The U.S. military services send officers to graduate schools each year to pursue advanced degrees, primarily to fill billet requirements later. This can be costly, including such things as tuition, housing, and pay but also the opportunity cost of the officer not filling an operational billet. Participation in such a program incurs specific…

This study examines why some young men and women choose military service as well as what factors lead to successful enlisting among those who choose military service. It examines these questions using cross-sectional and longitudinal panel survey data from large nationwide samples of high school seniors, many of whom were followed into young…