High youth unemployment boosts military recruitment

But what happens to the rest of them?

For the first time, the four largest branches of the service -- the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines -- are far exceeding their recruiting goals. About 99 percent of enlistees have a high school diploma, and scores on the military entrance exam are the highest in the history of the all-volunteer force.

Those numbers are important, recruiters say, because enlistees with book smarts and discipline are usually easier to train.

"We know that unemployment is stubbornly high, around 9.5 percent, and that's high by historical standards," said Curtis Gilroy, the Defense Department's director of recruiting.

"When jobs are scarce in the civilian sector, the military is relatively attractive as a post-high school option for young people."

http://dailyme.com/story/2010091200000777/sour-us-job-market-military-recruitment.html

Record high youth unemployment is sending the cream of the crop into the military.

But, with too few jobs available for young people, too many unemployed, unemployable, under educated, less intelligent and less disciplined youth will face two options - - welfare or crime.