Morality After Service vs Life Before

War is hell. There is no disputing this fact. Anyone who has ever served can divide their life into two sections, before and after service to their country. Before, life is simple. While you may or may not be directly aware of the political upheavals and the atrocities committed in other countries, you are certain isolated from them. You live each day in appreciation of the life you have. You have a moral compass that points reliably towards what is right and what is wrong, and the two never really interact. At this stage, the idea of service to one's country is a noble and honorable ideal. You believe in rights, freedom, and the good life that should be enjoyed by all. Then, enlistment.

Afterward, everything changes. First, you quickly discover how much comfort you can survive without. You learn what it is...