How do the TA return to civilian life?

by Dan Bell
BBC News

Once labelled 'weekend warriors', the reserves now expect to be called up

The soldiers of the Territorial Army are no longer called upon as a last resort. They are now used as a matter of routine.

But going on repeated tours presents particular difficulties for soldiers who also have a civilian life.

One TA combat veteran, who joined in 1982 and took part in the invasion of Iraq and fought in Afghanistan, explains the impact.

We were full-time soldiers for seven months, then you become a normal civilian again. It's a huge adjustment for normal soldiers, but for us too.

It's more fragmented, you are on your own more. Then you go back to work with people who have no concept of what it is like. Normal life seems surreal and trivial.

'Schizophrenic existence'

You get annoyed and angry at people who get annoyed. You've seen Afghanistan and then you come home and someone gets annoyed over something trivial and that annoys you.

But then you make a mental transition and your experience out there starts to seem like some kind of story. It's a very schizophrenic existence.

I am now coming back to terms with normal life, and the winter in Afghanistan seems surreal.

You get psychological support from your mates, like a rugby club going on tour. It's a family

In pictures: TA 100

I am sure it is not that different for normal soldiers, but they have more continuity. People never truly understand what you have been through.

Everyone has heard that there are instances of TA soldiers coming back and being violent and getting into trouble with police. You do come back with pent up anger that is about nothing in particular.

But I've volunteered and I'll go again. It's not that bad.

'Post traumatic stress'

The Army is also much better at managing post-traumatic stress now than when we came back from Iraq.

The Army has learnt some lessons, compared to our first night out after we came back from Iraq - we just flew straight in and that was it.

We sustained more injuries on our first night out from bouncers, fights and booze than we did on our tour.

But this time we flew back from Afghanistan via Cyprus, sat by a beach and had some lectures on post-stress. Then we had 10 days in an army base in the UK for "decompression," and then a night out in Nottingham, which went well.

Support for reservists when they get home is minimal, but it's hard to see how the army could support us without impinging on civvy life.

You do get psychological support from your mates, like a rugby club going on tour. It's a family.