Lost opportunity: the high quality, reduced military force of the 1990s : is there a role for the nation's disadvantaged youth?

Abstract

The trend toward increased quality of military recruits over the past decade is projected to continue into the 1990s. The effect of this trend, combined with the planned force drawdown, may limit opportunities for the nation's disadvantaged youth to serve in the military. A policy analysis was conducted using five previous studies of Project 100,000 to determine the feasibility of recruiting disadvantaged youth for military service. Project 100, 000 (1966-1971) relaxed the military's entrance standards so that a large number of individuals who would have otherwise been disqualified could serve. The five previous studies were beset by numerous methodological weaknesses and produced conflicting results. Consequently, no definitive conclusion could be drawn regarding the merits of recruiting disadvantaged youth in the years ahead. Alternative approaches for further research are presented.