The Project

What was it like before leaving the country?

 

It was quiet; we didn't spend much time at camp. In fact, a lot of the people hung out at Salisbury Plain. The biggest factor was that we were away from home - you couldn't really get back to your family - which meant that, although you only spend six or seven months [abroad], you’re actually away from home a lot longer.

 

What was combat like?

 

It was surreal. You don't think about it, it just happens. After maybe half a second, your training kicks in and you just do it. Its drilled into you so much that when it comes to it you don't think about anything. All the training beforehand means you can use all the equipment and you’re ready for what comes at you.

 

How were you treated when you returned home?

 

Pretty much the same as usual. [My family was] happy I was back, and obviously people were chuffed and proud. It’s difficult: no one knows what to say unless they've been out there. I went off just as Iraq kicked off, so everyone knew what sort of job it was we had to do.

 

How did the troops change?

 

I don't think they did, not massively. Obviously, it’s different for different people. Amazingly, most coped with the stress of conflict. Maybe people did change. I was with my team constantly, though; I might not have realised that people were changing. We had to constantly be there for each other, so there was not a lot of time for introspection. If anyone had a problem, they turned to their friends.

 

How did combat affect you?

 

I don't think it affected me. I don't know how it was for everyone else, but I was quicker to snap for a while. But you have to get back to everyday life; sooner or later you have to get back to normal. Your friends from the army help. You become great mates.

 

What was day-to-day life like in the field?

 

We were in a group of eight. The men in that group were the people I lived with, ate with, and slept with. They quickly became like a close family, with the company [about 100 men] as a whole being like an extended family. Day-to-day life was strange: we would go for miles, moving though areas of desert, and wide open fields like you don't get in this country... The villages which were sometimes quite built up.

 

Did you get to know the Afghan people?

 

No, not really. You don't get to speak to them much. You don't trust them, so you can't let them in. You’re there to protect them, but you can't be friends. The translators had a different relationship.

 

Do you have a message for anyone fighting in the British army / considering joining?

 

For people out there, I'd just say come back safe. And for anyone thinking of joining, then I'd say, go get informed. It’s not for everyone, make sure you know what you’re doing. If it’s the right thing for you, then go for it.

 

Why did you leave the army?

 

Mostly because there weren't enough British troops out there. I had friends who have been out in Afghanistan with a battalion which wasn't their own, then had returned and been sent back out with their battalion. The turn-around could be so quick. There weren't enough British troops to do the job.

SAM HILTON
REPORTER