I'd very much like it to be returned to the educational powerhouse it once was.

I just don't see your point with this. Are you referring to the WWII military featuring drafted men from all walks of life into a segregated military? My great-grandad as a minority came out just as poor and uneducated as he was when he was taken in. Or Vietnam which was also a non-volunteer war? My great-uncle went right back to the ghetto after he was drafted into the army for Vietnam. When were these glory days? There are even more technical jobs in the military since those days. What other type of employment in this country takes an 18 year old and trains them in technical disciplines with pay, food, and housing? Just search all the jobs in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard and see what kinds of training is available to those who enlist.

I believe our government attracts and exploits the uneducated and naive and it's a damn shame.

You lack proof of this. I can tell you from being enlisted that many upper level non-commissioned officers that I've seen had to earn college degrees in order to get their rank. They system in the army is set up for soldiers to have to earn points in order to reach higher ranks. Civilian education has a significant contribution to these points.

They create a dependency and do the same with the people on welfare and also with the amount of unrehabilitated prisoners we have.

So you're calling the military a welfare system? Wow. So are you saying that military personnel do not work and sacrifice for what they earn in benefits? The post-war military of today has faced many cutbacks and many enlisted personnel and officers who do not perform to standard often find themselves unable to re-enlist and thus forced into the civilian world to find employment. My contract ends in a few years and I've been told that I would be practically forced to stay in reserve service (like most other people I've heard of) unless I learn an obscure language or some very high in demand technical skill. I went to basic training with Navy vets who left Navy active duty to go to Army reserves due to a re-enlistment difficulties. The military is not a damn welfare program. It does not give two shits if personnel cannot secure employment on the outside. At this time, it is looking for the best possible choice of American young people to enlist into active duty and booting older experienced personnel who earn more pay out. This is why older NCOs constantly lecture young junior enlisted personnel to get their education as it is paid for.