The Rise of the Military Welfare State

This study of US military benefits “ offers a disturbing view of the armed forces as a high-value target in political clashes over public assistance” ( The Nation ). Since the end of the draft, the U.S. Army has prided itself on its patriotic volunteers who heed the call to “Be All That You Can Be.” But beneath the recruitment slogans, the army promised volunteers something more tangible: a social safety net including medical care, education, housing assistance, legal services, and other privile