Listening Exercise: Military Life

Going back to civilian life after military life.

Going to the army takes a lot of courage, hard work, and discipline. It is a lifestyle that is very difficult to imagine for those of us who have never done it. However, what is impossible to imagine is how these soldiers feel after their time serving abroad at war. Most would think that they would be relieved to return to a safer, civilian life. However, as this video explains, there is another side of things to consider, which many of us fail to see.

In this listening exercise, a service member talks about his difficulties readjusting to civilian life after deployment in Iraq, how he feels a lack of purpose in life following the importance of his role with the army. The charity who posted this video on YouTube (AfterDeployment.org) deal with all sorts of wellness resources for soldiers returning from duty: post-traumatic stress, depression, suicide prevention, alcohol and drug abuse… all possible consequences of the transition from living a military life to a civilian life.

Listening Exercise:

Fill the blanks, and write your answers in the comments below. We will then reply with the answers!

Questions:

1. I ____ ___ my boonie cap, and it's just covered in sweat...

2. It ______ ___ you right back

3. If I _____ _____ two minutes late on any given day

4. I was ___ ______ of a lot of people

5. The rest was on me to ______ _____.

6. One day I'm in school, and the next day I have this _________ responsibility.

7. ...Baghdad or Tikrmt or Nazario or wherever we _____ ___ in Iraq that night.

8. That’s what I __________ with as a civilian now.

9. If I don’t wake up on time, it’s no ____ _______.

10. Still _______ ____ how to deal with that.

Don't forget to write your answers in the comments section below!

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