When I enlisted at the age of 22, I was out of options. I had flunked out of two universities (I had been too immature to leave home) and had no chance to ever fund an education. I was the ultimate in wasted potential.
After four years in the Army, I went back to NC State University to get a degree in nuclear engineering using my GI Bill. I was married, and my wife made $14k that year. 5 years later, I graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree with a 3.9 GPA in my master's program.
18 years later, I am a senior director for strategy at a major software company, with as successful a career as I could have imagined. Without the GI Bill, this would never have been possible, and who knows where my life would have ended up. It is one of the reasons I remain a member of The American Legion - to ensure others have the opportunity I did.