I enjoy a good noble sacrifice tale, so I appreciated your work here on that level. I found the action hard to follow in parts - the descriptions are very dry and generic ('the squad' 'the elites'). More evocative language would better draw in your readers. You might also have engaged better with the theme - the story addresses more "strength vs. honor," or "strength vs. courage" rather than "strength vs. intelligence". I look forward to seeing more from you!