During their senior year, students attending Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools develop a postsecondary plan that denotes what they intend to do after graduating from high school. Seniors report whether they are planning to attend a four-year college/university, a two-year/community college, or a vocational/technical school;…

This Statistics in Brief examines military service among 2002 high school sophomores and the postsecondary enrollment outcomes of those who had served in the military as of 2012, some 8 years after most completed high school in 2004. This cohort had just begun 10th grade when the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, occurred. As of 2012, some…

Each year, more than 150,000 young men and women enlist in the active component of the U.S. military. The experience of these enlistees while serving their country undoubtedly influences their long-run labor market outcomes, but exactly how is not well understood. Military service develops technical and other skills and subsidizes the cost of…

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) collects information on seniors' academic and career plans after graduation in the form of a postsecondary plan. The information collected consists of several categories, including attending a four-year college/university, attending a two-year/ community college, attending a vocational/technical…

The federal government pays for a wide range of goods and services that are expected to be useful some years in the future. Those purchases, called investment, fall into three categories: physical capital, research and development (R&D), and education and training. There are several economic rationales for federal investment. It can provide…

As the United States marks the 10th anniversary of the longest period of sustained warfare in its history, the overwhelming majority of veterans of the post-9/11 era are proud of their military service. At the same time, many report that they have had difficulties readjusting to civilian life, and have suffered from post-traumatic stress. While…

Young people who drop out of high school face long odds of success in a labor market that increasingly values education and skills. This report presents interim results from a rigorous, ongoing evaluation of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which aims to "reclaim the lives of at-risk youth" who have dropped out of high school.…

The Monitoring the Future project was created to measure and report longitudinal changes reflecting the impacts of such post-high school experiences as college, the military, employment, homemaking, unemployment, marriage, and parenthood. In addition to annual surveys of high school seniors, the project includes follow-up surveys extending to 10…

A survey, conducted in February 1984, provided the Veterans Administration (VA) with detailed information on the social, economic, demographic, and health characteristics of the current population of female veterans, as well as their awareness of, attitudes toward, and usage of VA programs. Findings indicated that the female veteran population was…

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…

The postbaccalaureate plans of 1980-1981 physics and astronomy graduates were surveyed and compared with previous graduates. Data are presented on annual changes in postbaccalaureate plans during 1971-1981 with respect to the following options: physics graduate study, other graduate study, civilian employment, military service, and undecided.…

As part of a project to improve the quality of survey data and to link survey data to policy formulation and research needs in the military, a study was made of more than 54,000 men and women military officers and enlisted personnel in 1978-79. The survey sought information about their personal preferences and attitudes, past behavior, and career…