Definitions & Abbreviations

Acronyms, terms, and abbreviations often heard in Alcoholics Anonymous

A.A. – Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

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.

Alternate

A service volunteer who, at group, district or area level, assists, supports and participates in service responsibilities where feasible, depending on the need. An alternate is available to stand in for the position they are alternate to in the case their “primary” is unavailable.

A.C.M. - Appointed Committee Member

Member of one of the Trustee’s Committees at the General Service Conference.

Area

An Alcoholics Anonymous General Service Area is a geographical division within a state or a region of the U.S. and Canada. Each area is assigned a number, which began in alphabetical order. 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, usually in New York, home of the General Service Office (GSO). Eastern Massachusetts is Area 30.

Area Assembly

The Area Assembly is the policy making body for the Area. It meets five times per year. All Area members are welcome to attend assembly meetings, but only those elected as DCMs, GSRs, officers/alternate officers, delegate/past delegates, and standing committee chairs are expected to attend, and may cast a vote. Delegates and Area Committee officers are elected biennially.

Area Committee

A committee made up of District Committee Members, elected by the General Service Representatives in each district, the Area’s standing Committee chairpersons, and the Area Committee officers.

Big Book – “Alcoholics Anonymous”

The main text of the Fellowship, Alcoholics Anonymous.

Closed Meeting

An A.A. meeting with attendance restricted to those with a drinking problem.

Conference – General Service Conference

The General Service Conference refers to either the annual meeting of Conference delegates each April, usually in New York City, or the structure involving Committee members, General Service Representatives and Delegates in an Area.

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.

Conference-Approved

Pamphlets, videos and films which the appropriate Conference committees have reviewed and reported favorably to the Conference meeting for its approval, and which have been approved by the entire Conference.

C.P.C. – Cooperation with the Professional Community

The CPC committee provides information about A.A. to those primarily non-A.A. members who have contact with alcoholics through their profession (i.e. doctors, nurses, therapists, police officers, and attorneys).

Delegate

The individual elected at the electoral assembly every other year to represent the Area at the annual meeting of the Conference, and to bring back to the Area the results of the Conference meeting. Each of the 93 Areas in the U.S. and Canada have a Delegate and an Alternate Delegate.

District

A District is a geographical division within an Area that provides an opportunity for the groups in that vicinity to have a voice in matters affecting other groups and A.A. as a whole. Each District has a District Committee that is made up of representatives from its many AA groups. These representatives are called General Service Representatives or G.S.R.s.

D.C.M. – District Committee Member

Each area is comprised of multiple Districts, each of which are composed of all the groups in that geographical area. The DCM is an elected position that represents the entire District at Area meetings and assemblies. The DCM is also responsible for coordinating service efforts in the District.

District Committee Meeting

The meetings of the District Committee Members, and the G.S.R.s of the groups in the District.

General Services

The work of anyone in the General Service structure - group officers, G.S.R.s, Committee members, Delegates, etc.

G.S.B. – 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.

G.S.C. – General Service Conference

G.S.O. – General Service Office

Effectively the main operational headquarters of the Fellowship of A.A., located in New York City. The GSO provides administrative services on behalf of the Fellowship.

G.S.R. – General Service Representative

An A.A. member elected by their group to voice the group’s opinion in discussions at Service meetings. G.S.R.s vote for their District Committee Member and for their Area Delegate and other Area Officers. Each group elects one representative and their alternate.

General Service Trustee

Persons with particular business or professional acumen that is applicable to problems at hand, such as publishing, public relations, or administrators who have served as directors on the Grapevine or A.A.W.S. Boards. There are two from each board.

G.V.R. - Grapevine Representative

Grapevine representatives elected by groups to promote the use and subscriptions to the international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Grapevine.

NERAASA - Northeast Regional Alcoholics Anonymous Service Assembly

NERAASA is a service assembly for all A.A. service volunteers in the greater Northeast region. It typically takes place once a year in February.

“The purpose of NERAASA is for General Service Representatives (GSR's), District Committee Members (DCM's), Area Officers, Area Committee Members, District Committee Members, and Intergroup/Central Office Representatives of the Northeast Region to discuss General Service Conference related issues and concerns affecting A.A. as a whole, as well as pertinent aspects of recovery, unity and service common to the areas of the Northeast Region.” (from the NERAASA website)

NERF - Northeast Regional Forum

Also known as the “General Service Office Road-Show”, Regional and Local Forums provide unique opportunities for A.A. members across the U.S. and Canada to connect with people throughout the A.A. service structure. At forums, members can exchange information with representatives of the General Service Board, A.A.W.S., AA Grapevine and G.S.O.

There are eight Regions in North America, including the Northeast Region. Forums take place in each Region once every two years. NERF takes place in odd-numbered years. (see this page on aa.org for more information)

Open Meeting

An A.A. meeting with attendance open to anyone.

P.C.A. – 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.

P.I. – 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.

Region

A grouping of several U.S. states or Canadian provinces from which a regional trustee comes to the Board of Trustees. There are six regions in the U.S. and two in Canada.

Service Manual - The A.A. Service Manual

The published guide to service work in A.A. It is updated every other year.

Sharing Session

A kind of group, District, Area or Conference meeting where everyone is invited to contribute ideas and comments on A.A. matters.

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 co-founders and old timers of A.A.

Twelve Steps guide our actions in recovery as individuals. (Recovery)
Twelve Traditions guide our actions as a group. (Unity)
Twelve Concepts for World Service guide our actions in service work. (Service)

Trustee

The usual term for a member of A.A.’s General Service Board. Seven of the trustees are non-alcoholic (“Class A”) and fourteen are members of A.A. (“Class B”).

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.