They have an air of bravado
Confident but not loud,
Seldom seen on their own
Almost always in a crowd.
They seem to enjoy life
At a pace hard and fast
As though each day might
Just be their very last.
You strip a young person
Of the comforts of their life
Throw him into situations
Of anxiety and strife.
Never at times certain if
The next is his last breath
Train him to accept that
Occupational hazard death.
Outside of the forces
He's mostly an outcast,
Friendships from previous
Lives very seldom last.
He's probably seen more
Than most folk ever will
In all the various roles
He's been expected to fill.
The brotherhood of his service
That he's enjoyed all career long
With his engagement completed
Is suddenly over and gone.
Unless you've walked in his shoes
You just can't understand
The cost he's paid
In the service of his land,
And now he's a civilian
Facing a new life on his own
For the first time for years
Maybe he's truly on his own.
No more black billet humour
The comradeship all gone
Is it a surprise that sometimes
He stumbles as he tries to carry on.
So just cut him a little slack
As he tries to adjust
Try not to regard and treat him
With suspicion and mistrust.
He's given so many years in
The service of his nation
And the least he deserves is
Respect and consideration.
