Draft as Drain

Upon learning that Poland is set to end military conscription starting early next year, Microkhan got to wondering about the economic effects of nixing the draft. Is it a net good to have thousands of 18-to-21-year-olds pounding the pavement in search of jobs or educations, as opposed to learning how to march and fire weapons?

This study, which focused on financial fates of thousands of British men, pretty clearly comes down on the side of ending conscription:

Our results suggest that the effect o