Today, we are back with another article on the niche topic of military time. If you do not already know, the military uses a different timekeeping system, known as military time. Any avid fan of military films and books may have an idea of how to read and pronounce military time. But it is also worth knowing to soon-to-be service members, military spouses or family, and civilians.
If you are in any of the above categories, this article is for you! We will show you how to read military time and answer basic questions like what is 12:30 AM in military time. Furthermore, we will look at the differences between military time and standard time.
If you are in a hurry and need the answer right away, 12:30 AM in military time is 0030, read as “zero zero thirty hours”. I bet that you will be curious about why we have such an answer. So, make sure you stay “clocked in” the entire article to know more!
Table of Contents
What Is Military Time
Military time moves on a clock that measures 24 hours instead of 12 hours. As such, the clock starts at 0000 and ends at 2400. Military time is used to make sure that there is no confusion between AM and PM.
It is believed to be more accurate and handy in less-than-ideal situations, which the military often finds itself in. Aside from the military, this timekeeping system is also used in other sectors: aviation and healthcare. Most emergency services use military time as well.
Military time has different notations from both standard times in 12-hour format and 24-hour format. We will look at the differences in a bit!
How Is Military Time Different From Standard Time
You will always see four digits with military time but unlike standard time, the digits can exceed 12 and go up to 24. In addition, there is no AM or PM when telling the time. Thus, the way the time is read and pronounced is also different. You will hear “zeroes” as well as “hours” and “hundreds” instead of “AM” or “PM” or “o’clock”.
Is Military Time the Same as 24-Hour Format Time
Military time is NOT the same as 24-hour format time. Although it also uses a day clock that measures 24 hours, there are a few differences in the way it is presented and pronounced.
In particular, military time does not have a colon that separates the hours from the minutes. It is read with a tailing “hours” and sometimes a “hundreds”, while both of these are omitted when reading 24-hour time.
How to Read & Pronounce Military Time
Reading and Pronouncing the “Hours”
To read the hours without minutes, you can use one of two ways:
- Pronounce the numbers with a “hundred” at the end
- Pronounce the numbers with a “hundred” then an “hours” at the end
From 0 – 9 hours, you read “zero” then the given number. So, for example, 0800 is “zero eight hundred hours”. From 10 to 23 hours, you read it as pairs, like “eighteen” for 18. For instance, 1800 is “eighteen hundred hours”.
You can also read “zero” for 0 – 9 hours as “oh”. Hence, 0800 is “oh eight hundred hours”. Both “zero” and “oh” words but the former (“Zero”) is considered more diplomatic and professional.
Reading and Pronouncing the “Minutes”
You apply the same rules to read minutes. From 0 – 9 minutes, again you read “zero” or “oh” and the given number, and from 10 – 59 minutes you read the pair as is. If it is 1805 military time, it is “eighteen zero five hours” and if it is 1855, it is “eighteen fifty-five hours”.
Seconds are the same as in standard time. However, usually, you will not see military members writing or speaking the seconds when telling time.
Military Time Conversion Chart
Here is a military time chart that you can bookmark.
| Military Time Pronunciation | 24 Hour Military Time | 12 Hour Standard Time |
| Zero Hundred Hours | 12:00 Midnight | 0000 |
| Zero One Hundred Hours | 1:00 A.M | 0100 |
| Zero Two Hundred Hours | 2:00 A.M | 0200 |
| Zero Three Hundred Hours | 3:00 A.M | 0300 |
| Zero Four Hundred Hours | 4:00 A.M | 0400 |
| Zero Five Hundred Hours | 5:00 A.M | 0500 |
| Zero Six Hundred Hours | 6:00 A.M | 0600 |
| Zero Seven Hundred Hours | 8:00 A.M | 0700 |
| Zero Nine Hundred Hours | 9:00 A.M | 0900 |
| Ten Hundred Hours | 10:00 A.M | 1000 |
| Eleven Hundred Hours | 11:00 A.M | 1100 |
| Twelve Hundred Hours | 12:00 P.M | 1200 |
| Thirteen Hundred Hours | 1:00 P.M | 1300 |
| Fourteen Hundred Hours | 2:00 P.M | 1400 |
| Fifteen Hundred Hours | 3:00 P.M | 1500 |
| Sixteen Hundred Hours | 4:00 P.M | 1600 |
| Seventeen Hundred Hours | 5:00 P.M | 1700 |
| Eighteen Hundred Hours | 6:00 P.M | 1800 |
| Nineteen Hundred Hours | 7:00 P.M | 1900 |
| Twenty Hundred Hours | 8:00 P.M | 2000 |
| Twenty One Hundred Hours | 9:00 P.M | 2100 |
| Twenty Two Hundred Hours | 10:00 P.M | 2200 |
| Twenty Three Hundred Hours | 11:00 P.M | 2300 |
| Twenty Four Hundred Hours | 12:00 P.M | 2400 |
To master the conversion, just remember:
- If the hour is larger than 1200, subtract 1200 to get the standard time in PM.
- When the hour is not larger than 1200, the first two digits indicate the hour and the last two digits are the minutes.
For example:
- At 1400 military time, the standard time is 1400 minus 1200, or 200, which is equal to 2 PM.
- At 0815 military time, the standard time is 8:15 A.M—8 hours and 15 minutes.
While you learn and practice converting the time between military time and standard time, you can use this converter to check your answers.
Top Tip: It helps to note these down while reading them out loud. You should practice with time from noon until midnight, then midnight until noon again and again until you convert the time in your sleep.
If you need more help, watch this Howcast video!
Putting it to practice…
So, applying what you have just learned about reading military time, what is the military time for 12:30 AM? 12:30 AM military time is 0030, pronounced as “zero zero thirty hours”.
Conclusion
Now, you have the answer to “What is 12:30 AM in military time?” as well as information on how to pronounce it. Mastering military time is no easy feat. But it is not impossible as long as you keep what you have read close to heart.
You can also keep it readily accessible by bookmarking it! Who knows, the day where you need to know what time it is in military time might be just around the corner. If you have any questions or thoughts to ask or add, do not be afraid to reach out to us in the comments below!
I am Everett Bledsoe, taking on the responsibility of content producer for The Soldiers Project. My purpose in this project is to give honest reviews on the gear utilized and tested over time. Of course, you cannot go wrong when checking out our package of information and guide, too, as they come from reliable sources and years of experience.