The U.S. military is more educated than the population it serves, with most officers holding college degrees.
It's Memorial Day, when Americans take the day to honor the sacrifices of the military. The US military is often thought of as the "best and the brightest" - and the numbers definitely hold up on "brightest."
As a whole, the U.S. military is far better educated than the American population it defends. 82.8 percent of U.S. military officers in 2010 had at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 29.9 percent of the general population. 93.6 percent of enlisted soldiers had at least a high school diploma, compared to 59.5 percent of America.
See more about the increasingly professional military, and how it got that way, below in “What Do Others Say?” Then join our discussion thread: are you surprised by these figures? Do you know soldiers who have wowed you with their smarts?