Marsea,
I'll admit that I throw grenades into discussions, but at least they are usually on topic and include specific examples to support my point of view.
As far as your specific points are concerned, I will address them bullet by bullet:
1. - Certain functions of the military lend themselves to profit or at least less cost (depot level mx, etc) and are actually forced to compete against outside bids. On the whole, as was already said, while certainly what I would consider wasteful at times, they fulfill their mission as well as any other in the world if not better.
2. There are customers, although they may not interact with them on a personal basis. In that regard, they are like some companies and unlike others. For example; I've never interacted with Toshiba, but I am sure they considers themselves as having customers.
3. Go into Afghan and Iraq and see if there is a lack of competition. I'd go so far as to say that there are many in the military (SF etc) that are better at what they do than you are at what you do.
4. As of yet, they haven't forced the citizens of the the nation they defend to do anything against their will - I wouldn't say the same about nearly any other military on the planet.
5. Are you implying that EVERYONE in the military is there because they can't get out?
6. I would hope so, because if they are the first, the rest won't last anyway. And neither will we. Those COEXIST bumper stickers don't keep bad things from happening to us all by themselves.
7. How do you value a military, and how does true leadership relate to value? Despite what you may think, without the military we wouldn't be enjoying the lives we enjoy - how do you value something that's priceless?
Let me just say that, while you may have come close to some concerns that exist amongst those in our military, I would consider that was due to shear coincidence. When you have more specific examples illustrating concerns you may have, and are ready to articulate how they relate to this topic, I am sure we will all be ready to listen.