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This is actually difficult to quantify. I'm not sure we should "account for debt" in terms of service. It's like trying to measure who's more patriotic or who's more American. If you use military service as a measure, than many people who have lineage that goes far back but didn't serve or family didn't serve can't claim to be as American or patriotic then?
What if you're the cook or chaplain in the service? Do you have to serve in combat for it to count? What if you're in intel or the diplomatic coprs? What if you're the driver for Rumsfeld?
I think it's best to just "do" what you can do, in your capacity. Otherwise it's too hard to say who's "served" per se. I mean, what if you joined but never saw duty and instead went AWOL in the Texas Air National Guard and they "lost" your service record? The draft doesn't necessarily equalize things - the priviledged can still find ways to "duck service".
I just wanted to illustrate some of the challenges of this particular debate.
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