It's not just a job: Military service and Latino political participation

Using the Latino National Political Survey, this paper tests the hypothesis that military service serves to stimulate electoral and nonelectoral polit ical participation by Latinos. The results are compared with those for Angl es (non-Hispanic whites). The data show that Latino veterans, and particula rly draftees, exhibited higher levels of voting and low-intensity nonelecto ral political activities. Angle veterans did not increase their participati on to the same extent. Service in the volunteer army was a much less import ant explanatory factor of both Latino and Angle political participation. Mi litary experience therefore has a greater impact on Latinos than Angles, an d the draft experience was more important than volunteer service.