What is Military Time?
Military time is a 24-hour timekeeping system used by the military, emergency services, hospitals, and aviation. Unlike the standard 12-hour clock that uses AM and PM, military time runs from 0000 (midnight) to 2359 (11:59 PM), eliminating any confusion between morning and afternoon times.
How to Learn Military Time
Learning military time is easier than you might think. Here's the key concept:
- Hours 0-11 are the same as 12 AM to 11 AM (just add a leading zero if needed)
- Hours 12-23 represent 12 PM to 11 PM
- For PM times, simply add 12 to the standard hour (3 PM = 15, 8 PM = 20)
- For military times 13-23, subtract 12 to get the standard hour
The easiest trick: For any PM time, add 12. For any military time over 12, subtract 12.
How to Tell Military Time
Reading military time follows specific conventions:
- 0000-0059 - "Zero hundred" to "Zero zero fifty-nine" (12:00-12:59 AM)
- 0100-0959 - "Zero one hundred" to "Zero nine fifty-nine" (1:00-9:59 AM)
- 1000-1159 - "Ten hundred" to "Eleven fifty-nine" (10:00-11:59 AM)
- 1200-2359 - "Twelve hundred" to "Twenty-three fifty-nine" (12:00 PM-11:59 PM)
When saying military time aloud, pronounce each digit for times with a leading zero (0900 = "zero nine hundred"), and say the full number for times starting with 1 or 2 (1400 = "fourteen hundred").
How to Convert Military Time
Converting Standard Time to Military Time
- For AM times (12:00 AM - 11:59 AM):
- 12:00 AM = 0000
- 1:00 AM - 9:59 AM = Add a leading zero (1:30 AM = 0130)
- 10:00 AM - 11:59 AM = Same numbers (10:45 AM = 1045)
- For PM times (12:00 PM - 11:59 PM):
- 12:00 PM - 12:59 PM = Same numbers (12:30 PM = 1230)
- 1:00 PM - 11:59 PM = Add 12 to the hour (3:45 PM = 1545, 9:30 PM = 2130)
Converting Military Time to Standard Time
- For 0000-1159: These are AM times
- 0000-0059 = 12:00-12:59 AM
- 0100-1159 = 1:00-11:59 AM
- For 1200-2359: These are PM times
- 1200-1259 = 12:00-12:59 PM
- 1300-2359 = Subtract 12 (1300 = 1:00 PM, 2100 = 9:00 PM)
Why Use Military Time?
Military time offers several advantages over the 12-hour clock:
- No AM/PM confusion - 1900 can only mean 7:00 PM, never 7:00 AM
- Critical for emergencies - Hospitals, police, and fire departments avoid errors in time-sensitive situations
- International standard - Most countries outside the US use 24-hour time
- Aviation safety - All flight schedules and communications use 24-hour time
- Military operations - Coordinating across time zones requires unambiguous time references
Military Time Examples
Common Times
- 0600 - 6:00 AM ("Zero six hundred") - Common wake-up time
- 0900 - 9:00 AM ("Zero nine hundred") - Standard work start
- 1200 - 12:00 PM ("Twelve hundred") - Noon
- 1700 - 5:00 PM ("Seventeen hundred") - Standard work end
- 2100 - 9:00 PM ("Twenty-one hundred") - Evening
- 0000 - 12:00 AM ("Zero hundred") - Midnight
How to Say Military Time
Military time is pronounced differently depending on the hour:
- 0000 - "Zero hundred" or "Midnight"
- 0030 - "Zero zero thirty"
- 0515 - "Zero five fifteen"
- 1000 - "Ten hundred"
- 1345 - "Thirteen forty-five"
- 1830 - "Eighteen thirty"
- 2359 - "Twenty-three fifty-nine"
Military Time vs 24-Hour Time
While often used interchangeably, there's a subtle difference:
- Military time - Written without a colon (1430, 0800) and spoken with "hundred" for on-the-hour times
- 24-hour time - Often written with a colon (14:30, 08:00), used in most countries worldwide
Both systems work the same way mathematically - only the notation and pronunciation differ slightly.
Who Uses Military Time?
- Armed Forces - US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard
- Emergency Services - Police, fire departments, EMTs, and 911 dispatchers
- Healthcare - Hospitals, pharmacies, and medical records
- Aviation - Pilots, air traffic control, and flight schedules
- Transportation - Trains, buses, and shipping logistics
- Most of the world - Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America commonly use 24-hour time
Tips for Learning Military Time
- Start with the easy hours - Morning hours (0100-1159) are nearly identical to standard time
- Memorize key PM times - Learn 1300 (1 PM), 1700 (5 PM), and 2100 (9 PM) as anchor points
- Practice daily - Try reading your phone or computer clock in military time
- Use the subtraction trick - For any time 1300 or later, subtract 12 quickly in your head
- Change your devices - Set your phone and computer to 24-hour time to immerse yourself
