I do have experience with the military, and my advice is to not join and take your punishment and go on with life, less than an ounce in Georgia is a misdemeanor according to NORML....at first you'll never be able to afford an apartment on your military salary unless you're married with kids or have a few roommates, not somewhere that you would feel safe growing anyway, and you sure as hell wouldnt want to start a garden in a roommate situation unless you are living with people you can trust, and I dougt all your good friends are gonna move to whatever shithole you'll be stationed at...random drug testing in the military you will not be able to avoid...and if you ever get convicted of a crime while serving you will do the whole sentence that is given to you, no getting out early for good behavior...DO NOT let the judge scare you into doing something as stupid as joining the military when (if you havent been in alot of trouble before) you will more than likely get probation anyways...spend your money on a lawyer and do not use a public pretender...
Besides, if you join up, you will probably be shipped off somewhere and be living in a tent in the desert somewhere, or sleeping on a boat/sub with a dude above you and below, and you'll be wishing you would have gone to jail.
I do think that the military has alot of really good benefits for someone who really wants to join and take advantage of the different programs that they offer, but if you are forced to join you'll more than likely hate every minute of it...just a few of my thoughts, good luck