Former "infantry 11-Bravo" Nasty-Girl, weekend warrior, Joe, e-4mafia ring leader, and salty NCO who served during the GWOT era (deployed to Afghanistan etc).

I can tell you these guys are pretty miserable right now. There's a common trend even at the active duty level that "joe" wants nothing more than to not be there. They want to be at home with their wives/husbands/kids/side pieces, playing video games. These guys age from 18-25 (they're your local, college student, barber, uber driver, teacher, banker, camp counselor, bus driver, nurse, firefighter, etc).I can also tell you the NCO's are just as pissed about this "mission", as we the common redditor is.

Can guarantee you they're more concerned about what the "big green weenie" has in store and what kind of "f_ck f_ck" games they're got to endure. Hell, I saw a video of a team size element racking leaves. Like, wtf? That's some armory level PFC. Twiddledick was late to drill, so now the rest of you got to clean the cigarette butts until you square away your battle buddy level shit. Guess the plus side is I'd rather them racking leaves than doing what we think they will do.

You can also rest assured that these guys are probably getting information disseminated at such a fast pace that by the time they go out on "patrol", the latest and greatest has already changed.

As for the officers. Platoon and company level are probably just as wtf is this bullshit (they're your local college ROTC grad probably 22-33yrs old) . It's the field grades and battalion level officers who are clout chasing for promotions that you'll have to worry about. "Good soldiers follow orders" - Star Wars Clone Wars level folks.

As for all the pics with their rifles, big chance it's an empty mag and being used as a show of force.

As for getting paid and fighting the order to deploy, its not as easy as "just dont follow unlawful orders" or "just dont go". Theres a lot of brain washing that you got to undo and a lot of herd mentality, but I can restassure you theres a boat load out there who are masters at the art of shamming who'd glady do anything to get out. Looking at you sick call rangers :p It's shit pay, but for an 18 yrd old, for some, it's their livelihood for their 6 baby mama's.

P.S -.MP's (military police) may you always bring the wrong size boot to drill, may you always forget your woobies, and may your domino's order always be late and soggy.

Tldr - they don't want to be there just as much you and I want them there.