Youth Attitudes Toward the Military: Poll One

Abstract : The Department of Defense (DoD) uses market research to adapt advertising content and focus recruiting strategies. DoD market researchers have been collecting information on youth attitudes toward military service since 1975. Unlike the youth population; however, little information has been collected on adult attitudes toward the military and military service. This research effort is the first of a series of polls to assess attitudes of the adult population. The poll asked adults questions on what advice they give to youth on options after high school, who they advise, and what they know about the military. The Adult Poll 1 sample was divided into two segments of the adult market. A shortened survey was conducted among 22- to 27-year-old adults. They were asked their propensity to join the military and whether or not an incentive like educational loan forgiveness would affect their likelihood to join the military. The adults ages 28 and older (n=1,108) were asked their impressions of the military, their likelihood of recommending military service and if they actually gave advice to youth. In this report, any reference to adults or the adult public applies to results for the 28 and older segment and carries a 2.9 margin of error at the 95% confidence level. The smaller sample size for younger adults, 22 to 27 year olds (n=143), was insufficient to meet this standard and these younger adults were treated as a separate analytical subgroup. Interviews were conducted via computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) during the period of May 16-26, 2001. Data were weighted by age, race/ethnicity and education to the May 2001 Current Population Survey.