Generations of Veterans: Socioeconomic Attainment from World War II to the Contemporary Era

Abstract

Scholars have long examined how generations or, more technically, cohorts produce social change. According to theory, people’s lives are shaped by the years in which they were born because they experience, along with their peers, particular historical events at the same points in the life course. Despite the importance of history, however, many scholars have evaluated cohorts not defined by clear start and end dates, but rather by arbitrary cut points, such as five-year intervals. In contrast, this article uses defined changes in military service in the United States stemming from shifts between war and peace, and from draft to volunteer service to assess how cohorts have contributed to change in socioeconomic attainment. It uses the Current Population Survey from 1971 to 2017, which has not previously been used to evaluate how veteran status may have produced shifting outcomes across cohorts. It finds evidence that cohorts had different average income overall and between groups, with veterans earning more money than nonveterans who were eligible to serve during the draft era before the Vietnam War. These gaps are partially explained by racial and educational differences. The findings provide a model for analyses of changes in the relative status of other groups, as well as information about how the role of military service in social mobility changed historically.

Military Service and Health Outcomes of the Elderly in China

“…As mentioned earlier, there is controversy about the effect of military experience on earnings. Scholars found that military service during World War II boosted the income of U.S. veterans (e.g., Angrist & Krueger, 1994; De Tray, 1982; MacLean & Kleykamp, 2021; Smith et al, 2012), while Vietnam-era veterans earned less (e.g., Angrist, 1990; Spiro et al, 2016; Teachman & Call, 1996). Even so, most of prior studies affirmed the positive effects of military service on the earnings of some socially disadvantaged groups, such as minorities, rural people, and women (Angrist, 1998; Hou et al, 2020; Padavic & Prokos, 2017; Sheehan & Hayward, 2019), because military service tends to help them gain access to elite jobs and narrow gaps in human and social capital.…”

“…On the other hand, the advantages of veterans are also reflected in enjoying better social welfare and medical resources (Angrist, 1998; Davies et al, 2015; Oh & Berry, 2021; Waller & McGuire, 2011), having more competitive military skills (Johansen et al, 2014; Lindqvist & Vestman, 2011; MacLean, 2017), improving personal qualities and abilities (Angrist & Chen, 2011; Brown & Routon, 2016; Eynde, 2015; L. Wang et al, 2012), obtaining higher socioeconomic status (e.g., Angrist & Krueger, 1994; Bachman et al, 2000; Brown & Routon, 2016; MacLean & Kleykamp, 2021; Sheehan & Hayward, 2019; Smith et al, 2012), and accumulating political resources (Diamant, 2008; Hou et al, 2020; Wakenhut, 1979; Wu & Treiman, 2004). Hence superior external conditions seem to make veterans have better health outcomes.…”

A temporal analysis of mental health symptoms relative to separation from the military

“…Financially, veterans' earnings relative to civilian peers are sometimes higher and sometimes lower depending on cohort effects and time (MacLean & Kleykamp, 2021). However, among some studies showing lower income among veterans, these differences are reduced or eliminated among Black veterans (Cooney et al, 2003; Kleykamp, 2013).…”