Who's Joining The Army? Lots Of Rural Kids Looking To Pay For College

[babylonsister]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=9361

Who's Joining The Army? Lots Of Rural Kids Looking To Pay For College

Finding few options at home, young people see military as only viable solution.

By Michelle Rabinowitz / MTV News

BROWNSVILLE, Kentucky — Last year, Kentucky's Edmonson County had the highest Army-recruitment rate of any county in the U.S.

Which means, since people 24 and under make up the overwhelming majority of recruits, that a higher percentage of young people here signed up than anywhere else in the country, according to Army data analyzed by the nonprofit National Priorities Project.

In a county of just 12,000 people that may not mean big numbers, but it is indicative of a much larger trend. Kids from rural parts of the U.S. are twice as likely to enlist in the military as their counterparts in cities, according to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Sixty-four percent of Americans now say the war in Iraq is "not worth fighting," according to a recent ABC News-Washington Post poll. At Edmonson County High School, however, plenty of students not only support the war — they're ready to fight.

"I want to go fight for our nation so people can be free," said 16-year-old Greg, who plans on joining the Marines. "I know if I go to war, I am protecting my country."

more...

[Kolesar]

1. Music Television News?

Another factor might be that grannies picket the recruiting offices in the cities.

[bighughdiehl]

2. There will never be a draft

More jobs will be outsourced, leading to more poverty, therefore more cannon fodder.

[Bigmack]

3. Education....

I'm only guessing, but I'll bet the schools are hurting. Probably not a lot of "critical thinking" education.

The local economy must be on its ass.

Military looks like an option, but why not Air Force? These kids want Marines and Army "so people can be free".

Not simple stupidity, but Faux news and rightwing church induced ignorance.

From: http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=3933

Median household income
Local
$25,413
National
$41,994
Source: 2000 census, U.S. Census Bureau