MILITARY DOWNSIZING AND THE CAREER PROSPECTS OF YOUTHS

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 i nvestigation centers around the following questions: Do training and e ducation in the military transfer into the civilian workforce? If the military does prepare individuals for civilian jobs, will reductions i n 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 th ree categories: the effect of military service on earnings potential; the effects of military training and occupational specialty; and the e ffects of military service on employment. Barley concludes by offering a series of recommendations for policy, highlighting the fact that re turns to service are primarily due to access to further education.