Why Would Anyone Join Today’s Military?

In the Tom Cruise movie Jack Reacher (2012), Reacher makes this observation about people who join the military: “There are four types of people who join the military. For some, it’s a family trade. Others are patriots, eager to serve. Next, you have those who just need a job. Then there’s the kind who want a legal means of killing other people.”

I think that motive number three is the main reason that American men and women join today’s military, but even that is losing ground.

Today’s military ...