Servicemen who could be spared (6)
I believe the answer is:
padres
'servicemen' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'could be spared' is the wordplay.
'could be' is an anagram indicator.
'spared' with letters rearranged gives 'PADRES'.
'who' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for padres that I've seen before include "Fathers" , "Spared by clerics" , "Army chaplains" , "Spread (anag.)" , "Spared as military clergy" .)