History Main / ReturningWarVet

* Micky Simon of ''Manga/{{Area 88}}'' is an American veteran whose flashbacks show that he had a great deal of trouble adjusting to civilian life after the Vietnam War. In particular, he jumps at the sound of aircraft overhead. Ultimately, he leaves to join a foreign legion air force in North Africa.

* The titular character of ''Anime/VioletEvergarden'' came back from the war, where she served as a ChildSoldier in the Leidenschaftlich Army; it made her initially NotUsedToFreedom due to her knowing nothing but the military.

* Tom Cruise is a paraplegic [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam]] veteran in ''Literature/BornOnTheFourthOfJuly''.

* Jim Lundigan and Creator/MarilynMonroe are UsefulNotes/WorldWarI vets in ''Love Nest''.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* The titular character of ''Anime/VioletEvergarden'' came back from the war against , where she served as a ChildSoldier in the Leidenschaftlich Army; it made her initially NotUsedToFreedom due to her knowing nothing but the military.

[[folder: Comics ]]

* ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'': Frank Castle returned from the Vietnam War, only looking forward to enjoy the rest of his life raising his family... until said family was murdered during a mob shootout, driving Frank to start murdering criminals.

[[folder: Fanfiction ]]

* After the Ankh-Morpork City Watch Air Arm is deployed to fight in an actual shooting war [[note]]They add an aerial dimension to the fighting with Elves described in the canonical Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Literature/TheShepherdsCrown''[[/note]], its commanding officer [[AcePilot Olga Romanoff]] is concerned an the effects it has on her girls. She is particularly worried as to whether they can settle down to being everyday Air Policewomen and working witches again, after letting their dark sides out to play, and seeing comrades killed in the fighting. She confides her concerns to Sam Vimes, who says "Get them out on the streets - well, ''over'' the streets, but you know what I mean - and don't give 'em a moment to brood. Work 'em hard, Olga." Olga discovers she has another problem - quite a few of her veteran pilots now want out. One considers she's too old for this and doesn't want to do it any more; she and a friend, who considers everything is going to be boring after fighting a war, retire to [[UsefulNotes/{{Finland}} one of the remotest possible places on the Disc]] to start a Witches' steading. Another returns home to [[UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} Fourecks]]. A fourth is so crazy she has to be temporarily retired for the Discworld version of psychiatry. Olga discovers she has to pretty much start again with a handful of war veterans and a batch of new raw recruits. See ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13154617/3/The-Price-of-Flight The Price of Flight]]'' by Creator/AAPessimal.

[[folder: Film ]]
* The classic example of this trope is ''Film/TheBestYearsOfOurLives'' which involves three WWII veterans returning to their hometown where their adjustment to post-war life is met with varying levels of success (one of the actors, Harold Russell, was an actual Army drill sergeant who had lost both hands in in a training accident).

* Rambo in ''Film/FirstBlood'' would fit this, though it wasn't ''his'' home town; he was just passing through and trying to look up one of his war buddies.

* French movie ''Le Boucher'' is set in a remote village in the late 1960's. A war veteran son returns who is damaged by his experiences in Vietnam and Algeria, to take over the family firm - the village butchers. Soon after that, a young schoolteacher is found murdered. Carved up by large sharp knives.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Dr. Watson of the Literature/SherlockHolmes stories served as a British Army surgeon in Afghanistan. His need to find a place to live in London leads to him becoming room-mates and later co-workers with the GreatDetective almost immediately upon his return to England.

* The trope was popular one during the postwar period, with a number of noted writers taking it up, including James Jones (''Some Came Running'') and Gore Vidal (''In a Yellow Wood'').

* An in-universe version in ''Literature/WyrdSisters'', where Tomjon is a MasterActor who briefly gets in character as an old soldier in a play.
-->He watched Tomjon hobble off the stage, and for a fleeting instant knew what it was to be a fat old man, pickled in wine, fighting old wars that no one cared about anymore, hanging grimly onto the precipice of late middle-age for fear of dropping off into antiquity, but only with one hand, because with the other he was giving the finger to Death.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In the backstory of ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'', the founding members of the club were returning Vietnam War vets. While it was not their original intention, their army training comes in useful when they become involved in gun running and engage in a bloody turf war with an rival gang.

[[folder: Music ]]
* ''Replica'' by Music/SonataArctica is a story told by a man returning from war who just sits outside house of his old love unable to meet people he once knew.
* "Johnny Come Lately" by Music/SteveEarle is about a returning war vet. Although it initially seems to be about about a World War II vet, it is actually about a soldier coming home from Vietnam.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder:Video Games ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* John H. Watson of ''Manga/MoriartyThePatriot'' is predictably just home from the war in Afghanistan when he needs a roommate and Stamford introduces him to Sherlock as a potentional one.

* Dr. Watson of the Literature/SherlockHolmes stories served as a British Army surgeon in Afghanistan. His need to find a place to live in London leads to him becoming room-mates and later co-workers with the Great Detective almost immediately upon his return to England.

* Jake Green returns to ''Series/{{Jericho}}'' after serving in the army. His training and skill with a gun are made into plot points throughout the series, and likely the reason why so many people look to him for safety.

* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica uses his battlefield command experience to lead teams of superheros against supervillains.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Dr. Watson of the SherlockHolmes stories served as a British Army surgeon in Afghanistan. His need to find a place to live in London leads to him becoming room-mates and later co-workers with the Great Detective almost immediately upon his return to England.

* After the Ankh-Morpork City Watch Air Arm is deployed to fight in an actual shooting war [[note]]They add an aerial dimension to the fighting with Elves described in the canonical Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/TheShepherdsCrown''[[/note]], its commanding officer [[AcePilot Olga Romanoff]] is concerned an the effects it has on her girls. She is particularly worried as to whether they can settle down to being everyday Air Policewomen and working witches again, after letting their dark sides out to play, and seeing comrades killed in the fighting. She confides her concerns to Sam Vimes, who says "Get them out on the streets - well, ''over'' the streets, but you know what I mean - and don't give 'em a moment to brood. Work 'em hard, Olga." Olga discovers she has another problem - quite a few of her veteran pilots now want out. One considers she's too old for this and doesn't want to do it any more; she and a friend, who considers everything is going to be boring after fighting a war, retire to [[UsefulNotes/{{Finland}} one of the remotest possible places on the Disc]] to start a Witches' steading. Another returns home to [[UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} Fourecks]]. A fourth is so crazy she has to be temporarily retired for the Discworld version of psychiatry. Olga discovers she has to pretty much start again with a handful of war veterans and a batch of new raw recruits. See ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13154617/3/The-Price-of-Flight The Price of Flight]]'' by Creator/AAPessimal.

* A very common background in ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' for PlayerCharacters and NonPlayerCharacters alike, as a major war just ended four years before the canon timeline picks up. It's an easy justification for where a starting character got their training, and especially for where a newly-made character with several levels under their belt got all their experience and gear. The warforged just miss being a whole race of these by not actually having had a life to return to from before they were [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin manufactured to fight the war]].

* Creator/MarilynMonroe is a UsefulNotes/WorldWarI vet in ''Love Nest''.

* After the Ankh-Morpork City Watch Air Arm is deployed to fight in an actual shooting war [[note]]They add an aerial dimension to the fighting with Elves described in the canonical Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/TheShepherdsCrown''[[/note]], its commanding officer [[AcePilot Olga Romanoff]] is concerned an the effects it has on her girls. She is particularly worried as to whether they can settle down to being everyday Air Policewomen and working witches again, after letting their dark sides out to play, and seeing comrades killed in the fighting. She confides her concerns to Sam Vimes, who says "Get them out on the streets - well, ''over'' the streets, but you know what I mean - and don't give 'em a moment to brood. Work 'em hard, Olga." Olga discovers she has another problem - quite a few of her veteran pilots now want out. One considers she's too old for this and doesn't want to do it any more; she and a friend, who considers everything is going to be boring after fighting a war, retire to [[UsefulNotes/{{Finland}} one of the remotest possible places on the Disc]] to start a Witches' steading. Another returns home to [[UsefulNotes/{{Australia}} Fourecks]]. A fourth is so crazy she has to be temporarily retired for the Discworld version of psychiatry. Olga discovers she has to start again with a handful of war veterans and a batch of new raw recruits. See ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13154617/3/The-Price-of-Flight The Price of Flight]] by Creator/AAPessimal.

* The four Hobbits in the chapter [[LordOfTheRings Scouring of the Shire]].

* How [[ComicBook/{{Preacher}} Jesse Custer]]'s father met Jesse's mother. He was returning from Vietnam, she was protesting the war by throwing junk at returning soldiers... It was love at first sight.

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[[AC: {{Film}}]]
* The classic example of this trope is ''Film/TheBestYearsOfOurLives'' which involves three WWII veterans returning to their hometown where their adjustment to post-war life is met with varying levels of success (one of the actors, Harold Russell, was an actual Army drill sergeant who had lost both hands in in a training accident).

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]

[[AC: Music]]

[[AC: TabletopGames]]

[[AC: VideoGames]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

Compare ShellShockedVeteran.

A StockCharacter of many B-grade action movies, video games, and even a few dramas. A character returns home from the military. May be related to StrangerInAFamiliarLand if they have trouble adjusting to normal life again.

* In ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'', Jimmy Darmody and Richard Harrow return from UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and end up in the bootlegging business. Al Capone claims to have been in France with the Lost Battalion as well.