I doubt you have much contact with the soldiers. Over 50% of the soldiers deployed country side are National Guardsmen. The vast majority of NCOs (non-commissioned officers) and the regular officers are middle class or above. The E-4 and below are mostly college kids. I've been in multiple different units. I have no idea what you are talking about when you say "BTW, a nice side effect is that every one of our troops there that dies is a unwanted poor person from here in the states" Believe what you want and enjoy the view from the high ground.