How to use and convert Military Time?

Military Time is a time system used by armed forces in many countries around the world, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, among others. It is a time system based on a 24-hour clock, where hours are counted from 0 to 23, instead of the standard 12-hour time system with AM and PM.

In Military Time, midnight is represented as 0000 hours, while 13:00 (1:00 PM) in the standard time system is represented as 1300 hours in Military Time. Military Time is used to ensure clear and effective communication between military units and to avoid ambiguities common in the 12-hour time system.

Military Time is also frequently used in aviation, navigation, telecommunications and other areas where clarity and accuracy of communication is critical.

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Types of Military Time

There are several types of military time in use around the world, each with its own conventions and standards. Some of the most common types are:

24-hour military hour – This is the most common type of military hour, used by many countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and others. In this system, hours are counted from 0 to 23, and midnight is represented as 0000 hours.

12-hour Military Time with AM/PM – This type of military hour is mainly used in the United States, but also in other countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and India. In this system, hours are counted from 1 to 12, with 12 hours representing midnight and noon. The morning hours are indicated with “AM” (ante meridiem) and the afternoon hours with “PM” (post meridiem).

12-hour Military Hour without AM/PM – This type of military time is used by some countries like India, Malaysia and Pakistan. In this system, hours are counted from 1 to 12, without the use of “AM” or “PM”. Morning hours are represented from 1 to 11, while afternoon hours are represented from 13 to 23.

Zulu Time – This is a type of military time used internationally to standardize air and aeronautical operations. It is based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is used around the world to coordinate communication and flight schedules across geographic regions. Zulu Time is based on a 24-hour clock, where midnight is represented as 0000 hours.

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How to convert to military time?

To convert a common time in 12-hour format to Military Time, you can follow these steps:

  1. For morning hours (00:00 to 11:59), there are no changes in the conversion. Just copy the first two positions of the time in 12-hour format for Military Time.
  2. For afternoon hours (12:00 to 23:59), add 12 hours to the hours value and convert to Military Time. For example, to convert 2:30 PM to Military Time, add 12 hours to the hours value to get 14 hours, then copy the first two positions to Military Time.
  3. Add leading zeros, if necessary, to populate all Military Hour positions. For example, for 6:45 AM, Military Time would be 0645.

Here is an example of how to convert 6:45 AM and 2:30 PM to Military Time:

Common Timemilitary time
6:45AM0645
2:30 pm1430

Military Time Converter

Below is a converter from military time to standard 12-hour time.



Military Time Conversion Table

military timeStandard Time (AM/PM)
000012:00 AM
01001:00 am
02002:00 am
03003:00 AM
04004:00 AM
05005:00 am
06006:00 am
07007:00 AM
08008:00 AM
09009:00 am
100010:00 AM
110011:00 AM
120012:00 PM
13001:00 PM
14002:00 pm
15003:00 PM
16004:00 PM
17005:00 PM
18006:00 pm
19007:00 pm
20008:00 pm
21009:00 PM
220010:00 PM
230011:00 PM

Remember that military time is primarily used by the military and other organizations that require clear and accurate communication regarding time. Removing the dots between hours can make reading and communicating military time more efficient and secure.

Meaning of Military Time 1800, 0400 and others

Military hours frequently searched for on the internet usually refer to closing hours or curfews in some countries, where it is common for the military to adhere to strict hours.

However, it is important to note that these times may vary depending on the military unit and country in question. Here is a brief explanation of some of the frequently searched times:

  1. 1800 - This time corresponds to 6 pm in the 12 o'clock time slot. In some military units, this may be the time when the office is closed and personnel are allowed to go home.
  2. 0400 - This time corresponds to 4 am in the 12 o'clock time slot. In some military units, this may be the time when personnel are woken up to start their day.
  3. 1630 - This time corresponds to 4:30 pm in the 12-hour time slot. In some military units, this may be the time when the office closes.
  4. 1830 - This time corresponds to 6:30 pm in the 12-hour time slot. In some military units, this may be the time when personnel must be collected from their quarters.
  5. 2030 - This time corresponds to 8:30 pm in the 12-hour time slot. In some military units, this may be the time the curfew begins.