An armed refuge from the economic storm

For the first time in years, the U.S. military has been exceeding its recruitment goals, and it has the economy to thank. As jobs (and steady paychecks) become scarce, the military is becoming an increasingly attractive option. One recruiter notes that many applicants are either out of work construction workers and older recruits (in 2006, the Army raised its age limit to 42 from 35). Students who are having trouble getting loans and financing to go to college are also looking to sign on as soldiers. Even with the country at war, serving in the military seems to beat life in an increasingly brutal economy.

The New York Times