The US military raised the standards around 1980. Before that, for instance, you didn't need a high school diploma to enlist. I haven't heard about the standards being lower than before, but then I haven't followed the recruiting regs since I was before I was discharged in 1971.

As for supporting you out there -- speaking as ex-Infantry, I'd rather have a high school dropout I can count on when the shit hits than a PhD who agonizes over shooting back.