Semantics, Squeak. No matter which words you feel more comfortable with, frum yidden are best left out of the military machine, so the people best suited for fighting can do the job right.
Yes, there have been notable exceptions (R’ Mike Tress, for example) from our circle that have served in the army with distiction. But they are the exceptions. For the most part, if you go into uniform, you come back dead or frei (neither of which his high on my to-do list). And given that the Uncle will not really accomodate my wishes, I’d do best to avoid him altogether.
Now, as I stated in an earlier post, should it be necessary for me (g-t zul upheiten) to face off against anyone and join the IDF, I would take any position they needed me for (yes, even “gruntwork”) and claw my way thru heck and back, despite my preference for deskwork. Know why? Becuase I can hardly except John Shaygetz from Ohio to join the IDF and bust heads to defend yiddin. All I’m saying is, let me do what I do best, unless its absoulutly necessary to put me in harms way.