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I understand why he said it - he’s trying to promote the virtues of education, making a joke that these kids can relate to.

But is he right? And does he really believe what he said?

At the Pentagon, I knew a young airman who hailed from Southeast DC. If you aren’t familiar with Southeast, it’s arguably the most impoverished of the four quadrants, where the kids have the least hope of escaping the cycle of poverty and crime.

He was an exemplary young man who had escaped that cycle - with the help of the military. I had great respect for him and for the example he set for other young men and women who came from similar backgrounds.

Meanwhile, my own younger brother, who should have had the world by the tail, enlisted in the Marine Corps. He had laughed and joked his way through high school, graduating by the skin of his teeth. He didn’t expect my parents to subsidize him. Instead, he brought them enlistment papers for their signatures.

His IQ and his ambition didn’t match up in the traditional way. He served as a mechanic in the Marine Corps, and his jobs since leaving the military have all been geared toward his mechanical talents.

Neither of these young men wasted their talents or their intelligence by enlisting in the military. Military service is an admirable career path, whether it’s taken for four years or for thirty.

So the answer to the first question is no. John Kerry’s statement is not correct. Education and military service are not an either-or proposition.

But I do have to wonder if he and other civilian leaders - regardless of their political party - look down upon the enlisted troops. Most enlistees do not have a college degree. Some of them never will.

Military leaders, regardless of their rank, almost always hold their troops in high esteem. They recognize the individual contributions made by each and every one, and they realize that their success depends upon the performance of their troops.

Civilian leaders, especially politicians - regardless of party, seem to see people as a means to an end. Sure, they act as if they care. But just like that deadbeat relative who only calls to say hello at the beginning of December, civilian leaders are driven by election timetables.

Sadly, I do think Kerry really feels this way. I think that, deep down, many civilian leaders feel this way. That military service - especially in the enlisted ranks - is a lesser choice than pursuing a college education.

I know many bloggers feel this way. And it’s insulting, whether that’s the intent or not.

It takes all kinds to make a productive society, and everyone’s role is important - from the principal of the high school to the cafeteria worker slinging hash, from the visionary CEO to the entry-level programmer, from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the one-striper passing a wrench to his crew chief.

My father used to say, “The world needs ditch diggers too.” His intent was not to minimize the ditch diggers’ work, but to illustrate the integral nature of all types of work.

Senator Kerry, without that ditch digger, there would be no place to lay the cable that carries your message from the television studio to milions of American homes. Be careful who you disparage in an effort to convey your message.

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