You have to assume that he, his family and the Army are all happy about him deploying - it's not as if the possibility should come as a shock to any of them, so if they're bothered, why did they let him join? Anyone who expects the media to keep shtum about it is living in a nice little world, it's just a pity it's not the real one.
pba_target - Assuming you have some, I take it you would include your own kids in your sweeping generalisation regarding HW being significantly better behaved than most of the country's youth today. Personally, I am quite happy about the behaviour of my kids and their friends, which is significantly better than this young man's.
eagle_86 - What's the point of the jibe about republicans? I'm a republican and proud of it. I see my joining up oath as not very different to my marriage vows (the Queen part of the former and the God part of the latter I mean) - necessary to say under the circumstances, but essentially meaningless. You can be a serviceman and a republican at the same time, it doesn't make you any less effective.
MSJ