How is it a short cut to be enlisted in the USAF, have completed all your advanced training, know the airplane inside and out, and still go become an FAA certificated commercial pilot in all that free time you don’t have? This compared to some rich kid who went to college on daddy’s money to get a degree in history or art, likely able to graduate easily while attending class half time with a hangover, but this kid is more qualified and determined simply because he has a butter-bar on his uniform? A piece of paper from a University means nothing when it comes to pilot aptitude or dedication. It’s a pay-wall, pure and simple.
Furthermore, the flight ops cadets I knew in ROTC graduated with a commercial license and all sorts of other ratings. This was their degree to earn their commission. Guess what? They got to skip basic flight because they already had proficiency in flight. So clearly the military already allows this, but still requires a useless receipt saying you paid your way into a commision.