2. Although I'm not sure we can even call his tower "ivory." Outside of the Air Force, an education from Air University and $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. His tower is more like those sofa cushion forts we all made as kids-"make believe."
After compulsory "corporate" education (SOS and ACSC), I'm a proponent of sending officers to civilian schools. The gained perspective is incredibly valuable for us and commingling with the civilian population might actually learn them somthin' too. In my experience, while school prestige doesn't equate to graduate competence, it does equate to credibility. The military maintains high confidence among civilians, but I have a feeling that it's slipping a bit-especially as funding for DoD programs is pitted against funding for entitlement programs.