I often find myself binging one podcast series or another, and right now it’s “Home Front” from NPR’s Rough Translation. “Home Front” is about the cultural and communication gap between those who have served in the military and those who have not, otherwise known as the civilian-military divide.

Over seven episodes listeners learn about something that’s felt but never really talked about: how few civilians these days have close ties to the military, and the tension that creates with the military family community.

Each episode tells the story of an ordinary person who crossed the civilian-military divide, and what they learned from the experience. The episodes are between 30 minutes and one hour — the best thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them while you’re driving, getting ready, cooking or doing whatever else.

It’s a great series about empathy and compassion for the “other side,” whichever side that may be for you.

“Home Front” is the fifth season of Rough Translation, and the other seasons also cover cultural mistranslations about various topics. The podcasts are available on all podcast platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, the iPhone Podcasts app and more.

— Joanna Mann, news intern, Baker City Herald