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Military Pride: These States Boast the Highest Enlistment Rates in America
The Independent Journal Review ^ | July 20, 2014 | Mike Miller

Posted on 07/20/2014 5:01:51 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

While enlistment rates in the U.S. military vary by group, they also vary by state. Enlistment ranges from less than 3 per thousand in North Dakota to more than 7 per thousand in Florida and Maine.

According to the Defense Department, differences exist at the regional level as well. In 2013, 44% of all military recruits came from the South, despite it having only 36% of the country’s 18-24 year-old civilian population.

By contrast, the Northeast was the most underrepresented region of the country; only 14% of new enlistments came from this area, compared to 18% of its 18-24 year-old population.

While the military says it isn’t concerned with the demographics of its recruits, is it fair to speculate as to which Americans volunteer to serve their country and why? What’s your take?


TOPICS: Government; Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: armedforces; demographics; military; millennials

1 posted on 07/20/2014 5:01:51 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Good question. Unlike Kerry(
“who served in viet nam” -’U end up in Iraq.’


2 posted on 07/20/2014 5:33:34 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It’s sad what America’s enemies have done to our language. When I read the word “pride”, my first thought is no longer positive.


3 posted on 07/20/2014 5:34:10 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Maine, I can believe. The jobs up there are limited, so there’s not that much to do.


4 posted on 07/20/2014 5:37:13 PM PDT by hoagy62 ("Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered..."-Thomas Paine. 1776)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And this is a surprise, why? Its the N/E Liberal patriots, they would rather have someone else’s sons protecting their freedom, rather than having their own do it. What the hell do you people think? It’s not 1944 anymore. Patriotism has a different meaning today than it did back then. Old style patriotism still seems to exist in small town USA, but not in the big city areas.


5 posted on 07/20/2014 5:38:34 PM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (Hillary 2016! Really??? That's Retarded Sir.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Has more to do with availability of employment than patriotism I am sad to say. A kid out of high school can at best get a job at McDonalds if they are lucky. As small as it is a military paycheck is better than they could expect elsewhere. Also, many are raised by poor parents and are pushed out the door come graduation.


6 posted on 07/20/2014 5:38:39 PM PDT by TonyM
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Many on the east coast list Florida because you don’t get charged state income tax.


7 posted on 07/20/2014 5:41:12 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I think it has more to do with the employment situations in those states. Maine employment of young men is low, while North Dakota has jobs available out the Wazoo. I know when I graduated from high school in Maine, nearly my whole class went into the service.


8 posted on 07/20/2014 5:42:48 PM PDT by batterycommander (We will likely still be Majors, passed over twice, sitting in dimly-lit offices in the Pentagon.)
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To: TonyM

Small? I’m guessing you haven’t seen a pay scale for awhile:

http://www.navycs.com/charts/2014-military-pay-chart.html


9 posted on 07/20/2014 5:43:42 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I recall that Scotland provided a large percentage of the British Army because the area was poor and that was the only job they could get. They also were good soldiers.


10 posted on 07/20/2014 5:44:25 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The fact that our C-in-C is what he is would greatly diminish the likelihood of my enlisting, if I were of that age today.


11 posted on 07/20/2014 6:13:06 PM PDT by Elsiejay
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To: yarddog

Your observation about Scotland prompted me to remember Jim Webb’s book, “Born Fighting”, about the 18th Century influx from Scotland and Northern Ireland into the US and how they became a source for the military forces. This became geographically-centered in the South and Appalachian areas and carries on today as shown in the dark blue on the map.


12 posted on 07/20/2014 7:56:29 PM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: T-Bird45

The part of NW Florida where I was born and reared was settled very early by Spanish but then came waves of Highland Scots mostly from the Western Islands. My Mother’s Clan, The McDuffies came from the island of Colonsay. They probably came after Culloden as one of her ancestors fought there.

Also a few Scots Irish. All of them originally landed in Virginia or more likely Wilmington North Carolina.

In 1960 over 60% of the population of Walton County had Scottish surnames. My high school was full of beautiful girls, and I mean full of them. I think they must have been from handsome stock.


13 posted on 07/20/2014 8:05:54 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: yarddog

The military was where I first encountered grits as regularly presented at breakfast in the mess hall. I entered the military from Oklahoma but grits were not part of my family’s culinary history so seeing it every morning was a cultural reminder of where many military members have roots, especially the mess sergeants, it seems. I’ve since learned to occasionally eat grits when I go to Cracker Barrel Restaurant for breakfast.


14 posted on 07/20/2014 8:21:51 PM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: T-Bird45

I am going on very old memories but I would guess Mother fixed grits, eggs, sausage and toast about 2 out of 3 days.

Every few days we would have pan cakes with sausage. Rarely we would have corn flakes or raisin bran with bacon and eggs.

Still grits was there more often than not. I would always mix the grits, eggs and sausage into one dish then eat it with buttered toast.


15 posted on 07/20/2014 8:30:46 PM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8: verses 38 and 39. "For I am persuaded".)
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To: batterycommander

Same with my high school in Maine.

I remember 99% of my senior class took the ASVAB test. A huge number joined the service.

I learned later a number of them stayed in until retirement.


16 posted on 07/20/2014 9:23:08 PM PDT by warsaw44
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