In a Tough Job Market

Trey Smith

So I'm reading an article on Reuters about the high unemployment rate for military veterans. The reporter discussed some obvious variables like suffering from "the traumas of war" and how this can negatively impact job prospects. But one variable that I believe is a strong factor was only given a slight mention near the end.

The economists also noted that higher demand for personnel during wartime might cause recruiters to reduce enlistment standards. Indeed, their analysis found that recent veterans tended to be younger and less educated than the general working-age population.

You see, when good jobs are hard to come by and educational costs are going through the roof, serving in the military becomes an attractive option for many. I'm not suggesting this is the ONLY reason that members of the working poor sign up with the military, but it plays a BIG role.

As I have mentioned before, I think that the main reason that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have gotten serious about addressing the unemployment crisis in this nation is tied to our ever-increasing war machine. As our leaders continue to intensify the perpetual "War on Terror," we need soldiers to fight it and the best grunts are faceless and nameless members of the working class.

It has been this way all throughout history. The elites make war and the peasants are the ones who do the lion's share of the fighting...and dying.

Consequently, if jobs were plentiful in the US, a lot of the working poor would never grace the inside of military recruitment office. Why take the chance of getting your head blown off if you can find a relatively good paying job in your local area?