This document summarizes a literature review and study on military recruitment of high school students. The literature review covers previous research on military demographics and benefits offered to students. The study hypothesized that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, racial minorities, and lower academic achievement would experience higher rates of military recruitment. Surveys and interviews with army recruiters found some support for this, with recruiters reporting focusing recruitment efforts on majority-black, lower-income schools. The results provided mixed support for theories on power structures and rational choice in decision making.

1. Military Recruitment of High School Students Emily Beavers

2. Literature Review The military demographics before AFV (Stouffer et al 1949; Monskos 1971; White 2004; Baker 2008; Browne-Marshall 2008) Demographics of Soldiers post AVF (Teachman et al 1993 ; Department of Defense 1998; Bachman et al 2000; Griffith 2008)

3. Literature Review cont. Military benefits for students (Ayers 2006; Carnevale 2006) Recruitment within high schools (Lewn 2003; Dobbs 2005; Feder 2006; Berkhart 2008)

4. Theory Power Elite (Mills) “ men whose positions enable them to transcend the ordinary environments…they are in positions to make decisions having major consequences” (Mills 2003:303) Rational Choice (Merton 2008) People choose the best option to achieve a goal.

5. Hypothesis Students of lower socioeconomic status experience higher rates of military recruitment Students of racial minorities experience higher rates of military recruitment Students of lower academic achievement experience higher rates of military recruitment

6. Methods Quantitative Surveys 20 questions 257 respondents Concepts Qualitative Interviews – Army recruiters Seven interviews

7. Results Descriptive Stats

8. Results Descriptive Stats

9. Results Descriptive Stats

10. Results Descriptive Stats

11. Results Cont. Prevalence of Recruitment

12. Results Cont. Prevalence of Recruitment

13. Results Cont. Prevalence of Recruitment

14. Results Cont. Prevalence of Recruitment

15. Results cont.

16. Results cont.

17. Results cont. Interviews Five (of seven) army recruiters reported the demographics of those recruited Of the five recruiters 4 reported visiting their schools once a week Those schools varied in socioeconomic status but had at least one majority Black school

18. Results cont. Interviews Of those five interviewed only three recruiters reported student enlistments sums Two of the three reported 24-26 students Both recruiters varied in racial makeup and socioeconomic status One of the three reported 80 students They recruited from majority Black, lower income students

19. Discussion Socioeconomic status did not seem to affect recruitment Academic status did seem to affect recruitment Consistent with rational choice theory

20. Discussion cont. “You’d expect me say we recruit from the ‘holler’ and the ‘ghetto’ but we don’t” Turns out recruiters do approach racial minorities first. Constant with Rational Choice Theory Power Elite

21. Discussion cont. Other options beside the military should be given to high school students Bigger, Better, Sample