I am going to speak as a dad and I am going to be blunt. I realize that college isnt for everyone or that college doesnt have to done today but can wait a couple years, but honestly most people would kill for a 4 year Rotc scholarship. AS others have said, it harder to get that than to get into the academy. To blow it on a chance that you will get to the academy by way of enlistment seems crazy to me. UHBlackhawk daughter did get in that way, but she at least did one semester one school and realized it wasnt for her. It is your life and you get to choose how to live it and accomplish your goals, but to me you choose the smart way of doing it. It isnt like going through ROTC to get into an academy is any less likely than doing it by enlisting.
You imply that any way other than yours is not a smart way of doing things and this is not the case.
I was there with my DD. We anguished when she informed us she was writing her congressman to say "Thanks but no thanks" on the USMA nomination, walking away from the beginning of a promising D1 sports career, turning down her ROTC scholarship to enlist. I would hardly call my DS who chose to enlist rather than applying to normal universities and ROTC as a backup"stupid" for doing so.
There are many paths in life to success. Some are easier than others, some make more sense than others. But to say people aren't smart for choosing your path is really degrading to some fantastic individuals.