In the U.S. and under current conditions, I am inclined to believe that volunteering for the military, as an individual act, would be a grievous sin and maybe even a mortal sin.

What do you guys think?

What does Catholic Theology say about this?

Remember, the Army Air Corps incinerated women and children in Nagasaki and Hiroshima and today snipers take out people with "kill shots" based on intuition.

Basically you have the right to self-defense, and the right to defend your nation from an agressor. Sorry can't quote a reference but you could do a search.

Shooting a home intruder is not a component of my question.  Self-defense is a right and, if one is the head of a family, it could be considered a moral duty.

I'm speaking of military service....

A military person signs a piece of paper to volunteer to kill if his government orders him to kill.  

Whether or not the military is actually a tax thief is another topic.

None of this is intended as an affront to military veterans but we do need to have a complete moral picture of the military and how we live our lives.

I was taught that it was okay as long as it was a just war.  (I beleive this came from one of the catechism)  However us being in Alfganistan right now is not a just reason.

OP, my heart breaks for you and your husband, the pain I know this causes you.  I am the child of a military family and grew up on bases.  All our friends were salt of the earth good military families, most of them Catholic. My father a colonel, brother a naval commander, another brother a staff sgt,, a purple heart awarded uncle, shot down at Normandy, etc.  
Yet, I have come to the same conclusions.  It is sickening.  Our good soldiers fight for the entertainment and interests of the elite.

Further to this discussion, for those of you who have missed this news story:

    I have just been informed by a former senior military leader that Obama is using a new “litmus test” in determining who will stay and who must go in his military leaders. Get ready to explode folks.

    “The new litmus test of leadership in the military is if they will fire on US citizens or not”.

    Those who will not are being removed.

    Dr. Jim Garrow – January 21, 2013

 Join or Not Join?
http://lewrockwell.com/vance/vance304.html

Signing up for the military means that you are pledging allegiance to a highly immoral entity and you may be placed in a situation where you will kill another human being who you had absolutely nothing against except that your self pledged lord and master said to kill.

At what point is aiming your rifle, or worse, operating a drone safely from hundreds of miles away and delivering death and destruction to other human beings become just plain old murder?

And, to what culpability would someone be held for willingly signing up for the U. S. Air Force which made its bones by incinerating women and children in Japan?

Can a government abrogate the commandment against murder?  What if a soldier kills in advance and not self defense?  What if a soldier is involved with a war of aggression?

I remember watching a tv show on famous rifles. When they were discussing the Enfeild rifle, the tv show commentators were talking about the accuracy oF a rifle where it was used to αssαssιnαtҽ a man on the other side who was taking a bath.  Well, how is that not murder?  When you aim a rifle at a man who you personally have nothing against and you pull the trigger and your only reason was because your government told you so, why is this not considered murder?

It's morally sickening to spout nonsense like "I support the troops." Why not just say, I support murder. Or I'm thrilled to see killings for the sake of whatever my government's secret motives are.

Those in the US military should remind themselves that they are military for the UN.  There have been Americans buried under the UN flag.  And in my opinion we are more UN than under a constitution that is not upheld.  If we ever think about attacking DC we should think UN.

Those in the US military should remind themselves that they are military for the UN.  There have been Americans buried under the UN flag.  And in my opinion we are more UN than under a constitution that is not upheld.  If we ever think about attacking DC we should think UN.

True words.