[sneak]

I think the world would be better off if people simply refused the initial "Go here" order from someone who cares nothing for their own life, or the lives of those "there".

War cannot be waged without soldiers, and no one is born a soldier.

This requires the cultural de-glorification of soldering-as-profession. Millions of tax dollars are spent on advertising to ensuring it remains, and many companies are complicit in furthering it (priority boarding, discounts, et c). I shop elsewhere whenever possible.

[nradov]

The US has had a volunteer military for decades. People who would refuse to fight simply never volunteer in the first place.

Boycotting companies for extending a few minor courtesies to the troops is ridiculous and ineffective. If you want to make a difference then get active in politics.

[lmm]

> The US has had a volunteer military for decades.

It gets those "volunteers" by putting the lower classes in a position where their only way of getting education and healthcare is to sign up for the military, and then high-pressure sales tactics to get teenagers to sign a contract that'll bind them for decades.

[nradov]

Actually most military recruits now come from the middle classes. Largely because so many lower class youths fail to meet recruiting standards due to having a criminal record, health problems, poor fitness, history of drug use, or lack of high school diploma. Most enlistment contracts only last a few years. In some cases those have been forcibly extended through a stop loss order, but that doesn't last for decades.

[sneak]

> Boycotting companies for extending a few minor courtesies to the troops is ridiculous and ineffective.

I don't think freedom of association is ridiculous. I'm curious why you do.

[AnimalMuppet]

First, good commanding officers do care for the lives of their soldiers.

Second, those who don't have soldiers can still die by someone else's soldiers.