Toms Talk

tammybrowne — 2014-04-29 10:31:57 UTC

Tom comes from a military family where his dad used to work for the army force. His dad was an infantry soldier, which are soldiers that fight on the field. His dad works at the military it had an impact on the family. His dad, mom and his brother all lived in an army camp with other army families. They are in a convent space where everyone lived near each other. As a young child Tom always had to behave in school coming from a military family taught him military discipline. If he didn't listen it would affect his dad job on getting promotion. Tom rarely misbehaved because if he did he would’ve been punished for it and can't affect their safety. One day he and his brother were in the enemy’s area and he shouted out loud: "My dad has one of these!" and he points to the gun the soldiers were holding. The family had to move to another camp as soon as possible before the enemy (The RSA) finds them.

Northern Ireland War

His dad got a new position to close observant, which means he had to spy on the enemy during the army. During the time they stayed in Northern Ireland he saw so many army families missing and he was told that they're left but actually got killed. Because his dad had to spy on the enemy they were in the enemies territory frequently. When the RSA knows you are a suspect they will warn you by putting a warning sign on the car. Occasionally they put a bomb underneath the suspect’s car the taught about this frightens Tom, before they stepped in a car they always looked if there is any bomb. Luckily they were never threatened with a bomb unlikely with other families that got killed by the RSA.

Tom experience in the army

Tom decided to join the army forces to be a infantry soldier to help the world to be a better place.

During the training they try to dehumanize the soldiers because they want you to identify the target. They will try to make you angry by showing footage of innocent people being killed, so you would feel less sympathy for killing the enemy.

His biggest experience was for him being injured on his legs and hips. While his legs were hurt and he could barely even walk they forced him to get up but he couldn’t. But yet they had a go at him for not getting up. His training went to waste, because he was injured so they didn’t allow him to go to Afghanistan.

Life after the army

Tom always had a degree in media to fall back on. He decided to work as a technician at Pendleton College and would never go back to the army. His brother still works in the army, which still does have an indirect effect on him.

He is always worried if his brother is still alive and he almost died due a bomb was placed near his house. However Tom doesn’t really have any emotional damage from the army, although his dad still has to get used living his life as a civilian after 25 years of working

in the army

How it has changed my perspective on war

Tom’s talk has really opened my eyes about war and what kind of emotional baggage it can bring with you. I’ve learned that war doesn’t always have to affect you directly. Hearing tom’s experience the way they forced him to get up and they still had a go at him while he was injured. This shows that war has indirect effects, while tom injury was 500 miles

away from the war. Tom’s talk will help me with my research because it’s relevant to the subject and you looking it through somebody’s eyes that

went through the experience.

tammybrowne — 2014-04-29 13:52:55 UTC

tammybrowne — 2014-04-29 13:53:58 UTC

tammybrowne — 2014-04-29 13:55:20 UTC

tammybrowne — 2014-04-29 13:57:59 UTC