Question for those in or close to the military

[Chainfire]

8. Troops do what they are told.

It is beaten into them in boot camp. (figuratively of course)

As a general rule, if your captain says, get in the truck, you will get in the truck. If he tells you that those people are the enemy you say "Yes sir." If he says, "If the enemy crosses that line, shoot them," that is most likely what they will do.

People who think for themselves and have the moral courage to act on it are rooted out and sent home early. You are taught that the legal theory of the UCMJ is not to obey illegal orders, however, you know that it will be the officers on the courts martial that determine whether the order was legal or not, and the benefit of the doubt will go to the officer, not the grunt. It leaves a trooper with a moral dilemma between a rock and a hard place.

The best hope is that you have honorable, well trained officers in charge of troops.