One of the reasons Hitler was able to dominate the German military was due to the military leaserhip’s reluctance to do the right thing and insist upon lawful conduct and compliance with the law of nations. One of the most courageeous acts is to standalone and risk personal disgrace for refusing to obey illegal orders. This is especially true when you may agree with the purpsoes of the military operations, but you must refuse illegal orders or sacrifice your personal and legal integrity.
Using the threat of assignment to a combat assignment as a means of intimidation and/or punishment is grossly illegal conduct under military law, and the person subjected to such an illegal order does have an extreme conflict between complying with the illegal order or permitting the illegal conduct to go unchallenged and unpunished.
How many people here would have the wisdom and the courage to stand in opposition to such an illegal act?
Actually, we were loaded with cowards who found every slimy way possible to avoid combat. "The most courageous act" is to volunteer to lead men in combat - as your training was designed to do - and not make someone else do it in your place.