WP: Youths in Rural U.S. Are Drawn To Military (job worries outweigh fear)

[Rose Siding]

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 4, 2005; Page A01

As sustained combat in Iraq makes it harder than ever to fill the ranks of the all-volunteer force, newly released Pentagon demographic data show that the military is leaning heavily for recruits on economically depressed, rural areas where youths' need for jobs may outweigh the risks of going to war.

More than 44 percent of U.S. military recruits come from rural areas, Pentagon figures show. In contrast, 14 percent come from major cities. Youths living in the most sparsely populated Zip codes are 22 percent more likely to join the Army, with an opposite trend in cities. Regionally, most enlistees come from the South (40 percent) and West (24 percent).

Many of today's recruits are financially strapped, with nearly half coming from lower-middle-class to poor households, according to new Pentagon data based on Zip codes and census estimates of mean household income. Nearly two-thirds of Army recruits in 2004 came from counties in which median household income is below the U.S. median.

.........MORE.........

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302528.html

[rocktivity]

1. Candidate for this month's "You Call This NEWS?" award

:eyes:
rocknation

[HereSince1628]

9. Seems, every generation of reporters has to find out for itself

[grytpype]

2. Hicks in Sticks

Queers and Steers

Anyone surprised by this?

[tularetom]

3. If it was just fears about the economy

Ghetto kids would be enlisting in record numbers as well. But they aren't. I'm guessing they might be a bit more worldly wise and less likely to drink the kool aid than kids in rural areas.

[prescole]

4. They draft the white trash first around here anyway...

from Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road."

Rural Southerners have been overrepresented in all our wars, I'd wager. Patriotic, poor, naive--bad combination when your leaders are cynical murdering pigs.

(From a proud trailer-dwelling Georgian, btw.)

[bluestateguy]

5. We need major reforms to military recruiting

1. You should have to be 21 to sign up. If you are under 21 you need a parent or guardian to sign authorizing you to enlist.

2. Truth in recruiting. Recruiters must tell enlistees the truth. They should be held liable or criminally accountable for providing false information to enlistees.

3. An end to the stop-loss program. Unless this country is in a declared war--you know a declaration of war, like the Constitution says--there will be no more stop losses.

4. Local school districts should have the right to vote recruiters off of their campuses if the people in those communities vote to do so.

5. Repeal of the section of No Child Left Behind requiring schools to turn over student info to recruiters.

6. Recruitment of students on high school or college campuses should be by opt-in, not opt-out.

7. Military phone numbers should be included on the national Do-Not-Call-List.

8. No draft. End draft registration. If the military can't get enough warm bodies, then gee, maybe the people are trying to tell them something: DON'T START SO MANY WARS!

[Dark]

6. You do need the draft.

Only for a very unlikely scenario that the US is invaded.

But, still, if we were to fight a defensive war, then it would be necessary.

[MADem]

13. I am all for a change that says you cannot be deployed overseas

until you are 21. But kids are viewed as non-alcohol consuming adults at 18, they can vote, enter into contracts, all that stuff.

[NVMojo]

7. so true ...

[2Design]

8. aren't the rural areas where the red voters are too - maybe this

is a good thing to get them to turn around and come out of denial

[Moderator]

10. kick

[vickitulsa]

11. WaPo: "Youths in Rural U.S. Are Drawn To Military"

Subtitle says it all, IMO:

Recruits' Job Worries Outweigh War Fears

As sustained combat in Iraq makes it harder than ever to fill the ranks of the all-volunteer force, newly released Pentagon demographic data show that the military is leaning heavily for recruits on economically depressed, rural areas where youths' need for jobs may outweigh the risks of going to war.

More than 44 percent of U.S. military recruits come from rural areas, Pentagon figures show. In contrast, 14 percent come from major cities. Youths living in the most sparsely populated Zip codes are 22 percent more likely to join the Army, with an opposite trend in cities. Regionally, most enlistees come from the South (40 percent) and West (24 percent).

<snip>

Many of today's recruits are financially strapped, with nearly half coming from lower-middle-class to poor households, according to new Pentagon data based on Zip codes and census estimates of mean household income. Nearly two-thirds of Army recruits in 2004 came from counties in which median household income is below the U.S. median.

<snip>

"A lot of the high recruitment rates are in areas where there is not as much economic opportunity for young people," said Anita Dancs, research director for the NPP, based in Northampton, Mass.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302528.html



This is an enlightening article and one that supports Charlie Wrangel's assertions on this point very well, I think. I hope a LOT of people read it!

Makes sense that the neocons' agenda includes cutting food stamps and any other programs that help the poor survive without joining the Army. The hungrier they (or their children) get, the more likely they are to give in and sign up, even knowing it's a good bet they'll go to Iraq....

One thing about it, though. When you come from small rural communities, you more keenly feel the loss of life and limb of servicemembers among you, because you KNOW them. By now many of those in these areas who might be considering serving may also begin to be put off from enlisting by the closeness of that loss they have witnessed.

THEN where will the neocons turn for their cannon fodder???

[No Exit]

12. Hey, kids thinking of enlisting!

The New Orleans area is bursting with construction jobs and they are GOING BEGGING for construction workers!!

Those of us who are able should make a concerted effort to employ people in the target enlistment age ranges.