I agree with all said about Blade BUT if you have not experienced the compulsory military service I think all of you don't have the right to judge it.
Calling and giving someone the label of 'Coward' because he is trying to avoid military service is ridiculous.
In all the NON-mercenary countries EVERYBODY, and I mean EVERYBODY tries to avoid for a couple of years the compulsory military service (with university papers and other ways). When you are 18 and you just start your life you don't think about your country in case of war but for yourself (Which anyway, even if there was a war situation it is not the 18 yo who will save us).
Also when the years pass, the compulsory service reduces in months till in a couple of years will be replaced with mercenary only.
For me RWG1 and Blade are dead and I agree with most of your point BUT this.
P.S. In my country we HAVE compulsory military and I went in time when I was 18. BAD decision because if I had delayed it a couple of months instead of 18 months I would have done only 12.