Abstract
Military personnel presumably resist missions that diverge from their primary goal of fighting and winning wars. Little attention has been paid to reasons why they might accept or even benefit from peacekeeping service. Interviews and surveys with U.S. Army personnel deployed to Operation Able Sentry in Macedonia reveal mixed feelings. Many soldiers find that even a relatively quiet operation such as this can offer training benefits for combat units. Although some combat skills deteriorate in noncombat deployments, many troops believe that readiness can be regained quickly. Those who approved of the mission are characterized in contrast to those who disapproved on items including who should serve in these operations, acceptance of a non-American UN commander, how the mission affects their careers, and belief in the principle of limiting use of force to self-defense.
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