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Military & Defence vocabulary · Training & Service Life

Basic training

Meaning in military & defence, with examples

/ˌbeɪsɪk ˈtreɪnɪŋ/nounCore term

In military & defence, basic training means: The first period of military training for new recruits, teaching discipline, fitness, drill and the essential skills of a soldier.

In Turkish: temel askerlik eğitimi, acemi eğitimi

How it is used

Informally called boot camp in the US. Recruits go through, complete or pass basic training before moving on to specialist training. Its length varies by country and service, usually from several weeks to a few months.

Example sentences

  1. Basic training lasted ten weeks and ended with a passing-out parade.

  2. Recruits cannot leave the barracks in the first week of basic training.

Common collocations

  • complete basic training
  • go through basic training
  • basic training camp
  • during basic training
  • enlistTo join the armed forces voluntarily by signing up for a period of service, usually as a private soldier rather than as an officer.
  • drillRepeated practice of marching, ceremonial movements or standard procedures, until people can carry them out automatically and together.
  • barracksA group of buildings where soldiers live and work, usually with sleeping quarters, offices, a dining hall and training facilities.
  • trainingThe process of teaching personnel the knowledge and skills they need, from basic soldiering to specialist and leadership courses.

More terms: Training & Service Life

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