I've been away for a week and just catching up.
It can also depend on the service doctrine. I know during recent conflicts, US Army protocol to a convoy ambush was to break through and get clear, while the USMC standard response was to dismount and go kill the enemy.
There's two types of blunt training weapons used in kendo - shinai (made of bamboo) and bokken (made of wood). From experience, shinai hurt less - there's isn't that much difference between a solid piece of wood carved into a sword shape compared to a solid piece of wood shaped like a staff as both can be lethal when used appropriately.