"I was just following orders" is not a legal excuse.

[viva la]

3. However, "That is an illegal order and it's my duty to refuse it,"

will not be allowed with enlisted service members, even with officers. The lower ranks will probably be court-martialed, and the higher ranks will be fired or forced into retirement.

What happened to the admiral who (apparently) on legal advice refused to go through with the bombing of yet another fishing boat? Fired/retired.
I wonder what happened to the JAG officer who told the ship captain that the order was illegal.

The generals and admirals should be standing up LOUDLY and saying, "This is illegal. We will not give these orders."

Otherwise they are committing crimes by ordering others to do these illegal acts.
No quiet retirement and fading out and collecting the pension. Stand up and be public!