A Day in the Life of... A Solider

The typical day in the life of a soldier in training begins with a wake up call at about 5:30 AM. It is hard enough to wake up this early, but a soldier is expected to awake this early in the morning and do calisthenics and physical training immediately after. It is not unusual for a soldier to have undergone an extensive workout before the sun has risen. This physical training continues for a few hours and involves: running long distance, push ups, and obstacle courses. After the morning workout, the soldiers will sit down for lunch. The lunch is not very enjoyable or relaxing because it is expected that it is eaten in around ten to fifteen minutes. After lunch, it is usually time for another training period. This training period is usually more battle oriented and can consist of going to the shooting range or discussing different strategies and tactics. This training session usually lasts until the evening, and dinner is served after. Following dinner, soldiers usually spend time with their drill sergeant, who inspects various things and gives out criticism or praise depending on how organized the soldier is. After this soldiers are allowed a few hours of personal time in which they can relax and unwind. It is ten time for bed, which is fairly early considering how early they have to wake up.