Joe Haldeman was a combat engineer in Vietnam. In what ways does his real-life military experience inform his narrative? How might the story have been different without that lived experience?

From the beginning, Mandella’s platoon is informed of the dangers of battle in deep space (as well as the simple act of survival there). On Charon, soldiers die doing the most mundane activities, like walking in a battle-ready armored suit. What are some ways the enlisted men and women cope with their fear of death?

Sexual relations among the recruits are not only encouraged but mandated. What reasons might the military have for encouraging this behavior when it runs counter to current military codes of conduct? What is the relationship between sex and death?