| μCi/m3 | Microcuries per cubic meter |
| μg/m² | Micrograms per square meter |
| μR | Microroentgen |
| MOA | Memorandum of Agreement |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MPE | Maximum Permissible Exposure |
| mph | Miles per hour |
| mR | Milliroentgen |
| MRAT | Medical Radiobiological Advisory Team (AFRRI) |
| mRem | Millirem |
| MSCA | Military Support to Civil Authorities |
| NaI | Sodium Iodide |
| NARA | National Archives and Records Agency |
| NARAC | National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| NAVSCOLEOD | Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal |
| NBC | Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical |
| NC2 | Nuclear Command and Control |
| NCCS | Nuclear Command and Control System |
| NCP | National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (aka National Contingency Plan) |
| NCS | National Communications System |
| NDA | National Defense Area |
| NEP | National Exercise Program |
| NEST | Nuclear Emergency Support Team |
| NGO | Nongovernmental Organization |
| NICCL | National Incident Communications Conference Line |
| NIEOC | National Interagency Emergency Operations Center |
| NIMS | National Incident Management System |
| NIPP | National Infrastructure Protection Plan |
| NIRT | Nuclear Incident Response Team |
| NL | No Limit |
| NMCC | National Military Command Center |
| NNSA | National Nuclear Security Administration |
| NOAA | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| NORTHCOM | U.S. Northern Command |
| NOC | National Operations Center |
| NRC | Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
| NRCC | National Response Coordination Center |
| NRF | National Response Framework |
| NRF-ICEPP | National Response Framework Incident Communications Emergency Policy and Procedures |
| NRF-ICES | National Response Framework Incident Communications Emergency Support Supplement |
| NRIM | Nuclear and Radiological Incident Management |
| NRP | National Response Plan |
| NRT | National Response Team |
| NSA | National Security Area |
| NSC | National Security Council |
| NS/EP | National Security and Emergency Preparedness |
| NSN | National Stock Number |
| NSSE | National Special Security Event |
| NVOAD | National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster |
| NWAIRS | Nuclear Weapon Accident-Incident Response Subcommittee |
| OCONUS | Outside Continental United States |
| OOD | Officer of the Deck |
| OPR | Office of Primary Responsibility |
| OPREP | Operations Report |
| OPSEC | Operation Security |
| OSC | On-Scene Coordinator |
| OSD | Office of the Secretary of Defense |
| OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| OT | Operations Team |
| PA | Preliminary Assessment (see context) |
| PA | Public Affairs (see context) |
| PACAF | Pacific Command Air Force |
| PACOM | Pacific Command |
| PAG | Protective Action Guide |
| PAO | Public Affairs Officer |
| PAR | Protective Action Recommendation |
| pCi | Picocurie |
| PDA | Preliminary Damage Assessment |
| P/ENAF | Primary/Emergency Nuclear Airlift Force |
| PF | Protection Factor |
| PFO | Principal Federal Official |
| PIO | Public Information Officer |
| PLA | Principal Legal Advisor |
| POC | Point of Contact |
| POL | Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment |
| PRP | Personnel Reliability Program |
| PVO | Private Voluntary Organizations |
| Pu | Atomic Symbol for the element Plutonium |
| QC | Quality Control |
| R | Roentgen |
| RA | Restricted Area |
| rad | Radiation Absorbed Dose |
| RADCON | Radiological Control |
| RADIAC | Radioactivity Detection, Indication, and Computation |
| RAMT | Radiological Advisory Medical Team (U.S. Army) |
| RCA | Radiological Control Area |
| RCP | Regional Contingency Plan |
| RD | Restricted Data |
| RDD | Radiological Dispersal Device |
| rem | Roentgen Equivalent Man/Mammal |
| RER | Re-entry Recommendations |
| RETOPS | Radiological Emergency Team Operations |
| RETOR | Radiological Emergency Team Orientation |
| RF | Resuspension Factor |
| RFA | Request for Assistance |
| RFF | Request for Forces |
| RFI | Request for Information |
| ROE | Rules of Engagement |
| RRCC | Regional Response Coordination Center |
| RRT | Regional Response Team |
| RSP | Render Safe Procedure |
| RTF | Response Task Force |
| RUF | Rules for Use of Force |
| SAC | Special Agent-in-Charge |
| SAR | Search and Rescue |
| SCBA | Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus |
| SCIPUFF | Second-Order Closure Integrated Puff |
| SCO | State Coordinating Officer |
| SDO | Senior Defense Official |
| SECDEF | Secretary of Defense |
| SEO | Senior Energy Official |
| SFLEO | Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official |
| SI | Site Inspection (see context) |
| SI | Système Internationale d'Unités (International System of Units) (see context) |
| SICCL | State Incident Communications Coordination Line |
| SINCGARS | Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System |
| SIPRNET | SECRET Internet Protocol Router Network |
| SHARES | Shared Resources High Frequency Radio Program |
| SIOC | Strategic Information and Operations Center |
| SLT | State, local, and tribal |
| SME | Subject Matter Expert |
| SNL | Sandia National Laboratories |
| SNM | Special Nuclear Material |
| SO | Senior Official |
| SOI | Signal Operating Instruction |
| SONS | Spill of National Significance |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure |
| SR | Site Remediation |
| SRWG | Site Remediation Working Group |
| SSZ | Safety and Security Zone |
| START | Scientific & Technical Advisory & Response Team |
| STE | Secure Terminal Equipment |
| STU III | Secure Telephone Unit III |
| Sv | Sievert |
| T (or H-3) | Atomic Symbols for the Hydrogen isotope Tritium |
| Th | Atomic Symbol for the element Thorium |
| TLD | Thermo-Luminescent Dosimeter |
| TNT | Trinitrotoluene |
| TRI-TAC | Tri-Service Tactical |
| TSP | Telecommunications Service Priority |
| TTX | Table Top Exercise |
| U | Atomic Symbol for the element Uranium |
| UC | Unified Command |
| UCNI | Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information |
| UCT | Universal Coordinated Time |
| UHF | Ultra High Frequency |
| U.S. | United States |
| USACE | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| USACHPPM | U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| U.S.C. | United States Code |
| USCG | U.S. Coast Guard |
| USDA | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| USD(AT&L) | Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics |
| USD(I) | Under Secretary of Defense For Intelligence |
| USD(P) | Under Secretary of Defense For Policy |
| USEUCOM | U.S. European Command |
| USG | United States Government |
| USNORTHCOM | U.S. Northern Command |
| USSTRATCOM | U.S. Strategic Command |
| USTRANSCOM | U.S. Transportation Command |
| US&R | Urban Search and Rescue |
| VHF | Very High Frequency |
| WATS | Wide Area Telephone Service |
| WBGT | Wet Bulb Globe Temperature |
| WMD | Weapon(s) of Mass Destruction |
| WMDC3 | Weapons of Mass Destruction Command, Control, and Coordination |
| WMDS3 | Weapons of Mass Destruction Staff Support Seminar |
| WPS | Wireless Priority Service |
| WRA | Weapon Restricted Area |
| WRSET | Weapon Recovery Safety Evaluation Team |
| ZnS | Zinc Sulfide |