Shalom Aleichem,
I am new to YWN/Coffee Room, but have been reading a few of the threads each day. This is one is the first one I will have contributed to, and feel that it is appropriate since the questioner asked for feedback from people who have 1st, 2nd or 3rd hand information.
I know two Jewish young men who are currently serving in the US armed forces. 1) A good friend’s son graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and is currently completing his training as a pilot, and 2) a member of our shul who is in the Army Reserves and has gone to Iraq several times over the last few years.
In the first case, the young man’s Yiddishkeit has suffered. In the second case, I frankly don’t know how he maintains Shabbos or kashrus while he serves (as well as the inevitable and possibly inappropriate mixing with female officers and enlisted personnel). From hearing his descriptions it would be very difficult, if not impossible. But I have never asked him directly since I did not wish to embarrass him at shul by how he might be forced to answer.
So, my response is that one must be very certain that their Yiddishkeit will not be compromised while serving in the U.S. military before volunteering for service. But I am sure that the rabbis he consulted were very careful in their responses and gave this young man very good advice.
I wish him all the best no matter what he decides.