Acronyms, terms, and abbreviations often heard in Alcoholics Anonymous

• A.A. – Alcoholics Anonymous
  Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. There are 93 areas in the United States and Canada. Each area is represented by an elected delegate at the General Service Conference held annually in New York, home of the General Service Office (GSO). Mississippi is Area 37.
• A.A.W.S. – Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
  It serves as a clearinghouse and exchange point for the wealth of A.A. experience accumulated over the years, coordinates a wide array of activities and services, and oversees the publication, all translations of, and distribution of A.A. Conference-approved literature and service materials.
• Area
  An Alcoholics Anonymous General Service Area is a geographical division. Each area is assigned a number in alphabetical order. The State of Mississippi is a single General Service Area named Alcoholics Anonymous Area 37. Area 37 is also divided into five zones and 24 districts.
• Area Assembly
  The Area Assembly is the policy making body for the Area. It meets four times per year. All Area 37 members are welcome to attend assembly meetings, but only those elected as DCMs, GSRs, officers/alternate officers, delegate/past delegates, and standing committee chairs may cast a vote.
• Big Book – Alcoholics Anonymous
  In May 1938, when Bill W. began work on the first draft of what is now the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, in New York City and Newark, New Jersey, he had been sober about three and a half years. Dr. Bob was sober a few months less than three years, and the other 100 early members who contributed in one way or another to the writing of the book had been sober for periods ranging from a couple of years to a couple of months.
• CD – Closed Discussion Meeting
  Closed Meeting – For anyone with a drinking problem.
• CITF – A committee in some areas that encompasses correctional facilities, institutions (hospitals, etc.), and treatment facilities.
• Conference – General Service Conference
  A.A. is shaped by the collective voice of its local groups and their representatives to the General Service Conference, which works toward unanimity on matters vital to the Fellowship. Each group functions independently, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. On behalf of A.A. as a whole, our General Service Conference has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world services, and it traditionally has the final decision respecting large matters of general policy and finance. Each area is represented by an elected delegate at the General Service Conference held annually in New York.
• CPC – Cooperation with the Professional Committee
  The CPC committee provides information about A.A. to those primarily non-A.A. members who have contact with alcoholics through their profession.
• District – The State of Mississippi is a single General Service Area named Alcoholics Anonymous Area 37. It has about 4,500 A.A. members in more than 200 groups in its 24 districts.
• DCM – District Committee Member
  Each area is comprised of districts which are comprised of all the groups in that district. The DCM is an elected postion that represents the entire district at area assemblies.
• Delegate
  The Area 37 Assembly serves as the group conscience for Area 37 and elects a delegate to represent it at the annual General Service Conference.
• GSB – General Service Board
  The General Service Board (the trustees) is the chief service arm of the Conference, and is essentially custodial in its character… Excepting for decisions upon matters of policy, finance, or A.A. Tradition liable to seriously affect A.A. as a whole, the General Service Board has entire freedom of action in the routine conduct of the policy and business affairs of the A.A. service corporations.
• GSC – General Service Conference
  A.A. is shaped by the collective voice of its local groups and their representatives to the General Service Conference, which works toward unanimity on matters vital to the Fellowship. Each group functions independently, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. On behalf of A.A. as a whole, our General Service Conference has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world services, and it traditionally has the final decision respecting large matters of general policy and finance. Each area is represented by an elected delegate at the General Service Conference held annually in New York.
• GSO – General Service Office
  There are 93 areas in the United States and Canada. Each area is represented by an elected delegate at the General Service Conference held annually in New York, home of the General Service Office (GSO).
• GSR – General Service Representative
  Each group elects one representative to vote at area assemblies.
• OD – Open Discussion Meeting
  Open Meeting – For anyone interested in A.A. or alcoholism.
• PCA – Pre-Conference Assembly
  The Pre-Conference Assembly’s primary purpose is to discuss the agenda items of the current General Service Conference (which is usually held in April in New York City) and inform the delegate of the Area’s group conscience, thoughts and experience on the Agenda items that will be before the Conference Delegates at that year’s conference.
• PI – Public Information Committee
  The Public Information Committee’s purpose is to assist group and district PI committees in carrying the message to the still suffering alcoholics via radio, television, and press.
• Service Manual
  This manual is a supplement to the A.A. Service Manual and is intended to be a record of the policies the Area Assembly has stated over the years. It is constantly revised by the Structure Committee and is composed of three sections:
  1. Structure, which describes the basic structure of Area 37
  2. Policies and Procedures is a compilation of various policies and/or procedures adopted by the Assembly
  3. Compilation of Currently Pertinent Motions
• Structure Manual
  This manual is a supplement to the A.A. Service Manual and is intended to be a record of the policies the Area Assembly has stated over the years. It is constantly revised by the Structure Committee and is composed of three sections:
  1. Structure, which describes the basic structure of Area 37
  2. Policies and Procedures is a compilation of various policies and/or procedures adopted by the Assembly
  3. Compilation of Currently Pertinent Motions
• Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous
  The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous are Recovery, Unity, and Service. These legacies have been passed down to us from the cofounders and old timers of A.A.
  1. Twelve Steps guide our actions in recovery as individuals.
  2. Twelve Traditions guide our actions as a group.
  3. Twelve Concepts for World Service guide our actions as an assembly in service.
• Twelve & Twelve or 12 & 12 – Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
  Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions is a 1953 book which explains the 24 basic principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and their application.