Without committing to any position on the book itself (it's certainly an interesting Rorschach test), it is at least clearly stated that there are more than enough dangerous jobs available for non-combatant service to still involve risk of death. In the book this is presented as a mathematical balancing: power over the lives of others is granted only after demonstrating willingness to risk your life for others. You can find plenty of fault with that principle, but the book is at least pretty consistent on requiring it.
Either way, it does not suggest anything good about those making decisions.
And of course, many historical groups were willing to die and sacrifice themselves while being were bad news as leaders (ss, communists, isis, French revolution actors, ...). Hitler himself voluntered for WWI, Stalin fought as young soldier and ISIS is build on former combatants.
More importantly, willing to die does not imply responsibility by no definition of responsibility ever read. Responsibility typically means being accountable, blameable or taking care to make good decisions.
It is unlikely that pilots woild have significantly less army like training.
I am not sure why it is so important for you that active service does not vote. They are still in position of disproportionally bigger power in that society politics. Again, parallels with Germany back then come to mind. The system is strongly pushing people and training to them values that have little to do with representation of those who live there and are designed to bias selection certain way.