Yeah, socialist hopes for getting the military on your side have only been successful when the material conditions were overwhelmingly terrible. If a troop or a vet tries to use their status as a troop or vet to make a point beyond possible tactics, if they try to excuse in any way being a stooge for the US Empire, they're not helpful or useful.

I know this maybe isn't "tactical", but if you were a troop you are irredeemable for your direct role in US Empire and will be going to hell unless you make an effort to genuinely try and help tear it back down. We won't be winning any troops on our side, might as well venerate the ones who care enough to help anyway.

Edit: This is however what I've gathered personally over time, I've not found any convincing literature that supports that troops or vets may help as a force for socialist revolution in the imperial core, and I'll happily be convinced with evidence or a properly backed piece of theory.