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Comment by lordleft | Hacker News Reader

Studying with veterans is an incredible experience. I'm lucky that my school (Columbia) has a very large undergraduate vet population. It adds a dimension of experiential diversity that many colleges fail to capture, and makes real what are normally distant and easy to abstract away geopolitical decisions, like deploying troops in Afghanistan. I hope more universities follow Yale and Columbia in creating spaces for returning serviceman to integrate into collegiate life - it's good for all of us.

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I totally agree.

I'm a graduate of Columbia's School of General Studies, alongside many veterans and other non-traditional students. I'm not a veteran, but I had many friends that had served. We had classes with younger students from Columbia College and Barnard and I felt like we brought a different perspective to the classes. I learned a lot from my fellow classmates and I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity.

Also hiring. I worked with an ex Army Ranger who was by far the best leader I've seen.

I have an ex ranger on my team who is the most sexist, pompous, self important asshole I’ve ever met. By far the best bloviator and derailer of projects I’ve seen.

Ex ranger...

While I didn't serve, I did grow up with and had close family and friends that were part of navy, army and air force special forces.

The clown you describe does not last long in special forces unless he's a modern day Audie Murphy, Roy Benavidez or Chesty Puller.

Going into the military before you go to college seems to be a very common thing in the US.

In the UK you'd either do college (university) first, or you wouldn't be planning on doing it at all. Some people do in-service degrees but I don't think it's common for large number of people to do a normal undergraduate degree after a military career.

This is because of the G.I. Bill, wherein the government will pay for your education if you serve in the military. This makes service a viable alternative for paying to college, as opposed to loans or coming from a rich family.

As a result many Americans join the military with their primary intention being to go to school after they complete their service. I believe 4 years is required for the G.I. Bill, but I could be incorrect.

Ah I thought that bill ended in the 50s but it must still be going.

> The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, but the term "G.I. Bill" is still used to refer to programs created to assist U.S. military veterans.[1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Bill

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