But there is a lot of training and indoctrination that goes with the uniform. The military lifestyle has affected a lot of people, both for good and ill. And think Senator McCain and President Carter are two people whose lives have been shaped by the military.
There was a book by a Navy pilot, Shane Osborn, whose job was to fly an electronic propeller-driven spyplane near China on April Fool's Day,
2001. A Chinese J-8 airplane hit the wing of the aircraft. The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a Chinese island. The captain of the plane and his crew were taken captive by the enemy. Reading this book (_Born_to_Fly:_The_Untold_Story_of_the_Downed_American_Reconnaissance_Plane_) gives and idea of the Navy way of doing things.Actually, that was my dad's job during WWII (and anyone else's who could type). He was drafted in April, 1945. He was temporarily reassigned to Fort Wheeler, where his job was to help process discharge papers for our troops, I think mostly in Europe.
He never needed to go overseas himself.