I'm still not comfortable with that idea at all. Military is not all about discipline. They will train you as a weapon of war so I'm not comfortable about it at all. Training ex-convict how to kill, blow up, etc. Instead - how about Civil Engineer program - construction?
That's a good thought too, there are other jobs besides front line.
Some might even be able to get into technical fields, if they have a talent for it... though I don't know if that would be accepted very well by peers.