Does anyone know the real numbers here? Like, how many high school grads opt to join the military each year?
According to data from the Department of Defense, roughly about 150,000 individuals enlist in the active component of the U.S. Military each year. However, this number includes not only recent high school graduates, but also those who have been out of high school for some time, have a GED, or even some level of college education.
While it's challenging to obtain a specific percentage or number of high school graduates who choose the military each year (as it can vary), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a study and found that about 9% of high school graduates not currently enrolled in college or university had pursued military service as of the October immediately following high school graduation.
It's worth noting that these numbers can fluctuate greatly from year to year based on a number of socio-economic factors, and the specific needs and recruiting goals of the military in a given year.
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