ECL vocabulary by theme

a small army unit of about nine soldiers (two fire teams), led by a staff sergeant

Each squad has its own radio.

a unit of three or four squads, led by a lieutenant

The platoon moved out at dawn.

a unit of three to five platoons, led by a captain

Alpha Company will guard the bridge.

a unit of several companies, led by a lieutenant colonel

The battalion returned from the exercise on Friday.

serving below the rank of officer

He served as an enlisted soldier before he became an officer.

noncommissioned officer: a corporal or a sergeant

Our NCO checked every weapon before the march.

the officer in command of a unit

The commanding officer signed the leave request.

the second in command of a unit

The XO runs the unit when the commander is away.

the order of authority, from the highest rank to the lowest

Report the problem through the chain of command.

to raise the right hand to the forehead as a sign of respect

Soldiers salute officers when they meet outdoors.

to give someone a higher rank or position

She was promoted to sergeant last month.

to officially release someone from military service

He was honorably discharged after four years of service.

a building where soldiers live

The new recruits live in the barracks near the gym.

the place where soldiers eat (also: dining facility)

Breakfast is served in the mess hall from 0600 to 0730.

Post Exchange: the store on an Army base

I bought batteries and shaving cream at the PX.

soldiers standing in ordered lines

Morning formation is at 0630.

reading a list of names aloud to check who is present

Two soldiers were missing at roll call.

a careful check of rooms, equipment or uniforms

Make your bed; there's an inspection at 0900.

a task you must do; a period of work

He is on guard duty tonight.

permission to be away from work; a vacation

She is on leave until Monday.

permission to leave the base for a short time

He has a weekend pass.

a time after which people must stay indoors

Curfew is at 2300 hours.

the special clothes worn by members of a group

Wear your dress uniform for the ceremony.

a small metal cabinet that you can lock

Keep your valuables in your locker.

a meeting that gives information or instructions before an activity

The pilots attended a briefing before the flight.

to go to a person or place and say that you have arrived

Report to the orderly room at 0800.

to give someone a task or a place

She was assigned to the motor pool.

to obey a rule or an order

All personnel must comply with the safety rules.

to say that you have received something

Please acknowledge this message.

to allow someone to leave

The sergeant dismissed the platoon at noon.

needing action immediately

This is an urgent message for the captain.

to say that something is true or definite

Please confirm the time of the meeting.

I have received your message

"Roger, I'm on my way."

I have finished speaking; it's your turn

"Base, this is Alpha One. How do you read me? Over."

repeat your message

"Say again. I didn't copy your last message."

will comply: I understand and I will do it

"Move to checkpoint two." "Wilco."

the 24-hour clock: 0800 is 8 a.m. and 2000 is 8 p.m.

The convoy leaves at 1430 in military time, which is 2:30 p.m.

arriving or doing something at the right time

Our instructor is always punctual.

a plan that lists times; to plan for a certain time

The test is scheduled for Thursday.

to make something late; a period of waiting

The flight was delayed because of fog.

to move an event to a later time

The exercise was postponed until next week.

the latest time by which something must be done

The deadline for applications is May 1.

a period of work in a day

He works the night shift at the hospital.

lasting for a limited time

This is a temporary office until the new building is ready.

lasting for a very long time or forever

She got a permanent position at headquarters.

late; not done or returned at the expected time

The library book is two weeks overdue.

before the time something happens

Book your ticket in advance.

happening once a year

The annual inspection takes place in March.

the act of leaving a place

Check the departure time on your ticket.

to get on a plane, a ship, a train or a bus

Passengers may now board the aircraft.

the bags you take on a trip (uncountable; also baggage)

How much luggage are you taking?

a ticket to a place and back again (a one-way ticket only goes there)

A round-trip ticket to Dallas costs $250.

the money you pay to travel by bus, train, taxi or plane

The bus fare is two dollars.

the place at a border where officials check bags and goods

We went through customs at the airport.

a detailed plan of a trip

The itinerary includes two days in Washington.

a short stop between two flights

We had a three-hour layover in Chicago.

a longer way you take because the usual road is closed

The bridge was closed, so we took a detour.

a place where two or more roads cross

Turn left at the next intersection.

a person who is walking, not driving

Drivers must stop for pedestrians.

to travel regularly between home and work

He commutes forty minutes to the base every day.

the place where military vehicles are kept and repaired

The trucks are parked in the motor pool.

the work of keeping something in good condition

The jeep is in for maintenance.

a tire with no air in it

We had a flat tire on the way back.

extra, kept in case it is needed

Every truck carries a spare tire.

a tool for lifting a vehicle off the ground

Use the jack to lift the truck before you change the tire.

a tool for turning nuts and bolts

Hand me the wrench, please.

gasoline or diesel; to fill with fuel

Fuel the vehicles before the convoy leaves.

liquid or gas escaping through a hole

There is an oil leak under the engine.

to become too hot

The engine overheated in the desert.

the part that stops a vehicle; to stop

He braked hard to avoid the dog.

to pull a vehicle with another vehicle

The broken-down truck was towed back to the base.

the front lights of a vehicle

Turn on your headlights in the tunnel.

simple medical help given before a doctor arrives

Every soldier learns first aid in basic training.

a soldier trained to give medical help

Call the medic! A man is hurt.

damage to the body

He had a knee injury after the jump.

an injury, especially a cut or a hole made by a weapon

The wound was cleaned and covered.

to lose blood

His arm was bleeding badly.

a strip of cloth used to cover a wound

The medic put a bandage on his arm.

to hurt a joint by twisting it suddenly

She sprained her ankle on the obstacle course.

a break in a bone

The X-ray showed a fracture in his wrist.

a frame for carrying a sick or injured person lying down

They carried him to the ambulance on a stretcher.

feeling that everything is turning around you

I felt dizzy after standing in the sun.

a sign of an illness

Fever and a headache are common symptoms of the flu.

to become healthy again

He recovered quickly after the operation.

a statement about what the weather will be

The forecast says it will snow tonight.

how far you can see

Visibility was less than 100 meters because of the fog.

(of air) warm and damp

It's very humid in the jungle.

extremely cold; below 0 °C (32 °F)

It's freezing outside; wear your gloves.

a storm with thunder and lightning

All flights were grounded during the thunderstorm.

a large amount of water covering land that is usually dry

The heavy rain caused a flood in the valley.

a long period with little or no rain

The drought destroyed the crops.

land and its physical features

The vehicles can drive on rough terrain.

ground that goes up or down

The trucks moved slowly down the steep slope.

low land between hills or mountains

The village lies in a narrow valley.

the land next to the sea

The ship sailed along the coast.

a sudden strong wind

A gust of wind blew the tent away.

an instrument that shows north

Use your compass to find north.

something easy to see that helps you know where you are

The water tower is a good landmark.

the way from one place to another

We took the shortest route to the airport.

the place someone or something is going to

The convoy reached its destination at noon.

forward, without turning

Go straight ahead for two blocks.

(in a town) the distance from one street to the next

The bank is three blocks from here.

the relation between a distance on a map and on the ground

The scale of this map is 1:50,000.

numbers that show an exact place on a map

Send the grid coordinates of the landing zone.

the line between two countries

The border is closed at night.

the main office of a unit or an organization

Report to headquarters immediately.

in a particular place

The hospital is located near the river.

on the other side of the street or room from (also: opposite)

The PX is across from the post office.

to make a formal request for a job, a course or a document

She applied for the advanced English course.

a document with spaces for information

Fill out this form and sign at the bottom.

your name, written by you

The order needs the colonel's signature.

a meeting arranged for a certain time

I have a dentist appointment at 1500.

a person who manages other people's work

Ask your supervisor for permission.

all the people who work for an organization

The hospital staff worked all night.

having the training or skills for a job

Only qualified drivers may use the vehicles.

responsible for

Who is in charge of the equipment?

a piece of work that must be done

Each soldier was given a task.

to stop working, usually because of age or years of service

My father retired from the Army last year.

the money you receive regularly for your work

Her salary increased when she was promoted.

an event where people get together to discuss something

The meeting has been moved to Room 12.

money in coins and bills

Do you accept credit cards, or only cash?

the money you get back when you pay more than the price; coins

Here's your receipt and your change.

a paper that shows you have paid

Keep the receipt in case you need to return the boots.

money returned to you

The store gave me a full refund.

a reduction in price

Soldiers get a 10 percent discount at this store.

to have enough money for

I can't afford a new car right now.

something bought for less than its usual price

At thirty dollars, these boots are a bargain.

a plan of how to spend money

We need to stay within the budget.

money that is borrowed and must be paid back

He took out a loan to buy a house.

to take money out of a bank account

I need to withdraw some money from the ATM.

money spent on something

Travel expenses will be paid by the unit.

not available in a store at the moment

Size 10 boots are out of stock.