AVF

American  

abbreviation

1. all-volunteer force: referring to an armed force made up solely of volunteers during a period when there is no military draft, as the U.S. armed forces since the Vietnam War.

---

Etymology

Origin of AVF

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The likelihood is that the AVF can overcome its current problems with some tweaks such as a new Army program for pre-basic training to condition out-of-shape recruits.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2023

“The AVF has led us to become the best trained, equipped and organized fighting force in global history,” retired Adm.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2023

That bias reinforces the assumption that the AVF is a poor man's draft.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2020

Over 90% of active duty troops prefer the AVF over a draft.

From Time • Jan. 21, 2013

The most obvious reason to maintain the AVF is practical: it's the best way to raise the world's finest military.

From Time Magazine Archive