I should put a pitch in for my friend Ken, who was in my (first) wedding party. He dropped out of college in the sixties and enlisted in the Army. Went from E-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. During that time, he went to Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, got his green beret, and served a combat tour in Viet Nam. Went to OCS, and went from O-1, 2, 3. Another tour in Viet Nam. The war ended, and he’s an officer without a college degree, so he gets cut. Went back to college, finishes, plus gets a master’s degree. (I think one or both degrees at Fordham.) Goes back in the Army, but his commission is gone, so he goes in with his reserve grade, which is E-6. Applies for his warrant, gets it, and goes from W-1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Retires out of the Pentagon. After he retired, he founded and ran a rehab program for military amputees.
I’ll also mention my friend Jim, who was an F-4 back-seater during Viet Nam. He was shot down over Laos, marched to Hanoi, and kept as a prisoner in the Hanoi Hilton for three years. John McCain was in the next cell, and Jim praises him for keeping the other prisoners’ morale high. After his release, Jim completed his Navy career, and retired as a commander. A very sweet and gentle man.