Military time Definition & Meaning

Military refers to this time zone as Zulu Time, and they attach the “Zulu” (Z) suffix, to ensure the time-zone referred to is clear. Military time, with its special notation and syntax, is usually only used in certain contexts. The military is an obvious example, but hospitals and emergency services also use the 24-hour timekeeping system. This part of the military time system is a little tricky for those of us who are used to the 12-hour clock (AM/PM). Military time uses the 24-hour clock, where the hours of the day are numbered from zero to 23, starting with 00 at midnight. Military time employs the 24-hour format and the NATO phonetic alphabet. Learn how it works and how to convert it to a time format you’re used to. The chart below gives you a blueprint you can use to convert military time to standard time, as well as the other way round. If you beloved this report and you would like to receive far more information regarding ttlink.com kindly check out our web page. The use of the 24-hour clock format is also encouraged by ISO 8601 international standards — established with the intention to provide clear and specific ways to communicate date and time. If you don’t have access to our calculator, you can also use a military time chart. This chart makes it easy to convert time from one format to the other. In most countries, computers by default show the time in 24-hour notation. For example, Microsoft Windows and macOS activate the 12-hour notation by default only if a computer is in a handful of specific language and region settings. The 24-hour system is commonly used in text-based interfaces. POSIX programs such as ls default to displaying timestamps in 24-hour format. Although the phrase “military time” is commonly used, this time system was not invented by the military. The 24-hour clock had already been employed throughout Europe for years before the U.S. military adopted it. It is based on a 24 hour clock, and is a method of keeping hours in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hour increments. It is the most commonly used interval notation in the world. The majority of Europeans use military time because of its convenience.