Declining Interest in Military Service: Qualitative Insights
Abstract
Recent years have seen a decline in young men's propensity for military service, particularly among young Black men. At the behest of the House Committee on National Security (Fiscal Year 1996 National Defense Authorization Act, Report 104-131, Section 564), the Defense Department conducted focus groups with young men, and parents of young men, to identify factors that might explain the decline in propensity. Although no definitive explanation for the recent decline in propensity was found, the study identified a number of factors that affect interest in military service. Overall, youth who participated in the focus groups reported the drawbacks to military service outweighed the benefits. The drawbacks cited are small in number, but youth viewed them as insurmountable obstacles to enlisting. These were: (1) their impressions of boot camp and the discipline associated with enlisted military life; (2) the perceived long enlistment commitment (4+ years) and interruption of life; and (3) the potential danger of military service, which was linked to their skepticism about the military's humanitarian and peacekeeping roles in other countries.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA363936
Entities
People
- Anita R. Lancaster
- Jerry Lehnus
Organizations
- Defense Manpower Data Center