When I was in Iraq, my IA battalion was transferred from Diyala to Al Anbar (this was after we were transferred from Al Anbar to Diyala but before we were transferred from Al Anbar to Diyala). En route, we were ambushed at night by a group of insurgents who had stationed themselves in an apartment complex with numerous lights that shined in the direction of the road, washing out our NVGs. I had one Lance Corporal (gunning) who had the presence of mind to forego his .50 cal and use his M4 to engage targets so as to pose less of a risk to any civilians in the apartments and another Lance Corporal who refused to return fire at all for the same reason. Meanwhile, a lieutenant who was gunning in another vehicle lit the apartment complex up with his M240.

Sometimes doing nothing is the right thing, and going for blood is the wrong thing. We should reward doing the right thing, whether that is charging an enemy machine gun nest or refusing to let the enemy bait you into harming innocents.