- Guaranteed housing—including for your spouse and kids.
- Healthcare for same.
- Free college education.
The pay sucks, but the benefits are pretty damn good. I do think universal healthcare and free public university would take a big bite out of military recruitment rates.
The US made a very strong go, initially, at not doing that, with a cadre-style Army reliant on militia mobilization for significant action (and a somewhat similar situation for internal security).
The whole security forces as a separate caste with interests divorced from the population thing was something the founders were aware of and concerned about.
Granted I went to basic training over two decades ago. Maybe the Post 9/11 GI Bill is different? But I doubt it. What I've heard from fellow veterans is it's better in so many ways. Apparently I'm even eligible for a year of its use even though I depleted my original GI Bill (with kicker).
The most difficult part for most people is staying in school, which is made significantly easier by not having to pay for it.
Which part of capitalism causes the government to scam the state funded military. There doesn't appear to be any private ownership of capital involved at all.