Similarly, Ford's and Carter's military service didn't seem to enable them to connect with enough people to govern from a position of strength.
He didn't say it helped them connect with people. He said it seemed to instill a sense of purpose. While I think that can be true, I still think it's much more important that the people sending troops into harm's way feel a personal stake in the outcome. Sons and daughters, friends and neighbors in the military gives you a different outlook.

That's one reason I like the tradtion in the British royal family of military service. I don't know how much those assignments are for real, and how much for show, but they lead to friendships. There's a difference between "send the 4th Regiment" and "send Stephen's regiment".