I played for a few years when i was in the Army and had lots of time to do nothing while stationed at Ft Drum during the frigid winters.
Its best if you have a friend or teacher.. but if you dont have that available to you, I recommend Doug Marks. He looks a little goofy, but he plays very well and has a good teaching method on his videos. He'll have you playing pretty good within 3 months if you practice daily, and within 6 months your non-playing friends will think you're a guitar god.
http://www.metalmethod.com/