civilian life
Life without uniform
Civilian life is existence outside military service—the ordinary routines, freedoms, and responsibilities of non-military society.
The phrase typically appears when discussing the transition veterans make after discharge: He struggled to adjust to civilian life after three tours in Afghanistan.
It implies a contrast with the structure, purpose, and camaraderie of military experience.
- careerLifelong occupational pursuit
- nine to fiveStandard workday timeframe
- nonmilitaryNot of armed forces
- jobPaid position of employment
- private sectorEconomy outside government control
community · grocery shopping · market · career change · family · white picket fence · home ownership · school · neighborhood · block party · democracy · friendship · public service · entrepreneurship · park · veteran · back to normal · art
- life adjustmentsempty nest syndrome, homesickness, separation anxiety, bereavement, midlife crisis
- militarysoldiers, army, troops, officers, navy
- postwar eraMarshall Plan, prosperity, reconstruction, Cold War, iron curtain
civilian lifemilitary life
Existence in armed forces
active duty · military service · service life · army life · soldiering
civilian, civilians, civil, civility, civilities, civilize, civilized, civilizing, civilization