[flyinglizard]

> But the use of ex-military personnel for humanitarian and conservation work is also controversial, according to Rosaleen Duffy, a professor of politics and international relations at the University of Sheffield.

No, Professor Duffy, the use of ex- or active - military personnel to render aid is not controversial. It's a widely accepted and successful practice.

[0xy]

Switzerland is a model for this. Given their neutral and famously anti-confrontational manner, their armies do a lot of civil construction and aid work. The US should do more of that kind of thing.

[areyousure]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_En... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Unified_Response https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Unified_Assistance

[totetsu]

At some point ex-military might just mean good at operations and logistics.

[GuiA]

I recently took some college classes later in life (being dropped in with a bunch of 18 year olds at 30 is an interesting experience), and was blown away by the few ex military guys (roughly my age) in the classes. Of course it might be self selecting since it’s the ones who chose to go to school after their military career ended, but they were consistently some of the most mature, level headed people I had ever met. Definitely changed my outlook on folks coming from the military.

[mchusma]

Special forces do this type of thing often too. It's part of winning hearts and minds.