What is com and conn short for in military speak?

[Angelshare1]

As in Conn Sonar, Crazy Ivan!

And when a ship captain refers to the 'com' what is that short for? Is it conn for com or both?

And am I spelling it correctly? Google Fu isn't much help.

 

[combatentropy]

The origin of conn is uncertain, lost in centuries of nautical history, but Wikipedia says it probably stems from conduct instead of control, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conn_(nautical). Regardless, the meaning is the same. It means the person or room in the sub or ship where control lies, in the designated conning officer, formally the Officer on Deck.

In The Hunt for Red October, when Seaman Jones says, "Conn, Sonar," I believe this is how they make it clear on the intercom who is talking to whom. In other words, "To the Conning Officer, from the Sonar Officer, I just wanted to let you know that the Russian sub is doing a Crazy Ivan!" Or in short, "Conn, Sonar, Crazy Ivan!"

 

[unclebob6958]

Conn - The person and room that controls a seagoing vessel (as combat entropy has already stated)

Comms - Communications


Military communications rely on specificity, military needs demand brevity, especially in combat, so the control room and and conning officer becomes "conn." The Tactical Control Officer becomes "Tacco." Military personal who handle munitions, also known as ordnance, are "Ordies," plane handlers - who wear purple shirts - are, of course, known as "grapes." The famed Sea, Air, Land Combined Reconnaissance Team are in military parlance CRTs but are called SEALs by the public.

Here's a few more for fun:

BUFF – Big Ugly Fat ****er. - Military transport planes and other large aircraft.

COB – Chief of the Boat. The senior chief petty officer on board a ship.

FUBAR – *****ed up Beyond All Recognition.

SOCOM– Special Operations Command.