It is argued that those who do not join the military service should pay an amount of money to the army. Other people, however, argue that military service is still a must. Ever since the U. S. military became an all-volunteer force, a preconception has existed among many Americans that those who choose to join the armed services do so because they have no other options.
That is the hypothethis of two studies released this year. Both debunk that stereotype, finding that the military is much more diverse ― and troops have much more varied reasons for signing up ― than some have assumed.
“. . . our analysis suggests that, despite the increasing economic inequality and the erosion of many low-skill occupational opportunities, the U. S. military has not become a refuge for the less fortunate, ” write authors Andrea Asoni, Andrea Gilli, Mauro Gilli and Tino Sandanaji in “A mercenary army of the poor? Technological change and the demographic composition of the post-9/11 U. S. military, ” a report published January in the Journal of Strategic Studies.
Another study, based on a 2018 survey of Americans, sought to analyze not only why Americans join the military, but why others think they join.
“We find that, despite the reality of market-based recruitment, many Americans continue to subscribe to an idealized image of service members as moved by self-sacrificing patriotism, ” wrote Ronald Krebs and Robert Ralston in “Patriotism or Paychecks: Who Believes What About Why Soldiers Serve, ” published in Armed Forces and Society.
“This belief is most heavily concentrated among conservative Americans, ” they found. “Liberal Americans are more likely to believe that service members join primarily for economic reasons. Those furthest to the left are more inclined to aver that service members join chiefly to escape desperate circumstances. ”
Further, within families with service members, there was a disconnect between the members’ motivations and their families’ assumptions.
It
is argued
that those who do not
join
the military
service
should pay an amount of money to the army. Other
people
,
however
, argue that military
service
is
still
a
must
. Ever since the U. S. military became an all-volunteer force, a preconception has existed among
many
Americans that those who choose to
join
the armed
services
do
so
because
they have no other options.
That is
the
hypothethis
of two studies released this year. Both debunk that stereotype, finding that the military is much more diverse ― and troops have much more varied reasons for signing up ― than
some
have assumed.
“.
.
.
our
analysis suggests that, despite the increasing economic inequality and the erosion of
many
low-
skill
occupational opportunities, the U. S. military has not become a refuge for the less fortunate,
”
write authors Andrea
Asoni
, Andrea
Gilli
, Mauro
Gilli
and
Tino
Sandanaji
in “A mercenary army of the poor? Technological
change
and the demographic composition of the post-9/11 U. S. military,
”
a report published January in the Journal of Strategic Studies.
Another study, based on a 2018 survey of Americans, sought to analyze not
only
why Americans
join
the military,
but
why others
think
they
join
.
“We find that, despite the reality of market-based recruitment,
many
Americans continue to subscribe to an idealized image of
service
members
as
moved
by self-sacrificing patriotism,
”
wrote Ronald Krebs and Robert
Ralston
in “Patriotism or Paychecks: Who Believes What About Why Soldiers Serve,
”
published in Armed Forces and Society.
“This belief is most
heavily
concentrated among conservative Americans,
”
they found. “Liberal Americans are more likely to believe that
service
members
join
primarily
for economic reasons. Those furthest to the
left
are more inclined to aver that
service
members
join
chiefly
to escape desperate circumstances. ”
Further
, within families with
service
members
, there was a disconnect between the
members’
motivations and their families’ assumptions.