Do you serve in the military?

[Volnotova]

I would gladly serve in the IAF.

However, even if I had lived in Israel, chances are I would have been rejected for psychological reasons...

[Napkiraly]

I was going to join the Royal Marines. Not sure if I'll go back to Canada and join there, stay on my present course of becoming a diplomat, see if another country will accept me in their military, decide to join the Royal Marines, etc.

When I was 13-14, for some reason I really wanted to join a Spetsnaz unit (I know, I know).

[Jetan]

I'm not sure it counts so I didn't vote, but I have done my compulsory military service. I was in Coastal Forces.

[Ifreann]

I prefer to have the military serve me.

[Dyakovo]

I prefer to have the military servicee me.

Fixed...

[Ifreann]

I prefer to have the military servicee me.

Fixed...

Women in combat roles indeed.

[Multiflow]

Prior service, Army National Guard, 10 years.

[Arumdaum]

I'm a South Korean citizen, so there's a draft. But since I'm also an American citizen, I'm allowed to not go in exchange for losing my citizenship. And I'm perfectly fine with that, nyehehe.

[Kemalist]

I'm in the Turkish Naval High School.

[Feodalist]

What if they're someone who would like an opportunity to go to college and have a chance to be successful in life, but lost the genetic lottery and can't afford school?

In response to OP: I'm also enlisted in the US Air Force. Recently graduated from BMT with the 326th TRS, and from Electronic Principles class at Keesler with the 335th. Currently in an avionics class for the F-16 with the 365th at Sheppard, because a course for RPAs, my real airframe, does not currently exist.

Serving your countryvolunteering to summarily execute innocent civilians is not worth doing to get an an education (which, by the way, is not a right).

Name one war where no civilian was killed

Oh wait, you can't.

[Newbish Delight]

British Army Officer

Armoured Troop Leader.

Loving it...except for the all the paperwork.

[Napkiraly]

Serving your countryvolunteering to summarily execute innocent civilians is not worth doing to get an an education (which, by the way, is not a right).

Name one war where no civilian was killed

Oh wait, you can't.

The Pig War.

[Newbish Delight]

Short and free from the complexities and delays of a full trial.

I put it in a larger font so you can read it.

Bloodlust is not implied. The presence of a trail, while not complete, is. Unless you want me to do the paperwork while we're about to hop off on a mission to take out another terrorist cell? I could totally spare a couple of hours stamping this shit.

I can play that game too.
Killing civilians is never justified. Ever.

(By the way, I'm not a utilitarian, so your arguments about the "greater good" won't get you anywhere.

Okay...the following points:

1. The murder of civillians is not justifiable; this is separate and distinct from the killing of civillians which is an unfortunate side effect of war, although much less now than it would have been even twenty years ago due to advancements in J2 (Intelligence) and in the targetry systems now available to us (e.g. GMLRS/Predator). This is again separate to the death of civillians, which typically greatly inflates the number of casualties for things like those pretty colour bars that you showed us. Civillian deaths tend to largely be through displacement, disease and other tertiary factors - I am not saying that we as military forces are not responsible, but that we are not the primary or even secondary factors in such situations. In the case of the current conflict in AFG there are more civilians being killed by Insurgent Forces (IF) on a day-to-day basis than by Coalition Forces (CF), this is in addition to deliberate injury caused by IF for the purposes of intimidation or "justice".

2. You do not get to say "I'm not a utilitarian" to dismiss someone else's argument. I am not an anarcho-capitalist (or whatever ridiculous political title you choose to give yourself) but you do not see me using that to dismiss your entire argument. That is a fallacy and not only demonstrates a poor grasp of the basic concepts of argumentative philosophy and politics but also suggests a mentality more along the lines of five year-olds in a playground.

3. Stop using deliberately provocative statements like your little "bloodlust" statements to get a response. There have been certain individuals in the various CF elements who have done terrible things deliberately (Abu Ghraib, Camp Breadbasket) as well as accidentally - where possible these individuals have been brought to trial, found guilty and charged. IF does not do this to their own who go on killing sprees.

4. Your options are as follows: CF bound by and subject to the rule of law in their operations, or IF who do pretty much what they want where they want with no recourse or threat of punishment. Whether or not you like it we are the better option...I don't remember the last time someone in my Regiment shot a girl in the head for daring to go to school.

5. You are not yet old enough to pay taxes, therefore not old enough to vote or enlist. Grow up a little and consider the benefits of living in a country that protects, shelters and provides for you before slagging off those of us willing to give our lives for the body politic to which we belong.

[United States of Raptors]

Wrong again.

You support the death of innocent civilians?

War is messy and has always been messy, civilians have always gotten in the crossfire at some point.

[United States of Raptors]

Name one war where no civilian was killed

Oh wait, you can't.

The Pig War.

Barely counts as a war since there were zero casualties for military personnel either. It was more of a conflict and got the name pig war because it was started because of the shooting of a pig. Still hardly counts as a war.

[Multiflow]

The Pig War.

Barely counts as a war since there were zero casualties for military personnel either. It was more of a conflict and got the name pig war because it was started because of the shooting of a pig. Still hardly counts as a war.

Was the pig civilian or military?

[United States of Raptors]

Barely counts as a war since there were zero casualties for military personnel either. It was more of a conflict and got the name pig war because it was started because of the shooting of a pig. Still hardly counts as a war.

Was the pig civilian or military?

The pig was killed by a civilian and the owner of said pig (also civilian) got pissed off, needless to say the pig war ended because the U.S. and Great Britain basically said screw it when they remembered that the conflict was over a damn pig.

[Democratic Koyro]

I start my Royal Navy Officer training this September, after i finish university

[Tekania]

Former USN Submariner..... Fire-Control Technician (which no, has nothing directly to do with firefighting.....think "Fire" as "firing a weapon"). my rating specific NEC (1179) was on the AN/BSY-1 Combat Control / Acoustic set.

[Tekania]

Was the pig civilian or military?

The pig was killed by a civilian and the owner of said pig (also civilian) got pissed off, needless to say the pig war ended because the U.S. and Great Britain basically said screw it when they remembered that the conflict was over a damn pig.

Indeed, that war was a boar.

[Dyakovo]

The pig was killed by a civilian and the owner of said pig (also civilian) got pissed off, needless to say the pig war ended because the U.S. and Great Britain basically said screw it when they remembered that the conflict was over a damn pig.

Indeed, that war was a boar.

Ugh... Bad Tek, no cookie for you.

[Tekania]

Indeed, that war was a boar.

Ugh... Bad Tek, no cookie for you.

It was worth a shoat..... but alas.... you reap what you sow.

[The Caldari Union]

I will never serve in such an organisation. A military is just a huge gang of illigitmate state employed killers. The State is just a glorified protection racket.

[Thesan]

I'd rather go to live in a sewer than serve my s**tty country giving a whole year of my life to the army

Seriously: Why? It gives you a whole year of indecent life and a salary that is so low that you can only buy some apples... I'd rather pass an year studying in a university or working and help my country's economy... this for me is more useful for my country and also better paid... not mentioning the fact that the military gets a damn load of public money that would be more useful to the education or the healthcare.

[Wallonochia]

I spend 4 years in the US Army and 3 years in the National Guard as a 19D Cavalry Scout. I can't say I'd recommend it but it did get me out of the crushing rural poverty I grew up in and ended up paying for my school. The good times were pretty good but the bad times were pretty terrible, on the whole I don't particularly think they balance out.