Shio said:
I don't think anyone can really know until they are there. War changes people.
Quite so, but I could hazard a guess... that I'll return even more jaded than I already am, if I return at all...
I'm a 'keen' student of war in the military science sense, so if I managed to become a staff officer, I reckon I'd do OK. As a front-line trooper, give me a sniper rifle and I'd manage... just, since I'd be useless to my squadmates otherwise, being of a twitchy sort and colour-blind, I'd be prone to killing as many blues as reds under the circumstances.
The airforce wouldn't take me, I'm short-sighted as hell. The navy would be OK, but only if I was on board a surface craft (extensive teeth-work, sub-fleet won't take me).
However, it all boils down to the moment after your first action in which you've either witnessed someone die in front of you, or you've killed someone yourself. Once the contemplation starts, then we find out how we really do... and shit ourselves (again).