By Sean Maguire
Soldiers are afforded a special place in our society, they're treated as defenders of our country and always as the victims of others' choices.
This has to change.
Soldiers might have a chain of command meaning that they're always "under orders" (read: never to blame for what they do) but the decision to enter the army in a free society is one that is made freely- and really popular culture has made sure that you know what you're getting into when you sign up.
So recently with an Australian soldier dying who is 22 (the same age as me), I know I should be feeling sympathy, but he knew he might be sent to an idiotic and pointless war, he knew he might have to kill civilians and he knew he might die.
So my sympathy can only stretch so far for someone who has willingly made themselves a marionette of death and destruction. I pray to God this makes others find another reason never to join the army.