Are you people kidding me?
Being prior-military, I know (many) military contractors in Iraq, Afghanistan and a vast number of US military installations world-wide (take Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar for instance
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...s-sayliyah.htm ) that make the kind of money most people on this forum can only dream of making. Most of whom do not have any post-secondary education, though it doesn't hurt, of course. The pool of applicants is significantly smaller (people who hold security clearances and military training and usually do not have a family) and there are additional hazards/BS to put up with (danger, being away from home, etc). It's still a handsomely paid gig, though.
Someone mentioned police officer, too. One of my best buddies from the Army is a Veterans Administration cop, and pulls in $67K a year. No degree. His main qualification was being an MP in the Army. My girlfriends dad is a police Sergeant in Austin and makes even more than that. Yes, to get promoted in LE, a degree helps and from what I understand is essentially required to Lieutenant, but the GI Bill for Veterans essentially eliminates the cost issue. There are what? Upwards of 600,000 cops in the US? So police officer isn't a "rare" job. You just have to deal with the BS.
The average US service-member (let's say E-5 or above) with entitlements/BAH, free health care, EASILY makes what would amount to 50K+ a year.
When I was in the Army, stationed at Ft. Benning, GA (got out in 2007), they were renovating our barracks so the post commander, Major General Ben Freakley at the time, had the outstanding idea of putting single Soldiers in on-post housing. I was 20/21 at the time and living in a 3 bedroom house on an Army base with one of my best friends. For free.
Deployed military Officers (Captain, Major and up) with benefits and tax-free income can easily make 100K+ a year. Not bad for someone with just a Bachelor's.
But yes, a college education, in addition to the above, for some overseas positions, is required (i.e. intel, UAV pilots, etc).
I'm NOT saying DON'T get a degree (I attend a traditional state 4-year, myself), but just saying, in some circles, experience trumps education, big time. I would be difficult, but not totally impossible.
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