Another thing about brainwashing, I've known some people who have worked in a certain job field for years, and when they come out to find another job, they do what they did in the old job thinking its the same job, even though its not. Is that brainwashing, no, but that's the same thing in the military, everything gets drilled, so that muscle memory is there, you barely have time to think in combat. Nothing is brainwashing. A technique is used because it works. No need to brainwash people to get them to do something at will. When we are all getting shot at, we'd all do the same thing, civilian or military.
I worked with a Vietnam vet in my civi job, he got out e-6 some 30 years ago from the Army. He doesn't have PTSD, sure old age got the best of him though, he's in his late 60's. He always talks about the stuff he has seen back in Nam and he's fine, he doesn't break down or go nuts when he tells stories. And the stories are good and bad. He recently got let go because well, time to retire. And me and him had the branch rivalry thing going on as well, USA vs USMC. All in good meaning though lol, as a young green Marine, I have to listen to what a vet says, he's seen the shit and I have, but no PTSD there.
Bodies come home in body bags because thats how war is. Of course, war is ugly, no one really wants it. People who serve, serve because they wanted to, and don't hate them for signing up and dying. I'm sure in their minds, all is worth the sacrifice, especially for our future. And the death toll in Iraq for the US side at 3000+ isn't bad for a war that isn't really clean. They are playing really dirty over there, and I doubt a single servicemember can change the ROE for the whole military(well not unless he has stars on his shoulders). Basically, you'd have to be in there with them to understand why such things happen in the military, whether it be the "brainwashing", the deaths or the stress.
