Ia glanced over at the woman settling into the next seat. Sometimes it’s quick, and sometimes it’s slow, but it’s always necessary. Don’t throw a pot of cold water on the cooker and expect it to instantly boil even in this day and age, that won’t happen right away. Both sides need to remember to slow down, take it easy, and readjust to each other. Even those of us who merely go home for a short visit sometimes have difficulties. Things don’t always get done in civilian life, because they often can be “done later” or “done some other way.”Ī lot of soldiers have difficulty making that transition back to civilian life. Things are organized almost down to the minute in a military setting, because they have to get done at a certain time in a certain way, or everything descends into chaos.

For a solider who’s been away for months, even years like myself, it can be a bit of a system shock to come back to civilian life. The military has counselors for this sort of thing, they give you lectures and advice, but. I do appreciate the opportunity to share some of this background information with everyone, though of course much of it is Classified and you are- ah, forgive me, I’m starting to use “military–speak” and “military–think” again, aren’t I?ĭuring my first trip back home after enlisting, I had that same problem with my family.

It wasn’t anything serious, just some new orders and a course correction. Thank you for letting me take that quick break from this interview.

An Officer's Duty by Jean Johnson