Hey all, I've been thinking about joining the military after high school. I'm kinda curious to know, does anybody know roughly how many high school grads each year roll into the military? I just want to get a sense of how common this path is. Thanks in advance!
Howdy! Your curiosity about the military pathway post high school is perfectly valid. It's indeed an alternate route that many students opt for after high school. According to the Department of Defense, approximately 150,000 young Americans enlist for active duty in the U.S. military each year. This includes individuals who've recently graduated from high school, those with a few years of job experience, and even some college graduates.
It's important to note that the U.S. has about 3.1 million high school graduates each year, so we can estimate (using rough calculations) that around 5% of high school graduates enlist in the military each year. So, while not the most common path, it's definitely not uncommon either.
Remember, statistics aside, what truly matters is what path resonates with you and aligns with your personal goals. If you're considering the military, you might want to look into the various branches, potential career paths within the service, as well as other benefits like funding for future education.
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