Studies tackle who joins the military and why, but their findings aren’t what many assume | Military Times

A common theory that was tested in two studies this year is that military candidates join because they have no other option. However, the studies showed that the reason cadets sign up has a lot more variety than this. “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,” stated a report published in Armed Forces and Society. The studies also showed that those with this point of view, and overall, those who joined the military, leaned more to the Republican political party. Also, the pay and benefits seemed to be a driving factor.

Source: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/04/27/studies-tackle-who-joins-the-military-and-why-but-their-findings-arent-what-many-assume/