On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:33:11 -0800, Jim Stewart
wrote:

The military is having a hard time attracting
enough smart and educated recruits. This is not
meant to disparage our troops, but OTOH, there's
not a lot of kids going into the military to learn
a civilian trade any more.
===============
Another factoid that is not widely known.

At one time the U.S. military was the worlds largest trade school
and many of the machinists, welders, riggers, electronics techs,
etc. that kept America running, learned their trade and got their
start in the trade there.

It should be noted that the draft was in effect at that time and
if you were male you either went to college or went in the
military. Either way you learned something.