There really is a simple solution to the seeming conundrum presented by the "upgrading soldiers" portion of this thread:

The next time a person who likes to see soldiers upgraded is at an airport, approach the podium, whip out your ... wallet, and tell the GA that you would like to pay the fare difference to upgrade any and all uniformed active military members, up to the number of open seats available in the premium cabin.

This accomplishes the following:

• The military members are happy, because they get to ride in the front
• The gate agent is happy, because she/he does not need to worry about issuing last-second upgrades
• The airline bean counters are ecstatic, as they have gained revenue they would not otherwise have made
• The person paying out-of-pocket is happy, with warm-and-fuzzy feelings inside
• The elite passengers, while disappointed over missing an upgrade, are nonetheless satisfied that the airline followed the rules and that there were simply no empty seats left after all eligible revenue pax had been accommodated

Yes, it really is that simple