What does the '2400' time mean in a military time chart?

Have you ever looked at a digital clock and seen the numbers "2400"? This may seem like a strange way to tell time, but this is actually a legitimate military expression of time. It is called military time or the "2400 system".

Military time is based on a 24-hour clock in which the day runs from midnight to midnight. The first hour of the day begins with "0000" which is pronounced "zero-hundred hours" or simply "midnight". The last hour of the day ends with 2400 which is pronounced as "twenty-four hundred hours" or simply "at midnight".

This system of expressing time was adopted by NATO countries in 1956. Prior to its adoption, several countries had slightly different systems for expressing times such as military call times, naval communication suffixes and time zone nomenclature.

The idea behind this system is to make it easier for people who are working in multiple different time zones or who may not be aware of regular daylight saving times to communicate accurately about dates and times. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with a literal 24-hour clock it eliminates any possibility of confusion between AM/PM expressions.

The 2400 system has proven invaluable when it comes to duties that involve travel, communication and coordinating with multiple international authorities at one time. It enhances operations by having everyone using one consistent set of timing rules throughout an activity instead of having multiple variations that could lead to confusion or mistakes.

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