A few words on maturity.
I went to Iraq with a unit of mostly experienced older (compared to most units) dudes, average age 38 (I used to have to brief this) with 18 years of military service. I was 37 w/ 20 years and was glad I had some background myself at the...

..time because 2007 was a summer of life coming at you fast and death coming at you faster if you weren't paying attention. My personal observations have been that guys in their late thirties, in general, have an entirely different outlook on killing than guys early twenties...

..and are less likely to drop someone unless they have to, which is how one should normally approach a capture/kill mission IMHO and it works pretty good for general life advice, a "don't make me kill you" philosophy vs the "don't give me an excuse to kill you" which a younger...

..guy may lean toward. It keeps the shooting to a minimum, the threat engagements, which keeps the environment from getting more hostile (indiscriminate killing pisses people off, go figure) and goes a long way towards future operational success. It also provides a great deal...

..more intelligence, bringing back captured insurgents and getting info out of them as opposed to getting DNA off a corpse, which just confirms identity, because that info can drive additional operations and frequently on the same night before affiliated targets can regroup...

..so it's a win-win to return to base with some prisoners IME. Some folks just like a good body count, which part of me understands but I try not to let that aspect of self control my whole nature. I hold that part in reserve for emergencies, behind glass like a fire axe...

..I started writing this thread a couple nights ago in response to the 20 y/o incel mass-shooting in AZ. I think I was trying to tie-in the quest for "respect via killing", or something. IDK. Young dudes are weird. They're seeking to find and/or establish their place but...

..haven't established for themselves that there aren't any shortcuts. Honestly, as much as I dunk on the incels I wish there weren't so many maladapted people out there. Particularly the ones who harm others. We've lost our way as a species.