Nothing is better than a career as an officer, whatever the colour of the uniform.
The PoW unfortunately has another career. One in which actions are too often insulated from consequences - yet promotion is guaranteed. Any who mumble dissent can be intimidated into silence - and the others will be enchanted that he knows how to play Moriarty.
Along the way, he can depend on the reflex, benign deference of all those who have taken an oath to serve his family. Including any unfortunate P1, I suspect.
Those aren't the ideals I joined to defend. What price loyalty?