The U.S. Military’s Cryptic Letters, Numbers, and Symbols, Explained

(via Popular Mechanics) The U.S. military speaks many languages. From the markings on tanks to the classification of aircraft, the armed services use a lot of symbology and abbreviated text to quickly convey information. The Armed Forces are all about efficiency, and the ability to quickly discern a lot of information from a simple glance is useful, particularly in high-stress situations.  Here’s a primer on this shorthand…