You nailed it, but, “illegal orders” actually called “unlawful orders”. Soldiers and Sailors are only required to follow “lawful orders” not “moral orders”. The Patriot Act is The Law. Any person who is a conscientious objector to The Patriot Act would/should loose their job and clearance. The Edward Snowden case is simple: he betrayed the trust of all Americans when he broke his oath, and he deserves justice. There are proper checks and balances, and laws, that govern how constitutional violations should be reported and handled. Edward Snowden ignored all of these chose vigilanteism over the rule of law. He is no patriot.