Neighborhood income distribution of US Military enlistees

[khad]

http://i.imgur.com/2oeRm.png
http://i.imgur.com/jvrzn.png

Discuss.

[GPDP]

Huh. So I guess that kinda puts a dent on the whole "people join the army because they have few opportunities otherwise" theory.

[Sensible Socialist]

Do you have any information about where those statistics came from or who compiled them? As well, what dates were they taken from?

[khad]

Huh. So I guess that kinda puts a dent on the whole "people join the army because they have few opportunities otherwise" theory.
Most of the very low income people end up failing the Army's aptitude and knowledge tests. Although 30% of prospective enlistees scored category IV or below in 2007, only 2.3% of 2007's crop of recruits came from category IV.

[RedSonRising]

The fact still stands that while many privileged students may choose to enlist, such a decision is less of a 'choice' for those desperate for the means to a decent living, regardless of how many of them or members from other classes eventually become absorbed by the military.

Very interesting bit of information, however. Did not expect it.

[Fulanito de Tal]

I would love access to that data! Also, it would be interesting to see the distribution of income among combat and non combat military occupational specialties.

I'm going to think about this one for a while.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Why does the last category go from 65,000-246,000? Because if you look at the percentage when it breaks it down more in the second graph most of that 25% of that richest is below 100,000. And I wouldn't really say making about 65,000 is "rich" anyways, these graphs have no statistics on people making 250,000+ or more, where the hell are they?

[TwoSevensClash]

A bunch of my friends are in the military and get paid kick ass money so I can see why an upper class kid would join. There non combat jobs though. Also due to the lack of jobs many middle class kids get only get a job in the military.