Only problem I have with this assertion - that the military is a microcosm of the general population as a whole - is that I can think of a number of arenas where that just isn't so.
You and I both know of liberal leaning servicemen and former servicemen; we can name off a few examples from the other forum. But the fact that we can identify the ones we know BY NAME should tell us that theses guys aren't as common as some would like us to believe.
It has been shown time and again that the average troop on the ground is educated head and shoulders above the sheeple he protects and serves. High school drop-outs are statistically insignificant to the point of being damned near unheard of. The percentage of graduate degrees in the hands of the average enlisted personnel is staggering compared to the general civillian population, to say nothing of the undergraduate degrees among that body. Moreover, those degrees are usually not the regurgitated leftist pablum of a modern Liberal Arts degree; your average serviceman with a degree chose a course of study with tangible skills sets and a defined milestones for achievement. He or she can critically think circles around even frocked snow-job artists like Ward Churchill and his kind of educated idiot any day of the week.
I'm just guessing here (perhaps MudPuppy could enlighten us in this regard) but I'd offer odds that the crime rates inside the military don't even register compared to those out here in the sheeple's flock.
While the caliber of servicemen and women has certainly gotten better since even my day (onset of the volunteer Army), we're still talking about young people with young people's wants, desires, attitudes, and even education.
Depending on the needs of the services at the time, standards for entry change -- becoming more restrictive when economic times are tough and there isn't as much competition, and loosening up when economic times are good and recruiting falls off. So speaking in generalities here and knowing there are exceptions to every rule, we're still looking at young people entering military service.
from what I've seen both in uniform and on the block (20 years active, more than 14 as a retiree but working in civilian companies with NO affiliation to the military), most young people don't have a clue about their own political leanings -- they're merely parroting what they've heard Mommy and Daddy espouse. Later in life most of the military -- not all -- become a little more interested in news, political events, and the world around them. And yes, many of these lean a bit more right than left.
THESE are the ones that you are speaking of -- not necessarily the majority.
While blogging and other forms of internet-based activities are relatively new to the military (Al Gore hadn't invented the internet until the last couple-three years of my own career, back when a 3200 baud modem was a screamer), and there are certainly more military out there blogging and participating in forums than I've seen, my point stands:
Servicemen and servicewomen entering military service are, for the most part, a microcosm of the general public. Political opinions, educational level, values, morals, and other stuff is going to be about the same. Perhaps I should modify my original post - I was actually thinking of younger folks than those old grizzled warhorses that most definitely sing a conservative tune. THOSE folks are definitely not a microcosm of the general population and with that distinction, I agree with you.
I don't know what the percentage is currently on high school diplomas or GEDs, but all of that is generally immaterial to my point.
Civilians enter military service. Some stay in, most get out. General political leanings of those who enter are going to be reflective of the population at large.
For those who stay in, many form more conservative views that are common to the military.
As to where these highly educated enlisted have gotten their education, away from the liberal arts pablum that you're claiming, I'm afraid you'll have to pony up some data on that. While I'm sure there are some demographic data on that somewhere, I'm not entirely sure that your point is valid on that.
Further, in a relatively tightly controlled environment such as the military, the "crime rate" as such cannot compare with a rather loose civilian society. Even still, I'm sure Mudpuppy can confirm that she's seen plenty of criminal activity instigated by those wearing the uniform. As to how it compares, I don't know -- but I do know it's like comparing apples to oranges.
