whatever the cause - off or on duty
I thought once you joined up you were on duty so to speak.
Remember in the pub one evening a squaddie get teased a bit as think he was on a weeks leave and was 3rd time (so it was claimed ) he was in.
Landlord was ribbing him about it about being a part time soldier when beautiful reposte was "When I put my life on the line on behalf of HM Govt I didn't realise I could just do 9-5, was it like that when you were a squaddie", Landlord who was ex force went very quiet and apologised.