Military Downsizing and the Career Prospects of Youths

Abstract

In this article, Stephen Barley examines the extent to which the U.S. military serves as a provider of skills in the civilian economy. His investigation centers around the following questions: Do training and education in the military transfer into the civilian workforce? If the military does prepare individuals for civilian jobs, will reductions in accessions constrict the availability of trained personnel, just as firms are realizing that they require a workforce more highly skilled than in the recent past? Barley presents a review of studies focusing on the economic returns to military service, which fall into one of three categories: the effect of military service on earnings potential; the effects of military training and occupational speciality; and the effects of military service on employment. Barley concludes by offering a series of recommendations for policy, highlighting the fact that returns to service are primarily due to access to further education.