As x-military (and served in the gulfwar) i think i have ground to say that military don’t want to be shot at... but understand that its possible we will be ordered into dangerous situations and put in harms way.

If you join the coast guard or a rescue team... you KNOW you will be out there rescuing people in inclement weather and crazy conditions so the argument that we put them at risk, as a reason to wear a pfd is weak.

That being said.... those guys in the Coast Guard who go out and do rescue ops are CRAZY! (but thank god for them).