All 4 branches are definitely unique. I read 100% of Air Force vets have college degrees? Did they mandate courses for promotion or something? We had U of Maryland on base when i was at Subic but my job didn't allow me to go but every other week. One guy tried but the class' fell between guard shifts and he didn't get any sleep. Pulling a 1000-1400 post, then going to class for 4 hours and then pulling the 2200-0400 shift with about 2-3 hours sleep? No way.
I got my 1st degree while in the Army.
Believe it or not, my command encouraged it. When it was time to be at class, that was my duty station for that time. The only time that wasn't the case was when we went to the field. I had to play catch up, but I managed it.
I was lucky enough to be in a relatively peace time Army. There were a few hiccups, Desert Shield/Storm, a deployment to Kosovo, a year in S. Korea all before 9/11.
I was enlisted, but when I earned my Associates degree, the officers acted a little different towards me. By the time I earned my 1st BA they really had an attitude change.
All of that was covered by Army Continuing Education and didn't effect my GI Bill.
It's funny that you mention U of Maryland, when I was in Korea, that was the university that I got a bunch of my gen-ed classes from.
The Army was good to me, I took advantage of everything that was available and I won't apologize for that.
I can't get close to being upset if I don't get some freebie, I got everyone the Army offered when I could.