Military Time & the Phonetic Alphabet
Two of the most important tools in military communication — the 24-hour clock and the NATO phonetic alphabet — are almost always used together. Here's everything you need to know about both.
How Military Time Works
Military time uses a 24-hour clock that eliminates AM/PM ambiguity. The day runs from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (11:59 PM). Hours are always expressed as four digits. There are no colons — just four numbers read as pairs.
❌ Civilian
"3 PM" or "15:00"
✅ Military
"1500" → "Fifteen Hundred"
Key rule: When reading military time aloud, say "hundred" for exact hours (1500 = "fifteen hundred") and state minutes separately for other times (1523 = "fifteen twenty-three"). Use "zero" not "oh" for leading zeros.
Military Time Conversion Chart
| Civilian | Military | How to Say It |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM (midnight) | 0000 | Zero Zero Zero Zero |
| 1:00 AM | 0100 | Zero One Hundred |
| 2:00 AM | 0200 | Zero Two Hundred |
| 3:00 AM | 0300 | Zero Three Hundred |
| 6:00 AM | 0600 | Zero Six Hundred |
| 9:00 AM | 0900 | Zero Niner Hundred |
| 12:00 PM (noon) | 1200 | Twelve Hundred |
| 1:00 PM | 1300 | Thirteen Hundred |
| 3:00 PM | 1500 | Fifteen Hundred |
| 5:00 PM | 1700 | Seventeen Hundred |
| 6:00 PM | 1800 | Eighteen Hundred |
| 9:00 PM | 2100 | Twenty-One Hundred |
| 11:00 PM | 2300 | Twenty-Three Hundred |
| 11:59 PM | 2359 | Twenty-Three Fifty-Nine |
Zulu Time & Military Time Zones
Military operations often span multiple time zones. To avoid confusion, a single reference time is used — "Zulu time" (UTC). The letter Z (Zulu in NATO alphabet) designates UTC. Each time zone gets a NATO letter designation.
| Letter | NATO Word | Offset | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | UTC+1 | Alpha Time Zone |
| B | Bravo | UTC+2 | Bravo Time Zone |
| C | Charlie | UTC+3 | Charlie Time Zone |
| J | Juliett | Local | Local/Juliet Time (no zone specified) |
| R | Romeo | UTC-5 | Romeo / US Eastern |
| S | Sierra | UTC-6 | Sierra / US Central |
| T | Tango | UTC-7 | Tango / US Mountain |
| U | Uniform | UTC-8 | Uniform / US Pacific |
| Z | Zulu | UTC±0 | Zulu / UTC (most commonly used) |
Using Both Together — Real Examples
Mission briefing
"Airstrike is scheduled for 0200 Zulu. That's zero two hundred Zulu."
Radio check-in
"Alpha squad checking in at 1347 local, that's thirteen forty-seven Sierra time."
Supply delivery
"Package arrives 1500 Tango, fifteen hundred Tango. Confirm receipt to callsign Foxtrot Delta."
Medical evacuation
"MEDEVAC requested at 0930 Zulu, grid reference Alfa Bravo Four Seven, zero niner thirty Zulu."