The Military Career

Someone wanted more text, so:
here's my take on soldiers (American Military)- I know the two ends of the career very well.
I've worked with veterans (from their 30's up to their 60's in age) and universally they all seem a little weird. Not bad weird, but more like they seem more qualified than what they end up doing:

examples:

1. ex-Navy codebreaker- speaks Filipino, understands Arabic, and was given a medal from Pres. Reagan himself for breaking a code that hadn't been broken for decades. (Incidentally the U.S. is not "supposed" to spy on their host "friendly" nations but....)Now the guy in his 30's is living out of a car (trying to rent in a trailer park, and working for $8 an hour. There is nothing wrong with the guy physically or mentally- he tried working at CIA and they rejected him (The guy was trained as a CODEBREAKER in a FOREIGN LANGUAGE!)

2. former CIA (not military strictly) now working as security guard ($10 an hour)but seems very knowledgable in security procedures involving large gatherings, crowds, terrorism etc. (Ok, maybe he is bullshitting some, but there are more...)

3 and 4 - Both former airforce in their 30's - worked with sophisticated computer systems- now earning $8 an hour.

Now the other side of the spectrum, is high school kids going Marines, Army, etc. I teach them at different high schools and they all think the military is going to "make me a hero"-(their words not mine) and whats best... several have said to the effect "Maybe I'll go to Iraq and then just for a few months."
Are the ex-military personal I know having trouble being successful after the military, having trouble because of their service, or were they sort of preordained to be unsuccessful despite the military service?

Rant over
Alright on with the comic strips....

p.s.
Thanks for the comment or two I'm getting.
It inspires me to get off my ass and make the strip when I know people are reading these....so if you want more, just let me know. (They're free btw.)
Also...if I made a book of maybe 100...or 200... would anyone buy it?
Just feedback questions.....on to the daily/weekly/whenever strip?