Who serves in the military?

[longknife]

Peter Robinson at Ricochet directs attention to a study by the Heritage Foundation of military enlistment to population ratios by region. It tells us that, generally speaking, folks from Red States are much more inclined to serve in the military than folks from Blue States.

The most over-represented region consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The most under-represented region is the Northeast from Pennsylvania upwards.

The Mountain West — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico — is over-represented. So is Southeast.

Read more of this interesting piece @ Who serves in the military? | Power Line

And the study shows that the majority of volunteers ARE NOT from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds!!! One of the things that worried me with the end of the Draft was the military turning into bands of mercenaries from the disadvantaged of the nation. I'm so happy and proud to see that is far from what happened.

 

[Bloodrock44]

Peter Robinson at Ricochet directs attention to a study by the Heritage Foundation of military enlistment to population ratios by region. It tells us that, generally speaking, folks from Red States are much more inclined to serve in the military than folks from Blue States.

The most over-represented region consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The most under-represented region is the Northeast from Pennsylvania upwards.

The Mountain West — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico — is over-represented. So is Southeast.

Read more of this interesting piece @ Who serves in the military? | Power Line

And the study shows that the majority of volunteers ARE NOT from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds!!! One of the things that worried me with the end of the Draft was the military turning into bands of mercenaries from the disadvantaged of the nation. I'm so happy and proud to see that is far from what happened.

There is one man responsible for our military today and that is Ronald Reagan and I'll tell you why. I enlisted in the infantry in 1981. Graduated OSUT and was sent to Germany where I served 2 years with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in a combat support platoon. When I got there they put me in a 4 man room with 6 men in it. They were having a party. Men were smoking dope, snorting dope and one was sticking a needle in his arm. I thought OMG what have I gotten into. These were surely the dregs of society. Shortly afterwards Reagan changed policy. He instituted drug testing and required that you have a high school diploma to enlist. After our first drug test, 30 men in my troop tested positive and were discharged. After 2 years in Germany I was sent to Ft. Benning. As men were being discharged for drugs, their replacements started coming in. You could immediately see the difference in the quality. Kids with HS diplomas were replacing them. Intelligent and patriotic. In 1989 I was placed on recruiting duty. I stayed in recruiting for 7 years. The majority of recruits were from middle class and upper middle class homes. I can testify that our troops who fought the Gulf War were the highest quality troops in our nations history.

 

[MHunterB]

In 1974 when the husband (drafted 2 years earlier, was in the Reserves) went into active duty, the Army was BOASTING that they'd recently achieved 50% of enlisted people with 'high school diplomas or equivalent'.

Since he and I had our degrees, we were rather like fish out of water in enlisted circles back then. As time went by, we - well, he! - did indeed notice an increase in the quality of enlisted personnel.

As an aside - some of the troops most likely to take advantage of the Army's continuing education programs were those from 'dirt-poor' backgrounds, of all different ethnicities. I met any number of enlisted wives who had formulated a plan with their husbands to advance his education via some time in the military: they knew they'd have a pretty Spartan lifestyle for a few years, but the opportunities are unparalleled. And yes, they wanted to do something to show their love for this nation.

My husband the art school draftee left the military as a CSM with over 30 years' service. He's about to acquire a Masters in Education, just because he wanted one. His family background includes two Phi Beta Kappa parents and rights to membership in the Mayflower Society and the CAR (DAR auxiliary)....

The thing is, he's not all that atypical of the military personnel we encountered over those three decades.

Our son is now contemplating having the Navy pay his way through school - medical school. I couldn't be happier.

 

[Bloodrock44]

In 1974 when the husband (drafted 2 years earlier, was in the Reserves) went into active duty, the Army was BOASTING that they'd recently achieved 50% of enlisted people with 'high school diplomas or equivalent'.

Since he and I had our degrees, we were rather like fish out of water in enlisted circles back then. As time went by, we - well, he! - did indeed notice an increase in the quality of enlisted personnel.

As an aside - some of the troops most likely to take advantage of the Army's continuing education programs were those from 'dirt-poor' backgrounds, of all different ethnicities. I met any number of enlisted wives who had formulated a plan with their husbands to advance his education via some time in the military: they knew they'd have a pretty Spartan lifestyle for a few years, but the opportunities are unparalleled. And yes, they wanted to do something to show their love for this nation.

My husband the art school draftee left the military as a CSM with over 30 years' service. He's about to acquire a Masters in Education, just because he wanted one. His family background includes two Phi Beta Kappa parents and rights to membership in the Mayflower Society and the CAR (DAR auxiliary)....

The thing is, he's not all that atypical of the military personnel we encountered over those three decades.

Our son is now contemplating having the Navy pay his way through school - medical school. I couldn't be happier.

Thank you both for your service. My youngest son is in the Navy now. He was not ready for college when he graduated from HS and he is going to do his 4 years and let the Navy pay for his college. My oldest son is working on his masters in Criminal Justice. His dream has always been the FBI but there is a hiring freeze. He is contemplating getting a commission. People don't realize how good the military can be for your career.

 

[SteadyMercury]

That was one of the most eye opening things about serving for me, the demographic span of my basic training class. From middle class suburban white kid to inner city black kid from LA to cowboy dude from Montana to the one older guy in his mid 30s to the Mexican guy who's English sucked to the native American etc. You really do get quite the diverse population sample