From a captain in the Air Force:
In principle, I have no problem reconciling being in the military with being a Christian. I see the military as a means of defense, an extension of my responsibility to protect my own family from those who would attack us. The simple and often-used example of fighting against someone who is attempting to rape or kill my wife is, I think, very relevant. The correct response would not be to ignore this individual, to turn the other cheek. Aside from my responsibility to protect my wife, would it even be loving to this individual? Wouldn’t it be more loving to cause him to feel pain, to reap consequences to his actions … consequences that may turn him to God in search of mercy and grace. Another example that helps to clarify is my responsibility in raising my son. If he hits my wife in the face, my wife should not turn the other cheek, but rather, because we love him, we should discipline him in a loving way to teach and train him in what is right. So maybe loving people (even our enemies) doesn’t always seem friendly and sweet.
For me, this gets more confusing if the country I am defending begins to use the military for purposes that stretch beyond defending ourselves, or even defending others. Is that the case in Iraq right now? Are we actually there just to protect our own riches? Are we making our nation any safer? Should we just wait here in the States and only attack when we are conventionally attacked? I don’t have answers to those questions. As a military member, I trust my leaders to see the bigger picture and make these decisions. If, however, it became very clear to me that we were involved in a war that was unjust, I would leave the military. That is not the case right now. Just like many others, I have questions about how this war got started and is being conducted, but I do not have a settled clarity that this war is wrong.
Peace.