How could they have joined at 18 and gone to college? Are you officially “in the military” when you join ROTC? Not taking anything away from them, but I don’t see how this works?
They most likely enlisted and took college courses by correspondence to earn their degrees and then attended Officer Candidate School. I did see a reference to “basic training”, and officers don’t go to basic. Also, they have 8 years and are just pinning on Captain. They have to have prior enlisted time, because you pin on Capt after 4 years as an officer (in the Air Force, that is—I think that Army guys can pin on in 3 years).