Can someone please explain this to me

The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer reports the story of a Quaker who was serving with the 82nd Airborne Division and when they were scheduled to be sent to Iraq, deserted to Canada.

Jeremy Hinzman joined the Army in January 2001, and although he did not like the idea he might have to shoot somebody (he did join the Army, that is what Armies generally do, kill the enemy) but he did like the benefits he received in the Army. As the story says:

"The socialist structure of the military appealed to him, he said. He liked the subsidized housing and groceries and, at the end of his service, the money for college."

He did serve in Afghanistan in a non combat role and did apply for a discharge as a conscientious objector, but that application was still pending when he went AWOL.

Now if anyone could please explain the following to me, I would really appreciate it.
1. If a person does not think killing another person is ever a good idea, WHY WOULD THAT PERSON ENLIST IN THE ARMY?? If there was a draft on, I might be more understanding, but he JOINED the Army.
2. Why was it OK for Hinzman to enlist, accept the benefits of military service, but when called upon to do what he signed up for it was suddenly ok to run away?

Personally, I hope Canada does grant Hinzman refugee status and hope the US will strip him of his citizenship. He joined the Army looking for freebees and ran when the Army asked him to do what it spent time and money training him to do. May Hinzman enjoy a long life outside the US and may he never be allowed to come back.