When it comes to telling time, there are two main systems: the standard 12-hour clock and the military 24-hour clock. While the 12-hour clock is widely used in everyday life, the military time system is essential for those in the military, aviation, and other industries where precision is crucial.
Understanding military time can seem daunting at first, with its unfamiliar numbers and lack of am/pm designations. However, once you grasp the basics, it becomes a simple and efficient way to communicate time. In this article, we will explain how to tell military time and provide you with a conversion chart to help you easily translate between the two systems.
Military time uses a 24-hour format, meaning that the day is divided into 24 hours starting from midnight (00:00) and ending at midnight the following day (23:59). The hours are typically written as two digits, ranging from 00 to 23. For example, 1:00 am would be written as 01:00 in military time, and 1:00 pm would be written as 13:00. To differentiate between the morning and afternoon/evening hours, the military time system does not use “am” or “pm.” Instead, it uses the convention of counting the hours after noon. For example, 1:00 pm would be 13:00 (1 hour after 12:00 pm), 2:00 pm would be 14:00 (2 hours after 12:00 pm), and so on.
Understanding Military Time: The Basics
Military time, also known as the 24-hour clock, is a timekeeping system commonly used by the military and other organizations around the world. Unlike the standard 12-hour clock, which divides the day into two 12-hour periods (AM and PM), military time uses a continuous scale from 00:00 to 23:59, representing the hours and minutes of the day.
To understand military time, it’s helpful to know that it operates on a 24-hour cycle. The hours are numbered from 00 to 23, starting at midnight (00:00) and ending at 11:59 PM (23:59). This means that 1:00 AM in the regular 12-hour clock is equivalent to 01:00 in military time, while 1:00 PM is equivalent to 13:00 in military time.
One way to convert from standard time to military time is to simply subtract 12 from any time after 12:00 PM. For example, if it is 4:00 PM, subtracting 12 gives you the equivalent military time of 16:00. Conversely, to convert from military time to standard time, simply add 12 to any time greater than 12:00, and adjust the AM or PM accordingly.
How to Read Military Time
- The first two digits represent the hours, ranging from 00 to 23.
- The third and fourth digits represent the minutes, ranging from 00 to 59.
- There are no spaces or colons between the hours and minutes in military time.
- Leading zeros are used for single-digit hours and minutes. For example, 9:00 AM would be written as 09:00 in military time.
- To specify the time in the afternoon or evening, simply add 12 to the hour. For example, 2:00 PM would be written as 14:00.
Converting Regular Time to Military Time
In order to convert regular time to military time, follow these simple steps:
- Take note of the regular time you want to convert.
- If the regular time is in the AM, simply write down the same value in military time without the AM indication. For example, 10:30 AM would be written as 10:30.
- If the regular time is in the PM, add 12 hours to the hour component and write it down in military time. For example, 4:45 PM would be written as 16:45.
- Make sure to use leading zeroes for the hour component if it is less than 10.
For example, let’s convert the regular time 6:20 PM to military time:
- Since the regular time is in the PM, add 12 hours to the hour component: 6 + 12 = 18.
- Write down the converted hour component with the original minute component: 18:20.
Therefore, 6:20 PM in regular time is equivalent to 18:20 in military time.
Converting regular time to military time is a useful skill to have, especially when dealing with international travel, coordination with military operations, or reading train or bus schedules. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily convert any regular time to military time.
