The first thing you will notice in war is that absolutely nothing, and nowhere, is safe anymore.
Courage in war is the doing of duty when terrified.
Regardless of all its faults, failings, or anything else, the United States of America is not a nation an enemy should ever underestimate, for it will destroy anything that comes at it.
Life in a conflict is like shooting craps where you cast the dice and reap the result, good or bad, and necessary friendships are sometimes born from a bizarre circumstance, or perhaps even a ludicrous moment.
Sure, everyone who goes into a conflict wants a gentle introduction to the fighting, and a gentle easing out of that conflict when the fighting stops. Both are but forlorn hopes, for the enemy and orders from invisible sources will always deliver a negative.