Combat and home defence are two completely different situations. In combat you have already been authorized the use of deadly force and it is essentially your mission. Home defence is a reactive situation with little time to determine the situation. As far the warning shot, it doesn't matter if you believe in them or not, depending on the situation and ROE's you MAY have to fire them or could face the consequences.
True, but doesn't really point toward less-lethal ammo being a good choice for HD. By employing a firearm in the defense of your home you have decided to employ lethal force; doing it with a bean bag round is doing it half-way and I don't see that fairing well in a courtroom. My point is if you have the fortitude to employ a weapon to defend yourself, your family, and your home-do it like you mean it instead of trying to employ something most people aren't trained to utilize.
With regard to ROEs that might be true for certain forces under certain commands, in the past decade with my experience it has never been mine. Escalation of force is one thing, warning shots are another. If the weapon is employed there is always the understanding that lethal forces is being employed. Maybe your experience is different, but mine in Afghanistan and Iraq was just that. I can't remember what Haiti was like...it was so benign as to be laughable after the past decade anyway.
