Well, it's important to remember that by and large the only American soldiers who actually fight and suffer in wars are the infantry grunts and SOCOM. Most of the military are rear echelon workers doing a glorified 9-5 job in uniform. They don't suffer at all and are actually well-compensated compared to most Americans. Most Americans do not get the chance of their employer paying for their degree or free health care, etc.

Most infantry grunts are young guys, about 18-22, who have been raised on Call of Duty and war films and revering American war heroes. They're usually working-class guys from small towns and rural areas in the South and flyover states. They aren't politically engaged and don't know shit about the world or geopolitics. They're just hoping to experience the thrill of combat and kill the people they're told are the "bad guys."

I definitely have sympathy when they go out on patrol and step on an IED, and end up losing two legs, an arm and are left with irreversible scarring on their faces before they can legally drink and are then kicked out of the service with nothing to show for it. Most of these men don't find love or gainful employment, they'll spend the rest of their life being pitied and as a prop for virtue signalling politicians and members of the public. Everyone looks at KIA statistics, but there are thousands of men like this from Iraq and Afghanistan. In many ways, this is where modern medicine is a curse, in WW1 and WW2 they'd have just died.