Tornado Alley (PROG)

[blackhawks]

That's a ridiculously broad brush you are using to first of all disparage the service of one who served between the wars and secondly ascribe genocide, broadly, to those, most or all, who served in those wars.

Equally ridiculous to attribute endorsement, approval, by sortagreen of those who DID serve dishonorably.

I say that there are a sergeant Barnes and a sergeant Elias in most military units, of most ranks, in most wars.

Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias are contrasting leaders in Oliver Stone's 1986 film *Platoon*, representing brutal survivalism versus moral compassion amid the Vietnam War's chaos. [shmoop](https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/platoon/tom-berenger.html)

## Sergeant Barnes

Barnes, played by Tom Berenger, is a scarred, ruthless veteran sergeant with supernatural endurance and tactical savvy that makes him the platoon's de facto leader. He embodies pure instinct, willing to kill innocents—like a Vietnamese woman and nearly her daughter—to eliminate threats, showing no moral compass. His cynicism peaks in conflicts with Elias, whom he shoots multiple times, leaving him for dead. [charactour](https://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Sergeant-Barnes.Platoon)

## Sergeant Elias

Elias, portrayed by Willem Dafoe, serves as the platoon's moral anchor, a laid-back, marijuana-using sergeant who prioritizes humanity and restraint. He clashes with Barnes over atrocities, intervening to stop needless violence, and aligns with idealists like Chris Taylor. Despite being fatally wounded by Barnes, he fights on heroically before enemy fire finishes him. [charactour](https://www.charactour.com/hub/characters/view/Sergeant-Elias.Platoon)


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