I found some of what you posted to be over-generalizations. (I’m sure you didn’t mean it. In fact, I do not suggest that you meant anything said as a slight to military members.)
The military is a microcosm of society as a whole. That means we come from all walks of life and hold various beliefs and political stances. I had a good amount of spiritual awareness when I was deployed to Iraq during the troop surge of 2007-2008. I did not buy into the story of weapons of mass destruction, nor did many of my fellow soldiers.
Nor did anyone I’ve ever met in the Army have the qualities of “compassion, loving- kindness and so on…drummed out of {them} in the belief that {they} needed to act in wartime, without thinking, without hesitating, without drawing back.” I attended yoga classes over my lunch hour while stationed at a larger base in theater. I came across fellow soldiers who meditated daily in the field and others who were reading Ekhart Tolle.
Being a warrior is part of my make up (and I think that is why many are called to serve in this way). It is an archetype and it is how I serve the light—both in the military and as a spiritual warrior. I truly feel that my service in the military has provided valuable insight and fortitude for my spiritual journey, which for me has been much more difficult than serving in the military.
You pose some suggestions on how military personnel can serve the light. Some of them, I would hope I would have been able to comply with if ever put in such a situation such as, “refuse{ing} to engage in actions that violate them (Geneva Conventions) such as murder, assassination, and torture.” Others, I would find difficult, such as when you suggest to, “degrade your abilities to effect your duties if those duties are dark or evil. Miss your target. Fail to maintain your weapon. Lose needed supplies and…pass along information to whistleblowers… But not if it endangers you.”
These, I believe, most soldiers would have difficulty with because it would endanger not merely themselves, but fellow soldiers. I can’t imagine as a soldier putting my fellow brothers/sisters in arms in harms way, and I’m sure that is not what you are asking, but such suggestions surely would.
I think, however, you left out some of the most important and doable actions a light worker service member can take, and that is holding/anchoring the light, sending love, and leading by example through connection to higher consciousness. That is how I chose to serve while in Iraq. I was excited to deploy to Iraq knowing that I would be sending out a force field of love while being physically present in a place that so needed it.
I also made a conscious effort everyday to remain positive and support all those around me. This is powerful. This is the game changer, and this is how light workers serve everywhere, no matter what their profession.
I saw much good being done during my deployment as part of the nation building and transformation efforts. I would certainly love to see such efforts continued without the accompaniment of overbearing and unnecessary regime change. And let’s not forget the social strides made in our society as a whole because of action first taken by the military such as racial desegregation, gender equality, and acceptance of homosexuality. The military has often led the way on these issues.
I am proud of my military service and not because of some misguided sense of nationalism or patriotism, but because of the amazing and wonderful people with whom I have served (of whom some are also the most wise and enlightened I’ve met) and the opportunity to positively touch the lives of people around the world—if only for a moment. Simplicity. Wonder. Grace. Love. These are the qualities we all have and can use to effect the change we wish to see. And the journey, as always, begins within. Perhaps this is what you meant by: “The biggest contribution you can make, always, is a change of heart.” An open one is all it takes.
Footnotes
(1) “A Message to Serving and Veteran Members of the Military – Part 1/2,” at https://goldenageofgaia.com/2014/10/06/a-message-to-serving-and-veteran-members-of-the-military-part-12/.