Actually I don't think so, and I'm also a veteran.
The winner is most often the person more inclined to inflict damage on the other combatant. The idea that you are worried about hitting and being hit means you are still operating in some sort of a rules-based sphere. This is why martial-arts isn't really taught to soldiers beyond a few "look how you can do this" training sessions.
The ultimate combatant is the person that sees the weapon within arms reach that will end the fight - permanently. Most people never achieve this level of death dealing, because it's a really, really abnormal way to operate.
One of my teachers was in the French Foreign Legion and he told me that in a fight one should aim to inflict maximum pain and damage as fast as possible.
Needless to say, my classwork improved after that conversation. I jest, but he was quite intense.
> The winner is most often the person more inclined to inflict damage on the other combatant.
I cannot stress enough how true this is. The person willing to take it the farthest, up to and including killing you, is the person that will win that fight.
You are assuming an awful lot about me based on a few words and also have a very limited view of the martial arts. Some martial arts are for show, some are for fitness, some are for sport, and some are for inflicting the most damage in as little time as possible. What you end up learning has more to do with the philosophy of the instructor and studio than the style you chose to study. My instructor is also a combat veteran. I study american kenpo under him. The system is one of the more violent martial arts. TDK has the reputation of being the McDonalds of the martial arts, belt factories where you just show up once a week, pay your dues, and walk out with a black belt after a year and a half. Even still, I am sure there the some hardcore TDK studios out there.
As for martial arts not being taught to soldiers, what do you call Krav?
The winner is most often the person more inclined to inflict damage on the other combatant. The idea that you are worried about hitting and being hit means you are still operating in some sort of a rules-based sphere. This is why martial-arts isn't really taught to soldiers beyond a few "look how you can do this" training sessions.
The ultimate combatant is the person that sees the weapon within arms reach that will end the fight - permanently. Most people never achieve this level of death dealing, because it's a really, really abnormal way to operate.