Some have argued that jobs in the private sector have inflated degree requirements. Now, a junior officer argues in the Wall Street Journal that "a college degree in 2015 no longer signals—let alone guarantees—much of anything." And, therefore, the military should no longer require college degrees for officers. I do not find his arguments convincing.

Also, the statistics he cites likely include warrant officers which drives the percent of officers with bachelor's degrees down to 83 percent. Only by exception may a officer without a bachelor's degree hold a commission. In the Air Force, which no longer has warrant officers, all commissioned officers hold at least a bachelor's degree and nearly 60 percent hold a graduate or professional degree. And, through promotion incentives and tuition assistance, 10 percent of the enlisted population hold at least a bachelor's degree and another 24 percent have an associate's degree.