Regional Representation in the U.S. Military

Abstract

The chapter examines regional differences in U.S. military participation. Participation in the U.S. all-volunteer military is persistently higher for youth from the South and West than from other regions. While raw numbers of recruits from the South and West have grown, much of the growth reflects broad demographic trends across the United States. In explaining broad differences among states as well as changes over time, the most important factors appear to be the prevalence of veterans in the state and regional differences in civilian pay levels. Remarkably, some characteristics that can disqualify individuals for military service are more pronounced in states that contribute more than their “fair share” of service members. Regional differences in military participation can have important implications for the relationship between armed forces and society. They also have consequences for communities: those that send more young people into the military may experience a disproportionate share of deaths and injuries during wartime; those that send fewer are less likely to enjoy the economic and training benefits associated with service.

Citation

Williams, C. (2014), "Regional Representation in the U.S. Military", The Evolving Boundaries of Defence: An Assessment of Recent Shifts in Defence Activities (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 23), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 177-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1572-832320140000023012