FC Sepoy Test key terms

The historical rank title for an infantry soldier in the Indian Army, retained today as a designation for soldiers of certain regiments; it carries traditions of loyalty, discipline and regimental identity.

The body of customs, battle honours and standards of conduct inherited from Indian infantry regiments, emphasising courage, obedience, loyalty to the unit and care for comrades.

An official award to a regiment commemorating a specific battle or campaign, inscribed on colours and accoutrements as a permanent record of collective gallantry.

Ceremonial flags presented to a battalion that symbolise its identity and honours; they are treated with reverence, guarded, and never allowed to touch the ground.

The group of soldiers who carry and escort the colours on parade, normally comprising colour bearers and protecting escorts moving in prescribed step and alignment.

The act of aligning oneself precisely with the person or marker beside you so that a formed body of troops presents a straight, evenly spaced line.

Alignment in depth, achieved by positioning so that the head and shoulders are directly behind the person in front, keeping the body square and still.

The prescribed space between individuals or sub-units on parade, measured in paces or arm lengths and maintained without looking down or shuffling.

The precise verbal instruction given by a commander to initiate a movement, delivered with correct tone, timing and pauses so the whole body acts as one.

The two parts of a command: the cautionary word warns and prepares the body, while the executive word, given sharply, triggers the actual movement.

Marching in place without advancing, keeping the cadence and correct arm swing so that rhythm and alignment are preserved when movement is halted or delayed.

The regulated number of steps per minute at a given pace; it governs the rhythm of a body of troops and must be maintained exactly during drill and marching.

The standard marching pace, normally about 120 steps per minute with a 30-inch step, used for moving formed bodies of troops over ground at speed.

The standing rules that govern all weapon handling: treat every weapon as loaded, never point it at anything you do not intend to shoot, keep the finger off the trigger until ready, and check the chamber.

The habit of keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times, including during handling, cleaning, inspection and movement through confined spaces.

The defined condition of a weapon regarding magazine fitted, round chambered and safety applied; it is declared and verified before any handling or movement.

A failure of a weapon to fire or cycle correctly, cleared by a standard immediate-action drill performed while the weapon remains pointed in a safe direction.

The mandatory instruction given before firing begins, covering firing limits, target area, commands, emergency stop signals, medical cover and the procedure for dealing with incidents.

The command or signal that immediately stops all firing; on hearing it, soldiers stop shooting, keep the weapon pointed downrange and await further orders.

The practical skills of living and operating in the field, including concealment, movement, camouflage, sentry duties and personal administration without support facilities.

The measures taken to hide personnel and equipment from observation, using shape, shadow, silhouette, texture and movement discipline, and avoiding tracks and reflections.

A period at dawn and dusk when all troops man their positions at a heightened state of readiness, since these are the times an attack is most likely.

The task of watching a defined arc, challenging unknown persons with the correct procedure, and reporting information promptly while remaining alert and concealed.

A set of digits locating a point on a map by easting then northing; the number of digits determines the precision, from a 1 km square to a 10 m point.

The ratio between distance on the map and distance on the ground, such as 1:50,000, where one unit on the map represents 50,000 of the same units on the ground.

The reciprocal of a bearing, found by adding or subtracting 180 degrees; it is used to return along the same line or to check a position from a known object.

The angular difference between true north and magnetic north at a given place and time, applied when converting a map bearing to a compass bearing.

A counting aid used to measure distance on the ground by tallying paces, calibrated beforehand on a known distance so that the count converts reliably to metres.

The rapid first assessment of a casualty, checking danger, response, airway, breathing and circulation, and dealing with immediate threats to life before anything else.

A stable side-lying position used for an unconscious casualty who is breathing, keeping the airway open and allowing fluids to drain from the mouth.

A constricting band applied high and tight on a limb to stop severe bleeding that cannot be controlled by direct pressure, with the time of application recorded.

The organised movement of a casualty from the point of injury to medical care, using drills and equipment that protect the airway and control bleeding during transit.

A short transmission confirming that two stations can hear each other, normally answered with signal strength and readability, without unnecessary talk.

The standard set of spoken words used to represent letters clearly over a radio, reducing errors caused by similar-sounding letters and poor reception.

A state in which transmissions are forbidden except on the authority of a commander or in an emergency, imposed to prevent interception and location of the station.

The formal line of authority from superior to subordinate through which orders, reports and responsibility pass, and which must not be bypassed without good reason.

Written instructions that apply continuously to a unit or post, defining duties, procedures and the action to take in expected situations without waiting for fresh orders.

A formal mark of respect exchanged between members of the armed forces, rendered smartly with the correct hand position, and returned by the person of superior rank.

The overall standard of a soldier's dress and bearing, including correct uniform, cleanliness, fitting of equipment and a smart, alert appearance on all occasions.

The capacity to sustain physical effort over time, built through progressive running, marching and circuit training, and assessed in timed distance tests.