Question about life after the military?

Specifically, I've got a question about how certain veterans should fill out their resume. So, yes I spent five years in the Marine Corps and got out with an honorable discharge because Jacksonville, NC sux and I am saying that as someone who is from the Asheville, NC area in western NC. Anyway, so when I got out I tried to get on with a defense contractor and was politely told that I wasn't qualified due to the fact that I do not already possess a college education/four year degree. So I am currently almost finished with my four year degree and should graduate next year. To get to the point, I do not want to put United States Marine Corps on my resume. With that said, I was wondering if I could legally/instead put United States Department of Defense as my employer since the Marine Corps is in fact a component of the DoD? I have read SEVERAL news articles that state that the average veteran unemployment rate for my age bracket is roughly 34%. Also, the first thing that alot of civilian employers think of when someone puts United States Army or United States Marine Corps on their resume is a violent/non-stable bullet sponge or trigger puller. This is exactly what I am trying to avoid when I graduate from college. Not to be disrespectful or anything, but I kind of regret ever going into the Marine Corps as it seems like this hasn't been worth the trouble with respect to this so called "transitioning to civilian life" or lack thereof in my case.