>the military lets nearly anyone in, as long as they have a
>GED and are not too fat, short, or have too many blemishes on
>their criminal record

not quite that simple. if you have a GED, you still have to score higher on the ASVAB as a baseline to entry than if you have a HS degree, and regardless, your score and the needs of the Army determine placement within the organization as whole. also, no tattoos below the forearm or knee, which *should* be another issue, but all things considered it's made recruiting exceedingly difficult over the last few years.