text: Several characters in this profession, including Crack, Dime, and the protagonist, discuss a film deal with Norman Oglesby and participate in a show with Destiny's Child at a Cowboys game in Ben Fountain's novel Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.
full_question: Several characters in this profession, including Crack, Dime, and the protagonist, discuss a film deal with Norman Oglesby and participate in a show with Destiny's Child at a Cowboys game in Ben Fountain's novel Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. One character in this profession likes to suck on a white pebble from New Jersey sent to him by Martha and was a companion of Ted Lavender. Henry Dobbins, Curt Lemon, and (*) Rat Kiley are people of this profession who appear in a short story collection whose namesake story is titled for objects like comic books, love letters, flak jackets, and jungle boots. For 10 points, name this profession of Jimmy Cross, the protagonist of Tim O'Brien's short story "The Things They Carried".
first_sentence: Several characters in this profession, including Crack, Dime, and the protagonist, discuss a film deal with Norman Oglesby and participate in a show with Destiny's Child at a Cowboys game in Ben Fountain's novel Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.
raw_answer: soldiers [or American soldiers; or troops; or infantrymen; or servicemen; or Marines; or military employees]