I think they are mired in the philosophy that everyone in the Army(service) is a soldier. As the world and military evolved, some of the soldiers needed specialized training but they were still a soldier and could be counted on to shoulder a rifle and hold off the Mongols storming the gates.
War doesn't work that way any more. Now the Mongols are tracked and attacked long before they even see the gates.
I know basic training is more about brain washing than soldiering, but in the real world war is more about brains and skills that physical condition for many of the players.
Yeah, the guys in the trenches have to be tough but the guys in the Pentagon or some far flung operations centers aren't crawling through the mud.
