More Join the Military—An Unintended Consequence?

Remember how we were having trouble attracting enough young people to join our armed forces so that we could send enough troops to feed the war in Iraq?

Remember how, as casualties increased in Iraq, our armed services had to lower standards and start accepting recruits who were high school dropouts, who scored low on qualifications tests, who had medical problems and criminal records—they received medical or moral waivers—and how new recruits had to be attracted through increased sign-up bonuses and other incentives?

Talk about unintended consequences.

According to the New York Times in this morning’s “More Joining American Military as Jobs Dwindle”:

“The last fiscal year was a banner one for the military, with all active-duty and reserve forces meeting or exceeding their recruitment goals for the first time since 2004, the year that violence in Iraq intensified drastically, Pentagon officials said.

And the trend seems to be accelerating. The Army exceeded its targets each month for October, November and December — the first quarter of the new fiscal year — bringing in 21,443 new soldiers on active duty and in the reserves. December figures were released last week.

Our tanking economy and consequent rising unemployment, seems to be one important reason, although I will never rule out the patriotism and sense of duty our young people have.

The new, improved Webb G.I. Bill (which Bush and McCain initially fought tooth and nail), the recent decline in violence in Iraq, and improved recruitment methods and efforts are also important factors.

According to the Times, these are some examples of the men and women who are now volunteering in droves to serve their country:

A Bridgeport, Conn. recruiter “had been struck by the number of unemployed construction workers and older potential recruits — people in their 30s and beyond — who had contacted him to explore the possibility.”

Sean D. O’Neil, a 22-year-old who stood shivering outside an Army recruitment office in St. Louis, said he was forgoing plans to become a guitar maker for now, realizing that instruments are seen as a luxury during a recession.

Ryen Trexler, 21, saw the recession barreling toward him as he was fixing truck tires for Allegheny Trucks in Altoona, Pa. By last summer, his workload had dropped from fixing 10 to 15 tires a day to mending two to four, or sometimes none…He quit and signed up for the Jobs Corps Center in Pittsburgh…When a local Army recruiter walked into the center, his pitch hit a nerve. Mr. Trexler figured he could earn more money and learn leadership skills in the Army. Just as important, he could ride out the recession for four years and walk out ready to work in civilian construction.

Just a few months ago, Guy Derenoncourt was working as an equity trader at a boutique investment firm in New York. Then the equity market fell apart and he quit. Last week, he enlisted for a four-year stint in the Navy, a military branch he chose because it would keep him out of Afghanistan and offer him a variety of aviation-related jobs. “I really had no intention to join if it weren’t for the financial turmoil, because I was doing quite well,” Mr. Derenoncourt, 25, said, adding that a sense of patriotism made it an easier choice.

Yes, there are consequences to the mismanagement of our economy during the past eight years. Most of them are bad, really bad, but here is one unintended consequence that is good, bad, indifferent—I leave that judgment up to the reader.