i saw this film prior to join the british army . i go through my basic training and at first difficult and then a i progress much easy . my time be spend during the height of the trouble in ni and the cold war . there be time when i question myself on what i have get myself into and not for long and a the training would always take over and you would always react instinctively . the voice over use to display what the soldier be think be spot on and though i would have add breathing and heart rate a this seem to pound in your ear drum in give situation . some year later i be in canada for a family get together . an aunty of mine who live in the usa and be a lecturer at the columbus uni ohio have do a paper on the effect of the british army in ni . she spend some time out there research . although an ex pat she be very anti british . she make a bee line for me and condemn me for be a british soldier . my only answer be see the film a long day die . it the close a civilian will get to realise why a soldier do what he do . the answer be right at the end .