Reference:
Barry, A. E., Stellefson, M. L., Hanik, B., Tennant, B. L., Whiteman, S. D., Varnes, J., & MacDermid Wadsworth, S. (2013). Examining the association between binge drinking and propensity to join the military. Military Medicine, 178, 37-42. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-12-00293
Summary:
It is unclear to what degree alcohol consumption predicts enlistment into the military. To address this need, authors explored the extent to which binge drinking was related to joining the military among a national sample of high school seniors responding to the 2008 Monitoring the Future survey. Independent samples and analyses were employed to explore if twelfth grade students who intended to join the military after graduating from high school binge drank significantly more than those not intending to enlist. Research showed that binge drinkers had a higher propensity to join the military than those who did not binge drink. As binge drinking increased, so did one’s likelihood to join the military, and confirmed the idea that high school binge drinkers may be self-selecting into military service. These findings underscore the importance of adequately assessing the frequency of high-risk alcohol consumption and their associated correlates among potential military recruits before accession.