i'm curious what your take is, as someone who's been involved in it yourself, as to the reason for this.
The upper income bracket is pretty easy to discern, but what is your take on the under-representation in the lower income brackets? (I'll bet your take is the same as mine, though you have first hand experience in figuring out why and I do not.)
I went from recruiting in Southern NH in the mid 90's (booming economy) and the kids didn't want to work where Dad and Mom worked.. didn't want the office hours, the commute.. etc.. Not hard to find kids looking for something a little more exciting that what mom and dad did. Also had a good go at getting kids from what would at least APPEAR to be high income bracket housesholds.. Mercedes in front of the mansion types.. The parents were married to their lifestyle, no money saved to pay for Jr's college, and too much income to qualify for any aid.. Army College Fund was actually attractive, that and, believe it or not. many rich(er) parents wanted their kids to go out on their own and DO something before inheriting or working for dad's company.
Now, we move to NW PA, totally failed economy. The richest (?) people in town were the teachers, the nicest neighborhood was called teachers row. Average HOUSEHOLD (not individual) income was $29060 in 2000 (Nationwide avg $42,000 IN 2000).
Kids grew up on welfare, or they knew families and had friends whose parents were on welfare and stayed at home all day. They knew they could do the same and not have to do a thing to get it. Up there I even competed with WAL-MART of all places. We had a new Wal-Mart opening up, and a big objection to joining the Army was.. "I'm waiting for Wal-Mart to come to town, and I'll get a job there".. AND then what? Entire neighborhoods there of section 8 housing.. I've never seen nastier living conditions in my life.. the smellist nastiest houses, kids growing to adults that had NO idea how to care for themselves, and of course they had their own welfare kids..
I delivered Pizza part time up there.. and there were houses I would NOT step foot into to get out of freezing rain.. while they counted their pennies to give me EXACTLY what was due.. or give me $5 for their $4.98 bill and in their best Donald Trump Voice.. "Keep the Change!" You learned where the teachers lived quick and JUMPED on those deliveries.
(I have an story about the teachers too.. would have been funny if it wasn't ridiculously sad)
NH there was still a sense of Duty, Patriotism.. Saw it a lot, and it came down to which service got to these young men and women first. PA.. Not so much. The gov't was the CAUSE of all their problems.. yet they were sucking the gov't teat EVERY day of their lives.
I got to PA thinking "Man, I'm going to be a hero.. I came from a TOUGH market in NH to this? They'll be lining up to get the hell out of here!!" I've never been so wrong.
Doh....That's right...it is our military aircraft (albeit USAF
) that provides the transportation to there. Perhaps the Artic Circle is a better fit.
