Comment Re:service academies? (Score 1) 766
I'm guessing that a lot of high school grads are attracted to the academies or ROTC because their educations are paid for.
I just graduated from one of the (US) service academies this past May. Most of the cadets/midshipmen at the academies join up because they want to serve their nation while at the same time looking for a high quality education. The people who come solely for the free education drop out pretty quickly when they experience military life first-hand. You learn very quickly the academy is not a normal college when you walk past the memorial wall and see a list of recent graduates who have fallen in combat.
I just graduated from one of the (US) service academies this past May. Most of the cadets/midshipmen at the academies join up because they want to serve their nation while at the same time looking for a high quality education. The people who come solely for the free education drop out pretty quickly when they experience military life first-hand. You learn very quickly the academy is not a normal college when you walk past the memorial wall and see a list of recent graduates who have fallen in combat.
