Would a JW be disfellowshipped if they join a military (and are unrepentant about it)? On my reading of a Anton Gill's 1989 book "The journey back from hell", he speaks briefly about JWs in the concentration camps. According to Gill, one of the issues the Nazis had with this group was their unwillingness to do military service.

Videos like this and this by Amnesty International indicates that they still rather suffer the consequences of prison and difficulties in finding employment than do military service, at least in South Korea.

What would the consequences be for a Jehovah's Witness, from their religious organization, if they join a military? Would the person be excommunicated or disfellowshipped if this is found out?

(In case it makes a difference, I am asking about a scenario where the person is unrepentant.)
For one of Jehovah's Witnesses to be disfellowshipped, there must be evidence of two things:

They have committed a serious sin (1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Gal. 5:19-21)
They are unrepentant about it (Acts 26:20; Deut. 21:20, 21)

In the case of joining the military, the person would be putting themselves in a situation where they're much more likely to commit the serious sin of manslaughter or even murder, as well as the serious sins of &quot;hostility,&quot; &quot;brazen conduct,&quot; or &quot;strife.&quot;
However, there's a much bigger issue with joining the military. It's a direct violation of the vow which all Jehovah's Witnesses make before baptism to give exclusive devotion to God's Kingdom (Deut. 6:15), not any of mankind's kingdoms. (Luke 4:5-8)
A person who chooses to join the military would be betraying God's Kingdom, and therefore it would be a resignation as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This person would be considered &quot;disassociated&quot; rather than disfellowshipped, and at this point must be shunned by the congregation for the benefit of everyone. (1 Cor. 5:11; 1 John 2:19)
The reason that joining the military is such a big issue is because the military has objectives that are contrary to Bible teachings. These are the Bible teachings which apply most:

John 17:16 (NWT)
They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.



Isaiah 2:4 (NWT)
4 He will render judgment among the nations
And set matters straight respecting many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning shears.
Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
Nor will they learn war anymore.



Revelation 19:17-21 (NWT)
17 I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of military commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them, and the flesh of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.”
19 And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. 20 And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. 21 But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.