"I wouldn't expect that the college-graduate percentage would increase all that much. The time and deployment demands in the military would prevent getting a degree in the normal civilian time-frame."
You would be surprised how many do have college degrees. I picked 30-40 to emphasize career military. All officers have college degrees. Many senior NCOs do, too, now -- you don't get promoted as easily if you do not, and up-or-out applies to NCOs as well as officers.
In the 1990s I worked with soldiers from Fort Hood on computer stuff (I was the civilian consultant that -- as they put it -- flew in, made a lot of noise, ate their food, crapped all over, and few out again). I was amazed at how educated our military was -- even the enlisted and NCOs. It wasn't the 1970s Army I had known in ROTC.
"I was amazed at how educated our military was -- even the enlisted and NCOs."
What a ringing endorsement.....
I think you are correct in your estimation. Military benefits allow many soldiers to pursue or finish a degree somewhere down the line. Because they are "nontraditional" students they often take longer than the six years graduation rates are based on. Having encountered several military education programs, there probably is a higher proportion of degrees awarded to 25-35 year olds in the military or recent veterans than the general population. The data is there, it would be an interesting study...