User blog comment:TheShapeofThings/Collaboration- Konoha Genin Squad/@comment-25156300-20150128202318/@comment-25156300-20150129001829

That's what I thought, but it never came up, so I wasn't sure. I like it better like that, since it lets the characters go about their life like normal and only deal with the war through tension in the village and the specific missions dealing with it (and yes, them being genin in a war confused me too). It gives them a chance to have some character development before getting too involved in it.