rrpearso,
The prior military personnel that work on these platforms, usually crewed or maintained them. I'm no engineer, but I guarantee you I can dismantle and locate a fault within the hydrostatic transmission of an M3A2 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle controller, than someone who had his nose in a book for 4 years. We have practical experience. The military repairs 99% of all of its equipment in house. Civilians and a DA Civilian are two different things. So, clocking time in the military DOES in fact, make you more qualified to do work on those weapon systems. (Weapon system meaning an entire vehicle, aircraft, etc.) I sure as hell wouldn't trust some engineer to repair my Bradley, because he does not know what it does, how it works, what its service capabilities are, nor its combat override capabilities. We don't have mechanics and missile teams, turret, hull mechanics, just for show. They work on it because they know it.

My wife has been on vacation so I have not!

You answered my question quite well Cav, thanks.