The Effect of Military Enlistment on Earnings and Education

Estimates, for as many as 18 years following enlistment, the causal effect of military enlistment on earnings and educational attainment. The authors address the empirical problems associated with the selective nature of military service by restricting their analysis to military applicants, some of whom enlist and some of whom do not, and by controlling for a rich array of applicant characteristics available on the military application record.