--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are a soldier you do not always…" description: "\"“When you are a soldier you do not always realize there is anything beyond the will of your commander, the will of your king. But when you're on the fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/hazel-b-west-62297_battle_when-you-are-a-soldier-you-do-not-always_3122442.jpg" --- # When you are a soldier you do not always realize there is… ![“When you are a soldier you do not always realize there is anything beyond the will of your commander, the will of your king. But when you're on the field of battle, when the swords clash and the colors fly above you in all their glory, there comes a time when you wonder: Why am I here? All the…” quote by Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/hazel-b-west-62297_battle_when-you-are-a-soldier-you-do-not-always_3122442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/hazel-b-west-62297_battle_when-you-are-a-soldier-you-do-not-always_3122442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/hazel-b-west-62297_battle_when-you-are-a-soldier-you-do-not-always_3122442.jpg) > ““When you are a soldier you do not always realize there is anything beyond the will of your commander, the will of your king. But when you're on the field of battle, when the swords clash and the colors fly above you in all their glory, there comes a time when you wonder: Why am I here? All the brilliance fades, the glory becomes meaningless; the blood spilled and comrades dead, all for nothing when you have no cause to fight for.”” [Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A soldier questions the purpose of fighting when glory fades and loss outweighs meaning, highlighting existential doubt in war. **In simple terms:** War can feel meaningless when the cause is unclear. Key Takeaway Seek purpose before entering conflict. Themes war existential doubt meaninglessness Mood reflective somber Type philosophical narrative When to use this quote - military service - peace activism - personal reflection - historical analysis Key Concepts purpose morality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What gives you purpose in difficult tasks? - Can duty justify sacrifice? A Different Perspective Not all soldiers feel this way; some find meaning in duty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battles/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Glory Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-comes-2571395/) [Glory Meaningless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-meaningless-5487364/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soldier Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier-realize-5487363/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“If Glory Comes After Death,Then I'm In No Hurry ''Si Post Fata Venit Gloria Non Propero”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-glory-comes-after-death-then-i-m-in-no-hurry-si-post-fata-venit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Glory comes not to the weak A treasure land shines out so strong We see it clear from far away O Great and Brave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/glory-comes-not-to-the-weak-a-treasure-land-shines-out-so-strong-we/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [The greatest glory never comes from falling, but from rising each time you fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/the-greatest-glory-never-comes-from-falling-but-from-rising-each-time/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [Glory comes too late when we are nought but ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/glory-comes-too-late-when-we-are-nought-but-ashes/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [My speed is a gift from God, and I run for His glory. Whatever I do, it all comes from him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/my-speed-is-a-gift-from-god-and-i-run-for-his-glory-whatever-i-do-it/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [Glory comes too late, after one as been reduced to ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-valerius-martial/glory-comes-too-late-after-one-as-been-reduced-to-ashes/) [Marcus Valerius Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-valerius-martial/) > [The greatest glory never comes from winning, but from rising each time you fall. A person is defined by what he chooses to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/the-greatest-glory-never-comes-from-winning-but-from-rising-each-time/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [To the ashes of the dead glory comes too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/to-the-ashes-of-the-dead-glory-comes-too-late/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [“Because my glory comes from no man it has right to shine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blessing-odeleye/because-my-glory-comes-from-no-man-it-has-right-to-shine/) [Blessing odeleye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blessing-odeleye/) > [All glory comes from daring to begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-glory-comes-from-daring-to-begin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But what we are given is taken as well, so that we know God's glory comes to us from His will alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-what-we-are-given-is-taken-as-well-so-that-we-know-god-s-glory/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [There was an insurgency under President Hosni Mubarak in the 1990s. Egyptian police and soldiers fought weekly battles with Islamists in the sugarcane fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-was-an-insurgency-under-president-hosni-mubarak-in-the-1990s/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [It takes all sorts to make a world - saints as well as soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/it-takes-all-sorts-to-make-a-world-saints-as-well-as-soldiers/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [You never can predict things. I knew the movie Peducted would get a reaction, because it's showing a different vision of our soldiers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/you-never-can-predict-things-i-knew-the-movie-peducted-would-get-a/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) ## More by Hazel B. West > [“I've come to the conclusion that a man without a cause is nothing. He has nothing to look forward to, he has nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-b-west/i-ve-come-to-the-conclusion-that-a-man-without-a-cause-is-nothing-he/) [Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) > [“There will always be wars," Maggie told him. "Yes," Reeve replied. "But there will also be brothers, sisters, comrades and lovers as well, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-b-west/there-will-always-be-wars-maggie-told-him-yes-reeve-replied-but-there/) [Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) > [“There was something twisting in his gut that he wanted to deny and couldn't. It was like a knife in him that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-b-west/there-was-something-twisting-in-his-gut-that-he-wanted-to-deny-and/) [Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) > [“Kilroy," Jeremy said and the boy turned to face his father again. "Stand fast, boy," he told him. "Stand fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-b-west/kilroy-jeremy-said-and-the-boy-turned-to-face-his-father-again-stand/) [Hazel B. West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) [Explore all 5 Hazel B. West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-b-west/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. 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He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you are a soldier you do not always realize there is anything beyond the will of your commander, the will of your king. But when you're on the field of battle, when the swords clash and the colors fly above you in all their glory, there comes a time when you wonder: Why am I here? All the brilliance fades, the glory becomes meaningless; the blood spilled and comrades dead, all for nothing when you have no cause to fight for.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hazel B. 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