Where new recruits came from

Far more military recruits came from the South than any other region of the country in 1999. The West provided the second-highest number that year. Unemployment, the strength and weakness of regional economies and changing demographic trends all influence recruitment, according to the Department of Defense. The percentage of enlistees from the Pacific Northwest has remained fairly steady since the national draft ended in 1973.

Race and the armed forces

The military is more ethnically diverse than the general population in the United States. Minorities make up about 37 percent of the military population, while nationwide minorities make up about 30 percent of the population. Black men are overrepresented in the military compared with the civilian population, while women and Hispanics are underrepresented. The ethnicity and gender of active-duty military personnel in 1999 were:

Source: Department of Defense

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