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I asked my bil who is former Marine Force Recon and served for over 20 years in the Kansas Army National Guard what he would have had done had his commanding officer ordered him and his unit to deploy and go door to door to seize peoples’ firearms, would he have followed that order? He said yes, I took an oath. I reminded him that part of that oath was to protect and defend the Constitution of the United Sates, to wit: “I [state your full name], Do
solemnly swear (or affirm)
that I will support and defend
the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic;

I reminded him that The Constitution of The United States has a Second Amendment, and in your oath that comes before anything else. He said, “I need to think about that.” Great guy but it’s made we wonder a little bit ever since that conversation.

Sorry for the long post, had to get that out.

I also served 22 years in the USAF.

I’m a history nerd and was always a student of the Constitution, read the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers (good points brought up by both sides), read avidly about the Revolution, the thoughts that led to the Enlightenment (John Locke, Montesquieu, David Hume, and Adam Smith), Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, Washington, Mason, etc. I know the Constitution and believe in it.

I also know the Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC), the Geneva Convention and the hearings of the Nurenberg trials. Following orders is not an excuse if you commit war crimes. If any officer would knowingly order me to violate the Constitution I would politely say “no can do”, or, like a typical Air Force troop, just say, “F off... Sir.”

Having said that there are some things you must do when ordered. However, in the matter of Military Law, the Constitution is part of the UCMJ, and violating it is illegal.