Afterthought:
American soldierly discipline is not observed. Nobody salutes, uniforms are disheveled, boots are barely cleaned, posture is all over the place. My former Civil Air Patrol Cadets were superior on all counts.
But these folks are one thing: trained to kill the bad guys, and spare the rest.
And they bring their weapons to lunch. I'm impressed. It sounds like a wonderful adventure - that said, you're basically in a potential war zone so stay safe. And thanks for the update.
they have their priorities straight