Transitions of any kind are challenges almost by definition, and the transition of a combat soldier from a theatre of war to a peaceful home country is a very particular challenge. This study explored the lived experience of that transition by eight Canadian veterans who fought in the Afghanistan War and then returned to Canada. Retrospective descriptions of their experiences were obtained and analyzed using phenomenological methodology, specifically the descriptive phenomenological method of Amedeo Giorgi based on the philosophical phenomenology of Husserl. The aim of the study was to discover and describe the structure, or essence, of the transition experience and analysis revealed this to be a multi-faceted phenomenon characterized by a mixture of feelings including frustration, loss, appreciation and pride. The study's results should evoke in policy makers and members of the public a greater appreciation of how soldiers really experience their return home.