My latest television obsession — the one that until this past weekend had consumed more than 20% of my DVR's capacity — is the PBS documentary "Carrier."  It's a fascinating 10-part series filmed aboard the USS Nimitz , a naval aircraft carrier, while on a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf in 2005.

To be honest, I've never had more than a passing interest in the military, but this smart, moving series hooked me from the beginning. What really resonated with me were the individual sailors' stories of how they came to be shipmates on the Nimitz:

• Many of them had joined the U.S. Navy  right out of high school — some had enlisted even earlier and went on to pursue their GEDs .

• One young woman had gone into a recruiting office to support a friend and ended up enlisting herself!

• Several of the officers and pilots were from career military families, had attended the U.S. Naval Academy , and couldn't imagine any other lifestyle.

• More often that not, though, the sailors had turned to the military to escape something — bad neighborhoods, abusive family situations, drugs and alcohol. They couldn't afford to go to school but didn't want to end up like their parents, siblings, or friends, either. So they'd consciously chosen a different path.

Here on the Student LoanDown blog, we spend most of our time discussing how to finance education and manage debt, but we also know it's not the right course for everyone. There are other ways to pursue meaningful careers and/or funding for college, and military service is one of those options.

Even if the young men and women featured in "Carrier" choose not to use their GI Bill benefits , they've certainly received an education aboard the Nimitz. And in just 10 short hours of TV time, I did, too.

Editor's note: The Student LoanDown team is taking the next few days off to celebrate Memorial Day  weekend and honor the men and women who have died in military service to our country. We'll be back on May 27.