I was out to dinner with an uncle of mine sometime in the aughts, and there were 2 US Marines eating at another table; because of the national situation at the time, we knew they were about to ship out. My uncle bought their dinner, and they came over and seemed very grateful at the appreciation shown them.

But what really struck me was what my uncle said after they went back to their table. "We're asking them to go over there and kill people." Not "... and risk their lives", but "... and kill people".