Thank You For Killing? Thank You For Enduring The Killing You've Had To Do?

Yes, a hornet's nest of a topic.

** How soldiers deal with the job of killing **
When a soldier kills someone at close quarters, how does it affect them? This most challenging and traumatic part of a soldier's job is often wholly overlooked.
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13687796 >

I am certain that I enjoy many freedoms because other people have killed someone else in the line of duty. This consideration is not limited to national fact. Any string of history leads back to leathal combat of some sort and I have been enriched by the outcome.

I would like to be mindful of how oppresive and damaging a knee-jerk, absolute, "do not kill" mindset - or at least public messaging - could be, particularly, I would like to contribute to the possibility of open and "shameless" discussion of this real and immediate truth for soldiers and other armed service personnel.

Perhaps to mourn the fact that a killing has happened is appropriate. To strive to prevent situations where it may occur for "petty" reasons is a good focus. But to contribute to a pariah attitude towards service personnel concerning the killing they have done is, I think, nothing short of cruel.